Saturday, March 12, 2016

Exercise tips for people with asthma





Today, approximately twenty million Americans suffer from asthma. People with asthma can suffer from a shortness of breath and other health problems when they exercise. Fortunately, this has not prevented people from exercising and there’s good reason for that. Asthma, including exercise-induced asthma, will not be a hurdle for you if you keep a few basic things in mind.
Following are some exercise tips for people with asthma.

Use asthma medications
Approximately 15 to 20 minutes before you start your work out, inhale the medication such as albuterol to reduce your asthma symptoms. It is important that you talk to your doctor and explain them your symptoms. Before performing a diagnosis, the doctor will probably ask you to undergo some tests. The first few times you exercise, take the inhaler slow and easy (if the doctor has prescribed you an inhaler). Your doctor may prescribe you fitness supplements meant for asthma patients as well. Listening to your body is important. The pace and lengthy of your exercise is something you should gradually increase over time. Stop exerting yourself if you feel airways tightening or chest pain.

Use a scarf to breathe through
You can pre-warm the air as you breathe harder by breathing through a scarf during an exercise or training regime.

Perform a pre-workout warm up
Warming up before you workout is an easy and fun activity. However, the biggest benefit of a pre-workout warm up is that it prepares your body for the exercise or training regime. Whether you brisk walk or jog, the purpose of a warm up is to get your blood flowing and lungs working so that you are prepared for more arduous exercise. The difference a ten-minute pre-workout warm up will make to your health is something that will surely surprise you.

Avoid Interval training
Avoiding interval training is something people suffering from asthma must ensure. Moving at different paces is unlikely to cause any breathing issues for you. However, you’ll end up huffing, puffing, and challenging your respiratory system if you switch too fast. Therefore, it is important for you to either maintain a consistent speed or choose a pace your lungs can keep up with if varying your speed is what you prefer.

Exercise indoors especially during the winters
For asthmatic people, exercising indoors is always a good option, especially if their asthma is triggered by cold weather. Allergens, such as air pollution and pollen, and cold air are the two factors that aggravate asthma. If people with respiratory problems are exposed to these factors, their health is bound to deteriorate.

Perform aerobics
Research has proven that exercise programs such as aerobics improve your health and quality of life. This includes a range of benefits for asthma patients. Aerobics help to improve self-confidence, neuromuscular coordination, and fitness. Therefore, performing aerobics is something people with asthma must consider.