Changing Your Diet For Asthma Control

If you have asthma, you might wonder if you should change your diet to help control your symptoms. 

 

The short answer: don't do it.

 

Why? There's a long answer for that.

We all want a cure for our allergy and asthma problems, yet most people detest all the medications, allergy shots, or distancing themselves from their beloved pets. Wouldn't it be easier if you could eat your way to a cure?

 

Many of the special diet ideas come from studies on how asthma works. Specifically, we see lower vitamin D levels in asthmatics, but replacement of that vitamin D isn’t doing much to help the asthma part (but it certainly helps the bones!). Antioxidants, bioflavonoids, vitamins and minerals all play a role in our boosting our immune system. Adding more of these to your diet won't keep your asthma any more under control than normal, but they might help you become healthier in general.

 

Furthermore, foods are almost never a trigger for asthma. Food allergies cause anaphylaxis, which can including breathing problems, but that will also include other problems like hives, vomiting, throat swelling, and fainting. Therefore, food allergy testing is generally not needed for asthma. It would normally be done if food anaphylaxis was happening.

Ultimately, being at your ideal weight can help your breathing. Obesity leads to the excess weight pushing in on your chest wall and impairing your breathing. It increases acid reflux and can give you a second type of cough. Not to mention, carrying the extra weight takes a lot more energy and breath.

A well-balanced diet containing the correct number of calories is the path to overall wellness, and it is certainly recommended! Just remember it isn’t a cure-all for your asthma.

For more proven ways to find allergy and asthma relief, choose a real allergist--one certified by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology (ABAI). For those in the Sioux Falls area, Dakota Allergy & Asthma is ready to help.