Tag: prevent asthma

Asthma Remedy

26 January, 2010 (04:06) | Asthma | By: admin

Much coverage has been given recently to Americans that suffer from Asthma. Both adults and children suffer from its debilitating effects. Asthma is a condition that is caused when the air ways in the lungs become inflamed. Some of the symptoms of Asthma are shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and even chest pain. Some people are fortunate enough to only suffer mild cases while others deal with a life threatening condition and require being on constant medication. In this article I will try and give you suggestions for how to make dealing with your asthma easier and less threatening.

First, you want to find a good doctor that understands Asthma and you feel you can trust. You want to discuss all of your symptoms with your doctor and tell them when they occur.Sometimes Asthma attacks can be triggered by such simple things as a blast of cold air, pollutants in the air, chemicals in the air,or by simply running out of breath due to some over exertion. If any of the above things cause you to have symptoms it is best to avoid them.

Secondly, you want to maintain a good diet and stay healthy. Simple colds and flu can trigger severe Asthma attacks. Eating properly can help to keep your lungs healthy. You want to make sure your body gets the right amount of vitamins and minerals. If your diet is lacking in vitamins and minerals, I suggest you take supplements to ensure your body has the correct balance of the essential vitamins and minerals. Maintaining a healthy weight is also very important, because many physicians feel obesity can lead to Asthma.

Third, get yourself on a good exercise routine. You want to build up your lungs. Moderate aerobic exercise can be quite beneficial along with resistance training. But before you start any exercise routine check with your doctor to make sure it is advisable for you.

Lastly, in the event you have an attack you want to make sure you know what to do so it does not get out of control. Speak to your doctor about medications you should be taking on a daily basis, as well as rescue inhalers that are used on a need basis. Prevention is a key word in controlling your Asthma attacks so keep in mind at all times what may trigger an attack for you and try to avoid them. Also many feel the drinking of teas can prevent attacks, such teas as green tea and chamomile are recommended. If you are diagnosed with Asthma don’t panic just take a smart sensible approach to living with it.

Induced Asthma in Men

14 January, 2010 (20:40) | Asthma | By: admin

Exercise induced asthma is of the most common types of asthma out there. Basically caused by the cold air that gets inhaled mostly during strenuous activities, it can be quite a hassle for most patients and individuals afflicted with the condition.

Sadly, almost anyone can get the ailment. As asthma can be developed at any point of a person’s life, learning more about it can be an advantage for most folks, especially for men who are more often required to get involved in heavy exercises and other strenuous activities.

So, how can exercise induced asthma in men be prevented? Here are some ways:

  • Warm up. This should be the number one thing you should keep in mind when it comes to induced asthma in men. As asthma attacks are guaranteed to happen during exercises, warming up can help as doing this can cause minor attacks that can allow you to do some exercises without experiencing more severe episodes. Called as the refractory period, doing this helps a lot in letting patients continue living active lives despite their ailment.
  • Avoid cold air. Cold air is the number one enemy for induced asthma in men, so you should avoid it at all costs. One way to do this would be to wear coverings for your nose and mouth during cold days to help you filter and warm the cold air before inhaling it.
  • Take medications strictly. Induced asthma in men is a serious matter, so treating it should really be given a lot of importance. Make sure you get prescription from your doctors and follow the instructions carefully in taking them. Also, never take over the counter drugs and risk self medicating in cases like these, as you need to be very careful in handling this type of asthma.
  • Pre-treat. Along with warming up, make sure to take prescription meds before engaging in a strenuous activity or exercise. Take note, you should only take prescription medicines as taking the risk of using cheaper, but non-prescribed drugs can be more harmful to your condition and health.
  • Stop doing anything as soon as you get an attack during an exercise. If you still get an asthma attack even after pre-treating and warming up, make sure to immediately stop whatever it is that you’re doing and rest as this will also help you prevent the attack from worsening. Take your quick relief medication right away and try to calm and slow down your breathing.

These are just some of the ways you can prevent and avoid induced asthma in men.

HEPA Filter Vacuums

27 December, 2009 (23:32) | Health Care | By: admin

Because of the need for better air quality, the HEPA filter vacuums have become a necessity for most families, particularly those with members suffering from asthma.

Due to their superior and high quality filtration facilities, they are exceedingly efficient in eliminating airborne particles and other pollutants from different surfaces such as upholstery and carpets. Their functions can assist in making the air in your home healthier.

In actual fact, the indoor environment is a breeding ground for dust mites, allergens, gas, mold, and other detrimental microorganisms. As a result, your respiratory system resists yet still suffers from these harmful contaminants. Keep in mind that poor indoor air quality can lead to serious health problems and symptoms such as headaches, itchy eyes and nose, fatigue, digestive problems, congestion, and other acute and chronic illnesses. Studies have proven that one in three adults, infants, or children experience asthma, allergies, and other respiratory conditions due to air pollutants.

At present, most vacuum cleaners incorporate HEPA filters as an imperative segment of the filtration procedure. They are exceedingly beneficial for asthma sufferers as well as for people prone to allergies for the reason that the HEPA mechanism can proficiently restrain and trap the fine particles from the air, which trigger the asthma episodes.

An important factor that you need to understand when it comes to HEPA filter vacuums is that the filter placed in a vacuum cleaner will only be competent in trapping airborne elements if the vacuum is specifically designed so the air that is heaved in to the device will pass through the filter, without air leaking from any side. Additionally, because of the mass of this specialized filter, the vacuum cleaner should be able to support a more powerful motor to furnish adequate air cleaning power.

There are fundamentally two types of HEPA vacuum cleaners for asthma sufferers: the canister and the upright. The canister vacuums normally are smaller in size but have stronger cases which can spin along and track behind you as you vacuum your floor, furniture, or carpet. This vacuum model has a long hose that will assist you to clean difficult to reach areas of your house. In addition, this vacuum cleaner also frequently features detachable rug beaters that are known to be more powerful than those employed in upright vacuums. The upright vacuums on the other hand are made of a single unit that may incorporate an attachment hose or not. Past users of this model complained about the leaking of dusty air back in their houses, and because the rug beaters in this type are permanent, once they break, the entire device should be replaced.

When selecting vacuum cleaners, you should pay close attention to the power of the unit, as this will determine the suction force of the cleaner in inches of water lift and through its air flow. Keep in mind that any model with a 90 cfm or more is recognized as a powerful cleaning device and will efficiently eliminate pollutants from your home. You should also try to find out if the filter is positioned before or at the rear of the motor since studies discovered that a filter placed at the back of the motor can aid in catching fine carbon dust generated by the motor.

Now, you and your family will need to worry no more. With HEPA filter vacuums, asthma attacks will never have a place in your home.

Asthma and Bed Bugs – The Silent Enemies in Your Bed

6 December, 2009 (02:17) | Asthma | By: admin

Bed bugs can wreak havoc on an asthma sufferer. Does the bug in your bed set off your asthma attack? Would you believe there is an army of thousands minute insects in your bed? Yep, that is a fact.

But just who (or what) is it that shares your bed with you? They are called dust mites. The reason you have never seen one is because they are so tiny you need a microscope to see them. In fact, they are so minute that a speck of dust can house over 100 of them.

So why worry about something so small and insignificant? Well, believe it or not, they are a health hazard. This is especially so for an asthma sufferer.

It is not the dust mite itself that is the problem, but its poo! The poo contains a protein that can trigger an asthma attack and when you consider that each mite makes about 200 times its own body weight of this protein rich poo – well; let’s just say that is quite a lot of the stuff! And, dust mites are in virtually every house on the planet, churning out more of this stuff.

While dust mites live all over your house, their favourite room is the bedroom, preferably in the bed. They get their name as they live off dust, especially our dead skin cells. To a large extent, skin sheds these cells through the night, accumulating in the bed. (Not a great image to have in mind during romantic moments). If you are prone to asthma, here are some simple steps to help you control this common asthma trigger.

Obviously, it is not possible to make your home completely clear of dust mites, but you can reduce their numbers to a level where they are less likely to produce relevant quantities of protein.

Begin by clearing away anything you store under the bed. This is a breeding ground for dust mites as it is probably not frequently cleaned. Cleaning is the main priority. Use a damp cloth, going into all nooks and crannies, making sure all dust is removed. Do not use a feather duster as it just unsettles dust that will soon settle again, complete with its dust-mite passengers. With a frequently rinsed damp cloth, wipe all surfaces such as wardrobe tops, drape rods, head boards, skirting boards, lamp shades, laundry basket, etc.

  • Wash the bed linen at least once a week at 60 degrees to kill off the parasites. Dry outside in sunshine when possible.
  • Vacuum the mattress and pillows.
  • Buy an anti-mite mattress cover.
  • Clothes hanging in the wardrobe should have plastic covers.
  • If you have carpets, be aware they harbor dust mites. A powerful vacuum cleaner may be sufficient, but a wooden floor with washable rugs is the better solution.

These simple steps are sensible precautions to reduce the dust mite population. They are a common asthma trigger and may well be one of, if not the major trigger in your case. Try it out and see if it makes a significant difference. Or, look up a website with an alternative solution about how to cure asthma to ensure the dust mites don’t bother you any more.

How to Prevent Asthma Attacks?

31 October, 2009 (14:41) | Asthma | By: admin

Asthma attacks are quite prevalent these days. Every day you might come across news snippets stating the casualties of asthma attacks. Plenty of misconceptions and theories exist in this domain and in this brief description; I would like to shed some important information regarding the same.

A number of factors might lead to asthma attacks. Knowing them and keeping them at bay requires careful thought as well as guidance. What exactly is an asthma attack? In simpler non-medical terms, it is the narrowing of the air passage leading to the lungs.

There is no specific cause for the condition. Researchers and doctors all over the world attribute allergens and the genetic make-up as major contributors of the condition. Parents who are known to suffer from this condition can impart asthma to their offspring. The presence of allergy causing agents like dust, pollen also induces asthma attacks in a person. A characteristic feature of asthma is the fact that is sets from an earlier stage of one’s life. Latest research is pointing to the fact that respiratory complications that were present on a child during childhood era might also contribute a lot to shape this condition.

Keeping themselves away from dust and dirt ridden environments is one of the best manners to ward away asthma attacks. Hair from domesticated animals might also pose a significant risk. If one is suffering from asthma, it is better not to invest on any kind of pets for the home. Microscopic particles might irritate the bronchial lining and an asthma attack might be induced on the patient. The room occupied by the patient – it must not contain objects that aid in quick dust accumulation like drapes. Carpets also pose problems like the aforementioned drapes. Asthma attacks are also known to be the direct reaction to allergy to certain foods. Please avoid them.

Doctors and modern medicine present numerous tests to confirm the existence of asthma on a patient. Spirometer is the commonly employed instrument to detect and study about asthma. Breathing problems are the hallmark of the condition, hence tests that are employed to detect them can be implemented for detecting asthma. The value of peak expiratory flow provides an insight into the condition. X-rays of the chest and the associated regions will also prove to be beneficial in detecting the condition. Various tests are present that will aid in detecting allergy – these might prove to be helpful, likewise.

There is no specific treatment for asthma. Doctors are known to advise the patient to keep away from dusty environments. Altering the lifestyle so that asthma causative agents are less inhaled is the pivotal step in curbing the condition. Certain physicians also recommend mild dosage of anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent asthma attacks.