I have asthma, so it has always been a challenge for me to workout. However, since I work out regularly, my asthma is considerably more manageable. In fact, I have to use my inhaler very seldom now, and my asthma is almost never set off by physical activity, but usually from stress, anxiety or allergies when allergy season is in full gear. Here are some tips to managing asthma naturally so you can go about your life and have a healthy, normal exercise regime.

Asthma attacks can be frightening and are characterized by wheezing and chest tightness. Physiologically, they’re caused by bronchial tubes constricting and the alveoli in our lungs can’t process the air. The result is gasping for breath with the bronchial spasms.

There are some things you can alter or try to avoid that trigger an attack. In cold weather, wear a scarf or mask over your mouth to warm and humidify the air you breathe. Cold air often triggers asthma attacks.

During a bout with a cold or flu, use mentholated chest rubs to keep your respiratory passages open. Look at your diet and try to determine if food additives are a culprit in triggering attacks. Food dyes, nitrates and sulfites can cause problems with asthma in people who are hypersensitive to them.
Horehound candy works to clear the lungs of mucus and helps to relax smooth muscle.

Proper exercise actually helps people with asthma. The best exercise to start with is walking and gradually increase the distance and the pace to build up your stamina and lung capacity. Believe it or not, being sedentary is one of the worst things you can do if you asthma, because then your lungs never get built up, and you become hypersensitive to even the smallest amounts of physical activity.

Learn how to breathe properly. Rapid, shallow breathing is ineffective. The use of relaxation techniques coupled with deep breathing exercises are wonderful at controlling asthma and warding off asthma attacks.

Certain foods are noted for thinning mucus and reducing inflammation of the airways. Some of these kinds of foods that can help to control asthma are fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids are such as salmon,mackerel or sardines, chicken soup, chili peppers, garlic, onions and mustard.
The use of a sauna can unclog your tight airways. You can just run a hot shower and close the doors and the steam should thin the sticky mucus effectively.

Avoid being around smoke, not only from cigarettes, but also avoid sitting by a fireplace or a wood burning stove. Living with asthma isn’t easy, but following some of these tips can help make it more manageable. Keep asthma medication close at hand such as an inhaler or whatever your doctor has prescribed for you for your safety.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 at 7:01 am and is filed under Fitness Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.