Asthma Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid

Leave The Wheezy Sounds Behind With a Properly Structured Asthma Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid

Asthma is a lung disease that’s chronic and incurable by nature. It causes inflammation of the airways and constricts them, making breathing difficult for the victim. Asthma, however; can be controlled through timely treatments of which, stopping its symptoms from triggering is the most vital one. This can be attained through a proper diet structure that eliminates the consumption of foods that increase swelling and replaces them with those that reduce the inflammation or cuts out allergies. 

There’s no single food or nutrient that does it. That’s why a well-balanced diet, rich in lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, is the only way to go. It will stop the immune system from overreacting to specific triggers for the asthma symptoms. Let’s have a look at the worst and the best foods that can put asthmatics at ease.

Asthma Diet: The Crux of It

No diet structure can eliminate your asthma from the roots. But certain foods are great options to keep the symptoms from arising time and again. These are the foods that help you maintain a healthy weight, for a high BMI worsens asthma [ref]. Therefore, a diet chart that focuses upon stabilising your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 [ref] is a good diet chart to follow.

Additionally, this must comprise plenty of fruits and colored vegetables for an abundance of antioxidants (beta carotenes, vitamins C and E) to enter your body. These are anti-inflammatory agents. These are good at reducing the irritation and swelling of the tissues in your lungs and the airway. It’s the damages created by free radicals/oxidants that they reverse.

While searching frantically for an asthma diet and deciding what to eat and what to avoid, discard allergy-triggering foods by all means; doesn’t matter how much you like them. Allergic reactions trigger asthma symptoms, especially after hard, physical labor or activity. But here comes the catch.  

Vitamin D is a great cure for those who suffer from severe asthma. Spend more time in the Sun. There’s plenty of Vit. D in milk, eggs and sea fishes, but if you are a vegetarian and at the same time, allergic to the first two, then you must rely upon the outdoors and Cod Liver Oil all the more. 

Always read the hypersensitive labels on packaged foods. Oftentimes, they contain milk, eggs, soy, salicylates and sulphites. These are to be avoided by all means. What’s worse, sulfites [ref] are found in wines, pickles, dried fruits, shrimps - even in salty biscuits. The latter also puts in more sodium [ref] into your body. To cut excess sodium out of your life, opt for flavored salts [ref].

Oily, cold-water fishes and some nuts and seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and have been found to reduce asthma symptoms. But if you are allergic to nuts [ref], then they are not for you. A safer choice is again the Cod Liver Oil [ref]; apart from Vit. D, it has Omega  fatty acids aplenty.

Additional Points to Make Your Asthma Diet Chart Work for You More 

Breathing evenly and steadily while you eat will help you stay relaxed. Pause chewing while catching your breath. Also plan laborious tasks for the times when your energy levels are high. And be seated as much as you can while doing household chores. 

Keep the following items away from your diet chart/

• Fried foods, fatty meats, and creamy sauces. These have been found to trigger inflammation.
• Cold Foods and Beverages like ice cream and chilled, carbonated drinks bring bronchial spasms.
• Fermented foods with high histamine levels like aged cheeses and shell-fishes increase histamine levels [ref].

A Sample, Weekly Asthma Diet: What to Eat and What to Avoid to escape the Attacks

Stay away from any food given here if you’re allergic to it. Replace that food with something else given in the diet chart. If you’re not, go ahead. 

Those not suffering from obesity, fill your stomach during breakfast and lunch. If you are, then ask your doctor about the portions. 

Sunday - Saturday

• Breakfast between 8:00AM and 8:30AM. A salad comprising boiled coloured and cruciferous vegetables. Put anything that you might like here. Carrots, beetroots, Capsicum, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Spring onions and corn are excellent choices. A cup of Orange juice can also be included. Else, go for chicken, egg or vegetable sandwiches prepared with brown bread. Avoid mustard.  Alternatively, have 200ml skimmed/lactose-free milk or Soy Milk in place of Orange juice. Never have the two together. You may shift it to your mid-day meal if pomegranates are not much to your liking.   
• Mid-day Meal between 11:00AM and 11:30AM. 1/2 a standard cup of Pomegranates and a Guava. You may also include grapes to it.
• Lunch between 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM. Steamed rice or whole grain Chapatis and vegetable curry preceded by daal soup with  1/4th of a fresh lemon squeezed into it.
• Evening snacks between 4:00PM and 4:30PM. A cup of Green or Ginger Tea mixed with 1/2 tsp honey. A few almonds and raisins can fill in as good munchies.
• Finish your dinner within 8:30PM. Whole grain chapatis and hot Chicken stew or cabbage [ref] and bone broth are good options. Remove the bones or chicken if you’re a vegetarian. And steam the cabbage before you put it in the broth to avoid bloating. 

Don’t let Your Asthma Diet about What to Eat and What to Avoid cut down on your Intake Quantity

Diet greatly impacts asthma control and prevents it from surfacing. Best foods in this regard are the fresh green, leafy vegetables high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory by nature. Heavily processed items containing allergens and irritants are to be avoided at any cost. 

However, do not eat half your usual fill for it will turn you weak. A weak body can’t fight. Do not stuff yourself either. Stop at a point when you feel hungry no more but you’re away from that ‘too-full-to-move’ state.