Mediterranean Diet and Asthma Hawaii

Asthma is a common lung condition in the industrialized world, one that impacts the lives of adults and children alike. Asthma threatens one's essential ability to breathe, to take in oxygen, our most basic and urgent survival need. We cannot live without air for more than a few minutes. Choke off our air supply, and we quickly become frightened and desperate, to the point of panic. It is easy to understand why asthma is one of the most taxing, debilitating health problems a human being can face, both physically and mentally.

Asthma is divided into two major types: "intrinsic" asthma and "extrinsic" asthma. Intrinsic asthma usually develops in adulthood and may begin with risk factors such as cold air, exercise, or emotional trauma. In extrinsic asthma, also called allergic or "atopic" asthma, the immune system reacts to an allergy-provoking substance such as pollen or dust by releasing histamine and other chemicals in the lungs. These potent chemicals cause smooth muscle in the air passages to secrete mucous, swell up, and narrow. The specific triggers of an asthma attack may be allergic or non-allergic.

A recent study published in the journal Thorax examined the role of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables or a traditional Mediterranean diet and the risk of atopic conditions such as asthma, allergies or rhinitis. Dietary assessment using food frequency questionnaire was collected on 690 Cretan children aged 7 to 18 years of age. Allergy and respiratory symptoms were also collected. Children also went under prick test for 10 aero-allergens. The results showed that 80% of the children ate fresh fruits and vegetables at least twice daily, and found that consumption of nuts was inversely associated with wheezing. Intake of certain fruits and vegetable had no link with atopy but showed protection against wheezing and rhinitis. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was protective against allergic rhinitis. The authors concluded that, "a beneficial effect of commonly consumed fruits, vegetables and nuts, and of a high adherence to a traditional Mediterranean diet during childhood on symptoms of asthma and rhinitis. Diet may explain the relative lack of allergic symptoms in this population."¹