Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
The prevalence of asthma has drastically increased in recent years and is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways in the lungs.
Statistics reveal that nearly 15 to 20 million people in India suffer from asthma, which includes patients from every age group.
It causes symptoms such as:
- Wheezing sound from the chest
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Cough that varies over time in occurrence, frequency and intensity
While there’s no magic bullet food to cure asthma, research suggests that eating an overall healthy, balanced diet may help control asthma symptoms and at least help in the non-worsening of this condition.
There is some preliminary evidence to suggest that a traditional Western diet — which is high in red meat, processed meat, refined grains, and sweets — can worsen asthma symptoms, while a diet filled with more fruits and vegetables can positively impact both asthma risk and control.
So what diet should you follow?
On World Asthma Day, here are a few asthma-friendly foods that have been proving amazingly well to help you manage asthma symptoms and lessen the severity of symptoms.
Sunflower seeds
Among the best foods for relieving flare-ups in asthma symptoms, this should be listed first.
Having full of anti-asthma nutrients, sunflower seeds are very beneficial for certain types of asthma-like symptoms.
Say yes to sunflower seeds if you want to prevent asthma. Besides being loaded with potassium and vitamin E, it is also rich in magnesium.
Apples
If you’re looking to alleviate asthma symptoms, start by adding more apples to your diet.
People who reported eating two to five servings of this fruit per day for two weeks had a 32% lower risk of asthma than people who ate less.
The key may be a potent anti-inflammatory mineral known as selenium that helps soothe swollen airways.
Fatty fish
The health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids extend beyond heart, brain and eye health; this essential fat may protect against asthma, too.
Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna is chock full of good-for-you Omega-3 fatty acids that provide an anti-inflammatory effect that can counter bronchial inflammation, a common symptom of asthma attacks.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potato is recently getting attention among scientists for what appears to be its capacity to help asthma sufferers keep their conditions at bay.
There is evidence that sweet potatoes are an excellent addition to your diet if you suffer from asthma.
This is because sweet potatoes are one of the foods that are effective for curing congestion of the nose, bronchi and lungs, thereby giving relief from asthma.
Asthmatics who incorporated sweet potatoes in their diet were found to experience fewer asthma symptoms and had better control of the condition.
Carrots
Carrots aren’t just good for eye health — they are also an excellent addition to your diet if you suffer from asthma.
They contain a vital antioxidant, beta-carotene, which reduces the incidence of exercise-induced asthma.
That makes carrots a stellar source of asthma-quelling nutrients.
Preliminary studies suggest that those who had a higher consumption of carrots had a 20 per cent lower risk of asthma compared to those who did not eat carrots often.
Avocado
Having the highest concentration of L-glutathione, eating avocados regularly might be your ticket to easy breathing.
A study found that avocado consumption had a protective effect against asthma.
The effect could be due to the high concentration of an important antioxidant called glutathione, which can protect cells against free-radical damage and detoxify foreign pollutants in the body.
Ginger
Ginger can do more than quell an upset stomach — it may also help prevent and alleviate asthma symptoms.
It’s a decongestant to open constricted airways, and it’s high in antioxidants – those alone would make this a great thing to add to your asthma diet.
Its asthma fighting properties are thought to be attributable to gingerols, strong anti-inflammatory substances that also give the spicy root its distinctive flavour.
Final thoughts
While there’s no universally accepted diet for asthma, it is abundantly clear that any diet filled with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, lots of fish and whole grains is good for your whole body – including your lungs.
Also, it’s vital for asthma patients to keep a check on their condition by taking periodic asthma checkups.
