Lifestyle Tips to Help Manage Asthma
Asthma is a respiratory condition, where the basic act of breathing becomes difficult. There may not be a complete treatment to cure this disease, but certain lifestyle changes can definitely people avoid asthma attacks. So, to prevent this condition from disrupting your everyday life, here are few lifestyle tips for managing asthma.
Understand your triggers
For every asthma patient, a basic way to prevent an asthma attack is to understand what triggers it. Common asthma triggers include strong odors, dust mites, pollen, animals, smoke and chemical fumes. Once you know your trigger, the next logical step is to take measures to avoid it as much as possible.
Manage your weight
Being overweight or obese can worsen the presence of asthma. Consuming a healthy diet, avoiding processed food, and exercising regularly can help you in monitoring your weight, which may also improve your symptoms.
Adhere to prescriptions
A crucial lifestyle tip for managing asthma is to follow the medications prescribed by your doctor. In case the patient is a child, the parents should make sure that their kids take the medicines on time.
Follow a diet rich in antioxidants
People who consume antioxidants in their diet are better at managing the symptoms. Therefore, you must consume proper servings of fruits and veggies like strawberries, tomatoes, carrots, oranges, spinach, broccoli and apples.
Get sufficient sleep
Sleeping for seven to eight hours in the night, is one of the widely recommended lifestyle tips for managing asthma. Sleeping allows the overall body to relax, heal, and rejuvenate. An undisturbed sleep also boosts your immune system in order to strongly fight any acute or chronic ailment.
Limit exposure to stress and anxiety
Continuous stress drains you emotionally as well as physically, making you more vulnerable to a stress-induced asthma attack. To calm yourself and avoid stress, you can try yoga or any mindful breathing technique that can immediately make you feel relaxed.
Quit smoking
If a person suffers from asthma, quitting smoking can have a positive impact on their symptoms and general health. If you do not smoke, you need to know that second-hand smoke can also trigger an asthmatic episode.
Use your inhaler properly
Among various lifestyle tips for managing asthma, learning the correct way of using inhaler is mandatory. Your doctor must have guided you on the right steps to use it in times of need, so that a minor attack does not become a severe one. Additionally, it is advised to carry the inhaler wherever you go to get an instant relief from a sudden attack.
Get vaccinated for influenza and pneumonia
These two conditions are common causes for triggering asthma and putting one’s health at risk. Therefore, you must stay immune to such ailments by getting vaccinated on time.
A good lifestyle, proper diet, and physical exercise paired with prescribed medication can definitely help people with asthma.