Asthma is a respiratory condition that causes swelling or inflammation in the airways, making it difficult to breathe normally. Asthma can be triggered by a variety of factors, food being one of them. Here is how to avoid common foods that trigger asthma:

Know your food allergens
Food allergy is a common problem that both adults and children face. While food allergies usually result in symptoms like breathing difficulties and wheezing, for people with asthma, the symptoms can get unmanageable and severe. If you want to know how to avoid common foods that trigger asthma, then you should start by knowing your food allergies and staying away from them completely.

Maintain a food diary
This is one of the most useful things to do if you have chronic asthma. The best way to know your food allergies is by keeping a close check on what you eat every day. Maintain a food diary and note down every small and big meal you have. If you have an asthma trigger, note that down too, and try remembering the food that caused the flare-up. This way, you will learn about the problematic foods and be able to remove them from your diet.

Read the labels
Whenever you go out for grocery shopping, look at the labels carefully before buying a product. If you are lactose-intolerant, then watch out for dairy products in the ingredients list. These, when consumed, can trigger your asthma. Similarly, many in the country are allergic to nuts. Nut allergies can cause breathing difficulties, which can result in asthma flare-ups. Read food labels before you add a product to your cart.

Stay away from packed and tinned foods
For many people, a common asthma trigger is chemical preservatives. These are found in most of the generic brands of canned, packed, and frozen foods. If you are sensitive to artificial chemicals, then keep away from these foods.

Eat smaller meals
Another important tip is to split meals throughout the day, instead of eating three large meals. Large meals can cause gas, which puts pressure on the diaphragm. It can then cause difficulties in breathing and lead to constriction of the airways. Have five to six smaller meals throughout the day and stop eating as soon as you are slightly full.

All these five points on avoiding common foods that trigger asthma will help you prevent food-induced asthma triggers. Make sure to try new foods only in limited quantities to prevent the risk of allergies. Always carry your inhaler and asthma medications with you and avoid overexerting yourself physically and mentally.