In May of 2009, I had my last voluntary bite of anything gluten-containing. It turns out I was allergic to wheat; once I cut gluten out of my diet completely, I noticed lots of changes: I dropped over 20 lbs., my moods stabilized, and - most importantly - I didn't need my asthma medications for the first time in 27 years.
This asthma-free zone lasted about 4 months; then I started having problems wheezing again, and began taking my steroid inhaler.
But it got me thinking.
Since identifying my gluten allergy, I've noticed that my body doesn't "like" certain foods as much as others. When I eat soy or rice, for instance, I have wheat-like(though much milder) symptoms of mood swings, digestive issues, bloating and fluid retention, and . . . wheezing.
Recently, my health insurance changed, and I found out the the inhaler I previously bought for $30 suddenly cost $200. Seemed like a good time to reinvestigate the whole diet/asthma connection.
So, I'm launching The Breathing Experiment. I want to see if I can control my asthma largely through diet. If it works, I'll have two hundred dollars more in my pocket every month, and maybe others with asthma will find some helpful hints.
