Tips to Breathe Better in 2017


Who’s ready for a brand new year? For those of us who experience the misery of allergies or asthma, enjoyment of the new year can be muddled by wheezing, sneezing and allergic reactions.

Thankfully, there are many small changes an individual can make to help add up to big improvements. We’d like to encourage you to take on a few helpful New Year’s resolutions in 2017 to lessen your unwanted symptoms of asthma and allergies.

Exercise
We should all aim to be physically active everyday, but people with asthma need to take some extra precautions:

  • Avoid exercising inside a cold room or in cold weather.
  • Be mindful of indoor and outdoor air pollution and high pollen counts as they can cause symptoms during exercise.
  • Choose sports that require short bursts of activity like volleyball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling, golf or swimming.
  • Always use your inhaler before exercising and as needed during physical activity.

Travel
Planning ahead is crucial for successful travel whether you have allergies or asthma:

  • Always bring along your allergy medications, inhaler and prescribed epinephrine if you’re at risk for anaphylaxis.
  • If you take allergy shots for relief, schedule an appointment before you leave for your trip.
  • If you will be staying in a hotel, talk to the manager about any allergy-free accommodations you might need to avoid triggers.
  • People allergic to dust mites, should bring their own allergy-blocking bedding.

Smoking
There’s no way around it–smoking is a big no-no for all of us, but it’s even worse for anyone with asthma:

  • If you currently smoke, quit.
  • Don’t allow others to smoke in your home–-studies show that children with asthma who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home have about double the risk of being hospitalized than children with asthma who aren’t exposed to secondhand smoke.

Appointments
This year, resolve to make–and keep–appointments with your allergist.

  • Going to an allergist will help improve your quality of life.
  • Allergists are most qualified to determine what’s causing your symptoms and teach you how to avoid your triggers.

This year, if you’re ready to get those allergy and asthma symptoms under control, make an appointment at Covenant. Visit our website today to learn more about our services!