Mediterranean Diet Protects Against Asthma

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A very large study from the island of Crete found that children who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had less asthma and allergic rhinitis than a conventional western diet. There were 690 children involved and the Mediterranean consisted mostly of grapes, oranges, apples fresh tomatoes, essential fatty acids (mostly olive oil), vegetables, nuts and fish.

High nut intake, grape, oranges and kiwi consumption was inversely associated with wheezing but margarine proved to be a risk factor. The stricter the adherence to the diet the less asthma symptoms there were.

Since asthma is currently increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S this may be yet another natural way to combat this terrible disease. This study showed that those children which had the strictest adherence to the Mediterranean had the least amount of allergic symptoms. Maybe all of the preservatives that keep our food from turning rancid are having adverse reactions in our lungs?