ASTHMA WHAT TO EAT

Diet and Beverages - As has been elaborated, the patient should take a very light diet, specially at night. He should avoid rice and eat wheat instead. Refined wheat flour however is not advisable because it becomes a little constipative. Asthmatic patients should take wholemeal bread, maize, jawar and bajra (millets) which are very useful. Curd should be avoided. Fried food should be shunned. Ripe bananas, oranges, lemons, cold drinks, sour fruit juice, sour fruits and pickles should not be used. Constipative vegetables such as potatoes, arbi (colocasia) and legumes of different types are harmful for the patients. White meat, red meat and fish in small quantities may be eaten; sea-fish and eggs should be avoided. Garlic, ginger, asafoetida, cumin seed, turmeric, long pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves are recommended. Cow's milk is preferred to buffalo's. Goats milk is very useful for Asthmatics. Half a tea-spoonful of powdered long pepper or ginger added to milk, tea or coffee before boiling or straining is also advised. Alcoholic drinks can be used with moderation though ice should be avoided and the drinks themselves profusely diluted. As has been described before, curd or yoghurt should also be strictly avoided.

Exposure to cold wind, rains, dust and smoke should be avoided. Among vegetables, spinach, bitter gourd, pumpkin, green banana and green papaya are recommended. Among fruits, grapes, raisins and papaya can be eaten. The patient should do light exercises preferably those prescribed in yoga.