fit tips
BR EA T HING B ETTER
in Sweater Weather
by Jennifer Frye
If you’re one of the 25 million Americans with asthma,
then you’re probably well-versed in the triggers you
have to watch out for. Walking past the fragrance
counter, visiting that friend with four cats, or visiting
your struggling actor cousin who lives in LA (cough
*smog* cough) can send you running for your inhaler
or nebulizer. But depending on where you live — and
what the weather’s been like that year — the four
seasons can bring their own set of hurdles when it
comes to easy breathing. While many triggers die off
in colder months, fall and winter still have their
own pitfalls when it comes to people with
breathing sensitivities.
GOING FOR A RUN?
Bundle up with
a scarf to cover
your mouth and
nose as you head
out. According
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scarves can warm
up the air you breath
in and potentiially
prevent coughing,
asthma, and more.
Check out the
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gear from some of
your favorite brands.
Cold weather, in and of itself,
can be a trigger, especially for
asthmatics. According to the
Asthma and Allergy Foundation
of America (AAFA), cold, dry air,
as well as changes in the weath-
er, can bring on an asthmatic
episode. Environmental irritants
can also trigger asthma attacks,
and some are especially partic-
ular to certain times of the year.
Things like cigarette smoke,
smog and air pollution, wood
fires and charcoal grills, VOCs,
vapors, or odors, and dust can
bother the inflamed, sensitive
airways of people with asthma
or breathing challenges.
In addition, occurrences like
rain and wind can stir up aller-
gens like pollen, which can also
worsen asthma symptoms. Dr.
Warner Carr told The Weather
Channel that while rain often
washes pollen out of the
environment, it first
bursts open those
pollen particles,
spreading allergens
farther. “During a
rainstorm, the pollen
in your environment
gets saturated and
fractures, releasing
small particles into the air
at a much higher concentration,”
he explained. “When patients in-
hale them, it causes a syndrome
called ‘thunderclap asthma.'”
Exercise can also be a
frequent asthma trigger — par-
ticularly in colder months. The
AAFA added that those with
asthma should take particular
care during colder months,
especially if they’re participating
in any type of outdoor activity.
Dr. Steve Georas, the director
of pulmonary and critical care
medicine and the director of the
Mary Parkes Center for Asthma,
Allergy and Pulmonary Care
at the University of Rochester
Medical Center in New York told
Health.com that “the combi-
nation of cold air and exer cise
can act as a double whammy.”
Cold air can cause bronchocon-
striction, meaning the airways
narrow — which can then cause
one’s breathing to become
stressed.
Other breathing triggers
include cold-weather staples
like a proliferation of mold, pet
dander, and dust mites located
inside the home. These can also
trigger existing asthma, accord-
ing to the American Academy
of Allergy, Asthma and Immu-
nology.
And respiratory illnesses
themselves — which seem to
spike during colder months
when people are more likely
to be confined indoors — can
also contribute to asthma
attacks. They include colds, flu,
sore throat, sinus infections,
and pneumonia.
If you have asthma, it can
be useful to know what triggers
apply to you so you can avoid
them when venturing outdoors.
If, like a lot of people, you
spend the cooler months mostly
indoors, making sure you take
care of your indoor air quality
can have a positive result as
well. Removing as much dirt,
particulate, and dust from inside
your home as possible is a good
start. Vacuum several times a
week, especially if you or family
members are tracking in dirt,
snow, ice, or other particles that
could act as triggers. Using a
vacuum with a sealed HEPA
filter ensures that those par-
ticles, once trapped, won’t
escape the machine and
re-enter your air supply. Quality
air purifiers can also neutralize
or remove many of the allergens
from your indoor space that can
trigger asthma attacks.
enhance magazine | NOVEMBER 2017
41