Asthma can range from mild to life threatening. It can be common to panic when faced with such an intimidating condition. If you are armed with sound knowledge about asthma then you will feel more confident about handling asthma related decisions. The information below can prepare you to handle asthma with confidence.
If you are going to exercise, start very slowly. Sudden exercise such as taking off running can trigger asthma for most people. You can exercise, but do some warming up exercises that will gradually increase your heart rate until you feel comfortable with harder exercises. Do not force yourself to exercise if you feel you are going to have an asthma attack.
Sometimes it is easy to get caught without your inhaler. If you feel and asthma attack coming on, but you don’t have your inhaler handy to deal with it, consume some caffeine. Coffee, tea, energy drinks, or whatever you can find. The caffeine will open up your airways and make it easier to breathe.
Keep your stress level as low as humanly possible. As anxiety levels increase due to everyday problems, so do asthma symptoms. If you experience wheezing and coughing several times a day, consider stress relief techniques such as regular exercises and stretching and breathing exercises. Also, be sure you get enough sleep to deal with the stresses of everyday life.
If you suffer asthma and you are overweight or obese, you may want to consider losing weight. Being overweight decreases lung function and increases the chance of you developing asthma symptoms. Also, be sure that you drink plenty of water, since keeping hydrated is very important for controlling asthma symptoms and attacks.
Try to avoid sugary drinks such as soda if you have asthma. The additives that these drinks contain can trigger your asthma symptoms. Also, try not to eat too many candies or other foods with high sugar content. There are many alternatives that taste just as good as the original.
If you use a preventative inhaler without a spacer, gargle with salt water and brush your teeth immediately after using it. The medication from a preventative inhaler will collect at the back of your throat, which is a moist environment, perfect for the growth of bacteria and fungi. If your inhaler were to become contaminated, you could contract thrush from using it. Gargling and brushing your teeth should help prevent this.
Make sure to take all of your asthma medications exactly as your doctor prescribes them, even if you haven’t been suffering any symptoms lately. Not having symptoms doesn’t mean your asthma went away; it just means your medications are working! This includes your preventative medications as well as your rescue inhaler.
Utilizing the advice and tips outlined within this article can be the first line of defense toward the advocacy of your health or the health of a loved one. Asthma is not to be taken lightly so you need to be sure to make sound and educated choices when dealing with it.