Bronchitis Diet

Dietary factors may influence both inflammatory activity and antioxidant status in the body. Increased inflammation and decreased antioxidant activity may each lead to an increased incidence of chronic diseases, such as chronic bronchitis. People suffering from chronic bronchitis may experience an improvement in symptoms when consuming a diet high in anti-inflammatory fatty acids, such as those found in fish. In a double-blind study of children with recurrent respiratory tract infections, a daily essential-fatty-acid supplement (containing 855 mg of alpha-linolenic acid and 596 mg of linoleic acid) reduced both the number and the duration of recurrences.

In people with bronchitis, lipids in the lung tissue may undergo oxidation damage (also called free-radical damage), particularly when the bronchitis is a result of exposure to environmental toxins or cigarette smoke. A diet high in antioxidants may protect against the free radical-damaging effect of these toxins. Studies comparing different populations have shown that increasing fruit and vegetable (and therefore, antioxidant) consumption may reduce the risk of developing chronic bronchitis. ...