“Best and Worst Foods for Lung Health”

 

WHY FOOD MATTERS: A healthy, well-balanced diet goes a long way to keep your body strong, including your lungs. In general, aim for a variety of foods from each food group to keep your lungs happy. (Hint: More plants and fewer processed foods are better for just about everyone.) To keep your lungs in tiptop shape, here are some examples of foods to enjoy and avoid or limit -- along with not smoking and other lung-friendly habits.

GOOD: HIGH-FIBER FOODS - What do raspberries, peas, lentils, and black beans have in common? They’re all high in fiber, which is great for your lungs. Research suggests people who eat more fiber have lungs that work better than those who don’t eat much fiber. Other fiber-rich foods include whole-wheat spaghetti, baked beans, chia seeds, quinoa, pears, and broccoli.

BAD: PROCESSED MEATS - Studies show a link between processed, or cured, meats and worse lung function. Researchers think the nitrites used in processing and preserving cured meats may cause inflammation and stress to the lungs. Bacon, ham, deli meat, and sausage all fall into the category of processed meats.

GOOD: COFFEE - Good news for coffee lovers: Your morning cup could be doing your lungs a favor. Research points to a connection between regular coffee and healthier lungs. This could be due to the caffeine, which is anti-inflammatory, and polyphenols, which are antioxidant and also anti-inflammatory.

BAD: TOO MUCH ALCOHOL - Heavy drinking is bad for your liver and for your lungs. Sulfites in alcohol can worsen asthma symptoms, and ethanol affects your lung cells. If you drink too much, you’re more likely to get pneumonia and other lung problems. But a little bit is OK. Two drinks or less per day, especially if it’s wine, may be good for your lung health. Health experts don’t recommend anyone start drinking, though -- and if you do drink, keep it moderate.

GOOD: WHOLE GRAINS - Whole grains are great for your lungs. They include brown rice, whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oats, quinoa, and barley. Not only are whole-grain foods high in fiber, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, but they’re full of vitamin E, selenium, and essential fatty acids, which are good for lung health. Refined grains, like white flour and white rice, lose many of their nutrients in the milling process.

BAD: SUGARY DRINKS - Do your lungs a favor and swap out soft drinks for water. A study found adults who drank more than five sweetened soft drinks a week were more likely to have ongoing bronchitis, and kids were more likely to have asthma. It’s not clear that the sodas were the reason why, but the pattern stood out. If you smoke, even unsweetened soft drinks can be bad for your lungs.

GOOD: BERRIES - Red and blue fruits like blueberries and strawberries are rich in a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which gives them their color and is also a strong antioxidant. Research suggests this pigment can slow down your lungs’ natural decline as you age. In one study, older men who ate at least two servings of blueberries a week had notably less decline in lung function than those who ate fewer or no blueberries.

BAD: TOO MUCH SALT - A little adds flavor, but a lot adds to your odds for lung problems. People who eat a lot of salt are more likely to have long-term bronchitis. And a high-sodium diet can worsen asthma symptoms, but you may be able to help your lungs work better if you go light on salt for a couple of weeks. Cook from scratch and avoid restaurants and packaged foods. Read labels and ask your doctor how much is too much. Limits are usually 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day.

GOOD: LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES - Load your plate with spinach, Swiss chard, and other leafy greens, and you could lower your chance of getting lung cancer. One study found that Chinese greens are particularly good for this purpose. This could be because they are high in carotenoids, which are antioxidant.

GOOD: DAIRY PRODUCTS - Research suggests drinking milk and eating cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products can lower your chances of dying from lung cancer. Unless you’re allergic to it, dairy is tied to anti-inflammatory properties. On the flip side, if you have asthma or another lung problem, going dairy-free may help cut down on your mucus production.

GOOD: TOMATOES - Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene, which is linked to lung health. Eating tomatoes and tomato products like tomato juice can improve airway inflammation if you have asthma and may lower your chance of death if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lycopene is also tied to less decline in lung function for young adults. These benefits are even more pronounced for people who used to smoke.

REVIEWED BY: Brunilda Nazario, MD, WebMD, on August 13, 2020

REFERENCES:

Annals of the American Thoracic Society: “The Relationship between Dietary Fiber Intake and Lung Function in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.”

Mayo Clinic: “Chart of high-fiber foods.”

European Respiratory Journal: “Processed meat consumption and lung health: more evidence for harm.”

Nutrients: “Role of Diet in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Prevention and Treatment.”

American Lung Association: “Asthma and Nutrition: How Food Affects Your Lungs.”

The American Journal of Medicine: “Alcohol and the Lung: A Brief Review.”

Alcohol Research: “Alcohol’s Effects on Lung Health and Immunity.”

Mayo Clinic: “Whole grains: Hearty options for a healthy diet.”

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “Dietary anthocyanin intake and age-related decline in lung function: longitudinal findings from the VA Normative Aging Study.”

Food and Nutrition Research: “Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits.”

International Scholarly Research Notices: “High Salt Intake and Risk of Chronic Bronchitis: The Copenhagen Male Study -- A 10-Year Followup.”

The International Journal of Clinical Practice: “Dietary sodium intake and asthma: an epidemiological and clinical review.”

Cancer Causes and Control: “Fruits and vegetables consumption and the risk of histological subtypes of lung cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.”

Nutrition and Cancer: “Intakes of Fruits, Vegetables, and Related Vitamins and Lung Cancer Risk: Results from the Shanghai Men's Health Study (2002-2009).”

Cancer Causes and Control: “Diet and lung cancer mortality: a 1987 National Health Interview Survey cohort study.”

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: “Dairy products and inflammation: A review of the clinical evidence.”

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell #FeelFree2SignUpAndFollow

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.
 
"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.  

“Asthma and Your Diet: Foods That Help and Hurt”

May Help: Fruits and Veggies - There's no specific asthma diet that can get rid of your breathing troubles. But certain foods may have benefits. Fruits and veggies are a good place to start. They're full of chemicals called antioxidants like beta carotene and vitamins E and C. These help stop particles called "free radicals" that damage cells and could inflame and irritate your lungs.

May Help: Vitamin D - You get most of it from sunshine, but it's also in some foods. The top choice is fatty fish like salmon and swordfish, followed by milk, eggs, and orange juice, which are often "fortified" with vitamin D. The nutrient strengthens the response of the immune system -- your body's defense against germs -- and could lessen swelling in your airways. Having low vitamin D levels can lead to more asthma attacks.

May Help: Nuts and Seeds - They've got lots of good things in them, but one in particular that might be good for asthma is vitamin E. Almonds, hazelnuts, and raw seeds are good sources, as well as cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale. Vitamin E has tocopherol, a chemical that could help cut how much you cough and wheeze from your asthma.

May Hurt: Dried Fruit - There are some foods you may want to avoid if you have asthma, and dried fruits are among them. Though fresh fruit, especially oranges and apples, can help control your asthma, the sulfites that help preserve dried fruit could make the condition worse for some people. Alcohol (especially red wine), shrimp, pickled vegetables, maraschino cherries, and bottled lemon juice also often have sulfites.

May Hurt: Beans - It's all about the gas they give some people. It can bloat your belly and make it harder to breathe. It may even trigger an asthma attack. Beans are the most famous candidate. Soak them for a few hours and change the water a couple or so times to lessen this effect. Other gassy culprits are garlic, onions, fried foods, and carbonated drinks.

May Hurt: Coffee - Salicylates are chemicals that occur naturally in coffee, tea, herbs, spices, and even in anti-inflammatory pills, like aspirin. Though most people don't react to them, they could make it harder to breathe, especially if you already have asthma. You may be able to improve these symptoms if you cut as many as you can from your diet.

May Help: Mediterranean Diet - It's made up of lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. You eat fish and chicken at least twice a week, and limit your red meat. Instead of butter, you cook with olive or canola oil, and you flavor with herbs instead of salt. There's even a bit of optional red wine for adults. People who eat this way have fewer asthma attacks and are less likely to get the condition in the first place.

May Help: Fish - It's all about the omega-3 fatty acids, especially in fatty fish like salmon, herring, tuna, and sardines. They help lessen the amount of IgE your body makes. That's an antibody that causes breathing problems in some people with asthma. But the high doses of oral steroids that some people use to treat serious asthma can block much of this helpful effect.

May Hurt: Food Allergies - You're more likely to have a food allergy if you have asthma. And a food reaction could cause wheezing and other asthma symptoms. In some cases, it's worse if you exercise after you eat certain foods. Try to notice what does it, and avoid it. Typical triggers are nuts, dairy, wheat, and shellfish, though everyone is different.

May Hurt: Too Much Food - When you eat more calories than you burn, your body stores the extra in fat cells. You can really start to pack on the pounds if you do that too much. If you become obese (BMI greater than 30), you're more likely to get asthma and it could make your symptoms worse. In addition, you may not respond as well to typical treatments like inhaled steroids that stop an asthma attack.

May Help: Tomatoes - Foods made from tomatoes seem to help people with asthma. Scientists think it may be the lycopene that helps most, but more research is needed. Some studies show they can keep you breathing better over the long term. Spaghetti marinara, anyone?

May Help: Variety - There's no single "magic bullet" food that will cure you of asthma. You need a wide range of nutrients and vitamins to keep your body healthy enough to handle attacks when you get them or to keep them away altogether. Talk to your doctor about any big changes in the way you eat, because they could affect your condition as well as your medication.

May Hurt: Supplements - As a general rule, supplements don't work as well as nutrients from food to protect you from asthma. So, get your veggies! (And nuts. And fish. And fruit). You may have heard that "soy isoflavone" supplements, in particular, can ease asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, studies seem to show that this simply isn't the case. Talk to your doctor about any supplements you take because they can affect your medication.

May Hurt: Liquid Nitrogen - Some people call it "nitro puff," but there are other names. You might notice a stream of smoky coldness that spirals from a fancy cocktail, a new frozen dessert at the mall, or other foods. It may look like fun, but it's best to avoid it. It could cause breathing problems, especially if you have asthma, as well as serious injury to skin and even internal organs.

Reviewed by: Sabrina Felson, MD on November 09, 2018

Sources:

American Lung Association: "Asthma and Nutrition: How Food Affects Your Lungs."
Asthma UK: "Food."
Cleveland Clinic: "Sulfite Sensitivity."
Deutsches Ärzteblatt International: "Salicylate Intolerance."
European Respiratory Journal: "Dietary antioxidants and 10-year lung function decline in adults from the ECRHS survey."
Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology: "Bioactive food chemicals and gastrointestinal symptoms: a focus of salicylates."
Mayo Clinic: "Allergies and asthma: They often occur together," "Mediterranean diet: A heart-healthy eating plan," "Beans and other legumes: Cooking tips," "Can foods I eat affect my asthma symptoms?" "Asthma diet: Does what you eat make a difference?"
Nutrients: "Immunometabolism in Obese Asthmatics: Are We There Yet?" "Diet and Asthma: Is It Time to Adapt Our Message?"
University of Rochester Medical Center: "Evidence Points to Fish Oil to Fight Asthma."
FDA: "2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines," "FDA Advises Consumers to Avoid Eating, Drinking, or Handling Food Products Prepared with Liquid Nitrogen at the Point of Sale."

Much Love, Dr.Shermaine, #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit #IWantYou2LiveWell

The Goal is to Always Make You Aware of What Concerns Your Body, Soul and Spirit, So You Can Have Open, Honest and Frequent Discussions With Your Physicians and Counselors. You Can’t Treat or Cure What You Don’t Know is Sick.

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)

The contents of the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites ("Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine Sites!

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Sites. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, and Self-Care With Dr. Shermaine or other visitors to the Sites is solely at your own risk.