When you are obese, the hormone leptin (which regulates your bone mass), metabolism, and fertility gets affected. This hormone also maintains the diameter of your airway. Being overweight results in the hormone causing the narrowing of your airways. This occurrence is called bronchoconstriction.
This phenomenon has been verified by the recent study done by Columbia University Medical Center on the effect of obesity in asthmatics and the presence of asthma in people who are obese. Other medical researches have shown that obesity can also cause sleep apnea, which is a clinical condition of breathing difficulty and low levels of oxygen during nights. There could also be occurrence of other symptoms like wheezing and shortness of breath.
You can prevent your chances of getting asthma, or if you are already an asthma patient, then you can avoid frequent attacks by getting a control on your weight. This can be done by lifestyle modifications and a balanced diet.
Many asthma patients fear that a workout can lead to an asthma attack. However, there is no requirement for heavy exercise. It is adequate to do moderate physical exercises like walking for about 2.5 hours per week.
Did you know that obesity increases the chance of you getting asthma or suffering from greater asthma attacks by 30%? You can control your asthma through a healthy diet and adequate physical exercise.
Diet is the most important aspect through which you can positively affect your body. Consuming a balanced diet and exercising sufficiently will reduce the chances of getting illnesses. Make sure your diet consists of at least two cups of fruits and fresh vegetables. Quit eating junk food and shift to healthy snacks like sweet corn. Do not skip meals and have a proper diet chart to keep a check on your eating practices. Your lung function is also affected negatively by deficiency of vitamin C and E as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Include nuts and fruits like tomatoes, carrot, grapes, and apples in your diet. Cantaloupe is also an antioxidant which reduces lung issues.
Remember to keep a list of food items which are good and bad for asthma.
Did you know that it is possible that consumption of eggs will lead to asthma due to allergy to eggs? High on omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium, flax seeds are also very helpful for asthma. The anti-inflammatory properties of garlic also make it an ideal candidate for inclusion into an asthma-diet chart. It also constitutes allicin, a very strong antioxidant. Reduce the amount of salt you include in your diet. Salt retains fluid and can lead to inflammation and stiffening of your airways. Avocado is an asthma-friendly fruit which contains glutathione, an effective antioxidant.