Super Foods for Asthma

Most physicians look at asthma as a specific condition that affects the lungs and they treat it with medicines that help the patients to breathe easily. In alternative medicine, we look at asthma as an inflammatory condition that affects the lungs and involves the immune system as well as the nervous system.
Invariably, asthmatics suffer from allergies, backache, body ache, sinus, fatigue and general debility. If you are asthmatic, questions’ like – ‘Do you have a rapid pulse?’ (shows anxiety), ‘how bad is your wheezing?’ (Indicates excessive mucus), ‘do u have back pain or pain in the ribs?’ (indicate whether you are using your chest muscles heavily in your attempt to breathe) and many more need to be answered to gain some idea of how severe your asthma is.

What causes asthma?

Asthma is caused by a variety of factors. It may be due to an allergy caused by weather conditions, food, drugs, perfumes and other irritants. Allergies to dust are very common. Certain foods also cause allergic reactions. Prime suspects are wheat, eggs, milk, chocolates, beans, fish and seafood.
Then there is also the psychological aspect. Studies have shown that about 25% of young asthmatics have a deep-seated emotional insecurity and an intensive need for parental love and protection. Heredity also plays a role. Your diet plays a huge role in managing the severity of your asthma symptoms.

Best foods for asthma

Eating correctly can help reduce the frequency of asthma attacks. Although nutrition is not the answer to asthma, it certainly forms the cornerstone for its treatment. Include these superfoods for asthma in your diet plan to breathe easier.

Omega-3 fats

These fatty acids are found in seafood and flaxseeds. They work by reducing inflammatory responses, thereby preventing the blockages in the air passages. You can get Omega-3 fats by consuming flaxseeds (alsi) – about 2 powdered tablespoons daily or chia seeds. Taking fish oil capsules also helps, but if you are sensitive to asprin, check with your doctor before taking any fish oil capsules.

Magnesium

This mineral works as a bronchodilator and helps relax muscles; it opens the air passages. Asthmatics can consume about 400 mg of magnesium aspartate daily. Rich sources of magnesium include spinach, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate and salmon.

Vitamin C

It helps to cut the risk of wheezing by reducing inflammation of the tissues surrounding the bronchial tubes. Vitamin C also helps to reduce allergic reactions to dust, pollutants, pets and fumes. Its intake boosts immunity and prepares the body to fight the allergens better, reducing the frequency of asthma attacks. Sweet potatoes are excellent superfoods for asthma patients. Mustard greens and amla also improve immunity in asthma patients.

Vitamin D

Consuming a good amount of vitamin D reduces the severity of asthma attacks. Some of the excellent sources of vitamin D are milk, eggs and salmon.

Onions and garlic

Regularly eat onions and garlic as they are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. The chemical – diphenylthiosulfinate (anti-asthmatic compound) – present in the onion has a very high anti-inflammatory activity, just like the popular drug prednisolone.
Onions also contain quercetin, an antioxidant, which stabilises the membranes of cells that release histamine (the chemical that induces asthmatic symptoms). So, onions are one of the best superfoods for asthma patients. Garlic contains allicin, another powerful antioxidant that helps in producing an acid which damages the free radicals. So, it is one of the best superfoods for asthma.

Hot & spicy foods

Eat hot and spicy foods such as bell peppers and mustard as the capsaicin found in them acts as a bronchodilator in mild asthmatics and prevents asthma attacks. Hot and spicy foods unplug the air passages, making breathing easier.

Black coffee

Drinking a couple of cups of black coffee is known to help relieve an asthma attack in the emergency.

Licorice

This herb helps to reduce inflammation, preventing frequent attacks. The other commonly used Indian remedies that you can try are honey, lemon, amla, ginger and ajwain.

Carrots

They’re loaded with beta-carotene antioxidant which is converted to vitamin A, which boosts immunity against asthma attacks. Other good sources of vitamin A are leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, spinach and lettuce.

Yogurt

The probiotics in yogurt reduce inflammation and help reduce allergic reactions, according to scientists.
Regular fasting once a week, an occasional enema, breathing exercises, fresh air, a dry climate, light exercises will go a long way in treating this disease. To sum it up, asthmatics should ideally eat a diet high in fibre and complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids and moderate in proteins with liberal helpings of alkaline foods such as fresh fruits, green vegetables and germinated grains and pulses.
To get a customised diet plan for asthma, speak with Health Total homeopathy experts. Call 1-800-843-0206 to book your first FREE Consultation