Breathing — it’s something that most of us take for granted and many of us even abuse, by filling our lungs with smoke. Of course, that attitude of callous indifference undergoes a dramatic change when you have a child with asthma.
Watching your child have to fight for every breath of air can be terrifying and hard to accept, but it’s a reality for many of us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 5.5 million children in the United States suffer from asthma. If you’re a parent to an asthmatic child, there’s a good chance you know about potential triggers and treatments for asthma. That’s fundamental knowledge for any caregiver or asthmatic. As a parent, however, you probably want more than a life of trigger avoidance and asthma treatment. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to improve your child’s quality of life, lowering the risk of asthma attacks, their severity, and dependence on medications.
Eating Healthy with Asthma
Fresh fruits and vegetables should be the main constituents of a healthy diet anyway, but they assume greater importance in the fight against asthma. Aside from their high nutritional density and diversity, fruits and veggies like berries, artichokes, kale, beets, and tomatoes are also high in antioxidant content. Healthy eating habits are best cultivated early and will provide benefits for life. When dealing with asthma, studies indicate that diets with a high content of antioxidant-rich foods can lower the frequency and severity of symptoms. Ideally, your child should be consuming at least five servings of veggies a day, along with two to three servings of fruits.
In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, fatty fish and nuts also have a role to play in any asthma diet. They are a good source of protein, as well as healthy fats, such as omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s like DHA and EPA are widely regarded as anti-inflammatory nutrients that can provide relief and protect against a variety of inflammatory conditions. Since asthma symptoms surface as a result of narrowing of the airways due to inflammation, there has been increased interest in the therapeutic role of omega 3 fats. Although more research is needed, fish and nuts are both part of a balanced diet and should be included in your child’s food plan.
As balanced nutrition should always be your focus, it would be a good idea to include other food groups such as beans, legumes, and whole grains in your child’s diet. Try to avoid saturated fats from red meat and processed meats, as well as full-fat dairy products, instead opting for lean meats like skinless chicken and turkey. Studies demonstrate that asthma-associated airway inflammation tends to increase with a high intake of saturated fats. In addition, poor dietary choices increase the risk of indigestion and obesity, which will further exacerbate asthma symptoms.
Staying Active with Asthma
It can be tempting to coddle your child and keep him or her from playing outdoors with other kids. While not unfounded, don’t let those fears keep your child from living a physically active lifestyle. There are precautions that can be taken to lower the risk of an asthma attack and to deal with flare-ups. Most importantly, the benefits of exercise for asthma far outweigh the risks. These benefits have been highlighted in several studies over the years, including in a paper that focused specifically on exercise-induced asthma in children. The benefits of being physically active will be even greater for your child as he/she ages, as research shows that asthma severity can be reduced with aerobic training.
Exercise is believed to be beneficial to asthmatics of all age groups for a variety of reasons. It improves lung function, which increases stamina and lowers the risk of breathlessness. The immune-boosting effect of physical activity also makes your child less susceptible to asthma triggered by common infections. In the context of asthmatic children, exercise or physical activity also provides a confidence boost, allowing them to better cope with the condition and to feel good about themselves. The intensity of physical activity can vary and should increase breath rate, without causing puffing and panting. As lung capacity increases with exercise, the intensity of physical activity can also be increased.
As a precaution, your child can take a few extra puffs of the reliever before participating in any activity.
It’s a good idea to start with a warm-up routine and to engage in structured exercise training programs. Keep in mind that dry cold air is likely to exacerbate symptoms, so make sure that your child exercises in a warm and humid setting. Similarly, outdoor activities are best restricted when levels of pollution, dust, or pollen are particularly high. Breathing exercises are particularly helpful and can significantly improve lung capacity and respiratory muscles strength, which can, in turn, lower the risk of asthma attacks and decrease dependence on medication.
The Impact of Weight on Asthma
While it is important to have a healthy sense of self, being able to love yourself no matter your body weight or size, there are clear health risks associated with obesity. Juvenile obesity is particularly dangerous, as it makes kids vulnerable to a variety of health conditions at an early age. For asthmatic children, excess weight makes the condition harder to manage as it increases pressure on the lungs and can exacerbate symptoms. This could be because of greater airflow obstruction and weaker responses to inhaled corticosteroids. Losing just a small amount of weight can significantly improve asthma symptoms and responsiveness to medications. Healthy eating and physical activity can once again help to achieve these goals.
The Impact of Stress & Anxiety on Asthma
Stress, anxiety, fear, and depression may be associated more strongly with adults, but can affect children too. The experience of such intense emotions can trigger asthma attacks, but this risk can be significantly lowered. Stress reduction exercises, such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation can give your child better control over stressful situations, making it easier to prevent or reduce the severity of attacks.
When left untreated or not managed appropriately, asthma will at best impair quality of life, but at worst it can lead to life-threatening complications, including pneumonia (lung infection), partial or complete collapse of the lung, and respiratory failure. Making the necessary lifestyle changes at an early age costs you little but gives your child a better chance to overcome and achieve success despite asthma, rather than be defined and limited by it.
Anita Fernandes has been writing extensively on health and wellness for over a decade. She has expertise in nutrition, fitness, public health, and weight loss and has contributed content to a variety of leading digital health publishers. Anita has a unique perspective on healthy living and lifestyle, as she has battled and overcome eating disorders and mental health issues. She shares her experiences in an effort to help others build resilience and overcome the problems that can sometimes seem insurmountable.
References
- (2017, January 19). FastStats – Asthma. – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asthma.htm
- (2012, August 1). Manipulating Antioxidant Intake in Asthma: a Randomized Controlled Trial. – OUP Academic. Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/96/3/534/4576801
- (2011, September 1). Airway Inflammation Is Augmented by Obesity and Fatty Acids in Asthma. – European Respiratory Society. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/3/594
- (2018, October 16). How Stress Affects Digestion. – Everyday Health Group. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/united-states-of-stress/how-stress-affects-digestion/
- (1999, September). Keeping Children with Exercise-Induced Asthma Active. – Pediatrics. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10469821
- (2018, April 1). The effect of obesity, weight gain, and weight loss on asthma inception and control. – Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Retrieved November 01, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10469821
