{"id":12943,"date":"2024-05-27T00:00:22","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T00:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitolympia.com\/?p=12943"},"modified":"2024-05-27T17:57:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T17:57:14","slug":"8-foods-that-may-help-relieve-asthma-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fitolympia.com\/na\/8-foods-that-may-help-relieve-asthma-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Foods That May Help Relieve Asthma Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can diet help your asthma? Research suggests eating an overall healthy, balanced diet can help. These foods are part of that diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pomegranates are high in antioxidants, which may help quell the inflammation linked to asthma.
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While there\u2019s no magic-bullet food to cure asthma, making some changes in your diet may help reduce or control\u00a0asthma symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general, a healthy, varied diet plan is beneficial with asthma, says Holly Prehn, RD, a certified nutrition support clinician at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a review about the role of food in asthma management published in November 2017 in Nutrients<\/em><\/a>, there is evidence that a traditional Western diet \u2014 which is high in refined grains, red meat, processed meat, and sweets \u2014 can increase inflammation and worsen asthma symptoms, while a diet filled with more fruits and vegetables can positively impact both asthma risk and control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiets rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (particularly omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), and lower in added sugars and processed and red meats tend to be better for asthma management,\u201d says Kelly Jones, RD, CSSD<\/a>, owner of Kelly Jones Nutrition based in Newtown, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mediterranean diet, one based on eating plenty of healthy fats (like olive oil), fish, whole grains, and fruit, fits the bill, she says. And there is some preliminary evidence to suggest that following this diet may indeed be linked to lower rates of asthma, according to a study of Peruvian children\u00a0published in the December 2015 issue of\u00a0Lung<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth noting that certain foods may also worsen your symptoms.\u00a0Elizabeth Secord, MD<\/a>, a\u00a0pediatrician\u00a0with a specialty in allergy and immunology at Children\u2019s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, recommends keeping a food log to better understand the link between your diet and your symptoms. For example, you might notice that spicy foods trigger reflux symptoms similar to asthma symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, when talking about diet and asthma, being overweight or obese should be part of the conversation, Dr. Secord says. Some data, for instance, suggests people who are obese may not respond as well to standard dosing for asthma treatment<\/a>, according to a review published in November 2014 in Experimental Biology and Medicine<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is evidence, according to the Nutrients <\/em>review, that obesity is linked to worse asthma outcomes, and there is preliminary evidence that for people with asthma who are overweight or obese, losing weight might help lessen asthma symptoms. Research published in January 2015 in Annals of the American Thoracic Society<\/em><\/a> found moderately and severely obese adults with uncontrolled asthma who lost 10 percent or more of their body weight saw significantly improvements in asthma control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And remember, while dietary changes can help you manage asthma symptoms and may lessen the severity of symptoms you have, no diet should substitute for medications or other treatment your doctor has prescribed to help manage your asthma. Dietary changes alone cannot cure or reverse asthma. So what should you eat? Read on for eight specific foods to include in an asthma-friendly diet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apples and Oranges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"apples<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re looking to alleviate asthma symptoms, start by adding more fruit to your diet, Prehn says. Fruit is a good source of beta carotene and vitamins C and E, which can reduce inflammation and swelling in the lungs, according to Mayo Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2017\u00a0Nutrients<\/em>\u00a0review noted the reason that fruit has this effect isn\u2019t known, but it seems apples and citrus fruits (including oranges) specifically have been shown to decrease\u00a0asthma risk\u00a0and symptoms. Eating two servings of fruit (plus five or more servings of vegetables) per day for two weeks led to better asthma control than consuming fewer servings, according to a\u00a0study published in the\u00a0American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salmon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"salmon<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to asthma, not all fat is created equal. Jones says monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, can be helpful. For example, kids who ate more butter and fast food were also more likely to have asthma, according to a September 2015 study in BMC Public Health<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, are associated with a reduction in inflammation in people with asthma, according to a study published in January 2015 Allergology International<\/em><\/a>. And fatty fish, like salmon, is chock full of good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFatty fish does have an anti-inflammatory role due to the\u00a0omega-3 EPA<\/a>\u00a0content,\u201d Jones says. EPA, one type of omega-3, has an edge over the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), another type of omega-3 found in some plant-based sources, such as walnuts,\u00a0chia seeds, and\u00a0flax seeds. The body must convert ALA into to EPA and often does not do so efficiently, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus,\u00a0according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)<\/a>, salmon is one of the best\u00a0sources of vitamin D, with 71 percent of your daily value in a 3-ounce serving.\u00a0According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI)<\/a>, maintaining\u00a0vitamin D\u00a0levels may help with asthma symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"dried<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A healthy gut microbiome could go a long way in reducing asthma and other autoimmune disorders. There is evidence that high-fiber foods\u00a0promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria associated with lower risk of inflammatory disorders, including asthma, according to a\u00a0review published in the May 2016 issue of\u00a0Clinical and Translational Immunology<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since beans contain prebiotics, or the \u201cfood\u201d your gut bacteria needs to thrive,\u00a0the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine recommends<\/a>\u00a0eating \u00bd cup every day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ginger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"ginger<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thinkstock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ginger can do more than quell an\u00a0upset stomach\u00a0\u2014 it may also help relieve asthma symptoms. That\u2019s because certain components in ginger might help relax the airways, according to a\u00a0study published in the\u00a0American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karen Smith, RD, CDCES<\/a>, a registered dietitian and diabetes expert with the Physicians Committee and Barnard Medical Center in Washington, DC, recommends adding some fresh ginger root to a vegetable stir-fry served over wild rice. This way, you\u2019ll get the benefits of ginger\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0the nutrients and fiber from rice, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turmeric<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"turmeric<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Famous for its bright yellow hue, turmeric is a staple of Indian cuisine and has been widely used in traditional Chinese and East Asian medicine traditions for respiratory and other disorders, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)<\/a>. Turmeric is a plant in the ginger family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research suggests turmeric\u2019s active ingredient, curcumin, may help quell the inflammation in asthmatic airways, according to a study done in mice and\u00a0published in the journal\u00a0Inflammation<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0Though NCCIH notes more evidence is needed to conclusively determine the potential\u00a0health benefits of turmeric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spinach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"spinach<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Shutterstock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leafy greens like spinach are packed with vitamins and minerals, but they also contain folate (a B vitamin),\u00a0according to the NIH<\/a>. Folate could be especially important for people with asthma. In a\u00a0study published in February 2016 in the\u00a0Annals of the American Thoracic Society<\/em><\/a>, researchers found that kids who didn\u2019t get enough folate and\u00a0vitamin D\u00a0were nearly 8 times more likely to experience one or more\u00a0severe asthma\u00a0attacks than kids who ate enough of both nutrients.7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pomegranates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"pomegranate\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These seedy fruits aren\u2019t easy to open, but the effort will pay off: Pomegranates offer a healthy dose of antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation in the lungs. According to the 2017 review in Nutrients<\/em>, fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants can help lower inflammation in the airways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jones says it\u2019s smart to fill your diet with antioxidant-rich foods, like pomegranates.\u00a0Pomegranate\u00a0juice may also help. A\u00a0study published in\u00a0BMC Research Notes<\/em><\/a>\u00a0conducted in animals found a link between\u00a0pomegranate\u00a0juice and lower amounts of lung tissue damage.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomato Juice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"tomato<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marti Sans\/Stocksy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants and low in calories \u2014 which makes them a worthy addition to your anti-asthma diet. But there\u2019s more: Tomato juice may also help your airways relax, according to a study done in animals and published in the July 2016 issue of PLoS One<\/em><\/a>. The 2017 Nutrients<\/em> review also cited previous research that found tomato juice, which contains the antioxidant lycopene, helped adults with asthma free up the airways after one week of consumption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can diet help your asthma? Research suggests eating an overall healthy, balanced diet can help. These foods are part of 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