Everyone has experienced breathing problems once in a while, whether it is a simple common cold or as a symptom of a long lasting respiratory condition. Some common breathing complications include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis. Most of these diseases have similar symptoms, which may include wheezing, chest pain or tightness, excess mucus, and inflamed airways. Respiratory difficulties can be triggered by many reasons, especially if you have an inflammatory lung disease, such as asthma or COPD. Upon diagnosis, doctors will often recommend patients make several healthy changes to their lifestyle, including foods they eat and avoid, as breathing problems may be exacerbated by certain foods, such as: 1. Cabbage Cabbage belongs to a food group known as cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables have high fiber content and can result in indigestion. When indigestion occurs, it leads to bloating, caused by excessive gas in the stomach, which expands and pushes onto the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is restricted, breathing becomes difficult hence triggering symptoms of asthma and COPD. The solution is to remove the cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables in your diet or significantly reduce their portions. 2. Milk Milk is a beautiful drink, filled with protein and calcium.

Cold and flu season is almost upon us, and with it comes the inevitable sniffles, sneezing, and coughing. You might be wondering how you can prepare your immune system to avoid getting sick this winter season. Luckily, we’ve collected some tips for you. This blog post will give you information on the best foods to keep your immune system up during cold and flu season: 1. Ginger This is hands down the number one way to naturally boost your immune system. Ginger works to fight inflammation in the body, reducing any cold or flu symptoms. It’s also loaded with antioxidants that help reduce the pain of flu-like symptoms and make it easier for you to breathe. A study published in Phytomedicine showed that ginger extract inhibited the replication of influenza in cell cultures. If you’re feeling a cold or flu coming on, add fresh ginger to your tea and sip throughout the day to help fight symptoms. 2. Citrus Citrus fruits are incredibly high in vitamin C. It is recommended to have at least one serving of citrus fruit daily during cold and flu season. This will also give you energy to help fight off the fatigue that can often make you susceptible to illness.