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Asthma - all you need to know
continued from page 2
Asthma and diet
Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, have been linked to an imbalance of dietary fats. These dietary polyunsaturated fats or PUFAs fall into two groups; omega-3 PUFAs derived from fish and some nut and seed oils and omega 6-PUFAs, derived mainly from vegetable oils. Ideally, we need to obtain a balanced intake of omega-3s and omega-6s, but many people eat far more of the potentially inflammatory omega-6s and too few of the protective omega-3s.
Asthma has also been linked with low dietary levels of selenium, magnesium or B6 in some studies, while those with high intakes of antioxidants (vitamin E or vitamin C) seem to have the lowest risk. One study that analysed the diets of over 5,500 males and 5,700 females found that those with the lowest intakes of fresh fruit and salad or raw vegetables were most likely to suffer from asthma. The effect was strongest among smokers.
Treatment
Two main types of drugs are used to treat asthma: relievers and preventers. Short-acting relievers, like salbutamol, relax the muscles in the airways so the tubes dilate. This quickly makes breathing easier, with the effect lasting from three to six hours. Relievers can only relax your airways, however. They cannot tackle the underlying inflammation that leads to asthma in the first place. Because of this, if you need to use your reliever inhaler regularly, you should ideally use a preventer inhaler as well.
Preventers, like cromoglycate, nedocromil and inhaled steroids damp down the inflammation that leads to asthma and, when used regularly, can prevent an attack by making your airways less sensitive. In young children, inhaled drugs are most easily given from a metered dose inhaler using a large-volume spacer device. In a more severe attack, a nebuliser, which vaporises the drug so it can be breathed down into the lungs more easily, may be needed. Someone with severe asthma will also need other drugs such as a short course of oral prednisolone (a corticosteroid) to get on top of their symptoms.
One of the best ways to monitor how well your lungs are working is to use a peak flow meter. This shows how fast you can blow out and is a measure of how constricted your airways are. Ideally, asthma treatment will keep your peak flow score within 20 per cent of what is normal for someone of your age, sex and height who does not have asthma.
The aim of asthma treatment is to take total control of your symptoms. You will usually be given a treatment plan that helps you tailor treatment to your symptoms, for example, stepping up the dose of a preventer drug or adding in another treatment when symptoms are worse. When asthma is under control again, treatment can be stepped down.
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Asthma and diet
Chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, have been linked to an imbalance of dietary fats. These dietary polyunsaturated fats or PUFAs fall into two groups; omega-3 PUFAs derived from fish and some nut and seed oils and omega 6-PUFAs, derived mainly from vegetable oils. Ideally, we need to obtain a balanced intake of omega-3s and omega-6s, but many people eat far more of the potentially inflammatory omega-6s and too few of the protective omega-3s.
Asthma has also been linked with low dietary levels of selenium, magnesium or B6 in some studies, while those with high intakes of antioxidants (vitamin E or vitamin C) seem to have the lowest risk. One study that analysed the diets of over 5,500 males and 5,700 females found that those with the lowest intakes of fresh fruit and salad or raw vegetables were most likely to suffer from asthma. The effect was strongest among smokers.
Treatment
Two main types of drugs are used to treat asthma: relievers and preventers. Short-acting relievers, like salbutamol, relax the muscles in the airways so the tubes dilate. This quickly makes breathing easier, with the effect lasting from three to six hours. Relievers can only relax your airways, however. They cannot tackle the underlying inflammation that leads to asthma in the first place. Because of this, if you need to use your reliever inhaler regularly, you should ideally use a preventer inhaler as well.
Preventers, like cromoglycate, nedocromil and inhaled steroids damp down the inflammation that leads to asthma and, when used regularly, can prevent an attack by making your airways less sensitive. In young children, inhaled drugs are most easily given from a metered dose inhaler using a large-volume spacer device. In a more severe attack, a nebuliser, which vaporises the drug so it can be breathed down into the lungs more easily, may be needed. Someone with severe asthma will also need other drugs such as a short course of oral prednisolone (a corticosteroid) to get on top of their symptoms.
One of the best ways to monitor how well your lungs are working is to use a peak flow meter. This shows how fast you can blow out and is a measure of how constricted your airways are. Ideally, asthma treatment will keep your peak flow score within 20 per cent of what is normal for someone of your age, sex and height who does not have asthma.
The aim of asthma treatment is to take total control of your symptoms. You will usually be given a treatment plan that helps you tailor treatment to your symptoms, for example, stepping up the dose of a preventer drug or adding in another treatment when symptoms are worse. When asthma is under control again, treatment can be stepped down.
Back to main question page
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Created: 29/04/2004 Updated: 04/07/2007
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