Nutritional Approach

Foods to Eliminate or Cut Down On

Look for specific asthma triggers that produce, for example, excess mucus. If after eating a pizza, the kid gets a runny nose and starts to cough for the next two days, this may tell you something. This is an obvious one but many times we don’t pay close attention and there are many more subtle triggers. Foods that create a lot of gas can cause pressure on the diaphragm and sometimes trigger an asthma attack as well, so watch for that.

Eliminate or greatly reduce potential allergens such as the dairy products and replace with almond milk or soy products. Buy unyeasted breads, eliminate wheat, barley and rye gluten products, and cut out peanuts. Reduce or eliminate sodas and sweets, even reduce fruit that is too concentrated with natural sugars such as dried fruit. Juices should always be watered down for kids, anyway. Reduce salt intake and cut out artificial sweeteners, and check your labels for additives and other unnatural colors, etc. More natural foods are better for everyone, not just asthmatics. A low salt diet may reduce bronchial sensitivity and improve asthma status as well. Remember, work with the child on all levels because emotional distress is also an important asthma trigger that is often overlooked.

For Adults

The same recommendations apply as far as eliminating the foods above. Alcohol varies in its effect on individual asthmatics; it can help some (I think it calms them) or make it worse. Often it conflicts with digestion. Wine may make the condition worse because of the many sulfates used in making it.

Caffeine can have a modest, acute anti-asthma relief, probably because of its chemical similarity to the asthma medicine, Theophylline. However, I wouldn’t recommend using coffee. It should be reduced because of its high acidity. Teas could be used. I’m not fanatical about anything, but coffee on an empty stomach does not help the body, and if you are asthmatic you already have an overly sensitive body.

Foods

As I said earlier, eat lots of greens; they are great for the body. The key is to try and eliminate acid foods like meats, bread, sweets, and dairy products. Broccoli is one of the best vegetables because it is 65% protein. Eat more avocados; they are not fattening and they have the good fats (see nutrition article). Now there are green drinks on the market with many grasses that are very high in chlorophyll. Work with a specialist to get your body back to an alkaline balance. It is the strongest protection for the immune system. Eat more onions and garlic with your food. Reduce meat protein and increase protein such as tofu or fish, tuna and salmon being among the best because they are high in Omega 3 as well as fish oil, which has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and a benefit found in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It may be helpful for asthma as well. These stimulate and heal the immune system. Use sea kelp for minerals and seasoning.

Bee pollen has proved to be helpful if eaten from local sources. If the allergies are airborne, bee pollen can strengthen the immune system and the body will start to resist the pollens it’s allergic to. Be sure to start with a few granules at a time and work up to two or three teaspoons daily. It’s great in smoothies. Discontinue if rashes or wheezing occur using those small amounts.

Herbs

(Caution! All herbs are like medicine and should not be taken for long term use unless you are consulting with your doctor.)

The best herbs or natural foods are garlic and onions but gingko biloba known best for its benefit on the mind or its "anti-senility" effects may help. During an attack, I used a lobelia, goldenseal and bee propolis tincture that worked great for the kids, not for long term use, though. Other herbs that are beneficial are mullein oil in tea or juice, slippery elm tea or tablets, horsetail, juniper berries, licorice root and Pau d’arco tea.

Ma huang, a Chinese herb (ephedra sinica), can be used as a tea twice daily but it’s not recommended for extended use. This plant is a source of the asthma medicine, ephedrine, a close cousin of Theophylline, a widely used asthma medicine. Most doctors recommend the use of the prescription medicines Theophylline or ephedrine since the potency of the tea is not consistent and can have serious side effects like nervousness and irregular heart beat.

Tylophora asthmatica in tea twice daily can be taken but it is not recommended for long term use, either. This Indian herb has been used to treat asthma in the Ayurvedic tradition for thousands of years.

Quercitin, 500 mg 3 times daily, is an important bioflavonoid, and is biochemically similar to the anti-asthma drug Intalcromolyn. In some experiments quercitin has been shown to prevent mast cells from releasing histamines, a chemical that aggravates allergic reactions.

Vitamins (Recommended doses are for adults or large teenagers)

Very helpful, for most of us as well are most anti-oxidant vitamins. Vitamin A, 10,000 –20,000 IU daily; 10,000 -20,000 IU’s daily of natural beta carotene. Vitamin C, 1500-3000 mg daily. Always take Vitamin C with bioflavinoids, one of the lungs most important anti-oxidant defenses. High doses can be given to asthmatics before an acute exposure to irritants or allergens. Vitamin B complex, 500-1000 mg daily with extra Vitamin B-6, 50-200 mg daily; Niacin (vitamin B-3) or niacinamide; Bromelain (Wobenzime from Maryln Nutriceudicals), 1000 –3000 mg daily. Bromelain is a pineapple enzyme. I’m a great believer in this nutrient for many things. It is a natural anti-inflammatory nutrient, reducing inflammation not only in the joints but it also works on the lungs. Also, pycnogenol or grape seed extract is both anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant. Magnesium, 300-600 mg (magnesium helps an acute asthma attack when given intravenously.) Most nutrition oriented physicians believe oral magnesium can help chronic asthma as well. Vitamin D, 500 IU daily. N-Acetyl Cysteine, 500-1000 mg. This nutrient is converted in the body to glutathione. It has definite mucous thinning and anti-oxidant effects.

Vitamin B-12, orally 1,000 mcg twice a day or for some acute conditions, an injection of Vitamin B-12, 1000 mcg weekly may be helpful (see your physician)

Amino acids l-cysteine, 500 mg twice a day on an empty stomach taken with the B vitamins and Vitamin C. Along with that, also take l-methionine, 500 mg twice a day.

Recommendation

Consult an allergist and get a food test (cytotoxic) and a skin test (intracutaneous titration). Some doctors even do the sublingual provocation and pulse tests to determine your food allergies or other airborne allergies. Always keep in mind that the interpretation of these tests is highly subjective often depending on the doctor that you are working with. Find one that also works with nutrition.

Often times it’s more accurate to eliminate suspected foods and to keep a food diary to identify trigger foods. Watch your child’s food or your own carefully. Consider eliminating the other potentially common allergen foods but only in a well-supervised approach, and be prepared to treat an acute asthma reaction when reintroducing suspected foods.

A good example of an elimination diet could be eating many of the greens in salads, brown rice, sweet potatoes, squash, or for us in Hawaii, poi, which is made from taro, a great food and hypo-allergenic to most people. Then, of course, many steamed vegetables can be eaten such as beets and their greens, asparagus, chard, squash, carrots, artichokes, string beans and spinach. Very small amounts of cooked fruits such as peaches, apricots, papaya, plums and prunes. No citrus fruits. Cooking fruits alters the protein in them making them less likely to be allergens. Then after a cleansing diet, re-introduce some of these foods, one at a time on an empty stomach, to see the results.

Take an insurance formula multi-vitamin/mineral. The best ones are liquid and they should be specific for age and weight. Listed above are doses meant for an adult or a large teenager.

Consider also a six-week trial of 1000 mcg vitamin B-12 injections for the children.

There is a good source for many of these nutrients called “Urban Air Defense” from Source Naturals, a great company.

I hope this information has been helpful to you but it is not meant to replace your doctor. Always be sure to check with your physician before undergoing any severe change in your diet or in your children’s diet.

www.molinamassage.com

Sources:
Richard Podell, M.D., Andrew Weil, M.D., John McDougall, M.D., James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis Balch, C.N.C.

Othon Molina Ph.d. c LMT has been involved in the health field as a manual therapist and personal trainer for over thirty five years. He has studied with some of the top doctors and healers of our times. His specialty is treating sports injuries, back problems, and teaching others how to improve their health or athletic competition using nutrition and fitness technologies.

One of his specialties is Kinesiology, and sports training. He has been a runner all his life, and competed in many triathlons, 5k's, 10k's and marathons. Competing at an elite level gave him the experience to help train others. Recently he coached and worked with the female champion of the German team of triathletes.

Some of his clients include: Bob Hope, Jane Seymor, Essam Kashoggy, Jim Nabors, Tony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Carol Burnett, San Francisco Ballet, Allvin Alley Dance troupe, some of the top Olympic and international elite athletes, team doc and new trainer for the German professional triathletes. He also trains massage teams and professionals worldwide.

For more asthma information, see:

Asthma Exercise - Healthy Taking Certain Precautions
Asthma Information - Symptoms, Causes, Medications
Childhood Asthma - Controling With Antioxidants
Chronic Asthma - Food Allergy Involvement
Natural Asthma Remedy -Simple Sugar Treatment
Asthma Facts - Common Disease in Western Hemisphere
Allergy Asthma - Tests and Treatment Relief
Asthma Facts and Treatment - Symptom Relief Through Foods
Asthma Treatments - Resource Information Site
Information About All Aspects of Asthma - Resource
Asthma Information and Supplies