Foods for asthma sufferers: what and should not & bull; hello healthy

Asthma is a disease related to breathing. Even so, people with asthma still have to be careful in choosing the food they consume every day. Not many are aware that food choices are closely related to the risk of asthma recurrence. The wrong choice of food can make asthma symptoms recur at any time, you know! So, what are the foods that are acceptable for people with asthma and those that are not?

The importance of maintaining a healthy diet for people with asthma

People with asthma must maintain a good diet. In addition to controlling asthma symptoms, a healthy diet can help maintain an ideal body weight. In many cases, people with asthma who are overweight and obese tend to respond more slowly to treatment when hospitalized.

A study in a journal Annals of the American Thoracic Society reveals that trying to lose at least 10 percent of your body weight is a good start to achieving your ideal body weight.

Good food for asthma sufferers

Actually there is no certain type of food that is really effective for treating asthma. However, selectively choosing foods can help control asthma by preventing asthma recurrence.

Here are some good food choices for people with asthma:

1. Omega-3 fatty acids

Fat is not always bad for the body. As long as you carefully choose the type of food, fat can actually bring health benefits.

According to a study published in Allergology International , fats derived from plants and omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation that occurs in the airways of people with asthma. That way the risk of recurrence of asthma symptoms can be minimized.

This is also supported by other studies published in The Chest Journal . From these studies it is known that the content of omega-3 fatty acids is also good for lung health in asthmatics.

For asthma sufferers' diet, you can get healthy fats from olive oil, chia seeds, flax seeds (flaxseed), and walnuts. Meanwhile, healthy fats of animal origin can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines.

2. Apples

There have been many studies that have proven that apples can prevent various risks of disease. Recent evidence, apples are even known to help improve lung function and control asthma symptoms.

Studies by researchers in the UK reveal that asthmatics who eat apples every day have a lower risk of having an asthma attack than those who don't eat apples at all.

Besides being delicious to eat fresh, you can process apples into juice or smoothies . Add various other fruits so that this good food for asthma sufferers is more enjoyable when eaten.

3. Carrots

Who doesn't know this one vegetable? Carrots, the yellow-orange tubers, are known for their benefits for maintaining eye health.

In fact, foods made from carrots have other benefits for people with asthma. Studies show that the beta carotene in carrots can reduce exercise-induced asthma attacks after being converted by the body into vitamin A.

In addition, the abundant content of vitamin C in carrots can also help boost the body's immune system. This allows the body to avoid various infections, such as flu and colds, which can trigger asthma attacks. Especially if the symptoms you are experiencing are quite severe.

However, you need to be careful about consuming carrots. For some people, carrots may actually cause an allergic reaction that triggers asthma symptoms. Therefore, before consuming carrots, make sure you don't have a history of carrot allergies.

4. Spinach

Green vegetables such as spinach are also included in the list of foods that are good for consumption for people with asthma. The folate (vitamin B9) content in spinach can help control asthma.

Studies published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society also found something similar. Researchers in the study reported that children who lacked folate and vitamin D intake were 8x more likely to experience asthma attacks. The results were compared with children who had adequate intake of both nutrients.

Apart from spinach, you can also get folate intake from other green vegetables such as broccoli and beans.

5. Bananas

Apart from a persistent cough, asthma is also often accompanied by symptoms of wheezing. Wheezing is a sound like a soft whistle or “giggling” sound when you exhale or inhale. This sound occurs because air is forced out through the blocked or narrowed airways.

To prevent wheezing due to asthma, you can eat bananas. A survey published in European Respiratory Journal found that bananas can reduce wheezing in children with asthma. This benefit is obtained thanks to its antioxidant content.

Bananas are rich in water-soluble phenolic acids. In fact, the phenolic acid content of bananas is higher than other fruits, including apples. This content can help reduce inflammation that occurs in the airways.

On the other hand, bananas are also one of the best sources of potassium which can help improve lung function. No wonder bananas are recommended as a good food for asthma sufferers.

In order to get optimal benefits, eat bananas with apples.

6. Ginger

Actually, experts don't know exactly how ginger works to help relieve asthma symptoms. However, they argue that this one spice can help reduce allergic responses by lowering IgE levels in the body.

IgE or immunoglobulin is a type of antibody found in the body. These antibodies are formed by the immune system to protect the body from invading bacteria, viruses and allergens. If the body experiences an allergic reaction, the IgE level in the blood will increase.

As is well known, asthma is closely related to allergies. When the IgE level in the body decreases, the allergic reactions that appear will also gradually decrease. As a result, your asthma symptoms can be better controlled and recur less frequently.

Research also reports that ginger can help reduce inflammation and block contractions in the respiratory tract. Ginger can also promote relaxation of muscles as found in some asthma medications. This is why ginger should be used as a good food for people with asthma.

Ginger can be processed in a number of ways. Starting from making drinks such as ginger to spices in cooking.

Foods that people with asthma should avoid

There are a number of foods that can trigger asthma symptoms that asthma sufferers should avoid, including:

1. Foods containing sulfites

Sulfites are chemicals that are widely found in food and beverages. This chemical is often used as a preservative.

However, certain fermented food products can also create chemical reactions that naturally activate sulfites.

This preservative can trigger an asthma attack due to a chemical reaction that occurs in your body. Sulfites will release sulfur gas which will make the respiratory tract narrow and irritated. This is what triggers shortness of breath and asthma attacks.

The following are types of high-sulfite foods and drinks that people with asthma should not consume:

• Dried fruit (including raisins)
• Lemon juice in a pack
• Packaged grape juice
• Wine
• Molasses (molasses sugar)

2. Foods that contain gas

Gaseous foods can put pressure on the diaphragm. Without realizing it, this can cause chest tightness and trigger other asthma symptoms. Especially if you previously also had a history of high stomach acid disease (GERD).

Here are some foods and drinks that contain gas and should be avoided by people with asthma:

• Carbonated drink
• Sweet drinks in packs
• Chewing gum
• Fried
• Vegetables such as cabbage and cabbage
• Peas
• Garlic

3. Fast food

Chemical preservatives, flavorings, and dyes are often found in processed foods and fast food. Some people with asthma may be sensitive or allergic to these artificial ingredients.

4. Foods that trigger allergens

Some of the foods that most commonly cause an asthma-like allergic reaction include:

• Dairy products
• Seafood
• Wheat
• Egg
• Nuts

Make sure you are not allergic to any of the above ingredients. All types of food that can cause you to be allergic must be avoided so that asthma does not recur.

We recommend that you consult your doctor first before deciding to avoid certain foods.