Asthma Helps for These Times of Illness

FITZGERALD ON HEALTH

Fighting asthma? Here are a few tactics that have worked for me:¹



Reduce dairy intake:

As I am dairy allergic, to avoid getting asthma, I try to keep my dairy intake to a minimum. I have the occasional pizza, use milk on cereal and enjoy some cheese during the week, but I try to lay off glasses of milk, or milkshakes. I love ice cream and other dairy, but when breathing is impeded…

Reduce Salts and fats:

Very hard for me to do, but I feel better when I eat more leafy greens, good proteins, whole grains, and less grease, fat, oil, salt, and other unhealthy foods. I think it’s good to have treats now and then, just not all the time.

Be careful when you eat and drink, if applicable:

I personally find that consuming dairy at night is the worst for asthma. If you have food or other allergies, careful avoidance during allergy season or extreme temperatures can help. Some are also allergic to dust, wool, synthetics, chemical products, animal dander, and taking protective measures can help you breathe easier.

Keep weight down:

Following a moderately healthy diet that is lower in fat, carbs and sugars helps me to trim pounds. When I eat out, I may splurge a bit, but then I go easy the next meal. Mild exercise² keeps me fitter, but intense exercise can bring on asthma for some. Cutting down on soda and caffeine also helps. The healthier I get, the less I use my rescue inhaler.

Reduce stress:

Organizing my work week in advance, exercising, and praying are effective in reducing stress; so is writing, reading, watching and listening to positive content. Due to stress and asthma, my breathing patterns are irregular, so I try to be aware of that to stabilize them.

Stress can cause shortness of breath:

Stress causes ones’ bronchioles or breathing tubes, to become constricted, so one feels “tight” in the chest³. I use a corticosteroid inhaler to help keep my bronchioles from becoming inflamed, which allows oxygen to reach the alveoli, where oxygen mixes with carbon dioxide, in a key part of the breathing process.

Use maintenance medications:

Asthma maintenance medications like Alvesco, can reduce the need for rescue inhalers, and I personally feel taking fewer medications can be a good thing properly handled, they also reduce my snoring, which can be related to breathing issues, and my family appreciate when I snore less