An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and can make you breathe a little easier. Apples are full of vitamins and minerals that have numerous health benefits. When the cells in our body use oxygen, they create by-products which can cause damage. Apples are antioxidants, basically meaning that they protect our body from these by-products. There are many diseases that apples have proven to prevent, one such disease is asthma.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic breathing disorder which affects 12 million Americans. It is typically diagnosed in childhood, and many people tend to outgrow the disease by adolescence. Asthma causes the airway to constrict and narrow, generating a wheezing sound when a person breathes. An asthma attack can be triggered by many things, such as seasonal changes, cigarette smoke, or respiratory infections. Asthma is a chronic illness, but its symptoms can be controlled. Inhalers are commonly used to control the effects of asthma, by helping to dilate the constricted airway. However, apples may help with the prevention and treatment of asthma as well. Recent studies show that drinking apple juice can reduce the risk of developing asthma in children, and prevent wheezing in children that have already been diagnosed with the disease.
Apples and Flavonoids
The link between apples and asthma is in the flavonoids, an element present in the chemical makeup of apples. Flavonoids have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties. These flavonoids help to decrease the sensitivity of the airway, which seems to calm the inflammation common in asthmatics. Flavonoids also help to improve lung function in adults. Flavonoids are richest in the skin of apples, so it is recommended to not peel the fruit before eating.
Eat More Apples During Pregnancy
Apples do not only help treat asthma, but may also prevent asthma as well. Women who eat apples during pregnancy have children that are less likely to develop the disease. A 2007 study, published in Thorax Journal, found that mothers who ate apples regularly during their pregnancy passed on these benefits to their unborn children. Pregnant mothers who ate four or more apples per week during pregnancy had children that were 50% less likely to develop asthma by the age of five.
Apples have many health benefits, but seem to impact respiratory function substantially. Apples can reduce an asthmatics dependence on inhalers and prescribed medicines, but should not be a substitute for medical care. A daily dose of this healthy snack can keep the doctor away, and let you breathe a little easier.
Sources:
buzz.com "Apples and Asthma" (accessed 10-12-10)
healthcentral.com "Apple Juice-Can it Really Help with Wheezing?" (Published 6-3-07)
qualityhealth.com "Apples and Asthma- A Healthy Mix" (accessed 10-12-10)
bellaonline.com "The Therapeutic Power of Apples" (accessed 10-12-10)
Diane Middleton - I have been a registered nurse in the Emergency Department for the past 15 years. I love to write about my ER experiences, and use this ...
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