5 Incredibly Useful Asthma Tips for your Family
Everyone would agree that asthma is one of the most annoying things to live with, and it can be a real pain to have to deal with it day after day. Most people just end up having to deal with their situation without ever finding relief. This is because asthma is something that could potentially stick with a person for his or her entire life.
But what is asthma anyway?
Asthma is a respiratory condition wherein the bronchi in a person’s lungs experience spasms. This results in difficulty breathing whenever that person gets what is referred to as an “asthma attack.” These attacks are usually caused by allergic reactions to certain stimuli, like dust, pollen, or animal hair.
Living with asthma can be difficult as it means having to do things that one would not normally have to do if one did not have asthma. A lot of people suffering from asthma usually have to carry around an inhaler, and they have to make sure it does not run out when they need to use it.
Still, there are plenty of natural ways that can help people with asthma live their daily lives without having to rely too much on an inhaler. Here, we will talk about the many things you can do if you or someone you care about is suffering from asthma to make life a whole lot easier.
But first: Can there really be a cure for asthma?
That all depends on what you mean by the word “cure.” When you start throwing that word around, it brings to mind the idea of a pill, syrup, or injection that, with a few quick doses, will get rid of one’s asthma for good.
In that sense, there really is no cure for asthma, as with a lot of chronic conditions. At least not yet. Asthma cannot really be cured in that sense. Rather, someone who has asthma can take steps to treat or control it. Think of it like this: having asthma is like being stuck owning an animal. You cannot get rid of the animal, but that does not mean that you cannot tame it.
So asthma is forever then? Not necessarily. There are people who have lost their asthma. But these are mostly lucky people who just start feeling the symptoms less and less. In fact, there is no guarantee these symptoms will not come back several years or decades into the future.
For the greater majority of people, asthma is something that can be tamed. And the best way to tame it involves making significant changes, either in one’s environment or with one’s own lifestyle.
Just by following some of these quick tips, you can hopefully reduce the frequency of your asthma attacks.
Here’s the deal :
How to cure asthma by changing your environment
There are certain ways to treat your asthma that does not involve making any significant changes to your behaviour. Instead, it deals with changing the environment around you. If you think about it, this is impossible to achieve totally. We as human beings go out into a world full of possibilities. Whether it is indoors or outdoors, we are bound to encounter settings that we do not control. This means that this approach to curing or treating your asthma does have its limitations.
However, it is not futile. Making your environment adjust to your asthma can be considered a success, even if it can never be completely achieved. For instance, by changing the environment in your home, where you spend a lot of your time, you can make it so that your asthma attacks do not happen as often.
The same can be said of your workplace. You will find that you can concentrate so much better on your work when you do not have to deal with your asthma.
The goal to these approaches is to create an environment that will not trigger your asthma. This lets your lungs stay relatively peaceful, mitigating the chance of an attack.
Here are a few examples of strategies you can use to make your environment adjust to your asthma.
Clean out the cause of asthma
It is generally a good idea to make sure that the area around you is clean whether you are asthmatic or not. There is no good reason to put up with a dirty environment when, with some effort, you can easily clean it all up.
But when it comes to asthmatic people, there is all the more reason to make sure your surroundings, especially your home, are clean and tidy. This is because one of the most common triggers that cause asthma attacks is dust.
What you may not know is that it is not necessarily the dust itself that is causing your asthma but something inside the dust. These are known as dust mites.
Dust mites are microscopic insects that live in dust. These are usually what trigger asthma attacks. When dust makes it anywhere near your respiratory system, irritation occurs. When that happens, an asthma attack cannot be far behind.
This is why it is important for asthmatic people to stay as far away from dust as possible. The best way to do this is to keep your surroundings clean. You have got to regularly sweep the floors of your house in order to make sure that dust bunnies do not start building up. It is also imperative that you wipe down and sterilise surfaces to make sure that you do not have dust accumulating on these surfaces.
However, this gives you a bit of a dilemma: If dust triggers your asthma attacks, how are you supposed to get rid of the dust without getting an asthma attack in the process?
If somebody else can clean it for you, that would be ideal. That is why when you need to make sure you have a clean mattress, a surface you regularly press your face and body against on a regular basis, you should get in touch with CleanBeds.sg. We make sure that your mattress is free of dust and the dust mites that can aggravate your allergies and trigger your asthma attacks. We are an award-winning mattress cleaning service that is trusted by millions of customers.
Once you make sure that your home, workspace, and other places you frequent are clean, you can start to notice a lot fewer instances of asthma attacks coming along.
Stay away from pets for asthma relief
Animal hair is also one of the prime suspects for what triggers an asthma attack. While it may not be the case for all asthmatic people, merely being in the presence of an animal can cause an asthmatic reaction. In fact, in some really bad cases, asthmatic people can start feeling their allergies tingling from just entering a home that has had an animal in it for the past year.
Since animal allergies are not applicable to everyone, the first step is to find out if you are allergic to a certain animal hair. Some are only allergic to dog hair or cat hair, while others are allergic to both or even other animal hairs altogether.
It is also helpful to know the extent of your allergy. Some get an asthma attack by just being where the animal was, while others only get in when in the presence of the actual animal.
Obviously, the best way to deal with an animal allergy is to limit exposure to the animal and its hair. The less you interact with the animal you are allergic to, the less chance you will experience an asthma attack.
However, there are cases where this is not an option. What if you have a family pet that you have already grown attached to before finding out that you might be allergic to them? In this case, you can lessen the negative effects by restricting the places where the animal can go. Keep it out of the bed room and living room. This makes it possible to create safe zones in your home.
If you do not have a pet and are looking to get one, you should look for alternatives to your furry friends. Consider a hairless cat or a turtle.
Natural cures for asthma in your lifestyle
You cannot get away with getting rid of your asthma without changing some aspects of your own life. Since the world will not change for you, you have to change for the world.
But do not worry. It is not that hard. There are many simple things one can do to reduce their chances of experiencing an asthma attack. These may take more effort than changing your surroundings, but it is also more effective since these can help you even when you are not in the safe spaces you have created.
Try some of these lifestyle changes and combining them with the environmental tips to make it more effective.
Water: the natural asthma cure
Who would have thought that something as common and everyday as water could be one of your best tools against asthma?
Scientists have studied that asthma attacks, as well as allergic reactions as a whole, are linked to dehydration. This means that the more dehydrated you are, the greater your chances of experiencing an asthma attack.
Most adults often do not consume enough water unless they make a conscious effort to do so. This is the result of our lifestyle wherein most dining options often come with some form of flavored drink. Yes, like the soda you get at your favourite fast food place.
Researchers estimate that asthmatic adults can mitigate the onset of asthma attacks by drinking at least ten eight-ounce glasses of water each day, which is more than what most adults tend to drink.
But staying hydrated does not end with drinking water. There are also certain drinks that can actually dehydrate you rather than hydrate you. These are drinks that contain caffeine, including coffee and some carbonated beverages, so it is best to limit your intake of these beverages. It also helps if you drink your water with a pinch of salt as this will help your body retain the water, which helps with hydration.
Exercise is the best of natural asthma remedies
If you are asthmatic, you have probably experienced feeling out of breath and possibly having an asthma attack after a short run. This might make you feel as if running and physical exercise as a whole just is not for you.
On the contrary, there are several professional athletes that struggle with asthma. These include American basketball player Dennis Rodman and British marathon runner Paula Radcliffe. What is even more interesting is that sports and other physical activities are not only possible with asthma, but they also help treat it.
Regular physical exercise can help your respiratory system function better, allowing it to be less susceptible to asthma attacks. When considering a workout routine, you can incorporate all sorts of physical activities, but keep in mind to pay special attention to cardio exercises like jogging and swimming, which have a greater benefit for your lungs.
Pacing is also important, so do not try to take on too much too soon. Move up to more intense workout routines once you feel your body can take it.
Asthma relief as part of your balanced diet
One of the most important parts of improving your lifestyle to prevent asthma attacks is your diet. It is crucial that you eat a balanced diet with the correct proportions of the various food groups.
When it comes to specific foods, there is hardly a consensus in the medical community with regard to which foods are good for asthmatic people and which foods just make the asthma worse. Some foods that might be good for most people might not work for others because of allergies that contribute to asthmatic reactions. The best course of action would be to observe how one’s own body reacts to certain foods, especially in relation to one’s respiratory functions.
In general though, you want to eat foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. These prevent your respiratory system from becoming inflamed and triggering an asthma attack. You also want food rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. These include apples, carrots, avocados, and all sorts of other fruits and vegetables. In general you will be wanting to avoid salty foods, as well as foods that contain eggs and dairy. You can still eat them, just reduce your proportions.
Remove dust mites from your mattress immediately
CleanBeds.sg. make sure that your mattress is free of dust and the dust mites that can aggravate your allergies and trigger your asthma attacks. We are an award-winning mattress cleaning service that is trusted by millions of customers. Contact Us.
