Meridian Asthma Doctors
5 Incredible Ways to Manage Asthma
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Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases across the world. According to the American Academy of Asthma, about 10% of Americans suffer from asthma. Asthma affects the lungs and airways. The common symptoms include coughing,
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recurrent episodes of wheezing, recurrent chest tightness, and shortness of breath. It’s worth mentioning that asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled and managed.
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The following are some of the ways you can manage asthma.
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1. Avoid environmental allergens and smoking tobacco
You should strive to keep your home free of dust and allergens as possible as this may help you manage your asthma symptoms. Some of the things you can do to keep your home free of environmental allergens include:
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Dusting and vacuuming to reduce dust
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Using air conditioners, to minimize the amount of pollen in the air inside your house.
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Using beddings that are allergen-free to reduce your exposure to allergens while asleep.
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Not smoking inside the house.
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2. Exercising to promote your overall health
Some health conditions such as heart disease and obesity can cause asthma. Regular exercise is critical in controlling weight, managing asthma, and relieving its symptoms. Before you start any exercise routine, you should talk to your doctor. The doctor will let you know if you are healthy and fit enough for the exercise, and the types of exercise that's perfect for you. You can exercise for at least 30 minutes daily.
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Do activities that you like such as swimming, biking, walking, running, etc. You should void exercising when levels of pollution and allergens like grass weed, mold, and pollen are high.
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3. Eat a healthy diet
YA healthy diet just like exercise can promote your overall health and help manage asthma. You should eat a balanced diet of three meals and two snacks daily to help control your weight and asthma symptoms. Stay away from foods that can trigger asthma symptoms. Usually, foods that contain Sulfites may worsen asthma symptoms. These foods include dried fruits, wine, and pickles.
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4. Minimize exposure to your environmental triggers
Asthma can worsen if a patient is exposed to environmental factors such as pollen or dust. So if a patient limits their exposure to these triggers, they can manage their asthma and prevent attacks in the future. You can reduce the exposure to environmental triggers by reducing the amount of dust in your home by vacuuming, cleaning regularly to remove dust, mold spores, and pollen, cooling your home with an air conditioner to reduce the amount of pollen in the air, and limiting the amount of time you spend outside to avoid prolonged exposure to air pollution.
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5. See you doctor
Managing asthma with a family doctor can make the condition stable. So it is very important to see your doctor regularly if you suffer from asthma. This makes it easy for the doctor to review your treatment and monitor the progress. You should also visit a doctor if your symptoms get worse or if you find it hard to manage the symptoms. You can let the doctor know the factors that make your asthma worse or better.
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