Asthma diet

Asthma diet

DEFINITION
The aim of the diet for Asthma is to maintain good nutritional
health and to eliminate foods or additives which are known to
trigger allergic or sensitivity reactions.
DESCRIPTION
For some Asthma sufferers, foods can trigger Asthma attacks
either from allergy to the food itself or to a chemical within the
food. These reactions can cause medical emergencies in some
patients, but can often be avoided by Asthma sufferers undergoing
allergy testing procedures to establish what foods they must avoid.
Foods which have been found to cause Asthma attacks include nuts
(particularly peanuts), shellfish, milk, eggs and seeds and
grains.
The food additives metabisulphite and sulphur dioxide are the only
common Asthma triggers in this group of chemicals. These food
additives are found in many fast foods. Although MSG (monosodium
glutamate) is not a common Asthma trigger, it can cause severe
allergic reactions in a small number of Asthma sufferers.
Please refer to the topic Asthma and Food Triggers for more
information.
DIET HINTS
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet from a wide variety of food
groups.
  1. Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods.
  2. Eat plenty of breads and cereals (preferably wholegrain),
    vegetables (including legumes such as those found in the peas and
    bean families) and fruits.
  3. Eat a diet low in fat and, in particular, low in saturated
    fat.
  4. If you drink alcohol, limit your intake.
  5. Eat only a moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added
    sugars.
  6. Choose low salt foods and use salt sparingly.
There is some evidence to suggest that omega-3 fatty acids, which
are found in fish oil, may improve symptoms of Asthma that are
caused by inflammation of the airways.
Unless Asthma sufferers have specific allergies to dairy products,
there is absolutely no need to avoid them in the diet. Milk and
other dairy products provide vital dietary nutrients and
nutritional deficiency may result if these products are
unecessarily removed from the diet. There is no evidence that dairy
foods cause excess mucus production that could worsen Asthma
symptoms.
REMEMBER
  1. Eat a well-balanced diet, including fish for omega-3 fatty
    acids and include dairy foods as long as there are no allergies to
    dairy products.
  2. Check for individual allergic reactions (delayed) or food
    sensitivities (quicker). Avoid offending foods and seek advice on
    appropriate substitutes.
NOTES
In some Asthma sufferers, attacks can be triggered by very
cold food or drink (which is thought to be related to a sudden drop
in body temperature) and occasionally by overeating. It is thus
wise to avoid these situations.
ORGANISATIONS & SUPPORT GROUPS
See the Asthma Australia topic on the Healthpoint.