How Does Diet Affect Asthma?
Our Health greatly depends upon our diet. Whatever goes in, it’s always going to show up later on! Surprisingly, if you are any of the 18 million American adults who are suffering from asthma, you must be aware of asthma to be triggered by inflammation in lungs. A pioneering research group has declared that some foods really worsen inflammatory responses in lungs which lead to severe case of asthma. Meredith C. McCormack, MD as well as professor in field of medicine at John Hopkins Medicine has treated patients with asthma and came up with similar conclusion.
Dr. McCormack, primarily, is studying effects of dietary changes and alterations along with their effects upon asthmatic inflammation in lungs. He says that clinical evidence is definitely available regarding changes in diet and it’s after effects on asthma even though it’s at the evolving stage and needs more research.
When making up your food plan, consult your doctor about avoiding 7 foods to improve upon your asthmatic problems.
1. Artificial Sweeteners
Aspartame, apparently a calorie-free sweetener, is actually among the food additives being used commonly in diet sodas and other drinks. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) confirmed these additives to be a reason behind allergic reactions.
Asthma patients should avoid foods containing any added preservatives and additives, according to Peg Strub, who is chief of allergy department at Kaiser Permanente Medical Centre situated in San Francisco. The allergic symptoms triggered by such foods are similar to those of asthma and can sometimes worsen the symptoms of asthma, so, it is advised by Peg Strub to patients to avoid foods containing chemicals and artificial ingredients.
2. Processed Foods
Processed foods most commonly are stuffed with preservatives and artificial additives whether they are available at a grocery store or at some fast-food restaurant. Though the evidence is incomplete against these ingredients yet you should be cautious of following ingredients:
- Parabens (most commonly found in medicines and other foods)
- Tartrazine (coloring dye found in sugared juices, ice-creams and hot-dogs)
Nitrates and Nitrites (the preservatives to be found in processed meat products like salami and bologna) According to research of McCormack , asthma is greatly by all kinds of processed and packaged foods as well as frozen foods. The reasons are unknown but, she greatly advocates the idea of avoiding such foods by turning towards in-season fruits and vegetables.
3. Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is another essential part of many cooked foods along with cakes and salads dressing but it contains benzoate, which is actually a preservative. Benzoate, on the outside, is harmless but it is being associated with inflammatory responses of body to it, according to Jennifer Musser who is a nutritionist from Denver basically dealing with adults suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions.
4. Fatty Foods
Whether there is the most delicious and sweet desert on the serving table or there are read meat and fatty foods, just skip them for your health. They are found to be triggering asthmatic symptoms and inflammation in people, according to McCormack, as they create a misbalance in maintenance of your weight which is important for chronic conditions of asthma.
What really happens is that your lungs have to work harder against your fatty body cells for deep and proper breathing, so, being over-weight is a problem as well.
5. Cereals
- Packaged cereals for breakfast constitute of benzoate, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) to prevent them from altering colors, flavors and odors before they get consumed.
- AAFA has evidenced these products to be causing allergic reactions in few people, so it’s best to avoid them too.
6. Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages usually contain sulfites that can create severe problems related with asthma. They create difficulty in breathing and increase wheezing, according to British Allergy Foundation.
Wines and beer mostly contain sulfites so it is better to avoid them or at least cut down their intake in case of chronic asthma problems.
7. Milk and Dairy Products
Ice-creams have preservatives as it’s already explained but additionally, there’s an idea associated with dairy products as ice-cream and milk too, which says that they lead to formation of mucus in lungs.
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