If you have asthma and are interested in natural ways to prevent or help treat your symptoms, a healthy diet that emphasizes particular foods and nutrients may prove useful. Keep in mind, however, that asthma must be continually monitored and managed and that replacing or reducing conventional treatments without consent from your doctor is highly discouraged. View a healthy diet as a supplemental measure that may aid your current, doctor-supervised care.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide the body with an assortment of helpful nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. According to research published in Thorax, an international journal of respiratory research, in 2007, a diet lush in antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, oranges, apples and bananas, may significantly reduce asthmatic symptoms in children. To reap most benefits, incorporate a variety of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables into the diet on a regular, routine basis, as those richest in color tend to provide the most antioxidant benefits. Fruits and vegetables of particular antioxidant significance include cherries, berries, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, watermelon, papaya, apples, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, kale, mustard greens and bell peppers.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats the body can't produce on its own. According to natural health expert Andrew Weil, M.D., omega-3 fatty acids are encouraged as a valuable aspect of natural asthma treatment. He encourages the avoidance of saturated and trans fats, such as those found in fatty meat, whole milk, deep-fried and processed snack foods, which may exacerbate asthmatic symptoms. Valuable sources of omega-3 fats include fatty, cold water fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines, as well as walnuts, walnut oil, canola oil, ground flax seeds and flaxseed oil. The American Heart Association recommends intake of fatty fish at least twice per week for optimum health.
Plant-Based Protein
Plant-based protein foods such as legumes, soy products and whole grains provide valuable amounts of vitamins and minerals and serve as low-fat, low-cholesterol protein sources. Weil recommends that people with asthma limit protein intake to 10 percent of one's daily calories, or less. Choosing plant-based protein foods will ease this process, since such foods tend to provide balanced amounts of protein and carbohydrate, rather than pure protein alone. In addition, red meat contains saturated fat, which may increase risk for cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes and bodily inflammation. Incorporate a variety of legumes, such as lentils, black beans, red beans, white beans, garbanzo beans and kidney beans, milks made from soy, rice or almond products and a variety of whole grains such as oats, bulgur, barley, brown rice and whole wheat, which provide dietary protein, dietary fiber and antioxidants, into your diet routinely for best results.
If you tolerate dairy products well, you may wish to include low-fat milk or yogurt in your diet as a lean source of protein and helpful nutrients. If not, Weil suggests eliminating dairy products from your diet completely. Be sure to seek your doctor's approval prior to significant dietary or lifestyle changes.
