Fitness Fears: Why Are Asthma Sufferers Afraid to Exercise?

You don’t need me to tell you that exercise is beneficial for your health; regular activity makes you feel good, prevents a variety of health concerns and helps you to maintain your weight. But did you know that exercise can enhance your wellbeing when you suffer from asthma? You might be concerned that physical activity will trigger your symptoms, but actually exercise can have the opposite effect.

 

As you age, exercise becomes more important than ever as you need to keep using your body to get the best out of it. Studies have shown that people who keep exercising through their middle years stay healthier than people who don’t. By staying active, you enable your heart, bones and digestive system to stay healthy, keeping your joints working, your reflexes sharp and your muscles strong. Moreover, exercise is good for your emotional wellness as it reduces your stress, releases endorphins that make you feel happy and energised, and helps you to sleep.

 

However, for asthma sufferers, exercise can be a mountain to climb. In fact, eight out of 10 asthma sufferers don’t do enough exercise, the commonly cited reason for which being concerns over aggravating symptoms. But you shouldn’t let asthma hold you back! In fact, exercise can help you to improve your lung capacity, which will help you to manage your asthma better. Exercise also gives you more stamina for everyday activities, such as cleaning and shopping. Plus, once you realise you can workout and still feel great, you’ll worry less about your asthma, and have the confidence you need to manage your condition.

 

When you’re getting started, the first thing you need to do is see your GP or asthma nurse. Not only will they be able to check whether your asthma is under control (meaning you rarely have symptoms), but they’ll also be able to help you find the best type of exercise for you and check you’re on the right medicines. If exercising brings out your asthma symptoms – such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest – your doctor might advise you to take a few puffs of our reliever inhaler before starting the activity. You might also be referred to a physiotherapist who can develop an exercise programme suitable for you and your individual needs.

 

You don’t have to spend hours in the gym to get fit, and nor should you get started that way. According to fitness guru Rosemary Conley, who’s had asthma all her life, the best thing to do is ‘Go gently at first, but even a five minute walk three times a day will make a real difference. Walk to the shops, use the stairs more, mow the lawn – anything!’ If you haven’t been exercising at all, start with trying to do 5 minutes a day. Wait for this to become easy, and then move up to 10 minutes, gradually building up to at least 30 minutes a day. Remember to warm up and cool down before and after exercising, and include stretches so you don’t strain your muscles.

 

Finally, remember these safety tips:

 

1. If exercise still triggers your asthma, see your GP or nurse again.

2. Make sure anyone you’re exercising with knows what to do if you have an asthma attack.

3. Always carry your (blue) reliever inhaler.

4. If you have asthma symptoms when you exercise, stop, puff on your reliever inhaler and wait five minutes for your symptoms to disappear before you start again.

5. Don’t exercise outside when it’s chilly if cold weather exacerbates your asthma.

6. Don’t exercise outside the when the pollen count is very high if pollen is a trigger.

 

Categories: Asthma, asthma control, asthma sufferers, asthma symptoms, exercise, exercising, nbsp, reliever inhaler, Safety, Symptoms

What Could Be Causing Your Lung Problem?

There are a number of reasons why you can develop lung problems, from developing asthma to dust and chemical irritants. In fact, airborne irritants can even cause asthma. Then there is the outdoor problems – toxic car fumes, secondhand smoke and toxins in the air can all lead to coughing and wheezing, particularly if you already have respiratory problems. There are some lesser known irritants though that can exacerbate your problems – here is a list of the less common triggers that could be affecting you from your everyday lifestyle.

Fireworks

There have been a number of reports over the years that fireworks can cause asthma attacks, with one particularly worrying incident in 2000 stating that a 9 year old girl with mild asthma suffered a severe attack and died, after playing with sparklers at a picnic on the Fourth of July. When lit, the ever-popular Roman Candles, bottle rockets and sparklers release a number of chemicals which include sulphur dioxide. This can make asthma worse when it’s inhales, particularly in concentrated amounts. And it can get worse if you attend large-scale firework displays, as the smoky fallout can contain barium aerosols, which it has been suggested can make asthma worse.

Air bags

Studies have shown that asthmatics who stay in their cars after a crash are likely to suffer attacks, as the aerosol compounds which are released into the cabin when the airbag inflates act as an irritant.

Flour

Love to bake? It could be causing your lung troubles! When inhaled in large quantities, flour dust can irritate the lungs so much that there is actually a term for it – baker’s asthma. This is actually one of the most common forms of work-related asthma, and there are many professional bakers who have been known to develop asthma due to an allergy to wheat flour.

Gas appliances

The byproduct of gas appliances, nitrogen dioxide, has been connected to asthma symptoms in children, according to a 2008 study. Researchers found that children who lived in homes with higher levels of NO2 were more likely to cough, wheeze and suffer from tight chests. Even with just small amounts emitted from stoves, fireplaces and heaters, this byproduct can aggravate asthma.

Candles

If you love to burn candles of an evening in your home, you’re probably blissfully unaware of the effects that it has on your respiratory system. A study carried out at the South Carolina State University found that paraffin-based candles, which are the most popular form, emit in toluene and benzene. However, beeswax and soybean candles don’t emit these chemicals. You won’t be at risk if you decide to light the odd candle during a romantic meal or while you’re having a bath, but if you don’t ventilate the area you may find that your asthma symptoms worsen.

Printers

A lesser known trigger, laser printers and photocopiers actually emit ultrafine particles which make your symptoms worse. In 2009, an account from a 62 year old woman who began coughing and wheezing at work was published. Her job was selling lottery tickets in a small kiosk, and it was found that the ink used in the ticket printer was making her ill. Once she stopped working in the kiosk, her symptoms gradually disappeared. If you work in an admin job where you are dealing with printers and copiers a lot, you may find that your asthma symptoms are worse during the times when you’re dealing with this equipment.

Categories: Asthma, asthma symptoms, asthma worse, Breathing, candles, gas appliances, lung, problems, Symptoms, worse

How to Stop the Stormy Summer Worsening Your Asthma Symptoms

No one is excited by the prospect of bad weather this summer, but if your wellbeing is affected by asthma, then predictions of a stormy summer are even more of a cause for concern. According to Asthma wellness experts, heavy rain can trigger serious attacks in sufferers and so you need to make sure you take preventative measures in the months to come, such as keeping your windows closed at all times.

According to Dr Prasanna Sankaran, who is a specialist registrar in respiratory medicine at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, ‘The new cases [of asthma] are often after heavy rain and thunderstorms which can trigger an attack.’ Dr Sankaran explained that the reason this happens is because damp weather makes it more likely for fungal spores to be released from the soil and into the air, which you inhale.

After storms swept across the country, weather forecasters in the UK are predicting occurrences of thunder and lightning are set to continue, even bringing tornadoes to some areas. Angela Jones, a nurse specialist at Asthma UK, also noted that your risk of an attack increases during weather conditions such as this. She explained, ‘Large quantities of pollen can be released into the air that trigger asthma symptoms and raise the risk of an emergency hospital admission.’

Angela Jones continued, ‘It also believed “downdraughts” of cold air sweep up high concentrations of pollen and spores. These are thrust into the air, where they are broken up into smaller pieces that can penetrate deep into the lungs.’ She also highlighted that, if you are an asthma sufferer, the increased risk of an attack during volatile weather means it’s crucial for you to keep your asthma medicines with you at all times and to make sure your windows are always closed in order to keep allergens out.

Every seven minutes in the UK, someone is admitted to hospital with a potentially fatal asthma attack. The respiratory condition kills three people every day, even though asthma attacks and hospital admissions can be prevented by spotting and treating early warning signs. Therefore, if you do suffer with asthma, Asthma UK encourage that you take The Triple A Test to help you find out your risk of having an attack. The test also offers advice for what you can do to reduce your risk.

How to Stop the Stormy Summer Worsening Your Asthma Symptoms

Categories: asthma symptoms, Stormy Weather, Triple A Test

Could a Drug Reduce Your Asthma Symptoms and Save Your Life?

If your wellness is affected by asthma, a new anti-viral drug could protect you from life-threatening symptoms. This is according to researchers from the University of Southampton and respiratory drug development company Synairgen, who say that their anti-viral drug – SNG001 – could lead to a cure for asthma.

SNG001 works to guard your wellbeing against respiratory virus infections (such as the common cold), as these can spread to your lungs and worsen your asthma symptoms. Viral infection is associated with an estimated 80% of asthma-related emergency department visits. Researchers recently tested the drug on 134 adult asthmatics with mild to severe symptoms, discovering that, compared to a placebo drug; SNG001 prevented two out of three asthma sufferers developing worse symptoms after catching a cold.

The scientists also found that, as a result of using the drug, the participants’ asthma symptoms were reduced by a whopping 65%, which allowed the sufferers to reduce the amount of times they inhaled a bronchodilator, which is an inhaler that increases airflow to your lungs. Now, the scientists hope that they will be able to create a commercial version of the drug, and change the lives of the 5.4m asthma sufferers in the UK.

In a statement, professor Stephen Holgate, founder of Synairgen, said, ‘This is a really promising breakthrough for the future treatment of asthma and one of the most exciting developments that I have seen in years. This is the first clinical study which appears to demonstrate that, by boosting the antiviral defences of the lungs of asthmatics rather than trying to inhibit rapidly evolving viruses, we can limit the adverse effects of viral infection significantly to prevent worsening of asthma symptoms in a high risk group of patients.’

Leanne Metcalf, assistant director of research at Asthma UK, commented, ‘This has the potential to be one of the biggest breakthroughs in asthma treatments in the past 20 years. We are incredibly excited by the possibilities this research could bring to reduce hospital admissions and deaths as a result of asthma attacks. Over 80% of asthma attacks are triggered by cold and flu viruses, and until now we haven’t had any effective treatments that can stop this from happening. This clinical trial demonstrates the potential of this anti-viral drug to prevent asthma attacks for thousands of people with severe asthma. We are incredibly proud to have played a part in the realisation of this research programme which should benefit people with asthma in a really significant way.’

Could a Drug Reduce Your Asthma Symptoms and Save Your Life?

Categories: anti viral, Asthma, Asthma Attacks, asthma sufferers, asthma symptoms, cure, Drug, drug sng001, Research, SNG001, viral drug, viral infection

Nutrition and Chiropractic Care: Your New Asthma Treatment

If your wellbeing is affected by asthma, you can reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms with a combination of proper nutrition and regular chiropractic care. However, nutrition and chiropractic care are not cures for asthma, nor do they replace your need to use an inhaler during an asthma attack.

Chiropractic treatment may help improve your asthmatic wellness as it optimises your nerve flow and re-establishes your proper skeletal motion, thus decreasing the severity and lessening the frequency of your asthma symptoms. The right nutritional strategies can help to reduce inflammation, which is important when you have asthma as the condition is often described as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.

Your body responds to food by producing anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory chemicals named prostaglandins which, when they become imbalanced, can result in chronic and systemic inflammation. Therefore, you need to up your intake of anti-inflammatory foods, such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, olive oil and primrose oil, and reduce your consumption of foods that increase inflammation. These include saturated fats, hydrogenated fats, Trans fats, butter, vegetables oils and highly processed foods.

Foods that contain antioxidants can also help you to boost your immunity. Antioxidants fight disease and decrease inflammation, fighting the damaging free radicals in your body. For the best antioxidant boost you can get, you need to strengthen your immune system by eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Remember to choose a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables, as each colour will contain a different mix of nutrients.

If you’ve had asthma for a while, you may be aware of certain foods that trigger your asthma symptoms. Finding your personal trigger foods can be a lengthy process, but common ones to look out for are citrus fruits, carbonated beverages, soft drinks, alcohol, dairy products, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers etc.), peanuts and pickled foods. Certain food additives or chemicals can also trigger asthma attacks, whether immediately or later on. You can find your food triggers more easily if you keep a detailed dietary journal to note the occurrence of symptoms after meals.

Nutrition and Chiropractic Care: Your New Asthma Treatment

Categories: anti-inflammatory, Asthma, asthma symptoms, chiropractic care, chiropractice, foods, Inflammation, Inflammatory, nutrition, Symptoms, Triggers

Nutrition and Chiropractic Care: Your New Asthma Treatment

If your wellbeing is affected by asthma, you can reduce the frequency and severity of your symptoms with a combination of proper nutrition and regular chiropractic care. However, nutrition and chiropractic care are not cures for asthma, nor do they replace your need to use an inhaler during an asthma attack.

Chiropractic treatment may help improve your asthmatic wellness as it optimises your nerve flow and re-establishes your proper skeletal motion, thus decreasing the severity and lessening the frequency of your asthma symptoms. The right nutritional strategies can help to reduce inflammation, which is important when you have asthma as the condition is often described as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.

Your body responds to food by producing anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory chemicals named prostaglandins which, when they become imbalanced, can result in chronic and systemic inflammation. Therefore, you need to up your intake of anti-inflammatory foods, such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, olive oil and primrose oil, and reduce your consumption of foods that increase inflammation. These include saturated fats, hydrogenated fats, Trans fats, butter, vegetables oils and highly processed foods.

Foods that contain antioxidants can also help you to boost your immunity. Antioxidants fight disease and decrease inflammation, fighting the damaging free radicals in your body. For the best antioxidant boost you can get, you need to strengthen your immune system by eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Remember to choose a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables, as each colour will contain a different mix of nutrients.

If you’ve had asthma for a while, you may be aware of certain foods that trigger your asthma symptoms. Finding your personal trigger foods can be a lengthy process, but common ones to look out for are citrus fruits, carbonated beverages, soft drinks, alcohol, dairy products, nightshades (tomatoes, peppers etc.), peanuts and pickled foods. Certain food additives or chemicals can also trigger asthma attacks, whether immediately or later on. You can find your food triggers more easily if you keep a detailed dietary journal to note the occurrence of symptoms after meals.

Nutrition and Chiropractic Care: Your New Asthma Treatment

Categories: anti-inflammatory, Asthma, asthma symptoms, chiropractic care, chiropractice, foods, Inflammation, Inflammatory, nutrition, Symptoms, Triggers

How to Reduce Your Asthma Symptoms with Buteyko Breathing

Asthma is a chronic health condition, mostly commonly affecting child wellness, and is treated with medications, such as inhalers. But what if you were told that you could improve your wellbeing with an effective technique that costs nothing, is easy to use, and works as well or better than drugs but without the side effects? It sounds impossible, but such a treatment has been around for decades.

For the last 60 years, doctors in Russia, Europe, Canada, and elsewhere have used a method known as Buteyko Breathing to improve asthmatic wellness. Named after the Russian doctor who developed it, Buteyko Breathing has been shown by a growing number of scientific studies to be as effective as conventional drugs. Carol Baglia, a licensed respiratory therapist and certified Buteyko instructor with Cleveland-based Correct Breathing Concepts, says, ‘Buteyko is definitely growing in popularity. Access to it was limited until the past few years.’

Baglia is quick to stress the fact that Buteyko practitioners don’t advocate throwing away asthma medications; instead clients are always instructed to consult their doctors before reducing medications. However, she noted that asthmatics tend to have less need for medications after learning the symptom-reducing technique, adding ‘most people are able to eliminate the need for drugs.’

The Buteyko method is essentially a shallow-breathing technique, based on the knowledge that asthmatics tend to over-breathe or hyperventilate compared to people who don’t have asthma. When you implement the Buteyko breathing method, you take small, measured, shallow breaths through the nose, allowing you to gain more control over your breathing. This may seem counterintuitive, as your natural response to an asthma attach is to breather deeply to pull in more oxygen, but Baglia says that taking slower, smaller and more shallow breaths through the nose helps you to avoid hyperventilation and “reset” your breathing rate at a naturally lower pace.

You can learn the Buteyko breathing method via YouTube videos and web-based instruction techniques, but, according to Baglia, the best way to learn the technique is in a small classroom setting – typically with 5-10 people – with an instructor certified by the Buteyko Institute of Breathing & Health. You can also purchase a self-help home study kit or else there are several books written on this subject. Baglia commented, ‘The biggest complaints that I get is that people wished that they had known about Buteyko sooner and complain because their doctor did not tell them about it sooner.’

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How to Reduce Your Asthma Symptoms with Buteyko Breathing

Categories: asthma symptoms, buteyko, shallow breathing