Diet taboos for asthma patients

The first is to absolutely avoid allergenic foods that are known to trigger asthma attacks. The second is to avoid highly irritating and gas-producing foods during acute attacks. The other foods that are rumored to be “absolutely untouchable” must be judged based on individual circumstances. There is no need to apply one-size-fits-all.

The first thing many people do when they are diagnosed with asthma is to blacklist seafood, mangoes, and eggs. When I was volunteering in the community respiratory education classroom, I met a little girl in the second grade of junior high school. She had not touched a mouthful of milk and eggs for more than half a year after she was diagnosed.

Many people are confused about whether they can eat ice. Chinese and Western medicine do have different opinions on this. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that raw cold damages the lungs and aggravates cold asthma. Indeed, many patients who cough when they catch a cold will start wheezing half an hour after taking a bite of a popsicle. ； But the view of modern evidence-based medicine is that as long as the individual tolerates it, there will be no problem. I know a brother who has suffered from asthma for more than 20 years. He has a popsicle every day in the summer and nothing happens. The attack has never been related to the ice. So it all depends on the individual. You don’t have to endure it if others say you can’t eat it. Try it once. If you don’t feel uncomfortable after eating it, feel free to eat it. If you feel uncomfortable, just don’t touch it next time.

Oh, by the way, there is another type of taboo that is easily overlooked, which is additives in processed foods, such as preservatives and color protectants such as nitrite and sodium metabisulfite. Many people are fine eating fresh fish and shrimp, but they get chest tightness after eating pre-made crayfish and braised meat bought from outside. Some people have severe coughs after eating dried preserved fruits sold in supermarkets. Most of them are caused by these additives. I met a patient in the past two months who got sick every time he ate oden from the convenience store downstairs. It was eventually found out that he was allergic to a flavor enhancer added to the soup, but he could cook the oden at home without any problems. Many people don't think of this. They always think it's a problem with the ingredients, but it's actually something added during the processing.

As for the precautions during the attack period, there is no controversy. No matter what you normally eat, if you have trouble breathing when you have an attack, don't be a fool to eat those that are too spicy and numb, as well as sweet potatoes, carbonated drinks, and a lot of soy products that are prone to flatulence. Think about it, your belly is so bulging that it reaches your diaphragm, and your lungs can't expand to begin with. Isn't it harder to breathe? Last time, there was a young man who had just come out of the emergency room for observation. He thought he was fine, so he drank half a bottle of iced Coke. Within half an hour, he was out of breath again and was inhaling oxygen. He was so bloated that it was not worth the loss.

Another question that people ask a lot is, should foods that test positive for allergens absolutely not be eaten? Not really. Most of the current allergen tests detect IgE-mediated allergies, and there are many non-IgE-mediated reactions that cannot be detected. The reverse is also true. If mild allergies are detected, you will not feel any discomfort after actually eating them, and you can eat them normally without strict dietary restrictions. After all, keeping up with nutrition and stabilizing immunity can reduce the frequency of asthma attacks. If you don't eat this or that, malnutrition will make you more likely to get sick.

To be honest, among the asthma patients I have come into contact with, the ones who live the most comfortable life are never those who dare not eat anything, but those who understand their own constitution. I usually carry a small notebook with me, or write down a few notes in my mobile memo, including what new things I ate today and whether I had chest tightness or cough for two or three months. My own list of taboos is more accurate than any expert's. There is really no need to compare one by one with the general list on the Internet and live a tight life.

Oh, yes, here’s a little reminder. Regardless of whether you are allergic to alcohol or not, it is best not to touch alcoholic foods during an attack. Put away alcohol-filled chocolate, drunken crabs, and fermented glutinous rice balls first. Alcohol will expand the blood vessels of the airway mucosa, aggravate congestion and edema, and make asthma even more congested. This is the current consensus in the industry, and there is no controversy.

After all, the dietary taboos for asthma are never meant to restrict your eating, but to save you from suffering. The core is "don't touch those who are clearly allergic, don't do anything during the attack, and the rest is up to you." There is no need to miss your favorite food for unreasonable taboos. After all, being able to eat happily is better than anything else, right?