3 Most Bizarre Asthma Home Remedies

Over the years we’ve written about many different asthma home remedies on this blog, but never any this strange. (Please note, we do not endorse the following home remedies, nor have they been proven effective. But they are certainly very interesting.)

1. Frog Smoothies

   Yes, frog smoothies are made from actual frogs. They also contain carrots, Peruvian maca root, and honey. They are believed to cure respiratory issues such as asthma and bronchitis, decrease fatigue and stress, improve one’s sex drive, and treat tuberculosis.

   This home remedy uses Telmatobius coleus frogs from Lake Titicaca in Peru. Unfortunately, these particular frogs are on the “critically endangered” list. Also, there is zero scientific evidence that the frogs actually do anything for one’s health.

2. The Power of Suggestion

   Recently, a small study showed that the power of suggestion can trigger asthma symptoms. 17 asthmatics were divided into two groups and given pure rose scent. One group was told the scent could cause breathing trouble. The other was told it could help them breathe better.

   Not surprisingly, the group who was told it could help them breathe better experienced no breathing difficulties. But the group who was told it could hurt their breathing experienced inflammation and feelings of sickness.

   According to Dr. Gailen Marshall, if the power of suggestion can make your breathing worse, it may also be able to make your breathing better. She hypothesizes that carrying a sachet with a soothing smell could, in theory, decrease asthma symptoms and make patients less reliant on their inhalers.

3. Hookworms

   Allergies are one of the most common asthma triggers. And research done at the University of Nottingham shows that hookworms can “suppress the body’s inflammatory response to allergies, especially the one from dust mites.”

   So it’s possible that getting a hookworm infestation could ease your asthma symptoms. However, the researchers warn that hookworms do not have this effect on everyone. Either way, it’s probably best to avoid all three of these bizarre home remedies and just stick with your good old inhaler or nebulizer.