Elite athlete Hayley Braun, senior of the women’s Lacrosse Team at Hobart and Williams Smith, took control of her asthma. “I haven’t had to use my inhaler since high school! I had exercise induced asthma and was limited on the amount I could work out, but the increase in my antioxidant intake completely eliminated my need for the inhaler.” Since taking an organic dehydrated juice powder, “JuicePlus,” Hayley no longer suffers from asthma! The magic antioxidants in JuicePlus are in lots of foods- let’s find out which ones so you can start taking control of your asthma too.
1.Citrus Fruits and juices, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and strawberries are a few of the many fruits and vegetables high in the powerful antioxidant Vitamin C.
According to Gary E. Hatch, PhD, “We know asthma attack is inflammatory, and we know it produces a lot of oxygen radicals, so antioxidants should help.” The National Health Survey and The Nutrition Examination Survey both found that the more vitamin C people ate, the less likely people were to have asthma! So, try an orange or two for your afternoon snack!2.Leafy greens like spinach and kale, whole grains like brown rice and plant based foods high in fat like olive oil, olives, avocado, almonds and sunflower seeds all contain another powerful antioxidant, vitamin E.
If you have asthma, you better make vitamin E is your best friend, since Harvard University Researchers found that it targets free radicals that are caused by air pollution (a common asthma trigger). Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is already easily absorbed from the plant based oils, nuts and seeds that contain fat. But to absorb the vitamin E from leafy greens and whole grains more easily, adding only about a tablespoon of any plant-based food high in fat should do the trick!3. One Brazil nut. Yes. Just One! Selenium is a trace mineral that is quite important because it helps the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which keeps free radicals from forming.
Recommended intake of selenium is about 70 micrograms. Meats, chicken and seafood are decent selenium selections. Or you could discover the magical Brazil nut; one contains 120 micrograms! One Brazil nut a day keeps the asthma away!4.Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and oily fish such as salmon and sardines have been shown to help reduce inflammation in the lungs.
You know why? The essential fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids not only could help prevent asthma, they also have been shown to help reduce the tissue damage that happens as a result of an asthma attack. Try adding some walnuts to your morning oats or flax seeds in a smoothie. Chia seeds make a great pudding, my favorite, 1 cup vanilla almond milk with 3 Tbs of chia seeds, stir and let sit in the fridge for at least a half hour, or overnight. Top with banana slices or berries: yum, omega-3 pudding for breakfast or dessert!
The average Joe doesn’t appreciate how nice it is to be able to breathe like someone who has asthma. Asthma is a common condition where the airways inside the lungs narrow suddenly, and each breath is precious. Think there isn’t much you can do to control asthma? Well hold onto your inhalers, because studies show that you’re in for quite a breath-taking surprise.
