Can Milk Induce Asthma?

A question that I've heard a lot is "can milk induce asthma?"

The answer is that yes, milk can cause asthma problems in some people. I know this from research, as well as from first hand experience. On days when I'm having asthma problems a glass of cold milk or even a bowl of cereal can worsen my breathing problems.

The reason why milk causes asthma problems isn't so clear. Asthma experts have to possible theories. The first is that milk causes the creation of excess mucus in a person's airway. So someone with asthma, who already has problems breathing, milk can make the problem worse. The other theory is that many people have dairy allergies, so it's therefore a trigger of asthma attacks. Or it could be a mix of both for some people.

The problems don't stop with milk. They include other foods in the dairy group like butter, cheeses and yogurts.

If you have problems with milk and asthma, you have to be careful with what you eat and where you get it. Many restaurants put butter on their steaks. Many butchers slice meat and cheese on the same machine, so even if you're not getting cheese, you might have problems. It comes down to knowing what's on your food and what you're putting in your mouth.

The best solution is to no longer eat or drink the food item that's causing your problems. Of course, this is easier said than done, but in the long run it's worth it. On days when I'm having asthma problems, I switch to soy milk, which seems to not cause any problems for me.

You can also prevent the problems by taking allergy medicine.

Other Foods That Cause Asthma Problems

The bad news is that problems for asthmatics can extend throughout the whole grocery store.

Peanuts can be one of the most dangerous foods when it comes to causing breathing problems. Even a small bite can trigger a serious attack in some people.

Even foods made of wheat like certain breads and cereals can cause asthma problems in some people.

Another common problem food is fish. And even people with egg allergies can have problems with asthma.

The easiest solution is to find out what your allergic to and to avoid it as much as possible.