According to The Independent, breathing exercises can cut asthma symptoms by a third.

The Papworth Method is a sequence of breathing and relaxation exercises that was developed in England in the 1960s. The technique was recently test in a randomized, controlled trial, and patients who learned the method experienced a third less symptoms.

Elizabeth Holloway, a research physiotherapist and leader of the study, says, "Some of us who use it know it works but there was no scientific evidence. That is why I did the study. Younger doctors don't know about it - over the last several decades the emphasis has been on medication."

"It is about breathing like Richard Burton [the Welsh actor] who delivered his lines from deep down in his abdomen," continues Holloway. "It is not just psychological, it is physical - patients need to learn to drop their shoulders, relax their tummies and breathe calmly and appropriately. They gain greater control and confidence."