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.

Avoid Flu by doing Vigorous Exercise

By doing a minimum of two and a half  hours of vigorous exercise a week can help you prevent from having a flu.

A total of 4800 participants took the survey online conducted by  the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

A moderate exercise will  not help prevent the flu and flu rates have been down this year's winter.

There health status are monitored weekly and  are then required to log in each week and note how they are feeling, and whether or not they have any flu-like signs.

The study shows that 100 cases of flu per 1,000 people can be avoided just  by doing vigorous exercise. 


This data is also the lowest for the past five years the survey was conducted. During the winter season only 4.7 percent catch flu for this year compared to 6 percent last year and 5 percent of the children reported flu symptoms compared to a 7.9 percent last year.

According to Dr Alma Adler, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that results should be taken with cautions but results prove the benefits of exercising. A fine weather is a chance to exercise and increase your immunity during spring time.

Flu Survey helps government in their health programs, and can be access into Public Health England's national flu surveillance programmes and is released at the beginning of National Science & Engineering Week.

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.

Mediterranean diet linked to longer lifespan and better health

Order now this Grey Tank Top 

New research suggests that middle-aged women who follow a Mediterranean diet or similar may increase their lifespan and avoid physical or cognitive impairments and chronic illnesses in older age. This is according to study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The Mediterranean diet follows the eating habits of people living in Crete, many parts of Greece and Southern Italy.

Exercise may help alleviate depression

Exercise may help ease symptoms of depression, according to a fresh look at past research.

Researchers who analyzed data from previous studies found people who exercised experienced a "moderate" reduction in their depressive symptoms compared to those who did other activities, such as using relaxation techniques, or received no treatment.

Smoothies and fruit juices are a new risk to health, US scientists warn

Fruit juices and smoothies represent a new risk to our health because of the amount of sugar the apparently healthy drinks contain, warn the US scientists who blew the whistle on corn syrup in soft drinks a decade ago.

Tips for finding your stride

The workout of the day was a 5K. 

After hearing that, I could have had the fastest time running out of the gym.

I’m not a fan of running. A 5K?

Push Pull Grind White Tank Top

Wear this comfortable Push Pull Grind White Tank Top when going to the gym for a workout but for me  I would definitely use this on my regular run. The cool design and color would surely turn pedestrians head while I run.

 Made of quality material and can withstand frequent use, that is what most active people love, durability on their exercise gears. So easy to hand wash after use.Just soak,wash,rinse and dry. No need to use your washing machine.