Asthma

It is thought that in a large percentage of the populations of the Western world, allergic symptoms and reactions to stimuli in the environment are prevalent. Also it is thought that asthma is a complex syndrome more than a single entity. Atopic asthma primarily starts as a paediatric illness, with most sufferers identifying the onset of their asthma in the first years of life. Again it is thought that early allergic sensitization is a risk factor for persistent asthma. Perhaps the most important outcome measure is that losses of lung function seem to be established by the early school years. There is even a theory that exposure to other children, pets, or farm animals may serve to protect against development of atopic wheezing.

During the last four decades, the prevalence of asthma and other atopic diseases has increased significantly, in fact doubling each decade. Various theories have attempted to link the increases with air pollution levels, nutrition, family size (decreasing), environmental tobacco smoke, and increases in allergen exposure.

Whatever the merits of these theories, one fact about asthma is always true. In asthma there is always inflammation of the small airways of the lung leading to blockage of those airways. It is the constant inflammation that causes the lungs to react to everyday substances, this reaction being called allergy. If we find the reason for the inflammation and stop it, then there would be no need to concern ourselves with other theories.

In the case of the miliaria class diseases solved on this website we have seen that sweat ducts can become blocked, causing inflammation in the surrounding skin. The reason for the blockages is that the sweat ducts are habituating and velocity associated reabsorptive ducts, or havards. As the sweat moves to the skin surface through the duct, the duct actively reabsorbs sodium and chloride. Arising from an evolutionary mechanism designed to protect the human body from catastrophic sodium loss under the African sun, if the fluid in the duct increases in speed then extra sodium and chloride is absorbed. If extra is reabsorbed then the anti-microbial peptides in the fluid cease to protect against common microbes which exist on the "external" surfaces of the body. The anti-microbial peptides rely on the fluid having a fairly precise salinity.

Cystic fibrosis is known to be a genetic disorder of exocrine ducts, including both sweat ducts and mucous secreting ducts, such as those in the lungs. In cystic fibrosis the genetic fault presents the reverse of miliaria. In cystic fibrosis the sodium and chloride are not reabsorbed and the result is that both mucous and sweat are high in sodium chloride (salt), in this case too much salt for the anti-microbial peptides to be effective.

The extensive studies of cystic fibrosis shows us that the secreting ducts throughout the body are all havards, and reabsorb in the same manner as the sweat ducts of the skin.

If the ducts of the lung are prompted to increase output then the mucous will contain less salt than is needed for the anti-microbial peptides, and microbes will be able to enter the mucous secreting ducts. The immune reaction to the presence of the microbes will then block the duct, but the continuing output of mucous ruptures the duct and sets up the inflammation in the small airways of the lungs.

This, stated for the first time in history, is the cause of atopic asthma.

First of all let us look at what will increase mucous output. Cigarette smoke, other irritants, and viral infections are the main reasons for an increase. Normally the mucous output will return to normal when the stimulus ceases. However the mucous ducts are subject to habituation. If the stimulus is continuous for a period, or is frequent, then the ducts habituate to the absorbtion of excess salt and will not return to normal.

Another reason that excess reabsorption of salt occurs is if the blood glucose is higher than normal. The body defends osmolality above all else. Glucose makes a contribution to osmolality so that if glucose is high, sodium is subtracted by the body to restore correct osmolality. The body then senses a sodium deficiency and the ducts continue to reabsorb salt, causing asthma.

So the treatment of asthma must first be aimed at stopping excess reabsorption of salt by the mucous secreting ducts of the lungs. This can be done by using the ActiveSignal^TM Sodium therapeutic product invented by Warren Ward. The products, which can be taken as tablets or pills or worn on the skin, signal the presence of sodium and the body exocrine ducts turn off the excess absorption of sodium. ActivSignal^TM therapeutic products are used for signalling only, are not absorbed into the body and have no side effects.

The first commercial ActivSignal product is now under development.

Secondly, where blood glucose is higher than normal, this needs to be reduced by a low carbohydrate diet and increased exercise. In addition, for adults, anti-diabetes drugs can be used to lower the liver glucose release set point, and thus reduce blood glucose.

People who apparently have normal lung function can suffer from asthma when they are vigorously exercising. During vigorous exercise there is some loss of salt in the sweat. The body detects the fall in sodium and the ducts over conserve sodium. Thus there is asthma, and sometimes eczema or sweat rash. These miliaria class diseases cannot be prevented by simply taking salt tablets, as the salt is simply excreted to the bladder. However ActiveSignal^TM Sodium is not absorbed, but signals the presence of sodium and the body does not trigger over conservation from the ducts. The conditions are prevented.

So why can asthma be present at birth, and why is it thought to be genetic, running in families? First of all habituation is heritable. Habituation is a temporary change in gene formation which can be reversed. In an ideal world it is desirable that the parents of the child make sure they do not have any miliaria class diseases before conception takes place. In this way adverse habituation is not passed to future generations.

Also it has been established in studies of diabetes type 2, that if the mother has raised blood glucose, then the newborn may also have raised glucose, starting life in adverse habituation.

What about the theories that other children, or pets, or living on a farm will decrease the likelihood of asthma in a child? Well even casual observation leads to the commonsense conclusion that such children are simply more stimulated to movement. It is movement that conditions the developing sweat ducts and other exocrine ducts to better tolerate changes in output without triggering excess salt saving. It is movement and exercise that similarly conditions the liver to keep the glucose release set point at the low original habituation level.

Children who are inactive, and eat a diet high in carbohydrate, particularly fast carbohydrate like sugar, are much more susceptible to miliaria class diseases, as well as diabetes type 2.

There are many thousands of deaths of children and adults throughout the world caused by asthma. But also it seems highly likely that many unexplained deaths of infants in the first few months of life are also due to asthma, in these cases silent asthma.

We know that neonates may have raised blood glucose. If they have raised blood glucose, they are deficient in sodium. Some babies have low glucose, and therefore have excess sodium. In either case the lung mucus may fall below or rise above the correct salinity for the anti-microbial peptides to be effective.

Untreated miliaria class diseases are always progressive, so that inflammation may gradually spread throughout the lung. As cot babies do not have physical locomotion, less than competent lung function goes unnoticed. The time comes however when miliaria inflammation reduces oxygen take up, to below that necessary for life, and the baby silently slips away, with no trace of the cause at post mortem. Silent asthma deaths are more likely to happen at night, as overnight the output of the hormone aldosterone always decreases and this has the effect of lowering circulating sodium. Normally, aldosterone levels are restored when the baby is picked up to the vertical position in the morning.

We can see how necessary it is to keep a check on blood glucose levels, for example if the mother has high glucose, or the baby had low birth weight and maybe low glucose. Also how necessary movement is to ensure the development of proper sodium homeostasis in the baby. The baby needs to always be put to sleep on its back as this is the only position in which it is free to move about. Also the covers or wrapping must be very loose to allow for movement. In the daytime, any movement is beneficial, such as playing, and carrying and handling the baby. Heated dry air increases mucus flow as does cigarette smoke, and these must be avoided.