Asthma - FAQs
People with asthma shouldn't exercise.
People with asthma generally do better with exercise, provided the exercise is performed under medical guidance. Exercising in environments with relatively high humidity is better, since exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) can be caused by drying of the airways. Slow warm-up and cool-down periods with exercise also helps to prevent EIB.
You can outgrow asthma.
Asthma may improve with age, but it's a lifelong condition that needs medical help. Asthma symptoms may change over time and become intermittent or disappear. This may be due to environmental changes or changes in the body as people age. Some people with asthma at a young age can also see it return later in life, usually triggered by an illness or environmental issue. Nobody really outgrows asthma. The tendency for airway inflammation will always be there once asthma has been diagnosed.
Food allergy causes asthma.
Although 25% people think they are allergic to certain foods, studies show that only 6% children and 2% adults have a food allergy. Far more people simply have food intolerance, which brings about unpleasant symptoms triggered by food, but does not involve the immune system.
Strawberries and tomatoes cause asthma.
Although people can be allergic to any kind of food, most food allergies are caused by peanuts, cow's milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish.
Sugar allergy causes asthma.
A condition is called a food allergy when the immune system thinks a certain protein in food is a foreign agent and fights against it. This does not happen with sugars and/or fats.
