Herbal Medicine and Diets

Over the centuries, herbal medicine has contributed much to the advancement of medical treatment. Specifically in asthma care, ephedrine and the family of drugs it spawned have been important contributors to the management of asthma. Similarly, the earliest of the cromolyn drugs were derived from the root of an Egyptian plant. Searching among herbal medicines for effective drugs is ongoing at all times, and new drugs can be expected from herbal sources. With each herb proposed, care must be taken to consider safety as well as effectiveness. But to date there are no organized trials of herbal medicines in the fashion that would meet the approval of the Food and Drug Administration.

The same is true for special diets. Foods and food additives may cause asthma in a small number of people. Troublesome foods and additives can be identified by keeping a diary of dietary intake. Careful consideration of the relationship of foods eaten to onset of asthma can be very helpful. But aside from allergies as a cause of asthma and avoidance as a treatment, there is no special diet that protects against or treats asthma.