Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by narrowing of the airway during attacks. People with asthma may suffer shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightening. The illness is known to have both genetic and environmental causes. Children with two parents that have the illness are more likely to end up with it.
Among patients, asthma can vary in severity. For some individuals, the symptoms are so acute they are prevented from taking part in normal everyday activities. There are certain triggers which are known to cause attacks, although these triggers vary from person to person. For a few asthmatics the symptoms are almost always present.
Asthma in Children
Since children naturally have smaller airways, the illness generally affect them more severely. With children, symptoms are most often experienced mostly early in the morning or at night. Roughly nine million children in the US are thought to have asthma.
Asthma in Adults
Asthma can last into adulthood, but many children with mild asthma show a marked decrease in symptoms as they get older. For many patients who had the illness in childhood, tests in adulthood show no sign of the disease. Some experts however believe that there may be some lung damage. Interestingly, some adults for various reasons only began exhibiting symptoms in adulthood. Adults with asthma have to avoid certain work environments and stay away from known triggers at the workplace.
Fish Oil and Asthma
The standard treatments for asthma are usually fast acting inhalers or long term control medication for the more severe cases. During an attack, nebulizers are sometimes used to create a mist which is inhaled by the asthmatic. This is a quick way to get the necessary medication into the affected person.
More attention is now being paid to preventative measures and one of these is the consumption of fish oils. Studies done worldwide suggest that fish oils have a mitigating effect on asthma symptoms especially in children. Researchers at the University of Sydney claim that eating oily fish regularly could actually help prevent children from developing the disease.
Researchers suggest that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is the most obvious characteristic of airway constriction, so it is easy to see why this might be beneficial. Even children exposed to environmental factors such as parental smoking seem to benefit from fish oil consumption the researchers claim. Additionally, for people already suffering from asthma, fish oil is thought to lessen the severity of symptoms.
Sources of Fish Oil
Fish is a good food choice for its high level of protein as well as other nutrients. When it comes to fish oil, however, some fish are better options than others. Oily fish that you should consider adding to your diet include:
- Orange roughy
- Rainbow trout
- Anchovy
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardine
- Mullet
Given that the incidence of asthma is on the rise, it pays to adopt a preventative approach. For those already suffering from the illness, regular fish consumption can go a long way to help you stay healthy and active. Keep in mind also that there is a variety of fish oil supplements available today. So for those persons who do not like fish, they can still get adequate amount of fish oil.
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