We are what we eat ! Diet effects health profoundly. Diet influences diseases too. An asthmatic who is careful about diet and food is able to better control his/her asthma.
Diet can effect asthma in many:
- Some foods can immediately cause an attack. Eg. Peanuts, chilled beer, sea-food etc. This, fortunately, is rare.
- Some foods promote allergy. Eg. Fried food, preservatives, colours, chinese food. This is relatively common.
- Some foods cause acid reflux and cause night time symptoms. Eg. Rice or curd at night, fried food and desserts.
- Diet is linked to obesity. Obesity makes asthma worse. Obesity by itself causes breathlessness.
Some foods protect anoints asthma and allergy. Eg. Antioxidants in fruits and leafy vegetables, vitamin C, magnesium etc.
Foods to be almost completely avoided:
- Whichever food that you have noticed consistently aggravates your symptoms.
- Very cold water, cold drinks, ice and chilled beer.
- Deep fried stuff: Samos, kachori, puri.
- Junk food: pizza, burgers, kurkure, chips, dal moth etc.
- Food with artificial colours or preservatives
- Very late or heavy dinner.
Foods to be avoided as much as is possible:
- Vegetables: bhindi, arvi, kamal kakri
- Daals: rajah, man sabot, chana dal
- Desserts at night
- Things made of besun
- Chineese food
- Processed cheese
- Rice and curd at night.
Foods which cause reflux and night time symptoms:
- Rice and curd at night
- Late or heavy dinner
- Dessert
- Karhi, rajah, man sabut at night
- Deep fried stuff
Foods which are good for asthma: the more , the better !!
- Almost all fruits, with the exception of unripe banana, citrous fruits and possibly mango.
- All green leafy vegetables for their anti-oxidants
- Tea and coffee in moderation: they are bronchi-dilators
- Warm water, especially with Ginger and honey
- Clear soups, vitamin C, onions.