Nutrition
Dietary management of Asthma
Fruits
This chapter discusses how we can manage asthma with our diet.
Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs, characterised by obstruction of the airway, which may be accompanied by wheezing, difficulty in breathing, coughing and other symptoms.
Asthma is a very distressing disease which poses immense threat on one’s life. That being said, asthma is not a death sentence and there are many ways to optimise one’s life with asthma. We will discuss the dietary portion of that.
Foods to avoid
Before we know what to do, we must know what not to do. Some common foods which may trigger an attack include shellfish, nuts and some dairy products, among others. Avoiding these foods will go a long way to reduce the distress caused by asthma attacks.
Also, some food additives and preservatives such as sulphites, food colourings, monosodium glutamate, and salicylate are potential triggers. You should always check food labels to be able to avoid these.
Foods to consume
People with asthma may benefit from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish, may also be helpful in avoiding episodes.
One should always remember to drink adequate water, as this is universally beneficial to our overallhealth and also helps to thin mucous of the airway, thereby helping to curtail episodes of asthma.
Lifestyle modification
To help avoid frequent asthma attacks, we should avoid smoking and smoky environments, avoid alcohol and very cold beverages (including ice cream), manage emotional and physical stress, and last but not the least, stay away from and avoid known triggers (common triggers include house dust mites, pollen, animal fur or dander), among others.
In conclusion, asthma, as distressing as it is, can be an issue of minimal concern with adequate medical attention, which is never complete without dietary measures.
The writer is a Nutritionist and Chief Executive Officer of Holistic Health Consult. Email: info@holistichealthconsult.org
By AsareKorkor Bernice
In March 2025, world leaders gathered in Paris for the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, the most important global gathering on malnutrition of the decade. Over $30 billion in new financial commitments were pledged globally by more than 170 actors from 82 countries. Ghana was there. Ghana made commitments. The question now is: are those commitments enough, and will they be delivered?
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Summit. One of the most significant is a pledge to spend at least $6 million annually from 2026 for the procurement of essential nutrition commodities including ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), iron-folic acid tablets, vitamin A supplements, and anthropometric equipment for measuring child growth.
This financial commitment is meaningful. For years, Ghana’s nutrition programmes have depended heavily on donor funding, leaving services vulnerable to aid cuts and supply disruptions. A domestic budget line for nutrition commodities signals a shift toward ownership and sustainability. It also directly supports Ghana’s Nutrition for Growth commitments from the 2021 Tokyo Summit, several of which remain off track.
The Bigger Picture
The 2025 N4G Summit was about more than funding. It called for systemic change: embedding nutrition in food systems, health coverage, climate resilience, and gender equality. Every dollar invested in nutrition is estimated to return $16 to the local economy. Yet malnutrition still costs Ghana an estimated 6.4 per cent of its GDP annually. That is not a public health statistic. It is an economic emergency.
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has acknowledged that converting summit outcomes into actionable change requires transparent policy dialogue and locally driven solutions.
Commitments made in Paris must be tracked, funded, and implemented in Ghana’s communities. Programmes must move from pilot scale to national coverage. That will not happen without sustained political will, dedicated domestic financing, and public accountability.
Commitments made on global stages matter. But they only become meaningful when they translate into services in communities. The question is not what Ghana promised in Paris. It is what Ghana delivers at home.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
Cabbage is very rich in fibre, the main supplier of roughage. This helps the body retain water and it maintains the bulkiness of the food as it moves through the bowels.
Thus, it is a good remedy for constipation and other digestion-related problems.
Ingredients
-1 large cabbage
– 4 large fresh tomatoes
– 1 large onion
– Pepper
-Garlic
-2 large salmon
-1 tin of mackerel
-2 large green pepper
-Salt to taste
Preparation
-Chop cabbage roughly and wash in a large pot of water
-Pour vinegar on it and wait until you make other preparations. Then drain.
-Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat
-Cook and stir onion in hot oil until onion turns dark brown.
-Blend tomatoes, green pepper, garlic and onion and add to the oil
-Add tomato paste, mackerel and salmon to stew
-Add cabbage, stir and cover to cook for 7 – 10 minutes
-Allow to simmer when it is soft and serve with rice, yam etc.
