Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : May 3, 2016 10:02 AM IST
Have you ever noticed any of your family members suffering from an allergy, cough, wheezing or shortness of breath while performing any physical activity? If yes, then it might be due to the shrinkage of the windpipe leading to difficulty in air passage to the lungs causing asthma. But there is no need to panic if you are suffering from asthma as this lung condition can be easily controlled by making few changes in your lifestyle. Here's are some expert tips from Dr Vandana Prabhu, Consultant Pulmonologist at Apollo Clinics, Bangalore to tackle asthma.
1. Analyse and avoid your triggers: In most cases, allergy is one of the main reasons for an asthmatic attack, whereas, for others, it could be another trigger like exercise or exposure to cold or dry air. Whatever might be the trigger, it is important o know your triggers. Your doctor might help you to identify your trigger and guide you to avoid it as much as possible. Here's how to prevent an asthma attack.
2. Eat dairy free food: Many people suffer from food hypersensitivity which triggers an immune response leading to an inflammation. It might affect the airways triggering an asthmatic attack. Hence, if this is the case, it is wise to keep dairy products off your reach. You can even follow a dairy-free diet if your condition shows an improvement after restricting your intake fo dairy foods. To know about the foods triggering an asthmatic attack, ask your doctor about the same. Some of the foods known to trigger asthma are eggs, soy, wheat, shellfish, sulfite additives, used in food processing and preparation.Here's everything you need to know about food allergy and food intolerance difference, symptoms and management.
3. Include probiotics in your diet: Not many people know that adding supplements containing live bacteria in the diet can boost the immune system, preventing an inflammatory response. To reap the benefits, include probiotics that contain at least 10 billion units per day of good bacteria like lactobacillus. Here are natural ways to add probiotics to your diet.
4. Increase your intake of vitamins: Vitamins like C, D, and E not only support your immune system but also help you control inflammation, in particular for people with asthma. Most people already get enough C and E in their daily diet, but vitamin D deficiency is quite common. To know if you lack vitamin D, consult your doctor who might perform a simple blood test to check vitamin D level and recommend an appropriate dosage of vitamin D supplements to fulfill the recommended dose of this vitamin.
5. Always keep your nasal passage clear: In most of the cases where the nasal passage is choked, it becomes difficult to breathe, increasing the pressure on the lungs. Use a saline spray to clear your nasal passages as it might reduce pressure on your airways thereby helping you to breathe easier. Also, quit smoking (if you smoke) as it can aggravate your asthma and increase the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.
It goes without saying that changing the lifestyle has proved to be an effective way of reducing the risk of asthma attacks. Managing your lifestyle successfully might not eliminate your need for medication in the short run, but might reduce the intensity of attacks and help your body respond to the medicines effectively. Also, read natural remedies for asthma do they work?
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