Bad Eats: Foods to Avoid for Asthma Prevention

It may sound shocking but 2 out of 10 people around you must be suffering from asthma. Asthma is a respiratory disorder when your lungs are inflamed and you are unable to breathe in properly. Due to swelling in the airways, one is unable to breathe in an adequate amount of oxygen and if the situation gets worse, it may turn into an asthma attack with constant coughing and suffocation in the chest. Those suffering from asthma may avoid such attacks by lifestyle changes and eliminating the worst foods for asthma from their diet.

Let us first understand what triggers asthma and then identify the worst foods for asthma sufferers.

Top 10 Causes of Asthma

Asthma symptoms can be seen not just in adults but also in children. Some people tend to suffer from asthma because it is in their genes and the disease gets passed on from generation to generation. While some fall prey to asthma because of a weak immune system.

Besides, several things can act as asthma triggers and some of them are:

• Allergens
• Pests
• Viral Infections
• Pollen and Dust
• Weather Conditions
• Environmental Irritants
• Certain Medicines
• Exercise
• Respiratory Infections
• Food Allergies

Food Allergies During Asthma

Some of the factors that are responsible for asthma attacks are not under our control, but one can avoid asthma induced due to food allergies. Food allergies take place when we consume some food that our body is not happy with. As a result, our body reacts and we experience allergies like asthma. It is a type of reaction between the chemicals in certain food items and our immune system that ultimately affects our lungs and leads to asthma. Some of the common food items responsible for food allergies are peanuts, fish, wheat, eggs, and soy. For asthma patients, there goes a more expanded list of foods to avoid. 

Top 7 Worst Foods for Asthma Sufferers

1. Dry Fruits: The first worst food for asthma is dry fruit. The reason is, all kinds of dried fruits are rich in sulfites, which are added to them to increase their shelf life. Sulfites are extremely harmful to those suffering from asthma as they may worsen their symptoms. 
2. Beer and Wine: The second bad eat for asthma patients is beer or wine. It is for the same reason because they too are high in sulfite content. You can check for yourself if you drink a glass of beer or wine and you may start wheezing or sneezing because of the sulfite and histamine content in these beverages.
3. Pickles: Third worst food for asthma is any kind of pickle, no matter sweet or sour. These pickles are loaded with preservatives like sulfites, which as we told before is a harmful ingredient for asthma patients. 
4. Shrimp and Shellfish: Not many people know but sometimes they gave food allergies that ultimately lead to asthma allergies. For this matter, it is advised to avoid shrimp or shellfish. Moreover, these kinds of seafood are delivered to you after preservation with the main asthma culprit “sulfite”. So, you know the second reason to avoid frozen or prepared shrimp or any shellfish. 
5. Packaged Potatoes: Likewise, when considering which foods to avoid to avoid asthma triggers, do make a cross on packaged potatoes. These packaged potatoes are prepared by adding sodium bisulfite as their main source of preservatives. Sulfite will act as an asthma trigger ingredient, so better avoid packaged potatoes for this reason. 
6. Food Preservatives: We have been repeatedly saying that avoid sulfite-loaded foods if you have asthma. Now, let us elaborately talk about it. You must avoid all sorts of food preservatives to control your asthma symptoms, be it potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, or any other food preservative. 
7. Processed and Junk Foods: Last of all, try gorging upon any kind of junk food if you want to control your asthma symptoms. Fast foods or junk foods, as you may like to call them like burgers, chowmein, pasta, and so on are all types of processed foods that tend to increase lung inflammation. 

8 Best Foods for Asthma Sufferers

1. Ginger and Turmeric: Spices like turmeric and roots like ginger both possess antiviral and antibacterial properties. Therefore, they act as a miraculous remedy against asthma.
2. Oranges and Apples: Oranges rich in Vitamin C help enhance the body’s overall immunity. Whereas, apples are known to reduce the risk of asthma. 
3. Bananas and Pomegranates: Full of potassium and antioxidant properties, bananas can help reduce wheezing in kids suffering from asthma. Whereas, pomegranates help to reduce inflammation in the lungs.
4. Beans: Beans in all forms be it kidney beans, moong beans, or sprouted beans help in the growth of healthy bacteria in your guts. This in turn helps reduce inflammatory disorders like asthma. 
5. Tomato Juice: Rich in antioxidants, tomatoes in juice form are ideal for asthma patients. Tomato juice helps to soothe your airways in the lungs, thereby relieving asthma symptoms.
6. Foods Rich in Vitamin A: Go for Vitamin A foods to control your asthma symptoms to a great extent. Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and leafy green vegetables are great options for Vitamin A-rich foods.
7. Foods Rich in Vitamin D: Similarly, try adding Vitamin D-rich foods like milk, eggs, salmon, and dairy products to your diet to cure asthma. 
8. Foods Rich in Magnesium: Children can experience relief in asthma symptoms by an increased intake of magnesium. Some foods rich in magnesium are spinach, salmon, Swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate.

The Bottom Line

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that can inflate your lungs due to several reasons and the prime reason in many cases is a food allergy. So, try avoiding the above-mentioned worst foods for asthma and you will save yourself from severe asthma attacks. Besides, try doing some breathing exercises and yoga along with your medications to experience some relief from your asthma symptoms.