Exercise-Induced Asthma - But I Love Exercise and Don't Want to Stop!

There is no need for exercise-induced Asthma to stop all your activities. But which exercises can an Asthma Sufferer safely enjoy? With a bit of common sense there is still plenty of time for fun even with asthma.

Traditionally, anyone with asthma, child or adult, was usually advised never to exercise. Not a whole lot of fun for school children with asthma - sitting on the sidelines while their asthma-free friends played energetic games, laughing and having fun. New studies reveal that while in some cases exercise does induce asthma, there is no need for a blanket ban.

When playing sports or doing any strenuous exercise, breathing changes. It becomes deeper and more rapid causing cold air to enter your lungs at a faster pace. This tends to dry up the airways and make them cooler so when this happens to a person who is prone to asthma, an allergic reaction takes place. Running outside on a cool day would induce an asthma attack in a susceptible person. So, maybe running is not a great idea, especially in winter, but swimming can be ideal exercise as it rarely poses a risk of bringing on an asthma attack. If you plan on using a public swimming pool, go easy the first time in case you react to chlorinated water.

Exercise is important for general well being, but asthma sufferers should make a point of exercising even more than non-asthmatic people. It is to your advantage to have the strong lungs and muscles that develop with exercise. Get to know your triggers - you may not be affected by cold air at all. If you are, there is still no reason why you cannot exercise and have a normal, healthy body, simply use a more suitable form of exercise. Always make sure you know what to do in the event of an unexpected attack.

If running is your favourite form of exercise, but find it frequently induces an asthma attack when you go out, try an indoor treadmill instead. The nice warm gym is much more user-friendly than the cold out-doors on a winters morning. Research indicates that the period of time spent exercising is a factor to consider. Six minutes seems to be the pivotal point for an exercise-induced asthma attack to come on, so take a break within that time, and choose your exercise carefully. If you enjoy team sports, soccer or American football would probably be quite suitable. Games where you slow down in between short, quick burst of speed are ideal as they help build up your breathing muscles.