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my asthma | |
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my medications | |
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my lifestyle | |
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my child's asthma | |
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my allergies | |
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allergies & asthma | |
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allergy season is asthma season | |
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weathering the seasons | |
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food for thought | |
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allergy & asthma organizations | |
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my recent attack | |
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food for thought Do wine and cheese make you wheeze? Have you had problems with your asthma after eating shellfish? You may have had an allergy-like reaction to what you ate—sometimes it's not caused by the food, but by an additive that's been put into the food to add flavor or keep it fresh. There is some evidence that certain foods can trigger asthma symptoms if you happen to have both asthma and a food allergy. Still, there are many questions that don't have answers yet—it’s all food for thought. what is a food allergy? A food allergy is like any other allergy except that the trigger is food or something added to the food instead of a trigger like pollen or dust. Your reaction may be hives, wheezing, or swelling in your throat. what’s good for me? A clinical trial suggested that 2 grams of vitamin C may be good for your asthma. Another study has suggested that magnesium may be good for your asthma. Good sources of dietary magnesium are cereals, nuts, green vegetables, and dairy products. It is recommended that you drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. The bottom line—eat well-balanced meals. That means eating the proper number of servings from each of the five food groups every day. Your healthcare professional can give you information about the foods in each group and the suggested daily requirements. what to watch for Foods containing sulfites sometimes cause asthma symptoms and attacks. Most of us eat sulfites all the time without even knowing it because they are used as preservatives in common foods and drugs. The most common place you will find sulfites is in a salad bar. Sulfites keep foods fresh-looking (e.g., fruits, vegetables) and help prevent bacteria from growing. Foods that may contain these additives include: vegetables at salad bars, some bakery items, potatoes, maraschino cherries, shellfish, salad dressings, dried fruits, wines, and many processed foods like soups and cheeses. So, the next time you go grocery shopping, read the food labels carefully. If you are sensitive to sulfites, you want to avoid foods with bisulfate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium bisulfate, sodium sulfite, or sulfur sulfite. If you get asthma symptoms after eating any food product, alert your healthcare professional. milk—yes or no? Some people think they have less mucus if they don't drink milk, but that probably relates to the coating milk leaves in the mouth and throat rather than an improvement in asthma. Talk to your healthcare professional before dropping milk from your diet. bravo veggies! Eat a variety of foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Think "colorful"—green, red, orange, and yellow. And think "in season." Thanks to modern distribution methods, out-of-season "fresh" produce is available year-round. But if fruits and vegetables have to travel long distances, it can cause them to lose nutrients. It is more nutritious to buy locally grown foods, or even frozen and canned items that are processed right after picking. Here's to a healthy appetite—and a healthy approach to helping to control your asthma! |
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