Aditi Mukhopadhyay recalls struggling to breathe and experiencing an excruciating back pain and fever that led to a fainting episode back in 2016. What followed was a diagnosis that confirmed asthma for the then 18-year-old.
A series of medications, injections and nebulisers followed for the next three years before her symptoms started to subside. “I was dependent on inhalers, anti-allergens and vitamin supplements to manage the cough and cold along with asthma,” says Mukhopadhyay.
She also remembers that her weight drastically fell from 50kg to 40kg during the initial few months. “During my bachelor’s in Varanasi, pollution and food timings had a major impact on my health. However, it improved when food was more regular and pollution dropped after I graduated,” adds Mukhopadhyay.
The 26-year-old now works in Bengaluru and the city has not been kind to her asthmatic symptoms. She finds it difficult to manage her diet and exercise in the current routine. Her asthma often relapses, and she comes down with bouts of fever, cough, and troubled breathing.
The symptoms
Asthma attacks can severely affect one’s quality of life. While the fear of an imminent attack can be draining, the accompanying symptoms such as back ache, fever, and frequent coughing can sap one’s physical and mental stamina.
Dr Bharath Kumar Reddy, assistant professor at the department of emergency and critical care services, Narayana Medical College, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh outlines the following early symptoms of asthma.
- Wheezing (musical note heard during breathing)
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Sputum production
- Fever
He recommends a pulmonary function test to diagnose bronchial asthma in the early stages.
Read more about asthma here.
Those with life-threatening asthma will require oxygen support, intravenous steroids, nebuliser use and bronchodilators (a medication that helps to expand the walls of the lungs) along with other supportive care, says Dr Reddy.
While not a cure for asthma, exercise, and dietary restrictions may help in halting its progression, notes Dr Reddy. “Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are vital to healthy growth and development, prevention of diseases and overall wellbeing, and any such deficiency can therefore also trigger asthma,” he adds.
Read about naturopathic management of asthma here.
Read about homeopathic management of asthma here.
Food allergies and asthma
“Asthma is a lung disease with increased airway response to a variety of stimuli that leads to breathlessness and other symptoms,” says Dr Reddy.
Food allergies can worsen asthma by triggering an allergic reaction leading to inflammation and narrowing of the airways. This can trigger symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing.
Some people are allergic to certain food, cereals and dairy products as well as to pollutants. “Identifying such pathogens and avoiding them helps in preventing recurrent attacks,” adds Dr Reddy.
A 2022 study published in the journal Allergy found a link between a mother’s diet during pregnancy and her child’s risk of developing allergies, including asthma. Foods that can damage the mother’s gut microbiome (the bacterial ecosystem in the gut), such as higher red meat intake, was found to increase the child’s risk of several allergies and asthma.
A holistic approach to combating obesity and asthma
Ankita Debbarma, assistant dietitian from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry says, “Obesity or being overweight is a risk factor for asthma and therefore maintaining a healthy weight via diet and exercise should be prioritised.”
Studies have substantiated the same. For instance, a 2018 meta-analysis published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology sampled 300,000 adults in America and found that the symptoms of asthma in obese people were four per cent more pronounced. Regular intake of meals high in saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and low in fibre and antioxidants was found to further exacerbate the risk of obesity and asthma.
Dr Reddy points out that a high fat percentage can cause one’s airways to constrict more than usual, which in turn increases the reactivity of the airways. “This can also hinder proper flow of oxygen and even delivery of medications to the lung making it even more difficult to manage the condition,” he adds.
Debbarma says a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and plant-based protein can go a long way in managing asthma. She also emphasises the need to reduce animal-based products and saturated fats in one’s diet and consume whole grains and pulses in abundance.
Dr Reddy adds, “Trace elements like copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium are indispensable in the defence mechanism of the body. Any disturbance in these elements leads to stress in the body that can trigger symptoms of asthma.”
Apart from ensuring a diet rich in antioxidants and fibre, and low in SFAs, and omega 6, it is also important to note that vitamin D plays a crucial role in building immunity, says Debbarma.
