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A new review has looked at diets and how they affect people with asthma. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has released a new review on how plant-based diet can prevent or manage asthma in patients, where dairy and high fat foods have been found to raise the risk.

Asthma prevalence has increased, according to the review. Over 25 million people, counted in 2010, now suffer from asthma. Asthma can lead to difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing due to narrow and inflamed airways. It can also put people at higher risk for COVID-19, a respiratory illness.

Asthma is associated with inflammation and plant-based diets have been shown to reduce inflammation. High fiber, antioxidants and flavonoids, other markers of a plant-based diet, have also been shown to improve and protect lung function.

“Asthma is a condition that affects more than 25 million Americans, and unfortunately it can make people more vulnerable in the COVID-19 outbreak,” according to study author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee. “This research offers hope that dietary changes could be helpful.”

In the study, children that eliminated dairy and eggs had a 22% improvement in the measure of how quickly they could exhale, called peak expiratory flow rate. High-fat food intake was associated with poor lung function and airway inflammation.

“This groundbreaking research shows that filling our plates with plant-based foods–and avoiding dairy products and other high-fat foods–can be a powerful tool for preventing and managing asthma,” according to Dr. Kahleova.

Check out recipes and resources for plant-based diets, including dairy-free foods, reducing inflammation and low-fat foods:

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Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects. 

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some resources to get you started:

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