The fat lady may sing…but can she breathe? Obesity and Asthma

The rate of obesity in children has literally tripled since 1980 and is expected to continue its upward climb. Over time, if obesity is not conquered, it is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, and some cancers. However, did you know that obesity is a risk factor for asthma? It is. It is thought that excess adipose tissue (fat) produces pro-inflammatory substances, that this increases the risk of asthma as well as other inflammatory diseases.

Losing weight is associated with 48-100% remission of asthma. I have seen this myself when patients are able to shed those pounds. The most extreme case I have seen was one of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who came to see me for a referral for bronchial thermoplasty, a technique used by pulmonologists to essentially turn back the clock on chronic lung damage in asthmatics. I told him due to insurance; I would have to try the conservative treatments first. Aside from medication adjustment, I determined he had gained weight from being on prednisone to control his rheumatoid arthritis. He worked hard over the months that followed and returned to me, 20 pounds later and instead of needing to take the 5 medications he came to me on, only using a rescue inhaler and only rarely. That being said, asthma caused by being overweight, which is now regarded a one of the types of asthma, is most common in females starting at about puberty.

Diet is not easy. Especially since we need to eat to live, making any dysfunctional relationship with food difficult. We simply cannot avoid it completely. Some of us have been members of the “clean plate club” or have been told “eat your broccoli and you can have dessert”. This is common and it takes a lot to overcome.

Die-t. Funny that it is spelled that way, but don’t think of it as starvation. It is a shift in what you eat and starvation is counter-productive. Increase protein and healthy fats (like salmon, avocado and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids). These help us get full and stay full. Increase vegetables in a variety of colors. Spend some time online looking up recipes that make them tasty. Adopt a safe and balanced diet like the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet. There are plenty but settle on one that you can live with and maintain your health.

Exercise is also an important component of weight loss and even more so, weight maintenance. The recommended exercise for an adult is 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity per week and more for children. My definition of exercise is doing more than you are now. You do not have to be a marathon runner and for certain, do not start out as one. Are you nervous about going to the gym? Take a buddy or hire a personal trainer. Start slowly and little by little increase your activity level.

There are so many great medications, some with relatively few side effects. Most primary care physicians can prescribe them but specialists in obesity medicine are considered expert and can be found through https://www.abom.org/.

So many people have lost weight—think about the last time you were successful. What worked for you? That is hard but it’s a start. However, maintenance is harder. Over time, we have seen that those people that are successful long-term monitor their weight on a regular basis; eat on a regular basis (in other words, they don’t throw their body into starvation mode); and regularly exercise. They set a target weight that they will restart a mini-diet or personal intervention of some sort and then a little bit higher weight at which they will see their doctor. Think of the green-yellow-red lights of a stop light or of the asthma or anaphylaxis action plans: They decide what they will do ahead of time so they don’t have to think about it.

Do you think you might have asthma or aren’t sure? Asthma is diagnosed via a pulmonary function testing. If you cannot breathe and you would like to be tested or treated for asthma, Dr. Wendt and her team staff at Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives would love to help.

Relieve Allergy Asthma & Hives is located near Kierland Commons, Scottsdale Quarter, DC Ranch and Grayhawk at 21803 N. Scottsdale Road Ste. 200, on the corners of Deer Valley and Scottsdale Roads, and has convenient evening and early morning hours to accommodate your schedule.

Dr. Wendt is also available for telemedicine appointments as appropriate. Insurance plans accepted. Call 480-500-1902 today to schedule an appointment now and begin your allergy testing and treatment with Dr. Wendt at Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Relieve Allergy Asthma & Hives is located near Kierland Commons, Scottsdale Quarter, DC Ranch and Grayhawk at 21803 N. Scottsdale Road Ste. 200, on the corners of Deer Valley and Scottsdale Roads, and has convenient evening and early morning hours to accommodate your schedule.

Dr. Wendt is also available for telemedicine appointments as appropriate. Insurance plans accepted. Call 480-500-1902 today to schedule an appointment now and begin your allergy testing and treatment with Dr. Wendt at Relieve Allergy, Asthma & Hives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Learn more about Dr. Wendt and Relieve Allergy Asthma & Hives at www.relieveallergyaz.com and FOLLOW US on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Linked In.

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