Recommended Diet For Asthma Patients

Asthma can trigger off due to various factors so it is important to take control of these factors that may influence a person adversely resulting in the manifestation of the symptoms. Diet is very important in controlling and even correcting certain symptoms. It is very important thus to have proper diet regulations when dealing with asthma.
Diet is dependent upon the age of a person and so it becomes extremely important to take care of the age of the patient before planning the diet. The general guidelines to be followed remain very straightforward. It is imperative to keep the diet very simple and without much spices. It is important to not eat very heavy meals as they generally tend to put additional pressure over the system. At night time it is absolutely necessary that an asthmatic person should never ever take a heavy meal because it may cause discomfort in breathing and may even lead to an attack.
Several food allergens cause allergic reactions leading to triggering off of asthmatic symptoms. Many food additives create adverse reactions in the asthma patients so they are best avoided. Also excess consumption of sweets leads to exertion on the system which may cause trouble in breathing. The food that is fried and oily should also be avoided so as to not put undue pressure on the system. Sour food items like chutneys and pickles should also not be consumed as they may cause coughing and lead to undue pressure on the chest region.
Asthma patients should also concentrate more on eating vegetarian diets rather than non vegetarian ones because of the same reason of avoidance of pressure exertion on the system. The diet regulations have to be followed for life so it is better to induce variety in the diet so as to overcome the general feeling of monotony and boredom.
The patients should also be encouraged to eat lighter and more frequent meals than heavier and standard meals. Also care should be taken to have the dinner at least two hours before sleeping time so that the system is relatively relaxed owing to stomach being almost empty at night time just before sleeping. Certain special recommendations have to be followed while deciding the diets of asthmatic children and elderly people.
Diet for children suffering with asthma: The asthmatic children tend to lose weight more rapidly than they ever can manage to gain. The basic metabolic rate of a child is higher than an adult and the children also engage more in hectic physical activity. The stage of the body is fast changing and supposed to be rapidly growing so more calories are needed to support the growth requirement of the body.
The calorie requirement of a child's body is much higher than that of an adult for all these reasons. The children need more of proteins and carbohydrates. Their diet needs to be balanced for vitamins and minerals also so that no extra supplements are needed by the body. So care should be taken to keep the diet of asthmatic kids well balanced in all respect and at the same time they should not be made too heavy in any nutrient as that would unnecessarily cause extra pressure on the child's system.
Care should be taken to not make the diet too oily or too spicy. Too much of cooking destroys the nutrient levels of the food and the food thus will not be able to meet up with the nutritional requirements of the body. Oily and spicy food will also cause much of stress on the system which is best avoided in asthmatic kids.
The child's diet should not have sour items as they can cause coughing and sore throat. The meal hours should be fixed and not many changes should be done in them very frequently. Along with the nutritional content of the food it is best to keep the variety and likes and dislikes of the child in mind before serving a meal. It is best to avoid monotony as the kids grow bored very quickly and need to have their interest enlivened all the time.
Water intake of the child needs to be carefully monitored and the child needs to be encouraged to consume more water. This is helpful in counteracting the sweat that is secreted often during the attacks and at other times. The sweets should be allowed to be consumed in very little quantities.
A regular pattern of a healthy and wholesome breakfast, nutritious lunch and a light dinner is very important to be followed. A heavy dinner at night is the main culprit behind causing night time attacks.
Diet for elderly people suffering with asthma: In the old people the physical activity is less and so their calorie requirement is also very less. This makes it very necessary to follow all the other dietary regulations that have been previously described.
Apart from all the regular controls the most important thing to be followed is that the patient should have very high restriction of fat intake in the diet. Also to meet the requirements of the body vitamin and mineral supplementation is highly recommended. If the patient is under any medication its effects should be carefully studied so that they may not trigger off any other serious side effects. Counteracting the side effects through diet is also very beneficial.By Ashi Jas

Control Your Asthma Through Home Remedies

Asthma is a serious problem and requires your attention in treating it. Developing an asthma action plan with the help of your doctor can go a long way in controlling your problem. Here are some natural simple home remedies to help with asthma:

Turmeric:

Turmeric is a yellow coloured spice used in a number of South Asian cuisine. Turmeric has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. It reduces the release of COX-2 prostaglandins hormone-like substance that is responsible for inflammation. You ca drink about a teaspoon of turmeric powder along with warm milk or take turmeric in the form of capsule.

Ginkgo:

Ginkgo is a chinese herb which has been used for treatment of asthma for a long time. Taking about 60 to 250 mg of ginkgo once a day can help in easing your breathing problem.

Garlic:

Garlic has been known to decrease asthma symptoms by decreasing chest congestion. Make a garlic tea by boiling 2 3 cloves of garlic with water. Add a small amount of tea to make it taste better and drink this mixture once a day.

Coffee:

That heavenly aroma of coffee is quite tempting, especially in the morning. Here is the good news, coffee has chemicals that help in increasing the diameter of air passage. Drinking a cup of coffee may actually give a good start to a day free of coughing, wheezing or gasping.

Honey:

The usefulness of honey for health has been proven from time to time. Taking about half a teaspoon of honey along with a pinch of cinnamon powder just before going to bed can give you a peaceful night's sleep. Not only this, but inhaling honey can also reduce chest congestion because of the natural aromatic compounds present in it.

Ginger:

Ginger can also prove helpful in reducing asthma symptoms. Take about an inch of ginger, cut it into small pieces and boil it with water. Allow the mixture to cool and drink it. This will help in reducing wheezing and coughing.

Sea food:

Omega 3 fatty acids work much like leukotriene inhibitors, a class of asthma drugs. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in abundance in salmon, tuna and mackerel. Add these fishes to your diet.

Mustard Oil:

Mixing mustard oil with a small amount of camphor and rubbing it with gentle hands on the chest, during an asthma attack can give relief from coughing and gasping. Massaging ith mustard oil helps in clearing air passage and eases breathing.

You will find a number of remedies for asthma. Some of them might work for your while others don't. It is essential that you first consult your doctor before trying any of these remedies.

By Rabab Fatima

Asthma and Air Purification

If you have a child with asthma or you suffer from asthma than you might want to create a safer environment at home by removing things that trigger asthma. Careful observation on your part as well as some help from your doctor can go a long way in helping your child. Asthma is basically a disease of respiratory tract characterized by symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in chest. While you can not control the genetic factors that cause asthma but certainly environmental factors are in your hand.

Maintaining quality of air inside your home is an important way of managing asthma. Room filters or cleaners are quickly gaining popularity as one of the ways of controlling asthma symptoms. They are even helpful to those who suffer from chronic bronchitis or hay fever. Room filters or room air cleaners might even come in handy if you are living with a smoker (although its advisable to avoid smoking in home if any member of the family suffers from asthma).

Room air cleaners work by removing small particles from the air. There are many varieties available in the market. HEPA filters are probably one of the best known mechanical air filters available. Its fan forces the air inside the room to pass through a screen which traps the allergens, dust particles and smoke. Directing the fan towards carpet or curtains will cause the dust to rise that can prove harmful. There are two major drawbacks for HEPA filters. One is the amount of electricity consumed while running HEPA filters and the other is noise that the running fan makes which can be quite annoying.

Electronic air filters come with electronic charges that are capable of attracting allergens. The irritants are captured on a collecting plate attached to the device. The drawback: they create ozone, which is a major cause in giving rise to asthma symptoms because it irritates airway. Having said that, ozone generators might also not be such a good idea. Ozone generators produce large amounts of ozone to clean the air in the room. Again they might prove more harmful than useful for asthma patients.

Gas phase air filters remove odors and gases from the air. They do so with the help of carbon granules. Germicidal air filters are effective in cleaning air by killing viruses and bacteria. The germs get killed from the UV light as they pass through the filter. Another option might be installing HVAC systems in homes the are air-conditioned or heated through ducts. Even though this method might prove to be economical but the drawbacks include the production of ozone as a by-product and these systems are capable of filtering large particles but not small ones.

With so many options available in the market one should think carefully before purchasing any type of air filter. It is important to consider your budget and get an estimate of what might it cost you to run the filter all year-round. Secondly, you should consider how much noise its going to make and whether or not its suitable for your bedroom or the entire house. Keep in mind that installing an air purifier at home may not be enough and you will still have to remove allergen causing agents such as carpets or pets from your house.

By Rabab Fatima

Remedies for Mild Asthma

Asthma statistics show this disease now affects 17 million people in the United States. The tendency to develop asthma is inherited, and it is more common among people who have allergies. There are two forms of asthma, allergic asthma and nonallergic asthma. Allergic asthma is very common and it develops in people who have allergies.
People who have asthma have inflamed airways (breathing tubes). This makes them swollen and very sensitive. They tend to react strongly to certain inhaled substances. When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows the airways, causing less air to flow into the lungs and can result in asthma symptoms.
Common asthma triggers generally fall into several categories:
• Respiratory infections
• Dust, pollen, and furred animals
• Tobacco smoke or chemicals
• Physical activity
• Emotional stress
• Menstrual cycle in some women
• Certain medicines
A small number of patients will develop asthmatic symptoms after exposure to aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, like ibuprofen or naproxen.
In the case of nonallergic asthma, the triggers that irritate the lungs and bring on asthma symptoms have nothing to do with allergies or the immune system. This type of asthma can be initiated by dry air, cold weather, exercise, smoke, strong perfume, stressful situations, intense emotions etc.
The typical symptoms of allergic and nonallergic asthma are similar. Symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. The symptoms may occur immediately following contact with a trigger or may be delayed.
Normally there is no cure for asthma, but asthma, whether they are mild, moderate, or severe, allergic or nonallergic, can be managed. Doctors who specialize in treating asthma can be very helpful. In addition to the use of medicines, you can use home remedies to control your asthma. Smoking should be completely avoided; all the medicine in the world won't help an asthma sufferer if he or she smokes.
Immediate helpful remedies for asthma attack;
• Seek for fresh air.
• Drink warm water.
• Keep yourself in sited position.
• Don't get angry or stressed.
Patients with infrequent and mild symptoms of asthma should be treated intermittently with the goal of quick symptom relief. The principles of treatment for a mild attack of asthma are mostly the same for adults and children, except in the use of inhaled corticosteroids.
BRONCHO-DILATOR THERAPY: Use a short-acting beta2 agonist via a pressurized metered dose inhaler
CORTICOSTEROIDS: In adults, inhaled corticosteroids should be continued until review.
FOR CHILDREN: A short course of montelukast (7 days) may be beneficial if started at the first signs of a cold or asthma symptoms.
FOLLOW UP: For a patient presenting with features of a mild acute attack arrangements should be made for review of the situation 1 to 24 hours depending on the context. If there has not been significant symptomatic response by then to treatment with broncho-dilators and inhaled corticosteroids, the patient should be reassessed clinically and considered for hospital admission.
Children should be observed for at least 1 hour after the attack subsides.
SOME HOME REMEDIES FOR MILD ASTHMA
USE SALINE SOLUTION: Irrigating the nose with saline solution (salt water) may help to soothe upper respiratory allergies. Saline solution may even wash away some of the inflammatory cells themselves.
DRINK PEPPERMINT TEA: Peppermint acts as a decongestant, and substances in peppermint contain anti-inflammatory and mild antibacterial constituents.
STEAM YOUR FACE: It helps rid the nasal passages of mucus. Breathe gently for 5 to 10 minutes. When you're finished breathing steam, rinse a cloth with this water and hold the cloth on your sinuses (to the sides of your nose, below the eyes, and above the eyebrows).
Asthma is not a killing disease, but it can make your life worse if you don't take appropriate treatment and necessary precautions. Treatment should be taken systematically for a long duration to fight against this disease.
Follow the tips given below as a preventive measure:
• Keep away from dust.
• Avoid chemicals includes, paint, acids etc,
• Control your overweight and avoid over eating.
• Should not eat too much oily food.
• Avoid over exercise.
By Tom Marshal