Asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects an individual’s airways and hinders their breathing-pattern. It shrinks their breathing-tube and causes them to produce extra mucus, which ultimately makes it extremely difficult to breathe. Many asthma patients complain about shortness of breath, wheezing sounds and severe coughing. According to the WHO, it is one of the major noncommunicable diseases and is extremely prevalent among children. In the year 2016, over 339 million people were reported to be suffering from asthma and seeking treatment for it.
Despite being such a common spread illness, a great number of people are still unaware of the dos and don’ts involved with the care of an asthma patient. Many asthma sufferers don’t realize that apart from keeping up with their asthma treatment medication, it is extremely necessary to take care of their dietary requirements as well. While there are no particular food items that can cure asthma, adding certain fruits and vegetables as well as abstaining from a few can help tremendously with keeping one’s asthma in check.
Asthma Foods to Eat:
Fish: Fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and known to possess extraordinary anti-inflammatory properties in it. Adding fish such as salmon, trout and sardines in one’s diet substantially decreases the flare up chances of the asthmatic symptoms.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are also a great addition to one’s anti-asthma diet. They are low in calories and contain antioxidants that help with keeping asthma’s symptoms under check. Some research has also found that eating tomatoes have a positive effect on an individual’s airways by relaxing them further and making it easier to breathe.
Vitamin D: Consuming a vitamin D rich meal is highly suggested to an asthma patient as it aids in lessening the swelling in the airways and prevents the chances of an asthma attack. Food like eggs, orange juice, okra etc. are extremely rich in vitamin D and should ideally be added in one’s diet.
Greens: Leafy greens like spinach, kale, cabbage etc. are packed with vitamin B and other minerals that aides in controlling asthma as well as lowering down the chances of any arising asthmatic symptoms.
Vitamin C and E: Integrating vitamin C and E rich food such as orange, sweet pepper, avocado etc. in one’s diet has proven to have really positive effects on people suffering with asthma. They contain antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties which helps with asthma control and reduces asthma-related issues among individuals.
Whole grain food: Adding whole grain foods like oats, barley, buckwheat etc. in one’s daily diet also works really well in controlling the symptoms and boosting overall immunity levels of an individual suffering from asthma.
Asthma Foods to Avoid:
Packaged & Processed Food: Food preservatives are one of the main things an asthma patient should try to steer clear of. The use of chemicals such as potassium bisulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, potassium metabisulfite etc. in the processing of food can be a major trigger for an asthma attack and other allergic reactions that might cause asthma-like symptoms to arise.
Pickled Foods: In order to extend their shelf life and keep them from expiring soon, pickled foods also have a lot of preservatives mixed in them. These preservatives can cause one’s asthma symptoms to act up and might give rise to various new problems, which is why it’s suggested to keep the consumption of artificially pickled food items to a minimum.
Beans: Although rich in protein and full of antioxidants, beans and asthma don’t work well together. It’s mostly because of the gastric issues it is known to cause, which at times leads to the rise of asthma symptoms and breathing issues. It’s wise to only eat beans after soaking them thoroughly and washing them a couple of times.
Alcohol: Red wine is scientifically found to be one of the major culprits behind the hike of asthma symptoms among patients. The presence of histamines and sulfites in the beverage is the main reason behind this.
Dried Fruit: While fresh fruits are great for health and a source of various nutrients and vitamins, the sulfite used to preserve dried fruits is extremely harmful for asthma patients and can trigger asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing, coughing etc.
We are what we eat, which is why it’s extremely necessary to bring conscious changes in our dietary habits, especially when we are fighting an evil like asthma. Making the right food choices lowers the chances of an imminent asthma attack and keeps us from worsening our situation any further.