> air passages in the lungs become narrow due to inflammation and tightening of the muscles around the small airways. This causes asthma symptoms such as cough, wheeze, shortness of breath and chest tightness.
> symptoms are intermittent and are often worse at night or during exercise. Other common triggers can make asthma symptoms worse include viral infections (colds), dust, smoke, fumes, changes in the weather, grass and tree pollen, animal fur and feathers, strong soaps and perfume.
Types of Asthma
1/ Allergic (atopic) asthma is triggered by allergens such as pollen, pets, and dust mites. Approximately 80% of people with asthma have allergies.
2/ Seasonal asthma flares up at certain times of the year: ‘hay-fever’ season or when it’s cold.
3/ Occupational asthma is caused by work eg. bakery (flour dust) or healthcare (latex).
4/ Non-allergic (non-atopic) asthma is not related to allergy and often develops late in life.
5/ Exercise-induced asthma is experienced by 90% of people who have asthma.
Prevalence
> Asthma affects >300 million people worldwide including 11.6% of children aged 6 to 7.
> In the UK, over 8 million people, or approximately 12% of the population, have been diagnosed with asthma. However, some may have grown out of the condition, and 5.4 million people are receiving asthma treatment.
> Approximately 160,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with asthma each year, however, incidence rates went down by around 10% between 2008 and 2012.
> The incidence of asthma is higher in children than in adults.
> In early childhood, asthma is more common in boys than in girls, but by adulthood, the sex ratio is reversed.
> Asthma accounts for 2-3% of primary care consultations, 60,000 hospital admissions, and 200,000 bed days per year in the UK.
> Occupational asthma may account for 9–15% of adult-onset asthma. It is reported to be the most common industrial lung disease in the developed world.
Risk Factors:
> Family history of atopic disease (asthma, eczema, & allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis)
> Male for pre-pubertal asthma and female for persistence of asthma.
> Respiratory infections in infancy.
> Exposure (including prenatally) to tobacco smoke.
> Premature birth and associated low birth weight .
> Obesity.
> Social deprivation – higher levels of damp, fungal spores, pollution, & tobacco smoke.
> Exposure to inhaled particulates.
> Workplace exposures including flour dust and isocyanates from paint.
A naturopathic nutritionist may advise:
Foods to avoid:
1/ cow’s milk, eggs, chocolate, rice, soy.
2/ alcohol, dried fruits and bagged salads (sulphites).
3/ cured meats (nitrates).
4/ MSG (monosodium glutamate) => processed foods including hot dogs, burgers,sausages.
5/ smoked meats, frozen meals, instant noodles.
6/ very cold drinks.
Check for possible salicylate sensitivity => eliminate from diet for 2 weeks and reintroduce 1 at a time. High salicylate foods include citrus fruits, apple, avocado, berries, grapes, asparagus, beetroot, broccoli, cucumber, peppers, coffee.
Foods to include:
1/ increase fruit and vegetables (after checking for salicylate sensitivity) – full of antioxidants like beta carotene and vitamins C and E.
2/ mushrooms and sunlight – to increase vitamin D which supports the immune response.
3/ Almonds, hazelnuts, and raw seeds are good sources vitamin E which has tocopherol (reduces cough and wheeze).
4/ salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel in increase omega-3 (reduces amount of IgE – antibody associated with asthma)
5/ tomatoes – lycopene is thought to improve breathing.
Best general bit of advice is to follow a Mediterranean Diet!
(Adapted from: www.cks.nice.org.uk ; www.webmd.com; www.asthmaandlung.org.uk)
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