If changing your diet could reduce your asthma symptoms, would you do it? For most people, it’s an easy “yes!” Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the world, and the number of new people being diagnosed with asthma each year is on the rise. To help solve the mystery behind the increase, researchers have been looking at everything from diet to air pollution.
During lab trials on mice, scientists from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland found that a high-fibre diet reduced inflammation in the lungs. The additional fibre altered nutrients in the digestive system, which helped improve the immune system. According to their report, the increase in asthma rates could be linked to processed foods. Over time, people have become more reliant on ready-made meals and processed foods, which often contain little fibre. Their argument is that this could be the reason for the rise in new asthma cases.
Although research is still in its early stages, and a lot more work needs to be done before it can be applied to humans, the results so far are satisfying and reinforce the concept of eating the right foods to help prevent disease.
For more information about the research, visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25592214
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