Apples for asthma

[GreatGateway]

So I wondered why I suddenly felt better this evening, improved peak flows and all, after days of awful symptoms. I found some news articles saying apples can reduce asthma symptoms. Of course the papers like to say a lot of things! Is it true they are as good as they say?

[Hidden]

Hmm - well I've just looked up an article on this in a newspaper having just googled the subject. The date was in 2011, so this story is obviously not new.

My mother would have eaten apples when she was pregnant with me and it didn't prevent me from getting asthma. Back in the 1960s there was not the selection of fruit we have now and it was much more dictated by seasonal availability. Apples were a constant because they stored well. Over twenty seven years later I ate apples in my two pregnancies: one child didn't get asthma, the other did. Inevitably, a sample of two means nothing as far as statistics are concerned.

Of course it's a good idea to eat an apple a day - it's a good way of getting one of your five a day. But as far as asthma is concerned I think it's much more important that we eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and veg. For most I suspect that will include apples:-).

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I bought 8 apples for 24p in Tesco bargains section the other day. I am feeling very virtuous now

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm not allowed to have them at the moment:-(. I was placed on a FODMAP diet towards the end of last year (for a different medical reason) and apples are one of the banned foods. I am now at the stage of being allowed to re-introduce foods (a new one every week). I haven't got to apples yet. No asthma problems yet. Actually I was very well over Christmas and the New Year. I've managed to dodge the bug with the lingering cough that's been doing the rounds (even though my husband has had it and is still coughing).*

*Having written that, I'll probably go down with it next week. Sigh!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Think positive. You will not go down with it! Ok? x

[O-T-]

Red apples are very good, partly because they contain a lot of quercetin, I was eating 4 daily for a while a few years ago when trying to get fitter but my asthma seemed un-altered, can be iffy for teeth and digestion though but a great addition to one's diet I think.

[Hidden in reply to O-T-]

In my twenties I had a period (and it didn't last very long) when I ate two, sometimes three apples a day. The reason it didn't last long - I found that eating more than one apple a day gave me mouth ulcers. No idea why.

[johnsmith]

It may be due to relaxation of tight muscles in the ribs and shoulders.