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.
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