According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, asthma affects about 34 million Americans, and that is just those people who have been diagnosed by a health professional.
Asthma is a chronic disease that involves an inflammation in the lungs. The swelling of airways restricts airflow, which makes it hard to breathe. While there is no cure for asthma, it can be controlled fairly easily.
Besides using prescription drugs, there is evidence that dietary antioxidants can help treat asthma. Antioxidants that have been shown to help with asthma include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin C, selenium, quercetin, and coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ10).
Oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, apple skin and red onion skins are great sources for the antioxidants that have been shown to help with asthma.
The estimated 34 million Americans who have been diagnosed with asthma may be able to find relief if they get their daily recommended fruit intake. Only a third get the recommended amount, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
If people take dietary steps to remedy their asthma, it could save billions in healthcare costs. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, the annual economic cost of asthma is $19.7 billion, with $5 billion of that amount as indirect costs such as lost workplace productivity.
In research conducted by the Department of Public Health and Primary Care in the UK, asthma symptoms in adults is associated with a low dietary intake of fruit, particularly the antioxidant nutrients vitamin C and manganese. While you should take a look at your diet as a way to relieve asthma symptoms, never change your physician-prescribed approach without discussing it first with your doctor.
Also read: