When we see how people with asthma suffer, we no longer take normal breathing for granted. The simple act of breathing is quite painful and a huge struggle. Asthma happens when the bronchial tubes are tightened, making it harder to breathe or in more serious cases, impossible. There are different causes of asthma. Allergens, stressors and certain food can induce the prevalence of asthma. As an example, a food coloring known as tartrazine or yellow dye no.5 is notorious for provoking asthma attacks on some people. High salt diet may also increase the risks of asthma, because salt can degrade the pulmonary functions. If you have asthma, it is important to avoid foods that can stimulate the production of mucus, such as wheat and dairy products.
If possible, you should avoid excessive intake of dietary tryptophan, because it may aggravate respiratory conditions. Tryptophan-rich foods may include seafood, soy, dairy products, chicken and turkey. By reducing or avoiding the intake of these food ingredients, you can lessen the inflammation on the respiratory tract. Oily and fried food could induce irritation in your respiratory system. Thankfully, some ingredients are able to improve your condition, especially if you have asthma. Salmon is an oil-rich food that contains plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids and they should be able to reduce reactions to inflammatory compounds. Moderate intake of fish oil, you should be able to enhance the functions of pulmonary system.
Fish oil should help in reducing the inflammation and airway narrowing. Other than salmon, mackerel, tuna and other types of cold water fish should contain plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids. Canola oil, walnuts, hemp seeds and flax seeds contain plenty of ALA or alpha linoleic acid, which is transformed inside our body into EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid, a component of Omega 3 fatty acids. Spinach should provide us with plenty of magnesium, which can help to alleviate asthma symptoms. People with asthma often have lower level of magnesium in their body, so increased amount of magnesium intake should help to improve their conditions. For people with asthma, it is recommended to get about 400mg of magnesium each day.
It is believed that magnesium may calm the upper respiratory tract, by preventing the spasms of the related muscles. Salt depletes the level of magnesium in our body, so if you seem to consume more salt, then it is a good idea to get replacement from your diet. Stress, refined carbohydrate and soft drink may also cause the depletion of magnesium in your body. Spinach is known for its high vitamin B content, so you should be able to reduce asthma attacks that are related to stress. Good sources of magnesium may include beans, tofu, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashew and almond. Vitamin C should also be able to help improve symptoms of asthma, especially if it is caused by exercise. Vitamin C may effectively reduce signs of inflammation in your body. Red peppers and citrusy fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C.