Smog Alert for Hottest Summer on Record

July 26, 2010

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

CLA may ease breathing problems in asthma.

2010 is turning out to be the warmest year ever recorded, raising lung-damaging ozone levels. And research suggests that climate changes will only worsen smog in the future—making life tougher for anyone with breathing problems.

Coupled with other pollutants in smog, ozone causes airway inflammation common in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or emphysema. Summer pollen—particularly grass—only increases the risk for asthma attacks, a new study in the Primary Case Respiratory Journal shows.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, scientists also link obesity with asthma. At least in children, increased insulin resistance appears to be a factor in allergies and asthma, Australian researchers find.

There’s good news, too. A new study in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy shows that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) significantly reduces airway hyper-reactivity in asthma—and has a favorable effect on body weight.

Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:

I am delighted that you can add asthma to CLA’s resume. From personal experience, I can certainly attest to CLA’s effectiveness in weight loss. On one of my book tours, I had to stop taking this supplement because my pants were literally falling off!

Knowing the anti-inflammatory power of this healthy omega-6 fat, I’m not surprised that it can also relieve asthma. Like omega-3s, CLA also helps balance blood sugar levels, helping to prevent insulin resistance and obesity. And landmark research in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows CLA reduces fat, while preserving muscle.

I’ve found CLA-1000 (1 softgel 3 times daily) to be most effective. But some of my heavier Fat Flushers use 2 softgels 3 times daily for a couple of weeks before switching to a lower dose.

Scientists estimate that our food supply once contained much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid. However, with modern agricultural methods and livestock production, today’s diets are low in this healing omega-6 fat.

Interestingly, higher calorie foods like butter and cream from grass-fed livestock were once the highest CLA sources in the diet. That quickly changed in the late ’70s when grain started to replace grass for cattle feed.

Integrative Asthma Treatments
“A huge number of asthma patients seek complementary therapies, and a wide array of products are marketed as asthma treatments, frequently with no evidence,” write the researchers in Clinical & Experimental Allergy. “CLA is safe, clinically effective, and may be considered for overweight mild asthmatics seeking natural remedies as part of their asthma management plan.”

Other ways to protect your lungs?
• Trade in a meat (particularly grain-fed) and potatoes diet for a Mediterranean-style eating plan (fish, chicken, fruits and veggies).
• Pay attention to ozone alerts and check pollen counts daily.
• Since grass pollen only aggravates asthma, get someone else to mow the lawn.
• Stay indoors and sleep in air-conditioned rooms during smog alerts.