Around 25 million people, or one out of 13 people, which represents around 7.7 percent of adults, and 8.4 percent of children have asthma, which is a medical condition characterized by difficulty in breathing due to the airways in their body narrowing and swelling. Asthma is generally classified into four types: mild intermittent asthma, mild persistent asthma, moderate persistent asthma and severe persistent asthma.
Nobody, including doctors, know exactly what causes asthma, but what is known is that when airways come into contact with a trigger, they then become inflamed, will narrow, and become filled with mucus. Two of the most common factors that trigger asthma are things we can’t do without, exercise, and food. Specific foods that trigger asthma include:
1. Food allergens
Many people are diagnosed with asthma as children, and they soon learn that they are allergic or highly sensitive to certain foods. Or, adults, diagnosed with asthma later in life, look back and recognize that certain foods tend to trigger asthma attacks, as well as develop a great deal of mucus, which is a side effect of asthma.There is no question there is a definite link between asthma and allergies, and the vast majority of asthma sufferers are on a modified or strict asthma diet. The most common foods that tend to be problematic for asthma suffers include:
2. Gluten triggers
Gluten is another name for the proteins found in wheat. People can have allergic reactions in various degrees, from mildly inflaming their asthma, to life-threatening.
3. Tree nuts and peanut sensitivity
Everybody has heard of severe reactions from people eating peanuts. Both peanuts and tree nuts contain proteins that the body’s immune system confuses with harmful invaders, and the immune system goes in full-force mode. Most asthma sufferers with nut allergies, never outgrow them, but retain them throughout their lifetime.
4. Shellfish triggers
Over 7 million people are highly sensitive to shellfish, particularly, shrimp, lobster, and crab. Many of those same people are asthma sufferers and most people with asthma are extremely cautious or avoid shellfish altogether, as one of the most common reactions to shellfish is inflammation of the airways.
5. Dried fruit allergies
Raisins, dried pineapple, cherries, prunes, and apricots are great snacks, chock full of instant energy. However, they also are heavily laced with sulfites, which play havoc with asthma.
6. Cows milk
Milk allergies, particularly in children are common. And don’t forget that yogurts and
cheeses are made of milk. Some people outgrow the allergen effects of milk but many don’t, and consumption of milk should be limited.
Often, determining food allergies in relation to asthma is trial and error, but careful attention to what you eat and don’t eat can make a huge difference to your asthma symptoms.
