Naturopathy for Longevity: 1 by Dr. H.K. Bakhru

Author:Dr. H.K. Bakhru
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jaico Books
Published: 2013-02-03T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 29

EMPHYSEMA

Emphysema is a serious and debilitating lung disease. In this condition, alveoli, the tiny air sacs in the lungs and bronchioles, the narrow passages leading to the air sacs, become permanently distended with air. The lung tissues lose their elasticity, and the number of blood vessels is reduced. It is essentially a chronic disease, which generally occurs after the age of 40. It is less frequent in women.

Severe type of emphysema is rare in old age. This is because severe cases generally occur in middle age and most often prove fatal by the time patient reaches late middle age. However, more modest degree of emphysema is common in the elderly and the clinical picture of the disease is similar to that in middle age.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of emphysema is breathlessness followed by coughing. It gets worse with the lapse of time. Eventually the patient is breathless at rest, as the alveoli becomes so damaged that the exchange of gases between the blood and the air is much impaired. The patient feels difficulty in chewing and swallowing due to breathlessness. There may be discomfort after a meal because the lungs have expanded, pushing the diaphragm into the stomach. Other symptoms are loss of appetite and weight loss.

In severe cases, the chest itself may get enlarged and the movement of the ribs may diminish. The volume of air passed in and out of the lungs at each breath becomes very much less than normal.

Causes

Emphysema is frequently found in association with asthma and chronic bronchitis. Obstruction of the air passages and infection are thus the main factors which bring about this disease. This weakens the elastic tissues of the lungs. Other causes of emphysema are continuous exposure to dust and high levels of air pollution. Smoking is also an important contributory factor.

Treatment

To begin with, the patient. should undertake a fast on fruits or vegetable juices for about five days. During this period, a warm-water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels. The juice fast may be followed by an exclusive diet of fresh juicy fruits such as apple, pineapple, pear, peach, orange and papaya for further five days or so.

The patient may thereafter gradually adopt a well-balanced diet of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. The diet should be supplemented with vegetables oil, honey and goat’s milk, preferably in soured form like curd and buttermilk. The emphasis should be on fresh fruits and raw vegetables, as well as fruit and vegetable juices. The short juice fast followed by an all-fruit diet may be repeated at intervals of two months or so depending on the condition.

Among home remedies is the use of garlic. Two or three cloves of this vegetable should be chewed daily, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach. A little, garlic juice can also be added to vegetable juices.

The use of lemon or lime is another valuable home remedy for emphysema. A teaspoon of fresh juice of either of the two fruits should be taken several times a day before or between meals.

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