Diet
Can Ease Asthma
Avoiding foods that
cause GERD may reduce asthma symptoms
In treating asthma, physicians
often look to the use of inhalers and warn against such environmental
factors as exposure to smoke and pets.
But in some cases, dietary adjustments
can go a long way in helping asthma sufferers breathe more easily.
Allergies to foods including
milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and nuts are common culprits for asthma
symptoms in infants and young children. If symptoms coincide with
ingesting certain foods, experts say simply avoiding those foods
can help prevent asthma episodes.
But many do not realize
that another common dietary link to asthma in both adults and children
is gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
GERD is a condition in
which stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus. According to
the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology,
the condition affects as many as 89 percent of patients with asthma.
Heartburn, also called
acid indigestion, is the most common symptom of GERD. Heartburn
is described as a burning chest pain that begins behind the breastbone
and moves upward to the neck and throat. It can last as long as
two hours and is often worse after eating. Lying down or bending
over can also result in heartburn.
Heartburn pain is less
likely to be associated with physical activity.
The good news is that
treatment of the GERD is often beneficial in controlling asthma
symptoms as well, says Dr. Sandra M. Gawchik, an associate clinical
professor in the department of pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University
in Philadelphia.
"Treating a patient's
GERD will often improve asthma symptoms," she says. "Instructions
include refraining from eating for three to four hours prior to
going to bed, avoiding high-fat foods and drinks including coffee
and tea, and taking medications to adjust acid levels in the stomach."
Gawchik stresses that
asthma sufferers should always inform their physicians if they
experience frequent heartburn or other GERD symptoms.
Always consult your physician
for more information.
US
Asthma Rates Soar Among Children
The percentage of American
children with asthma more than doubled over the five years analyzed
in a newly released study, the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) says.
From 1980 to 1985, the
rate soared to 7.5 percent from 3.6 percent, the EPA
says. And the rate rose even higher by 2001 to 8.7 percent, or 6.3
million children, the agency adds.
In a wide-ranging report
titled "America's Children and the Environment," the EPA
says there is also "growing concern" about exposure to mercury by
women of child-bearing age, which could lead to harmful consequences
on the children they might have. The primary source of mercury exposure
is the burning of coal, mostly at electric power plants, say sources.
About 8 percent of American
women ages 16 to 49 have amounts of mercury in their blood that
could pose a danger to a fetus, the report says. The agency had
not included mercury in prior years' reports, so it could not provide
trend information.
In what the report calls
"good news for children," it cites declines in exposure among American
kids to lead and secondhand smoke.
Always consult your physician
for more information.
Online
Resources
(Our Organization is not
responsible for the content of Internet sites.)
American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American
Gastroenterological Association
National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National
Institutes of Health (NIH)
US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
|
