How to Manage Adult Asthma

Avoid environmental allergens and tobacco smoke., Promote your overall health with exercise., Follow a healthy diet., Reduce exposure to your environmental triggers., Regulate GERD and heartburn., Do deep breathing exercises., Avoid taking...

9 Steps 5 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Avoid environmental allergens and tobacco smoke.

    Keeping your home as free of dust and allergens as possible may help you to manage your asthma symptoms.

    Some things you can do to reduce environmental allergens in your home include:
    Using an air conditioner instead of opening windows to reduce the amount of pollen in the air inside your home.

    Keeping your house clean by dusting and vacuuming often to help minimize dust.

    Using allergen-free bedding to help minimize your exposure to allergens while you are sleeping.

    Watching for mold in damp places, such as in your bathroom and kitchen.

    Get rid of any mold you find right away, such as by spraying it with bleach or by calling a specialist to take care of it for you.

    Not allowing anyone to smoke inside of your home.
  2. Step 2: Promote your overall health with exercise.

    Conditions such as obesity and heart disease can cause asthma or make it worse.

    Regular exercise can help control your weight, manage asthma and relieve its symptoms.Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen.

    Your doctor will let you know if you are healthy enough for exercise and what types may suit you best.

    Get regular exercise or physical activity.

    Aim for about 30 minutes of physical activity five or six days a week.Do activities you like including walking, running, biking, or swimming.

    Consider other activities such as yoga or Pilates, which can also calm you and strengthen your heart and lungs.Be aware that some activities, such as swimming, biking, and hiking may make you less prone to asthma attacks.Avoid exercise when levels of pollution and allergens such as pollen, grass weed or mold are high.

    Check the pollen count before exercising outdoors.

    In general, exercising outside in the morning is not recommended because pollen is at its highest level.

    The best time of the day to exercise to reduce exposure to pollen is in the evening or after it rains., Just as exercise can promote your overall health and help manage asthma, so can a healthy diet.

    Eat a healthy and balanced diet of three meals and two snacks per day to help control your weight and manage your asthma symptoms.

    Incorporate a variety of foods from the five food groups.

    Consider getting extra fruits and vegetables, which may ease lung swelling and irritation.Stay away from foods that can trigger asthma symptoms.

    Foods containing sulfites including wine, dried fruits, pickles, and fresh and frozen shrimp may make your symptoms worse. , Many people find their asthma symptoms are worse after being exposed to environmental factors such as dust or pollen.

    Limiting your exposure to these triggers can help you manage your asthma and prevent attacks in the future.Cool your home with an air conditioner.

    This can reduce the amount of pollen circulating in the air.

    Reduce the dust—and dust mites—in your home through daily vacuuming or removing carpeting.

    Cover the bed furniture with a dust proof cover.

    You can find dust covers for your mattress, pillows, and box springs at many retailers.

    Remove dust, pet dander, mold spores and pollen in your home by cleaning it regularly.Cockroaches can also trigger asthma attacks.

    Regular cleaning may help, but if you have a severe infestation, you may need to use a professional exterminator.Limit the time you spend outside to avoid prolonged exposure to pollen or air pollution., Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and heartburn can harm airways and exacerbate asthma.

    See your doctor about getting treatment for GERD and heartburn.

    This may reduce your intestinal discomfort and help you manage asthma symptoms.Ask your doctor if over-the-counter medications such as Zantac-75 and Pepcid-AC can help control your GERD and heartburn. , Taking time every day to do deep breathing exercises can help control asthma symptoms.

    Deep breathing works best in conjunction with medication.

    It may also ease symptoms as well as decrease the dose of medication you take.Deep breathing will also calm and relax you, which may help reduce any psychological stress that makes asthma worse.

    Recognize that deep breathing helps oxygen flow through your body.

    This can decrease your heart rate, slow your pulse, and relax you.

    All of these benefits also help manage asthma.Breathe in and out completely through your nose.

    Inhale to a count of 4, hold it for a count of 2, and then exhale to a count of
    4.

    Adjust the count number as you like.Optimize your deep breathing exercises by sitting upright with your shoulders pulled down.

    Pull in your belly to expand your lungs and rib cage as you inhale., These drugs are prescribed for heart disease, migraines, and glaucoma.

    However, they can sometimes cause asthma symptoms even in people who do not have asthma.

    Therefore, it is best to avoid these drugs if you have asthma.Always check with your doctor before stopping a medication. , Patients with severe persistent asthma, nasal polyps, or a history of sensitivity to aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are especially at risk of severe and possibly fatal exacerbation when using these drugs.Talk to your doctor if you are not sure what drugs you may be allergic to. , Some people manage their asthma with herbal and natural remedies.

    Talk to your doctor if you are interested in trying herbal and natural remedies.

    Your doctor can make sure you’re healthy enough to use these remedies.

    The doctor may also suggest remedies that could help you manage your asthma.Read product labels for herbal or natural remedies containing black seed, caffeine, choline, and pycnogenol.

    These may ease your symptoms.

    Combine three parts tincture of lobelia and one part tincture of capsicum.

    Add twenty drops of the mixture to water.

    This may ease a severe asthma attack.Incorporate ginger and turmeric into your diet.

    These spices may reduce inflammation.
  3. Step 3: Follow a healthy diet.

  4. Step 4: Reduce exposure to your environmental triggers.

  5. Step 5: Regulate GERD and heartburn.

  6. Step 6: Do deep breathing exercises.

  7. Step 7: Avoid taking beta-blockers.

  8. Step 8: Know your drug allergies and avoid drugs that you are allergic to.

  9. Step 9: Explore herbal remedies.

Detailed Guide

Keeping your home as free of dust and allergens as possible may help you to manage your asthma symptoms.

Some things you can do to reduce environmental allergens in your home include:
Using an air conditioner instead of opening windows to reduce the amount of pollen in the air inside your home.

Keeping your house clean by dusting and vacuuming often to help minimize dust.

Using allergen-free bedding to help minimize your exposure to allergens while you are sleeping.

Watching for mold in damp places, such as in your bathroom and kitchen.

Get rid of any mold you find right away, such as by spraying it with bleach or by calling a specialist to take care of it for you.

Not allowing anyone to smoke inside of your home.

Conditions such as obesity and heart disease can cause asthma or make it worse.

Regular exercise can help control your weight, manage asthma and relieve its symptoms.Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen.

Your doctor will let you know if you are healthy enough for exercise and what types may suit you best.

Get regular exercise or physical activity.

Aim for about 30 minutes of physical activity five or six days a week.Do activities you like including walking, running, biking, or swimming.

Consider other activities such as yoga or Pilates, which can also calm you and strengthen your heart and lungs.Be aware that some activities, such as swimming, biking, and hiking may make you less prone to asthma attacks.Avoid exercise when levels of pollution and allergens such as pollen, grass weed or mold are high.

Check the pollen count before exercising outdoors.

In general, exercising outside in the morning is not recommended because pollen is at its highest level.

The best time of the day to exercise to reduce exposure to pollen is in the evening or after it rains., Just as exercise can promote your overall health and help manage asthma, so can a healthy diet.

Eat a healthy and balanced diet of three meals and two snacks per day to help control your weight and manage your asthma symptoms.

Incorporate a variety of foods from the five food groups.

Consider getting extra fruits and vegetables, which may ease lung swelling and irritation.Stay away from foods that can trigger asthma symptoms.

Foods containing sulfites including wine, dried fruits, pickles, and fresh and frozen shrimp may make your symptoms worse. , Many people find their asthma symptoms are worse after being exposed to environmental factors such as dust or pollen.

Limiting your exposure to these triggers can help you manage your asthma and prevent attacks in the future.Cool your home with an air conditioner.

This can reduce the amount of pollen circulating in the air.

Reduce the dust—and dust mites—in your home through daily vacuuming or removing carpeting.

Cover the bed furniture with a dust proof cover.

You can find dust covers for your mattress, pillows, and box springs at many retailers.

Remove dust, pet dander, mold spores and pollen in your home by cleaning it regularly.Cockroaches can also trigger asthma attacks.

Regular cleaning may help, but if you have a severe infestation, you may need to use a professional exterminator.Limit the time you spend outside to avoid prolonged exposure to pollen or air pollution., Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and heartburn can harm airways and exacerbate asthma.

See your doctor about getting treatment for GERD and heartburn.

This may reduce your intestinal discomfort and help you manage asthma symptoms.Ask your doctor if over-the-counter medications such as Zantac-75 and Pepcid-AC can help control your GERD and heartburn. , Taking time every day to do deep breathing exercises can help control asthma symptoms.

Deep breathing works best in conjunction with medication.

It may also ease symptoms as well as decrease the dose of medication you take.Deep breathing will also calm and relax you, which may help reduce any psychological stress that makes asthma worse.

Recognize that deep breathing helps oxygen flow through your body.

This can decrease your heart rate, slow your pulse, and relax you.

All of these benefits also help manage asthma.Breathe in and out completely through your nose.

Inhale to a count of 4, hold it for a count of 2, and then exhale to a count of
4.

Adjust the count number as you like.Optimize your deep breathing exercises by sitting upright with your shoulders pulled down.

Pull in your belly to expand your lungs and rib cage as you inhale., These drugs are prescribed for heart disease, migraines, and glaucoma.

However, they can sometimes cause asthma symptoms even in people who do not have asthma.

Therefore, it is best to avoid these drugs if you have asthma.Always check with your doctor before stopping a medication. , Patients with severe persistent asthma, nasal polyps, or a history of sensitivity to aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are especially at risk of severe and possibly fatal exacerbation when using these drugs.Talk to your doctor if you are not sure what drugs you may be allergic to. , Some people manage their asthma with herbal and natural remedies.

Talk to your doctor if you are interested in trying herbal and natural remedies.

Your doctor can make sure you’re healthy enough to use these remedies.

The doctor may also suggest remedies that could help you manage your asthma.Read product labels for herbal or natural remedies containing black seed, caffeine, choline, and pycnogenol.

These may ease your symptoms.

Combine three parts tincture of lobelia and one part tincture of capsicum.

Add twenty drops of the mixture to water.

This may ease a severe asthma attack.Incorporate ginger and turmeric into your diet.

These spices may reduce inflammation.

About the Author

D

David Cooper

Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

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