Food/Asthma Connection?

AristaStar
AristaStar Posts: 8 Member
edited November 15 in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has found a food/asthma connection. When I was younger my asthma was strictly bronchial and affected by allergy attacks. Now my asthma is full blown and has really been bothering me bad lately. The doc has told me it's not well controlled and he wants me to see a specialist, but not having insurance a specialist won't see me without cash money up front. Not to mention the cost of the test he's going to want to run. I think I maybe need to investigate possible food connections too, so I was just wondering if anyone else with asthma has discovered some foods that trigger symptoms.

Replies

  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
    I have asthma but I've never found a link with food. It used to be really bad but it got a lot better when I took up jogging.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    My daughter has OAS (oral allergy syndrome). Basically is an allergy to air born pollen that turns into an allergic reaction to certain foods. It is best to go to a specialist but you could do some internet sleuthing to come up with it. Fist you need to determine what time of year your allergies are worst e.i. spring (trees), fall(ragweed). Then you can look up OAS and connect the pollen to the food. There are many good charts out there.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I've had asthma/allergies for 20 years, never had issues with food. You really should get a skin test done so that you'll know what your triggers are.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    I'd definitely go to the specialist as soon you can. If that's not an option, I'd do an elimination diet. Try something like a Whole 30 and see how you feel. Add back in one food group at a time and not how you feel. I'd definitely ask your doctor about that, though putting off going to the specialist could be dangerous, possibly.
  • AristaStar
    AristaStar Posts: 8 Member
    My allergies are seasonal and I've got the triggers figured out for that. The asthma is just a whole other issue. I told my doc I feel like I could just take Mucinex every day because of the build up in my lungs. I quit smoking almost a year ago, take Singulair (because it's the one I can afford to pay for out of pocket), and I have rescue inhalers that I really depend on more than I should. I feel like I'm always raspy. During the day at work is the only time I don't feel bothered. Running is not even an option right now and last year when I first started on MFP it took me a bit to work up to the 15 minute splits. I'm hoping there may be some foods I can stay away from to help me out on this at least until an issue with Healthcare.gov can be worked out and I can finally get some daggone insurance. I will definitely check into the things ya'll have mentioned so far.
  • Gianfranco_R
    Gianfranco_R Posts: 1,297 Member
    There are studies that have found dietary connections:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25818037
    It is seems also that a vegan diet is very helpful:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4019393
    On the other hand, there are also people that claim that their asthma disappeared after that they went paleo.
    Good luck, try to see a doctor anyway if you don't improve
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
    My son has eosinophils esophagitis caused by food allergies which also contributes to asthma. We are currently in a year long process of eliminating and reintroducing foods. Wheat, dairy, soy, nuts, fish, and eggs. It's a long and expensive process but he is no longer sick after years of problems.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Asthma and allergies are intrinsically linked, so yes, food allergies/sensitivities can cause asthma flare ups.
  • paradi3s
    paradi3s Posts: 343 Member
    I was born with asthma, probably got it from my dad. I still have asthma, but it's seasonal, usually happens in the change of weather (living in a tropical country so the weather can change from super hot to very humid and rainy, which triggers my asthma twice or thrice a year). My parents were told by my soctor that eggs, chicken, seafood would trigger my asthma, but I ate them anyway and food never did seem to bother my system, just the weather. Same with my dad, as a child he was told that he was allergic to the types of foods I just mentioned, but he just ate whatever. Swimming also helps a lot!
  • AristaStar
    AristaStar Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you all for sharing your information. I've git somewhere to start looking now :) I've been hesitant to do anything really intense exercise-wise because I haven't wanted to make it worse.
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