SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
My understanding of the avoiding dairy whilst ill, was more to do with the fact that consumption of dairy causes the body to produce more mucus and that last thing you really need it more crap in your lungs (or stomach) when you are struggling with your asthma and an infection as apposed to the "eastern origin" issues you also mention. One that I am already aware of, and there is no asian background in our family - my mother's side has been traced back to 1066 and earlier and other than some Italian blood at one point, we are entirely British in origin as would be my real father's background. My gran's family being from Wales originally, and me being the only "blight" on that record of Welsh or English, by being born in Scotland! (hence why I saw British, not English).
I forget exactly when, sometime between 1994-1998, I picked up bronchitis which would not clear. I had already worked out that if I stayed away from dairy when ill my asthma was less of a problem and my illness cleared up more quickly. My GP also confirmed that she wanted me to stay away from dairy and NSAIDs during the illness but that I could return to eating 'normally' afterwards. It was more than 8 weeks before I shifted that bout of bronchitis and once I had been given the all clear, I went back to a 'normal' food cycle. I would usually consume around 2 - 3 pints of milk a day (I can drink very few other drinks because of something called a chronic permanent geographic tongue - don't google it if you are about to eat, mine is uncontrollable and permanent, so think bite your tongue and then put lemon juice on it - that is how most food & drink is for me) I ended up in A&E unable to control my asthma. Subsequent GP visits and the likes concluded that it was cow's milk that was the issue (fine with other cow's products though) and I ended up on goat's milk for many years. Over the next decade I was fine with any cooked cow's milk products except cow's milk itself and had few issues until my asthma deteriorated badly about 6 or 7 years ago. Thankfully even as a child I have always been fit if not healthy (I was checked for cystic fibrosis longe before I was checked for asthma, I have/had a half sister on my real father's side who has/had it).
Once my asthma became uncontrollable and the continued chest infections took their toll, all cow's dairy had to be ruled out. Finally about 4 years ago I had to go over to soya milk completely, and minimise dairy in my diet. Recently my intolerance has moved to being an allergy to cow's dairy and intolerance to other dairy. Last summer I had a really bad experience which has pushed me towards a completely dairy free diet - I was on a medical training course (ironic I know) and the biscuits were made on site at the hotel, day 1,2, & 3 I had them without issues albeit hesitantly on day 1 (trust thing more than anything else), day 4 were a new batch but I did not think anything of it and ate one without thought... 2nd mouthful and I knew I was in trouble - mild analphalatic shock... Now I am considerably more careful. I know I can cope with the symptoms but it is horrible and knocks me for six for weeks.
My asthma as a child went undiagnosed until I was 12 years old. Then I was the only kid in my year with it and the 'understanding' was exercise was bad for it, so I was not allowed to participate in lots of things, some which I quite happily avoided, other's I missed badly and would ignore not being allowed to... my school mostly let me get on with it, except running, but clamped down again after the A&E incident on the cross country run. But I am told that at 12 years old when I was told I could have to give up my hiking, I told the GP I would give up my asthma first. I continued being active, just restricted by my asthma (rig life so we climbed in the afternoon when I had less issues than in the morning) for all of my teenage years and it was not until I was 18 that I went onto steroid inhalers - when I finally met someone else with one and realised I did not have to struggle with my asthma. Unfortuantley my asthma was already at a stage that in less than 2 years I had gone from 1 inhaler to 3 inhalers and the 250mcg Becotide. Diet & exercise have to play a part in managing my asthma becuase there is little left that will control my asthma (meds are in 5 categories and I am on everything in cat 4 that I can have to control my asthma, I do not want to end up in cat 5). My asthma attacks are controlled by not having them. If I have a bad one, little is going to work without A&E intervention. Even as little as 5 days with no exercise will throw my asthma and give me issues again when I re-start exercise, so I have to stay constantly active. 3 days seems to be as much as I can go without active exercise! Which is probably why cycling around the world (or trying to) was one of the best things I could do!
OK - out for a walk now to stretch a tight calf muscle and then a bike ride this afternoon.
but despite my avatar I am constantly being mistaken for someone with one as well! I have a feeling that you, lulubel & I are all of the same generation - possibly even school year... if I recall from various other forum postings... however provided your real name is not Stephen I can breath more easily!
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