Breathe Easy - Fiber is Key in Easing Asthma

By Alex White, MD

Image courtesy of Vimeo.com

Asthma sufferers are all too familiar with the onset of the debilitating condition.  Characterized by a sudden shortness of breath, wheezing, and a coughing spell that just won’t quit, asthma is a serious condition that affects more than 32 million people in the US.  More importantly, asthma causes almost a half million trips to the ER each year, as well as 5,000 deaths.  More frightening still is the fact that since 1980, the prevalence of the condition in children has risen by a staggering 25%.  While the medical profession dispenses rescue inhalers like candy, what medical researchers should really be doing is identifying and rectifying the underlying causes of asthma.

In my recent blog, “Nothing to Sneeze About,” I wrote about the rise in allergies in the developed world.  While there are many factors involved in allergic reactions, one of the most telling is the connection between a low-fiber diet and allergies.  I also pointed out the fact that the reason our forebears had a much lower incidence of allergies had a lot to do with what they ate.  In today’s blog, I would like to explore the evidence that points to diet as being one of the keys to that other pulmonary problem: Asthma.

According to an article in voanews.com, “Until recently, Asthma was largely unknown in the developing world.  Experts note the incidence of asthma is increasing in less developed countries as people there shift their eating habits away from high-fiber foods in favor of processed ones.”

http://www.voanews.com/a/dietary-fiber-may-prevent-asthma/1824538.html

Image courtesy of flickr.com

The article also goes on to point out that Swiss researchers determined that soluble fiber, which is broken down by microbes in the intestinal tract, has a direct bearing on reducing lung inflammation.  Just as with allergic reactions, the onset of asthma is due in large part to the body overreacting to a perceived assault.  This turbocharged immune response can lead to inflammation, which makes breathing difficult if not impossible.

Of Mice and Men

The reason diet plays such a large role in the onset of asthma and allergies has to do with the way the gut processes food.  The key to both conditions has been related to the production of short-chain fatty acids.  This is produced when gut bacteria breaks down the soluble fiber.  These fatty acids seem to regulate immune response by reacting with bone marrow where lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes are produced

To test this hypothesis, a study was conducted where one group of mice was fed a high-fiber diet, and another control group was fed a low-fiber diet. 

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“Both groups were then exposed to dust mites, a leading cause of asthma, a condition marked by lung inflammation, narrowing of the airways and wheezing.  The mice that ate less soluble fiber had strong allergic reactions to the dust, including the presence of inflammatory compounds in the lungs and constricted airways similar to what’s seen in people.”

http://www.medicaldaily.com/high-fiber-diet-may-prevent-asthma-allergies-fruits-and-veggies-reduce-lung-inflammation-dust-mites

The finding was that mice that were put on a high-fiber diet had a significantly lower level of immune cells that have been connected to asthma and other allergies.  The conclusion of the study was that dietary fiber led to an alteration of gut bacteria which in turn altered metabolites that trigger an immune response. The researchers further proved this point by injecting mice with short-chain fatty acid, the result of which was that the mice that were given the compound exhibited fewer “inflammatory markers.”

Whether man or mouse, the evidence is undeniable.  The consumption of soluble fiber, such as that found in fruits and vegetables provides gut bacteria with the fermentable fiber that it needs to thrive.  These bacteria convert this fiber into short-chain amino acids that are then conveyed by the circulatory system to the bone marrow.  The marrow then produces anti-inflammatory proteins that help prevent asthma.

In another article, entitled, “10 Amazing Superfoods that Can Help Fight Asthma Naturally,” 7 out of the ten foods mentioned were high in fiber, including apples, avocados, bananas, chia seeds, elderberry, kale, and spinach.

http://www.naturalnews.com/039632_superfoods_asthma_relief.html

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Since a high-fiber diet is important to reducing the incidence and severity of asthma while other foods such as fish, shellfish, eggs, soy, wheat, and peanuts have been known to trigger asthma attacks, isn’t it obvious that controlling what we eat is key?  That being said, altering your diet is sometimes easier said than done in our fast-paced world.  Especially when you understand that most Americans get far too little fiber.  The recommended level of dietary fiber is 25 grams daily.  The typical American only consumes a fraction of that.

While consuming more fruit, vegetables, and grains that are known to have a high fiber content is one way to go, adding a fiber supplement to your diet is an even simpler solution.  Just make sure that the supplement you choose is free from additives and artificial sweeteners.

Image courtesy of MicrobeFiber.com

Whether it's aspartame, fillers or flavoring, many fiber supplements have additives. Microbefiber™ has NO additives! The contents of our product is designated by the FDA as GRAS, which is the FDA designation that a substance added to food is considered safe by experts and so is exempted from the usual Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Try Microbefiber, and you will see the difference.

When it comes to easing asthma symptoms, fiber is the key to breathing easy.

Alex White, MD is the Clinical Research Director of MicrobeFiber™