When you have asthma, you not only need to be cautious of the quality of the air you breathe, you also need to be wary of the foods that you take. To be on the safe side, here are some of the foods you should avoid taking as recommended by asthma treatments experts:
Nuts
Millions of people around the world are allergic to nuts. According to allergy professionals, the allergy is brought about by the oils from the nuts. When you are allergic to the oil, your airways swell thus worsening your condition. To be on the safe side, you should avoid all types of nuts. This calls for you to be extra cautious when making food purchases. When buying, carefully examine the food labels and ensure that there are no nuts in the food.
Seafood
Seafood contains proteins that cause allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock that can trigger asthmatic attacks. This calls for you to avoid fish, shellfish, and other foods. According to experts, the shock brought about by the foods is usually severe; therefore, you should be cautious that you don’t ingest the food. To avoid surprises or complications, experts recommend that you always carry an epinephrine pen to ease the symptoms in the event of accidental ingestion.
Food preservatives
Most of the canned foods contain preservatives such as sulfites that have often been associated with asthmatic attacks. Food additives such as aspartame and monosodium glutamate have also been shown to affect those with asthma significantly. To be on the safe side, you should avoid foods with additives. Also, avoid taking canned foods such as dried vegetables, fruits, pickles, and shrimp.
Salty foods
Food without salt is tasteless, but you should avoid taking a diet that has a lot of salt. Experts report that a diet rich in salt has adverse effects on the lungs where it has been shown to cause an edematous response that triggers more fluids into the lung tissues. Salt has also been shown to increase mucus products that worsen the allergy attacks. To be safe, and have an easy time managing your condition you should avoid foods with a lot of salts such as pickles and others.
Conclusion
These are some of the foods that you should avoid when you have asthma. In the event you take the foods accidentally, you should rush to an allergy clinic where you will be tested, and the right medication recommended.