Q: I am suffering from chronic bronchitis. I often get attacks of infection in my chest with phlegm, congestion, cough and wheezing, making breathing difficult and forcing me to take antibiotics and bronchodilator medicines. Can changes in my diet help ease my asthmatic bronchitis?

KS, Calcutta

Chronic bronchitis is a condition where the inner mucus lining of the airway passages (bronchial tubes) of the lungs becomes inflamed, congested, thickened and narrowed. This obstructs free flow of air into and out of the lungs. At the same time, excessive mucus is produced by the glands in the bronchial lining and the normal mechanism of removal of excess mucus is impaired. The stagnant mucus in the bronchial tubes now becomes a fertile ground for infection causing further damage to the airways and the lung tissue.

Although smoking and air pollution are the main factors causing chronic bronchitis, diet can play a significant role in the future course of this illness. Dietary measures in easing bronchitis and airways obstruction focus on:

a) Reducing the mucus production

b) Increasing the body’s immunity in fighting the infection

c) Identifying and eliminating foods that in certain susceptible individuals can trigger off or aggravate narrowing of bronchial tubes

Here are a few dietary tips:

Have hot chilli pepper (in any form), garlic or garlic extract, raw onions, mustard (including mustard sauce), horseradish — in short, all spicy foods once a day. These foods have expectorant and mucokinetic properties, i.e. they make the mucus thin, watery and less sticky, thus helping it to be pushed up the lungs into the throat where it can be coughed up easily. The bronchial tubes are thus kept open and clear. Chicken soup also has a similar action. Chicken contains the amino acid cysteine, which is released when it is made into soup. Cysteine has an action similar to the mucokinetic action of the drug -acetylcysteine and thus helps thin down the mucus in the lungs. For enhanced action, add garlic and tobasco sauce to the soup and sip it slowly.

Avoid cooking oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids like corn, sunflower, sesame and safflower oils, as also fats like vanaspati, margarine and hydrogenated vegetable oils. These increase the production of ‘pro-inflammatory prostaglandins’, which aggravate bronchitis. Instead, have foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, walnuts, soyabean, pumpkin seeds and linseeds. Omega-3 fosters production of ‘anti-inflammatory prostaglandins’ that boost immunity, thereby helping ease bronchitis. One can also have omega-3 in supplement form.

Wheat and corn-based foods, milk and milk products, and to a much lesser extent, caffeine and yeast-containing foods and citrus fruits can, in certain sensitive individuals, cause intolerance — leading to inflammatory response that can trigger off or aggravate narrowing of the bronchial tubes and worsening the bronchitis. Try avoiding these foods one by one for a period of two months and see if your condition improves. If it does, permanently exclude the offending food from your diet.