Below are items which have been demonstrated through scientific or clinical studies to have significant positive effects on asthma symptoms. These are provided for educational and research purposes only. As always, be mindful of any allergies you may have and consult with your physician before starting any regimen in addition to your prescribed therapy.
- Fiber supplement (e.g. inulin, psyllium husk)
- Vitamin D3
- Omega-3 fatty acid sources (plant-based): walnuts, almonds, flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seed, edamame, seaweed, algae;
- Omega-3 fatty acid sources (non-plant based): salmon, tuna, herring, anchovies, eggs
- Cod liver oil, flaxseed oil, and/or hemp oil
- Black seed oil
- Mediterranean diet items (fruits, beans (cannellini, chickpeas, fava, green, kidney and navy), almonds, coucous, lentils, pistachios, quinoa, farro, oats; cinnamon, rosemary, paprika, basil, mint leaves, olive oil, oregano, thyme, vinegar, tahini; salmon, sardines, tuna, chicken, eggs, beef, goat, and lamb)
References
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Berthon BS, Macdonald-Wicks LK, Gibson PG, et al. Investigation of the association between dietary intake, disease severity and airway inflammation in asthma. Respirology. 2013;18:447–454.
Bozzetto S, Carraro S, Giordano G, et al. Asthma, allergy and respiratory infections: the vitamin D hypothesis. Allergy. 2012;67:10–17.
Busse WW. Leukotrienes and inflammation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998;157: S210–S213.
Gupta A, Sjoukes A, Richards D, et al. Relationship between serum vitamin D, disease severity, and airway remodeling in children with asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;184:1342–1349.
Hanson C, Lyden E, Rennard S, et al. The relationship between dietary fiber in- take and lung function in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016;13:643–650.
Kan H, Stevens J, Heiss G, et al. Dietary fiber, lung function, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;167:570–578.
Koshak A, Koshak E, Heinrich M. Medicinal benefits of Nigella sativa in bronchial asthma: A literature review. Saudi pharmaceutical journal. 2017 Dec 1;25(8):1130-6.
Romieu I, Trenga C. Diet and obstructive lung diseases. Epidemiol Rev. 2001;23: 268–287
Shahzad M, Yang X, Asim MR, Sun Q, Han Y, Zhang F, Cao Y, Lu S. Black seed oil ameliorates allergic airway inflammation by inhibiting T-cell proliferation in rats. Pulmonary pharmacology & therapeutics. 2009 Feb 1;22(1):37-43.
