What should you pay attention to about dietary taboos for asthma?

First of all, it must be clear that there is no universal list of dietary taboos for asthma. There is only one core principle - avoid foods that can cause wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. The various "lists of foods that must be avoided in asthma" posted online are not suitable for everyone.

A while ago, I accompanied a friend's 12-year-old asthma patient for a check-up. The child was as thin as a bean sprout. He said that his family had listened to the old man's advice and banned eggs, milk, seafood, mangoes, and even onions, ginger, and garlic. After an allergen-specific IgE test, he was not allergic to any of these. The only ones he was allergic to were cashews and ragweed. After he returned home, he ate milk and eggs for two months and gained three pounds. In the past two months, he had not had an asthma attack once.

Speaking of this, someone must ask, isn't it said that people with asthma should never touch ice? In fact, there is currently no unified conclusion in the academic community. Statistics show that about 30% of asthma patients have airway hyperresponsiveness induced by cold stimulation. Eating iced drinks and blowing cold wind can cause airway spasm and wheezing. Such people must actively avoid iced foods. ； But the remaining 70% of patients have no discomfort at all when drinking ice. There is really no need to torture yourself for unwarranted taboos. I know several old patients with asthma who have suffered from asthma for more than ten years. They still eat popsicles in summer without any problems.

There is also the common saying that you should avoid sweet and salty foods. In fact, the same principle applies. If you notice that after eating particularly sweet milk tea or salty bacon, you feel that there is more phlegm in your throat and your chest feels tight, then you should consciously eat less. As long as there are no special reactions, it is perfectly fine to eat normally. On the contrary, I would like to remind everyone not to be blind about food. You dare not eat this or touch that. In the end, nutrition will not keep up with your immunity, and the probability of respiratory tract infection will increase. On the contrary, it will be easier to induce asthma. The gain outweighs the loss.

Of course, this does not mean that there is no need to pay attention to it. There is currently a high degree of academic consensus that it is best to pay more attention to processed foods that have added sulfites. For example, many commercially available dried fruits, pickles that have been stored for a long time, and some prepackaged salad dressings contain such additives. It is a very clear substance that can easily induce asthma. If you have suddenly suffered from asthma after eating such things before, try to avoid them next time.

In the final analysis, when it comes to dietary taboos, what others say is just a reference. Your own body's reaction is the gold standard. Don't live timidly because of so-called "rules", which will be detrimental to the stability of your condition.