Asthma – a respiratory disorder can be a terrifying affliction as it leaves a person breathless when attacked. Due to the disease, the respiratory tract of an asthmatic person gets restricted and inflamed causing hindrance to normal breathing. The attack can get triggered due to a specific allergen or any other reason what so ever.
Managing asthma is not that easy, as it requires long term strategies that involve medication as well as improving the health and strengthening the lungs. And all of these involves identifying and removing the allergen that triggers the attacks, making modification and improving the dietary intake, using other remedial solutions and exercise and cleansing of the body.
Diet and Asthma
If you are one of those who have been suffering from asthma, you need to make certain considerate changes in your diet. While making these considerations you need to be specific about what you choose and what you omit, as certain foods help protect and built stronger immunity against it and certain foods instigate the attacks.
The best nutritionist in Mumbai, Ryan Fernando says that the main aim of an asthma diet is to make you lose weight, as there is a close relationship between weight and the frequency of asthma attacks.
However, saying so there is no specific evidence that any specific diet has been categorically been prescribed to someone to control the frequency of the attacks, but at the same time eating healthy, fresh and nutritious foods do have a strong positive effect on the overall health and symptoms of asthma.
Food that you should include in your asthma diet and why:
As said earlier, there is no such diet that can cure asthma, but yes there are foods that if incorporated into our regular diet can help. These are:
- Foods enriched in vitamin D: Studies suggest that vitamin D helps in reducing the number of asthma attacks and mainly in children. But precautions need to be taken if you are allergic to certain foods with vitamin D like milk and milk products.
Food sources: Salmon fish, milk, eggs and fortified juices.
- Vitamin A foods: People with asthma have been found to have lower levels of vitamin A in them. Vitamin A aids in the better functioning of the lungs and makes them stronger and healthier.
Food sources: Green leafy vegetables, carrots, broccoli and sweet potato.
- Foods containing Magnesium: People with magnesium deficiency suffers from low lung volume and activity. The most ideal approach to get magnesium in the body is by eating magnesium improved food sources.
Food sources: Salmon, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds and spinach.
- Apples and Bananas: Both these two fruits are very effective with patients with asthma. Where apples lower the risks of asthma attacks by improving lung functions, bananas aid against wheezing in people with asthma. The antioxidant properties and potassium contents of these fruits improve lung functionality to a great extent.
Foods that you should strictly avoid if you have asthma:
Certain foods trigger asthma attacks and should be seriously watched for. For better knowledge and effects it is better to get advice from the best nutritionist in Mumbai and get an asthma diet chart made.
- All foods that propagate gas inside: If you have acid reflux, eating foods that cause gas can put high pressure on your diaphragm. This further causes tightness of the chest and triggers asthma attacks.
These foods are cabbage, garlic, onions, fried foods, beans and carbonated beverages.
- The preservative sulphite: Sulphites as mentioned are a type of preservative that triggers asthmatic attacks and are found in foods like:
Pickles, bottle lemon juice, dried fruits, shrimps and wine.
- Naturally occurring salicylates: Although rare, salicylates are naturally occurring compounds found in many foods and many asthmatic patients are sensitive to them.
Foods that contain salicylates are coffee, tea, certain herbs and spices.
- Common allergens and artificial ingredients used in foods: Many people are allergic to dairy products, nuts, shellfish and even gluten. The best nutritionist in Mumbai says one should strictly avoid these types of foods to avoid asthmatic attacks.
Many chemically developed preservatives, food colourings and flavourings cause allergic reactions and trigger asthmatic attacks. Such foods like processed and fast foods should be avoided by people with asthma.
