In the old days, doctors would warned asthmatic patients should not exercise
because getting out of breath could bring an attack. However, asthma
exercise should be considered only under a doctor's advice.
Seventy per cent of asthmatics suffer to some degree from exercise
induced asthma. Breathing rapidly through your mouth from exercise exertion
can trigger asthma. However with proper management asthma exercise can be
part of any asthmatic's life.
Some suggestions for making asthma exercise comfortable:
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1)Always do a 5-10 minutes warm up before starting any exercise, this way
the body will gradually warm up instead of the sudden rush of adrenaline and
shortness of breath.
2)Work out slowly keeping your heart rate low, below 140 beats a minute.
You will be at risk of an asthma attack should you choose to do a vigorous
exercise that will get you heart rate to 170 beats a minute. Keep in mind
that exercise induced asthma (EIA) does not occur during the exercise but
only after about 10-15 minutes.
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3)Swimming is generally a great asthma exercise.
4)Do not skip the "cool down" after each vigorous exercise. This helps
with moderating the air gradually cooling your body and reducing the risk of
an asthma attack.
5)Avoid strenuous exercise as much as possible.
6)At times it helps to use an inhaled medication before beginning an
exercise. This helps to keep your airways open and you to have a good
workout.
Be careful.
Be extremely careful when exercising in warm climates or when the pollen
levels are high. In winter it is advised to limit outdoor exercise or if you
must exercise try breathing through a scarf or mask.
Cold, dry air increases the risk of an asthma attack. If you really want
to exercise, follow your doctor's advice accordingly.
Asthma is a lung disease that is usually chronic and can turn fatal if
not properly managed. During an asthma attack the air passages become narrow
and/or blocked by mucus.
Asthma attacks can be triggered by allergens such as pollen, molds,
animal dander, medications, chemicals in certain foods and dust. Take note
of unique symptoms that your doctor had highlighted to you.
Tobacco smoke, exhaust fumes, household cleaners act as irritants for
asthma sufferers. Sometimes even sudden changes in temperature, humidity or
strong winds can trigger asthma.
Asthma exercise should be performed with extreme caution and with a
scheduled practice. Keeping medication handy is something asthma patients
learn really quickly as, if an attack is not treated immediately in can turn
fatal.
The bright side is asthma can be kept under control with the right
medication and there is no reason why one who suffers from this illness to
have to give up exercise or anything else for that matter.
There are findings that people who exercise regularly have an increased
feeling of well-being, reduced stress, less anxiety.
Therefore, I strongly urged you to start your journey in asthma
management, if you are serious of getting back your asthma free life again. |