Recommended Foods for Asthmatics

Here’s a post on foods for asthmatics because if you are asthmatic, you may be wondering whether choices of diet or certain foods could go a long way in managing your condition.

It is noteworthy that there’s no evidence that there’s a diet whose effects brings about the severity or frequency of asthma attacks.

In essence, eating nutritious foods, especially fresh ones could help get the overall health improved as well as one’s symptoms of asthma (and the conditions). And this is because foods for asthmatics are not linked to an increase in cases of asthma.

However, shifting from eating fresh foods like vegetables, fruits and other certain plant-based food, to processed foods may be capable of aggravating asthma cases.

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Asthma is manifest by attacks of respiratory difficulty accompanied by cough, wheezing, expectoration and even chest pressure.

As it is, it is a result of spasms and bronchial tubes inflammation, often caused by a mechanism of an allergy.

Adequate and abundant use of some foods for asthmatics can contribute to bring down bronchial sensitivity and predisposition to asthma attacks.

List of foods for asthmatics

Before delving in the list of foods for asthmatics, it is important to understand individuals with asthma may benefit from consuming a diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits (plant-based). There are food allergies as well as food intolerance which occur when the immune system reacts overly to certain proteins and this may result in symptoms of asthma.

First and foremost, regarding foods for asthmatics, it is recommended to add these:

1. Vegetables rich in beta-carotene such as leafy green and carrots
2. Foods rich in magnesium such as pumpkin seed and spinach
3. Foods rich in vitamin D, e.g eggs or milk

The following are the list of foods for asthmatics. They are:

1. Oranges
2. Vegetables
3. Yogurt
4. Honey
5. Onion
6. Horseradish
7. Oil
8. Foods rich in antioxidants
9. B vitamins Foods
10. Magnesium-rich foods

Oranges

This fruit is recommended or seen as one of the foods for asthmatics because it is packed with anti-allergic power which is able to neutralize histamine effects.

Eating oranges in abundance is quite appropriate in asthma cases or any other manifestation of allergy.

Vegetables

Spinach, leafy green vegetables and other varieties like red vegetables (e.g pepper) are a great source of beta-carotene and other necessary carotenoids that are capable of improving the cell’s ability of the bronchial tubes to stand against the substances and other factors that cause or trigger asthma.

Yogurt

At the University of Arkansas (USA), a study was carried out which shows that biotic yogurt having live bacteria in them such as Lactobacillus acidophilus can improve or facilitate the immune response of the body and at the same time reduce the manifestation of allergies.

However, there is no evidence regarding it, to producing any clinical improvement in asthmatics.

Honey

There is a significant amount of pollen in honey which can act to desensitize against environmental pollens that cause asthma. Therefore, honey is seen as one of the foods for asthmatics.

Onion

There is a post I made on onion where you will get detailed information on it, you may check it here. Onion, according to Dr. George Pamplona-Roger, M.D, is a bronchodilator and a food that relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchial tubes.

This effect of the onion can relieve and halt asthma attacks.

In essence, as one among the foods for asthmatics, just inhaling the aroma from onion is enormously effective.

 

Horseradish

It is said that the sulfurated essence of the horseradish has the capability to decongest and strengthen the bronchial tubes, thereby contributing to the prevention of asthma attacks.

Oil

Vegetable oils contain abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contrary to saturated fats, reduce adverse bronchial reaction to allergens that trigger asthma.

In addition, they also contain antioxidant vitamin E.

Foods Rich in Antioxidants

The following are the most active and effective antioxidants;

1. Provitamin A (foods such as orange or pink colored fruits and vegetables
2. Vitamin C (citrus fruits and others)
3. Vitamin E (vegetable oils)

They all improve the bronchial tubes’ ability to stand against free radical actions that come from environmental pollution and inflammation of bronchial system.

Free radicals foster asthma attacks; therefore, it is recommended to make foods rich in antioxidants part of your diet plan whether you’re asthmatic or not.

B Vitamins Foods

All of the B vitamins are quite helpful, in particular vitamin B₆. They help in reducing excessive bronchial sensitivity to physical or chemical factors that foster asthma.

Magnesium-rich Foods

The lack or deficiency of magnesium-rich foods brings about muscle spasms of which bronchial tubes are part of. This proffers the effect of asthma.

Therefore, in order to counter this, foods for asthmatics that are quite rich in this mineral are legumes, vegetables and wheat germ, according to apollo247.com. The foods mentioned above are  a good source of magnesium.

More Recommended Foods

Vitamin D-rich Foods

Getting enough of this vitamin may help improve asthma attacks especially, in children (6 – 16 years). The following are the sources of vitamin D:

1. Orange juice (well fortified)
2. Eggs
3. Milk (fortified)
4. Salmon.

Avoid the intake of milk and eggs if you’re allergic to these foods. Find other sources of vitamin D as allergic symptoms from foods like eggs or milk can come out as asthma.

Foods rich in Vitamin A

Children with asthma have lower levels of this vitamin in their blood. However, higher levels of this vitamin can improve lung function. Sources of vitamin A include:

1. Cantaloupe
2. Broccoli
3. Sweet potatoes
4. Carrots
5. Leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale etc

Other foods to consider as foods for asthmatics are apples, turmeric, ginger and banana. (According to everyday health)

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