Asthma and Exercise

Most people with Asthma can exercise and become fit. But the type, and intensity of exercise Asthmatics can do varies greatly from person to person. Here's a video that outlines the rules of thumb.

Asthmatic or not, be sure to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways. It causes bronchial passages to become inflamed and arrowed in response to triggers like cold, exercise, and stress, and allergens like dust mites, dander and smoke.

Breathing becomes labored and difficult, and in extreme cases, Asthma attacks can be fatal. Asthma is on the rise. Asthma affects about 25 million people in the U.S. according to the National Institutes of health.

The cause has been debated for decades. The hygiene hypothesis: it was thought that living in a too clean environment, like suburban America, and smaller family size decreased a child's exposure to bacteria and viruses, thus preventing the immune system from developing normally and allowing it to instead set its sights on allergic triggers like dust.

More recent studies in less clean urban areas suggest Asthma causes are more complex and no one explanation has come to the forefront.

There are many types and degrees of Asthma. There is no cure, but modern medicine has provided options that help keep most Asthma symptoms under control most of the time. They include, drugs, swallowed, inhaled and injected, and lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. Yes, people with Asthma can exercise.

The most common symptoms are wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing.
But exercising with Asthma is a two edged sword. Exercise is an irritant trigger.

It can induce Asthma. In fact, there is a whole category of asthmatics for which exercise induced Asthma, EIA for short, is the main issue. However this can be overcome. Studies show that exercising for fitness, particularly aerobic exercise, strengthens and builds the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems to the same extent as it does in non-asthmatics.

Asthmatics can become very fit. Many Olympic and professional athletes, have exercise-induced Asthma.

So what kinds of exercise can and should asthmatics do and, what precautions should they take.

Pick an exercise that gets your heart rate up without putting too much pressure on your breathing.

Generally, low intensity activities like walking, biking, moderate aerobics and swimming outdoors where fumes from pool chemicals are less of an irritant, are more easily tolerated. Activities like high intensity aerobics or calisthenics can be more problematic and should be approached gradually.

Exercise limitations; vary greatly from person to person. Some asthmatics have trouble with even low intensity exercise, while others can do almost anything most of the time.

First and foremost consult your doctor before you begin.

Rules of thumb:

· Depending on your particular condition, you may need to take medication, or take a puff or two from your inhaler before you begin.
· If you use a peak flow meter, test yourself and don't exercise unless you're in normal range.
· Keep your emergency inhaler handy during exercise just in case.
· Avoid triggers whenever possible.
· If it's too cold or the pollen count is high outside, exercise indoors.
· Exercise outside when the air is clear and humidity is higher.
· If you exercise in the cold, wear a scarf over your nose and mouth to warm and moisten the air as you breathe.
· Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.
· Take time to warm up with slow dynamic movements like marching in place or gentle stretching.
· Start slowly and monitor how the exercise is affecting you.
· Avoid sudden bouts of intense exercise.
· Breath through your nose if possible in a relaxed controlled pattern
· Try using pursed lip breathing. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth with lips pursed as though whistling. It helps avoid hyperventilation and manages shortness of breath. It helps your airways relax and dilate so you can expel carbon dioxide and take in oxygen.
· If exercise induces your Asthma more severely, with your doctors approval, you may want to try easing in with gentle movements while seated in a chair.

The bottom line is exercising with Asthma is a very individual undertaking. One size does not fit all. Some people can do almost anything, while others have trouble with even light exercise.

Talk to your doctor, listen to your body, Start gently and build up. Stay in your comfort zone. Take precautions, get fit and live well.

Why Are Pregnant Women Criticized for Exercising?

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Sara Haley, a personal trainer and mom from Santa Monica, California, hits the gym six days a week — and it turns out that's a problem for her fellow gym members, who, Haley says, routinely harass her because she's 35 weeks pregnant.

According to a recent story published in the New York Daily News, Haley, who specializes in pregnancy fitness, incorporates a combination of pull-ups, tricep dips, dead lifts, and lunges into her workout routine. But the constant stares, whispers, and comments (“Wow, your butt is so big!” and “Those stretch marks are the worst I have ever seen!") in the gym make her feel as though she's being ganged up on. “It is an element of bullying,” the 35-year-old told the newspaper. “Some people have no filter all of a sudden when they see a pregnant woman training.”

And while Haley — who in April was named one of 50 hottest fitness trainers by Shape magazine — insists that exercise is encouraged during pregnancy, she doesn’t want to be viewed as herculean. “My favorite reaction in general, throughout my pregnancy, has been the classic eye contact with a big thumbs up,” she said. "I do appreciate the encouragement, but honestly, I'm just pregnant, not trying to save the world."




She's hardly the first pregnant gym-goer to cause controversy. Back in September, Lea-Ann Ellison of Los Angeles made headlines for participating in CrossFit, a high-intensity conditioning and core-strengthening exercise program that includes lifting barbells and dumbbells, tire-flipping, and using medicine balls. Ellison became an international sensation after photos of her lifting weights (She says they were staged for a pregnancy photo shoot.) hit the Internet and went viral.

Yahoo Shine could not reach Haley for comment. However, the benefits of exercise during pregnancy have been well documented. For the mother, staying active promotes energy, sounder sleep, and may even help to prevent gestational diabetes and reduce the length of labor and the odds of requiring medical intervention during birth. And babies reap the benefits too. A University of Montreal study found that pregnant women who exercise for just 20 minutes three days a week boost their newborns' brainpower. And, according to research conducted by Kansas City University, pregnancy exercise improves newborns' heart health too.

And according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnant women can safely walk, swim, cycle, participate in aerobics, and run (provided they were runners before they were pregnant). "The general rule of thumb is, if it's a healthy pregnancy with no complications, we recommend that patients resume their pre-pregnancy exercise routines," Shahin Ghadir, MD, who is board certified in both obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility, tells Yahoo Shine. "Otherwise, starting a new exercise routine can be a huge shock to the body."

In fact, taking up a new routine without being monitored by a doctor can lead to injury for both the mother and baby. If a pregnant woman isn't accustomed to exercising, Ghadir advises she start a regular walking routine.

For Haley, she has observed one interesting side effect after exercising throughout her pregnancy with her 3-year-old son, Landon — an appreciation of her workout music. “When Landon was born, the only thing that would stop him from crying was me playing hip-hop music, like Jay Z,” she told the New York Daily News. “I think he heard it in utero and was jamming along with me!”

https://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/pregnant-woman-sara-haley-excerise-174157988.html

Can you get addicted to exercise?

You've probably heard of "runner's high" and "yoga bliss" -- feelings of euphoria that can come after periods of exercise. And maybe you've heard people talk about how they "have" to work out -- as though if they didn't exercise, they'd suffer severe physical or psychological repercussions.

But is exercise a potent enough "drug" that it can literally make a person an addict? Do some people really need to work out -- and will they suffer withdrawal symptoms if they don't?

The verdict: Exercise can be addictive for some people (but they're the exception)

Ask sports psychologists if exercise addiction is legitimate, and many will confirm that it is.

However, research suggests that so-called exercise addiction affects only a small subset of people -- those who push too hard and exercise when they're injured or exhausted, or to the point that it adversely affects their work and relationships.

So unless you're about to lose your job because of your gym habit (or are running marathons each morning despite having shin splints), you're probably not truly "addicted" to exercise.

People who exercise with fervor -- but responsibly -- aren't addicted; they're what sports scientists refer to as "committed exercisers."

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According to Andy Martin, a personal trainer at the Aria Athletic Club and Spa in Vail, Colorado, many people feel guilty after missing workouts, or notice negative changes in their body (such as tighter muscles and joints) when they don't exercise. These people make exercise a priority, but don't suffer from an exercise addiction.

here are a number of reasons people get hooked on exercise in this healthy way. "Runner's high is an actual 'high' in the literal sense of the word," explains Martin.

"During and upon completion of an intense workout -- whether it be an endurance race or a high-intensity weightlifting session -- endorphins flood the brain and can induce an emotional response that can range from satisfaction to euphoria, depending on the intensity of the activity."

For some, group exercise in particular can provide social support, which is a big need for most people.

Of course, becoming "hooked" on exercise requires an understanding of the value that physical activity inherently holds, says Martin.

Some people want to go to the gym because they don't want to suffer from heart disease or stroke. Others show up regularly because they want to maintain their appearance (or have their pants fit after they splurge on dessert). Still others want to be sure they can keep up with their kids.

Whatever your reason for working out, as long as you aren't skipping important meetings to get in a run or doing one-armed push-ups because your other arm is in a sling from overuse, you're more likely to be addicted to your morning coffee than to your treadmill.

Exercise may speed up stroke recovery, Edinburgh scientist says

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Regular exercise can speed recovery for stroke survivors and may reduce their risk of having another stroke, according to an Edinburgh scientist.

Professor Gillian Mead's findings contrast with commonly held fears that exercise may trigger a further stroke.

She has looked at how exercise benefits stroke recovery for 10 years.

People who have been active before their stroke are more likely to make a recovery but less is known how exercise can affect recovery after a stroke.

The Edinburgh University expert will be speaking about her research at a public event this week as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Her findings reveal that a structured physical training plan - including aerobic, strength and balance training - can help stroke survivors to become more mobile, improve their balance and reducing their disability.

Exercise programmes

Professor Mead is currently investigating whether breaking up long periods of sitting or lying with short periods of movement might help to bring down the risk of having another stroke.

One in six people in Scotland will have a stroke in their lifetime and survivors can be left with varying degrees of disability.

More than half of all people who survive a stroke require support to live independently.

Professor Mead said: "We're working with fitness experts to determine the best exercise prescription for stroke survivors.

"It's also important that we understand more about the factors that put patients off from taking part in exercise programs, and how we can motivate them to take advantage of the benefits."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-27023739

Excessive Sugar in your diet can lead to heart disease

Eating foods loaded with lots sugar can help increase the risk of premature death from heart disease that is why citizens are urging Canadian and U.S. governments to offer dietary limits on sugar.

For an individual taking 2000 calories a day that is equivalent to drinking a bottle of soft drink in vending machines would reach the new level of the latest U.S. study that suggests the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD).

According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta "A higher percentage of calories from added sugar is associated with significantly increased risk of CVD mortality,"

This finding was based on the national health and diet surveys between 1988 and 2010 of more than 30,000 Americans with an average age of 44. The results suggest that a fatal heart risk is increased once added sugar intake goes beyond 15 per cent of total calories.

"Too much sugar does not just make us fat; it can also make us sick," said Laura Schmidt, a health policy specialist at the University of California, San Francisco.

The American Heart Association suggest not more than 25 grams a day or six teaspoons of sugar for women (five per cent of a 2,000-calorie a day diet) and 38 grams or nine teaspoons a day for men (7.5 per cent of daily calories).

In 2005, a team of experts at the Institute of Medicine, suggest that the Canadian and U.S. governments, should limit sugar consumption to less than 25 per cent of total calories. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests less than 10 per cent of the total daily consumption.

According to the study there were 831 people who have died from heart ailment in the span of the 15 year study. The study also included other factors that causes heart disease such as smoking, inactivity and excess weight into account.

Risk for Diabetes Decreased greatly by Exercise

A joint US-Danish study has established that women who works out 3 1/2 hours a week reduces the risk for diabetes by about 40% and even those who works out for only an hour cuts their risk by 13%.  

Muscle strengthening exercise improve glycemic control among diabetics. 

Best results were was seen in those who exercises 150 minutes aerobic activity per week and 60 minutes a week of muscle strengthening.

The findings of the study revealed that muscle-conditioning activities with aerobic activity prevent the development of diabetes in women.

This research emphasizes that indeed having a dynamic lifestyle while eating nutritious meals can reduce the risk of having diabetes mellitus type 2, which is lifestyle associated.

These days many people are becoming more health conscious and more active. Many are on the lookout for easy ways to work out. The only difficulty is in keeping with your plans and determination.

It is recommended that we have at least about 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in a week.