Managing your allergic asthma requires a comprehensive approach. There are no proven natural alternatives to maintenance therapy, rescue medications, and inhalers. However, avoiding triggers can prevent symptoms, and with that, you can also help improve your overall condition and quality of life.

1. Modify Your Environment

Allergens are typically harmless substances that cause an allergic immune reaction in some people. They along with substances in the environment can trigger allergic asthma symptoms and flare-ups.

Common environmental allergens and triggers include:

• Air pollution
• Animal dander
• Dust mites
• Mold
• Pests, such as cockroaches
• Secondhand smoke

Identify your specific allergic triggers and work with your healthcare provider on ways to avoid them. While it may be impossible to completely avoid these substances and environmental conditions, recognizing that they can trigger your symptoms can help you take precautions.

For example, cold air may worsen your asthma symptoms. Consider strategies to reduce your exposure to cold air, such as wearing a warm face mask (a balaclava) when you are outside.

Clean air, especially during sleep, may help reduce allergic asthma symptoms, such as running an air purifier in your bedroom at night. A temperature-controlled laminar air flow (LAF) device, which is positioned over the bed, has evidence of being helpful with allergic asthma.

2. Manage Stress

Anxiety, stress, and exhaustion can worsen symptoms of allergic asthma. Be mindful of your symptoms and how they change in response to strain on your mental health.

It is important to manage stress to reduce flare-ups of allergic asthma. Additionally, when you anticipate that your mental health is being stretched, consider slowing down and taking care of your physical health to avoid exacerbating your allergic asthma during these times.

Proactive ways to manage stress include:

• Practicing mindfulness: One study showed that mindfulness-focused stress-reduction training improved asthma control. This training focuses on breath, sensations, and thoughts.
• Performing yoga: Some evidence supports yoga practice as a beneficial way to help maintain asthma control when combined with medical care.

3. Learn Breathing Techniques

You might be able to learn breathing techniques to help control your allergic asthma symptoms. It is important to learn to do exercises safely, with guidance and supervision from a healthcare professional.

You can work with your healthcare provider’s office to get instructions for breathing techniques to improve the strength and regulation of your respiratory muscles, mouth, and throat to gain better control of your asthma symptoms.

4. Modify Your Diet

Diet may play a role in inflammation and could have some direct and indirect effects on allergic asthma symptoms. Sometimes, certain foods or food additives may affect symptoms of allergic asthma, and it’s helpful to determine patterns of your own symptoms in relation to your diet.

Nutrients that may have a beneficial effect on allergic asthma include:

• Antioxidants (found in many plant-based foods, and including vitamins C and E, magnesium, selenium, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals)
• Fiber (found in fruits and vegetables)
• Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel, and some seeds)
• Vitamins A, E, C, and D

Additionally, some foods are generally associated with maintaining a healthy and balanced immune system. Diets that protect the immune system can benefit everyone, especially those with a disease rooted in immune reactivity, such as allergic asthma.

An anti-inflammatory diet includes:

• Fish
• Fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables
• Lean poultry or meat
• Legumes, such as beans and lentils
• Reducing or eliminating processed food, food coloring, and deep-fried food

Dairy, eggs, and nuts are common food allergens that can exacerbate (worsen) allergy symptoms for some people. Work with your healthcare provider to identify and confirm any food allergies. You do not need to cut out common allergens that do not cause you to experience allergic asthma symptoms.

Lack of Evidence for Herbal Remedies

There is no solid scientific evidence supporting the use of certain herbs or supplements for allergic asthma, nor are there recommendations for frequency, dosing, or delivery method (i.e., pill vs. inhaled). In addition, herbs and essential oils can exacerbate (worsen) allergic asthma symptoms, even if they are promoted as possibly improving them.

An older review from 2000 noted that a few over-the-counter products were popular remedies for asthma symptoms, including Vicks VapoRub, Tiger Balm, and various combinations of eucalyptus, menthol, anise, fennel, balsam of Tolu, or camphor. However, they still do not have research-backed benefits for allergic asthma.

A 2023 study examined the biological properties of Jiegeng decoction (JGT), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, and its use in allergic asthma. Researchers found evidence of anti-inflammatory activity specific to allergic asthma in a mouse model. Human research would be needed to show any benefits for people with allergic asthma.

A small research study, with results published in 2019, examined the effects of a purifying air spray containing 41 essential oils on participants who had asthma. The participants did not experience either a worsening or an improvement in their asthma control, airway inflammation, or lung function after four weeks of exposure to the spray.

How to Monitor Triggers

Identifying your allergic asthma triggers is key to managing your condition. Certain allergens can trigger inflammation, leading to allergic asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Common allergens are foods, plants, pets, cosmetics, or household cleaners.

One way to identify your allergic asthma triggers is:

• Purchase or make a journal or keep a detailed calendar of events to track your symptoms, or use an app.
• Note the type of symptoms, when and where you experience them, and if you had to use your rescue medication.
• Reevaluate your symptom patterns to see if they occur with exposures to certain chemical products, pets, foods, plants, activities, or locations.

When to Talk to a Provider

If you are living with allergic asthma, it’s important that you maintain regular appointments with a healthcare provider. This might be your primary care provider, an allergist, or a pulmonary specialist. In addition, you may need to contact your provider if you experience any changes or exacerbation of your symptoms.

It’s helpful to discuss lifestyle modifications and ways to avoid your asthma triggers with your provider so you can have a comprehensive strategy for managing your allergic asthma.

Summary

Allergic asthma symptoms are exacerbated by exposure to certain allergens, such as dust mites, pollen, pollutants, food, or pets. A comprehensive treatment plan includes maintenance medications, rescue medications if symptoms occur, and lifestyle modification to avoid triggers and keep your immune system healthy.

Alternative therapies and non-inhaler treatments for allergic asthma include breathing techniques, a healthy diet, and fresh, clean air exposure.