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Asthma and allergy sufferers often hate summertime due to the presence of humidity and pollen that often trigger allergy and asthma episodes.

Prescribed medications and inhalers work for acute episodes and to help decrease the number of epsiodes, but researchers are finding that controlling our home environment and diet also helps.


Below are some steps that you can take to help with your asthma or allergy symptoms:

• Fish Oil - eating fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut can reduce risk of asthma symptoms
• Vegetables & Fruits - people who eat tomatoes, carrots, and leafy greens are found to have less symptoms
• Indoor environment control - remove carpet from the bedroom, wash linens weekly in hot water and remove quilts made of synthetic fibers
• Avoid additives - alcoholic beverages and food with the additives MSG, yellow dye #5, yeast and sulfite (added to wine) can trigger asthma symptoms
• Treat other conditions that can trigger symptoms.  Actually controlling acid reflux from your stomach and controlling your sinusitis can decrease allergy and asthma symptoms
• Cleaning ceiling fan blades. During the summer months, many use ceiling fans to cool off. But if your blades are not clean, you are circulating dust that can trigger episodes.

These tips should be done in conjunction with prescibed medications or inhalers and should be done with a physician's advice.

Reference:
Clinical efficacy of n-3 Fatty Acid supplementation in patients with asthma. J Am Diet Assoc  2005 Jan 105(1): 98-105