WHAT IS ASTHMA?

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the airways in the lungs. The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the airways can become inflamed and narrow at times. This makes it harder for air to flow out of your airways when you breathe out.

 

SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA:

Asthma symptoms vary from person to person. You may have infrequent asthma attacks, have symptoms only at certain times — such as when exercising — or have symptoms all the time.

Asthma signs and symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Wheezing when exhaling, which is a common sign of asthma in children
• Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
• Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu

CAUSES OF Asthma:

Scientists continue to explore what causes asthma, but we do know that these factors play an important role in the development of asthma:

• Family history
  If you have a parent with asthma, you are three to six times more likely to develop asthma than someone who does not have a parent with asthma.
• Allergies
  Some people are more likely to develop allergies than others, especially if one of their parents has allergies. Certain allergic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or allergic rhinitis (hay fever), are linked to people who get asthma.
• Viral respiratory infections
  Respiratory problems during infancy and childhood can cause wheezing. Some children who experience viral respiratory infections go on to develop chronic asthma.
• Occupational exposures
  If you have asthma, exposure to certain elements in the workplace can cause asthma symptoms. And, for some people, exposure to certain dust (industrial or wood dust), chemical fumes and vapors, and molds can cause asthma to develop for the very first time.
• Smoking
  Cigarette smoke irritates the airways. Smokers have a high risk of asthma. Those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy or who were exposed to secondhand smoke are also more likely to have asthma. Learn more about the health effects of smoking with asthma
• Air Pollution
  Exposure to the main component of smog (ozone) raises the risk of asthma. Those who grew up or lived in urban areas have a higher risk for asthma.
• Obesity
  Children and adults who are overweight or obese are at a greater risk of asthma. Although the reasons are unclear, some experts point to low-grade inflammation in the body that occurs with extra weight. Obese patients often use more medications, suffer worse symptoms, and are less able to control their asthma than patients in a healthy weight range.

Asthma is broken down into types based on the cause and the severity of the symptoms. Healthcare providers identify asthma as:

• Intermittent: This type of asthma comes and goes so you can feel normal in between asthma flares.
• Persistent: Persistent asthma means you have symptoms much of the time. Symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe. Healthcare providers base asthma severity on how often you have symptoms. They also consider how well you can do things during an attack.

What Should I Eat to Prevent Asthma?

Given the murky evidence for a link between asthma and nutrition, there is no particular asthma diet. But it’s a good idea to adhere to a healthy diet, anyway.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. We still don’t know which fruits and vegetables might have an effect on asthma, so the best advice is to increase your intake of a wide variety of them.
• Eat foods with omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids — found in fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines and some plant sources, like flaxseed — are believed to have a number of health benefits. Although the evidence that they help with asthma is not clear, it’s still a good idea to include them in your diet.
• Avoid trans fats and omega-6 fatty acids. There’s some evidence that eating omega-6 fats and trans fats, found in some margarine and processed foods, may worsen asthma, and other serious health conditions such as heart disease.

What Else Affects Asthma Symptoms?

Nutrition — good or bad — isn’t the only way that asthma might be affected by diet. Here are some examples:

• Diets High in Calories. If you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. That’s bad not only for your general health but for your asthma specifically. People who are obese are more likely to have more severe asthma symptoms, take more medication, and miss more work than people who maintain a normal weight.
• Food Allergies. Many people have food intolerances such as lactose intolerance, but these are not true allergies and rarely worsen asthma. Only about 2% of adults with asthma have true food allergies to milk, eggs, shellfish, peanuts, or other foods. When exposed to even small amounts of the foods to which they have become allergic, these people can have life-threatening anaphylactic attacks, including bronchospasm, which require immediate asthma medication.
• Preservative Sensitivities. Sulfites, which are used to keep food fresh and stop the growth of mold, can trigger temporary asthma symptoms in a few people with asthma. Sulfites can give off sulfur dioxide that can irritate the lungs. Sulfites are no longer added to fresh fruits and vegetables in the U.S. But they are still used in many processed foods, and may also be in condiments, dried fruits, canned vegetables, wine, and other foods.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD). Up to 70% of all people with asthma also have GERD (reflux of stomach acid), which can make asthma more difficult to control. Sometimes, GERD doesn’t cause typical heartburn symptoms. If you have GERD, you may need to take medicine. Weight loss is often all that is necessary to eliminate GERD. You should also try eating smaller meals and cutting down on alcohol, caffeine, and any foods that you notice trigger GERD symptoms. Avoid eating just before bedtime.

Well, don’t worry!!

We are here to help you with that.

At Nutrishilp, we provide a customized diet plan for each body type which will help you cure Asthma & other health-related problems.