Asthma Diet

What types of food is best to avoid with having asthma and which foods are good to have.

[Homely2 Administrator]

Asthma is often associated with Gerd, ie stomach acid reflux. So avoid the foods that give you indigestion or reflux.

For me that is heavy spiced food, a big Indian meal, will irritate my stomach and give me an asthma attack.

[Mandevilla]

It's probably best to keep a note of what you eat and track your symptoms to see if you can work out what affects you personally, since we are all different.

Unlike Homely2 I have no trouble at all with spiced food, but I cannot tolerate even the smallest quantity of alcohol in a meal (and I mean even a tiny splash).

I find camomile tea beneficial, especially when I'm having an flareup, but I know some people are seriously allergic to it and get breathing difficulties even inhaling the scent!

So it's not really possible to give a list of things that help/don't help as what is helpful for one person could be harmful for someone else.

[Poobah]

If only it was that straightforward. It took me years to establish what specific foods were triggers for me, above the usual suspects of colourings, preservatives, nitrates, sulphites. Some can't tolerate mint or flavourings in toothpaste and mouthwash, along with other chemicals that can be found in shower gels, shampoos, laundry products etc. So it can go beyond foods & drinks. And some asthmatics don't tolerate aspirin and ibuprofen (non steroidal anti-inflammatories). I worked with a lady who had extensive allergy/intolerance testing at the Royal Brompton in London and she could eat some apples, but not others (as an example). Her list of foods and drinks to avoid was extensive. She stuck to her allowed foods and her asthma became alot more controllable.

Generally, processed foods are more likely to contain ingredients you wouldn't find in your larder. I know that I wheeze after eating at certain establishments and eating takeaways. I try and avoid processed food - too much soya, corn syrup and cheap oils, like palm oil, have crept increasingly into our diets, thanks to everyday treats, ready made sauces, ready meals, fizzy drinks. Certainly things we didn't regularly use when I was growing up.

Weight can also play a part in asthma in some cases, but that's something one can explore with one's asthma nurse, if necessary.

Doing anything too drastic all at once is unlikely to succeed long term, so taking note what makes you wheezy or gives you a runny nose or sore throat is a start. Make little changes over time so you get used to not having these things, one by one. And that goes for when you eat and how much too. For instance, eating a big meal before bed may give you reflux and this can irritate the lungs while you're laying down.

At the end of the day it can be a personal journey, but it could very well be worth the effort.

[CeeCee3]

Everyone is a little different in that department. But my doctor straight off the bat told me to avoid cheese (& lactose)as it’s mucus producing. I switched to almond milk, no lactose and high in calcium to make up for the bone density loss due to steroid use. I’m now on a Keto diet as there is evidence that like intermittent fasting, the body self heals very effectively when it’s in ketosis. Wine was also an asthma trigger for me. Trial & error a good doctor with nutritional knowledge & lots of research 👌🏼.

[Thomas45]

For the last few years my diet is mainly vegetarian with fish twice a week. I don't normally eat spicy food, but did have a vegetable curry in a hospital restaurant earlier this week.I prefer goats milk, but can drink semi-skimmed cows milk. My asthma, until recently, has come from infections.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

As others have said, it's not a one size fits all as people have different triggers and it's often a case of working out your own - what works or doesn't for someone else may not be right for you.

If dairy is a trigger for you then avoid it, but don't cut it out because you're concerned about mucus - it gets said a lot, including by doctors, but there's not really good evidence for it: adc.bmj.com/content/104/1/91

If you're already producing mucus though, adding milk or other dairy may feel icky and thick in your mouth. But some milk substitutes can also be a trigger for some people with asthma.

Otherwise I avoid my triggers - most of which aren't an issue for others.

[Mandevilla]

Also worth bearing in mind that if you cut out/add in more than one food type at once, you won't know which one is an issue. I know a lot of people who cut out several major food types in one go, but they're never going to know that way if they were all triggers or just one or two of them were!

[Tree20862]

I try to eat from all the food groups, and avoid my allergens. Eating a balanced diet is my key to health and how I got rid of 50 lbs and have maintained that loss, even during the pandemic 😉

[peege]

Some great replies for you (aren't the members marvellous)! I can only add what I've mentioned before, eating healthier food, fruit, veg, chicken, oily fish like salmon twice per week....what I like to call clean food as in not messed about with & full of weird additions you've never heard of. No crap or junk. A healthy weight so exercise is comfortable. If I eat outside of my (own personal) guidelines I feel awful, like today ate a hobnob - disgustingly sweet and chipolatas at supper because I'm with little grandchildren. When I'm home tomorrow I'll be in charge of shopping again so back to the seeds, unsweetened granola & plain Yeo Valley yogurt to start my day.You'll know if something sets you off so you'll be able

[Huskymama2]

Hi all! I'm new here, just got diagnosed with eosinophilic asthma. I'm seriously working on incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet and seems to be helping. Diary seems to be a big problem for me and pineapples and berries are a positive addition. Guess it will be trial and error to see what works.

[Jayarc]

I don't really know, I'd be interested in this. I know that fasting can help with some inflammatory conditions but completed a 24 hr fast 2 days ago and felt zero improvement. Gonna try another one next week but not hopeful.

[Poobah in reply to Jayarc]

I found daily fasting, along with low carbs, works very well. First meal is lunch, followed 6 hours later by dinner. This gives me a 17 hour fast between dinner and lunch the next day. It takes around two weeks to see improvement and the longer I can practice this regime, the better my asthma control gets.

[Jayarc in reply to Poobah]

This sounds good but I think I would struggle with my job fasting until lunch as it's quite physical. Also I don't get to choose when to take my lunch, I get told on the day when my lunch slot is, so I worry about feeling too weak at work and couldn't just take lunch 30 minutes earlier if I felt I needed to. How do you find it fits with your routines? Maybe I could take a rescue smoothie as a back up in case I find I can't make it till lunch?

[Poobah in reply to Jayarc]

I have non-eosinophilic asthma and weight, among other factors, plays a big part in my asthma control, hence my need to keep to my eating plan.

I've never really been a breakfast person, once I've taken my tablets and inhaler I'm done. In the past I would only eat fruit before noon as it suited me, if I did eat cereal my hunger pangs would kick in by 11am. But my job wasn't physical and maybe my routine would have been different if it was. I do much better on protein, animal fats than plant based fats, which are high in omega 6. I have to ensure my omega 3 consumption is good.

At the end of the day, it's working out what healthy eating plan suits you and your asthma. My asthma definitely improves if I avoid processed foods and high carbs, difficult as that can be. And to complicate everything I have to avoid high omega 6 rich foods, sulphites, nitrates and preservatives because of my aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).