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Vitamins That are Good for Asthma Patients

Asthma is a chronic illness that affects the respiratory system. According to the Centers for Disease Control around 16.2 million American adults and 6.7 million children suffer from asthma. Asthma causes choking and restricts breathing. Asthma triggers include stress, food dyes, allergies, molds and pet dander. One way to combat asthma is to keep your body healthy by taking vitamins.

  1. Vitamin C

    • Take 3000 mg vitamin C daily. Vitamin C builds collagen in the skin, maintains a healthy mouth and controls the well-being of blood vessels. Vitamin C assists in keeping your airways from closing during asthma flareups. Low levels of vitamin C have been linked to an increased risk of asthma attacks. Eat grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, spinach, cabbage, melons and tomatoes to increase your dietary intake of vitamin C.

    Quercetin

    • Take 1000 to 2000 mg of quercetin. Quercetin is a flavonoid created by fruits and vegetables. Quercetin is an antioxidant nutrient that fights against free radical damage to the body. It also has antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. Quercetin prevents the body's immune system from releasing histamines that cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Eat citrus fruits, apples, onion, olive oil, tea, parsley, grapes, cherries and berries to obtain quercetin.

    Vitamin E

    • Take 400 IU of vitamin E daily. Vitamin E protects cells from free radical damage. This antioxidant vitamin helps the body by improving circulation and tissue repair. Good circulation health encourages healing after asthma attacks. Foods high in vitamin E are apples, peanuts, spinach, blackberries, wheat germ, vegetable oil and mangoes.

    Choline

    • Take 3 grams of choline, a B vitamin, per day. Choline helps build cell membranes and brain tissue. It does this by reducing the symptoms associated with asthma, making attacks more spread out and inhalers to not be needed as often. Choline is found in beef liver, whole eggs, cauliflower, navy beans, tofu, almonds and peanut butter.

    Magnesium

    • Low levels of magnesium increase the risk of having an asthma attack, so take 400 mg magnesium each day. Magnesium helps with maintaining tissue flexibility and also helps to lower high blood pressure. Eat dairy products, meats, fish, nuts, molasses, avocados and bananas to increase your magnesium intake.

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