Asthma is a respiratory condition that involves narrowing and inflammation of your airways. Asthma affects approximately 6.5 million children and 15.7 million adults in the United States. Asthma attacks are characterized by wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain. Certain foods can trigger an attack. Consult your doctor or nutritionist about your health and the types of foods you should avoid eating.
Meat
Eating meats cooked at high temperatures can trigger asthma attacks. Meats cooked at high temperatures, such as barbecues, grilling, smoking and roasting, increase formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, toxic substances that can cause respiratory disorders, including asthma and trigger asthma attacks in asthmatics. Research by scientists at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and published in the "International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health" in 2008 found blood levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are significantly correlated to grilled and smoked meat intake among asthmatic children. Frequent consumption of hamburgers is also associated with asthma symptoms, according to research by scientists at Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in New Zealand and published in "Allergy" in December 2005.
Salty Snacks
Salty snack foods are associated with increased asthma symptoms. Research by scientists at Agricultural University of Athens in Greece and published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in February 2011 discovered that eating salty snacks more than three times per week is associated with a 4.8 times higher likelihood of having asthma symptoms compared to not eating salty snacks. The scientists also discovered that the association between salty snack food eating and asthma symptoms are even more pronounced in children who watch television or play video games more than 2 hours per day.
Acidic Foods
Acidic foods, such as onions, tomato sauce, citrus fruits, caffeine, garlic, soda, alcohol, fried foods and mint, can cause gastro-esophageal reflux disease, also called GERD, that can trigger asthma attacks. GERD is characterized by stomach acids coming up into your throat. Research by scientists at Oita University Faculty of Medicine in Oita, Japan and published a paper in 2010 that reports the incidence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease ranges between 34 to 89 percent in adult asthmatics.
Foods Preserved With Sulfites
Foods preserved with sulfites, such as dried fruit, wine, shrimp and bottled lemon juices are prohibited for asthmatics. Avoid any contact with sulfites in foods, since inhaling sulfur dioxide from these preservatives can cause an asthma attack. Always read food labels of products you purchase to avoid any sulfites. If you experience any asthma symptoms after ingesting or coming in contact with foods, immediately call a doctor for assistance.
References
- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention; Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and Mortality: United States, 2003-05; 2010
- "International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environme tal Health"; Serum Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Among Children With and Without Asthma: Correlation to Environmental and Dietary Factors; Nasser Al-Daghri; 2008
- "Allergy"; Fast Foods - Are They a Risk Factor for Asthma?; K. Wickens, et al.; Dec 2005
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Salty-Snack Eating, Television or Video-Game Viewing, and Asthma Symptoms among 10- to 12-Year-Old Children: The Panacea Study; Fotini Arvaniti, et al.; Feb 2011
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Heartburn, Gastroesophageal Reflux (Ger), and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Gerd); 2007
- "Allergologia et Immunopathologia"; The Use of Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD in Assessment of Gastro-oesophageal Reflex Symptoms in Asthma; R. Takenaka, et al.; Jan-Feb 2010
