Asthma and Your Diet

Dr. Greenspan: Nutrition is crucial. Dr. Mahmoud: The story starts and ends with taking care of your diet. Susan: I stay away from any foods or drinks that will cause inflammation in the system. Dr. Greenspan: The content of your food can also impact your breathing. Susan: So I stay away from any processed food, any foods high in sugars, things that are fermented, like wine or beer. Dr. Greenspan: When you eat carbohydrates, as compared to, let's say, a protein or a fat, you're actually producing much more carbon dioxide. Erika: I also cut out certain foods, like dairy, which cause me to have more congestion and generally irritate my respiratory system. Dr. Greenspan: So imagine you just ate a giant pasta meal. Now, your stomach's full of pasta. Your diaphragm is having difficulty contracting downward, because you now have this mechanical obstruction, and it's also pouring carbon dioxide into your blood that's sending a signal to your brain that's saying, "Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe." That's why a lot of people, they'll say, "You know what? I don't understand this. I went to the restaurant the other night. I was feeling great. I had dinner. I came home. I had to take a cab, because I couldn't walk. I was so short of breath." Very, very common. Erika: Drink as much water as you possibly can. Natalie: A lot of times people are not hungry, they are thirsty. Dr. Mahmoud: Don't eat the food that has been known to cause problems in the past. Susan: I stay away from breads, carbohydrates, anything that will have starch in it and will turn into a sugar. Natalie: You want to make sure that you have enough good protein sources in your diet, so a mix of fish, lean beef, chicken. Dr. Greenspan: Okay. You want to eat the right foods. You want to be at the right weight. Natalie: Eating probably about five meals a day, smaller meals, instead of skipping breakfast and then having a huge dinner. Dr. Greenspan: Being the right weight is very, very important. Dr. Mahmoud: And it is in your own hands. You can do it.