Posted on August 20, 2007 in Latest News
It is a proven fact that people with asthma tend to be overweight. Physicians believe that weight gain occurs mainly because many asthmatics avoid exercise, as physical activity can trigger symptoms. People with this chronic respiratory disorder are usually advised to avoid exertion entirely.
But, nowadays, health experts are encouraging people with asthma to exercise to improve their health and get relief from asthma. Exercise is not only good for health; it is also a part of asthma treatment. Regular exercise keeps you stronger and more energetic. Research studies proved the fact that physically healthy people have fewer attacks and need less medication.
Obesity Increases Asthma risk
Exercise is very helpful for asthma patients, and inactivity can cause breathing problems. Research shows that sedentary lifestyles and excess weight are not results of asthma, instead they cause asthma. Research studies found that obesity increases the risk of asthma in adult women and in children. It is found that obese people are two to three times more likely to have asthma than least overweight people. But the exact reason of how obesity can increase asthma risk is unclear. It is believed that it may be related to a sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise Gives Relief from Asthma
Physical exercise gives relief from asthma in a variety of ways. Exercise helps your airways to open up. It has a great potential for weight loss and can help people breathe easier. It also gives self-esteem boost from being active which is very important for all asthmatics and especially children.
Physical activity also helps control your stress, which can be a trigger for asthma. It is found that asthma patients benefit from taking karate classes, as it helps in breath control. In general, anything that provides relaxation is beneficial for asthma patients. Many asthma sufferers are also practicing yoga, which is based on deep, focused breathing and tension relief.
Fear is a common factor in asthma because the patient thinks he is choking. His heart starts racing, he begins to panic, and remaining calm and balanced is very difficult. There are various fun ways of breathing that keep one away from the fear and stress he experiences because of asthma.
Here is a simple and tranquilizing exercise for asthma sufferers who feel agitated and breathless.
Asthma sufferers should talk to their physician about the exercises to practice. The doctor may recommend a prescription drug inhaler before starting exercise. Warming up is particularly important when starting exercise. Certain physical activities like swimming are less likely to cause symptoms than others. Exercise in cold dry air is often a strong trigger as is outdoor activity during pollen season. The best thing one has to do is work his way up gradually to doing 30 minutes of an aerobic activity like walking or swimming, most days of the week.
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