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Tricks for Asthma

Asthma is a condition that affects millions of people and inhibits what they can do in their everyday lives, as they must have an inhaler or other form of medication to ensure they can properly catch their breath. However, there are some tricks that those with asthma can employ that will help their asthma symptoms when they do arise and help them to live a normal day-to-day life.

  1. Exercising with Asthma

    • While exercise and asthma appear to be on polar opposites of the spectrum, there are actually ways those with strong symptoms of asthma or exercise-induced asthma who can still exercise in a healthy and safe way. Try to swim rather then run, as the warmer, moister air associated with area where you can swim or swimming pools is better for asthma-afflicted lungs. Wearing a breathing mask while exercising, as many Scandinavian cross country skiers do, is also a good idea. These can be purchased at medical stores.

    Chocolate and Coca Cola

    • If an asthma attack does occur and there is no immediate treatment available, according to allnurses.com, nurses have used chocolate to help make serious asthma attacks subside quickly. Chocolate contains a theobromine-smooth muscle relaxant that can be given to asthmatic patients in the midst of an attack. Coca Cola is also said to do a similar thing, but this is not as well known within the medical community. It may be a good idea to always have a piece of chocolate on-hand if you have asthma symptoms, just in case you have no medication or inhaler available when an attack occurs.

    Old Home Remedies and What to Avoid

    • There are also a handful of old home remedies which are said to help ward off asthma attacks, according to Robbie's Kitchen, which has a host of home remedies garnered from published books of home remedies. Mixing 1 tbsp. of honey with 1/2 tbsp. of cinnamon to be taken at night before you go to bed is said to open up the lungs and soothe the muscles in the throat, all of which become constricted during an asthma attack. Also, it is a bad idea for people with asthma to take aspirin, as this may invoke an asthma attack.

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