Is an Asthma Diet
Important?
The word ‘asthma’ means
‘panting’ in Greek. This refers to its main symptom
-breathlessness. This is an ailment, which attacks the respiratory
system whereby the airways constrict as a result of inflammation,
causing the patient to gasp for air. Asthma is the result of an
allergic reaction of the airway in two stages. The initial stage is
when the airways constrict in response to certain allergens or triggers
blocking the airways. And the second stage is when the reaction worsens
causing inflammation, fluid retention and mucus formation.
Does an Asthma Diet Play Any Role?
Food has always been a very important factor
in the overall health of a being. People say that the way you feel
depends on what you eat. The asthmatic patient does not have too many
restrictions in food. However, it has been observed that there are some
foods that may cause as asthma attack, and/or aggravate it. An asthma
diet would exclude such foods.
Some examples of food not part of an asthma
diet would include curd, cucumber, vinegar, tomato sauce and foods
which contain sulfite preservatives, sometimes trigger asthma. Often
this is because the person is prone to a cold, and these foods enhance
the effect. The good part is that once the trigger is removed, the
asthma will subside to normal, unless the exposure is for a long and
consistent period.
Be aware that asthma starts many times as an
allergy. Hence, if you feel uncomfortable after eating anything, you
should immediately make a note of it and avoid it in the future. It
would be excellent if you have a small dairy where you can jot down all
such things that irritate your asthma, whether this is food, smells,
places and so on. In this way, sooner or later you will know exactly
what is likely to bother you and you can avoid that.
The asthma diet has another advantage
– once you have identified all the triggers, it makes it
easier to keep your asthma under control. You would also be able to
identify the exact allergy factors and possibly be treated to become
immune to them. Without the triggers, any person suffering from asthma
can behave as a completely normal person.
Hence, it is worth identifying and putting
together your list for a complete asthma diet so you could enjoy as
close to a normal life as possible.
|
