Asthma Lifestyle Modification: Self Care
People suffering from asthma mainly count on medications to prevent and relieve asthma symptoms. However, self-care is the most vital part of daily life if you are suffering from it. You can do several things for your own health and can diminish the risk of its attacks. Following are the lifestyle changes that you can follow to keep your it under control.
Avoid Asthma Triggers:
An asthma attack can happen when you are exposed to certain triggers, known as asthma triggers. You can prevent episodes by staying aware of those triggers. Common asthma triggers that can aggravate your symptoms include tobacco smoke, dust mites, or airborne allergens
Get Regular Exercise:
It shouldn’t stop you to exercise. According to some studies, long-term exercise helps in strengthening your lung function and thus helps in relieving its symptoms. However, if you are suffering from exercise-induced it (a condition in which it attack occurs during or after an exercise), consult your physician before performing any exercise
Include Fresh fruits and Vegetables in your Diet:
Fresh fruits and vegetables are enriched with vitamin C and vitamin E. These vitamins play an integral role in improving lung function in both adults and children. They are potent anti-oxidants, which decrease the inflammation of the airways
Maintain a Healthy Weight:
According to a study, the deposition of fat is higher in the abdominal region in overweight or obese people, which may increase the risk of wheezing. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight helps in reducing various symptoms of it
Say ‘No” to Smoking:
Your lungs are lined by tiny hair-like structures known as cilia. Cilia help in sweeping the dust, irritants, and other particles from the lungs. However, when a person inhales tobacco smoke, certain irritating substances settle in the inner lining of the airways and damage the cilia. Therefore, dust and mucous pile up in the airways, which leads to an asthma attack
Stay Happy:
Emotional stress is one of the most common triggers for an asthma attack. Uncontrolled emotions cause inflammation and constriction of smooth muscles of the airways in the lungs. This results in breathing problems, wheezing, and coughing. Here are some tips to de-stress yourself and control various symptoms:
- Be physically active
- Choose healthy foods in your diet
- Spend time with your family and friends
- Get adequate sleep
Get Adequate Sleep:
Patients suffering from it face difficulty in getting adequate sleep. Since its symptoms often worsen at night, it results in improper sleep. Consult your physician for an effective treatment for getting adequate and sound sleep
Written Asthma Action Plan/Management Plan:
A person who suffers from it should keep an asthma action plan. It is a written plan that you prepare with the help of your physician to help control your symptoms
According to the Expert Panel Report 3:
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (EPR-3), written action plans are largely recommended for patients who have either moderate or severe persistent asthma, a history of severe exacerbations, or poorly controlled asthma
