Winter Asthma: Top Ways to Deal with Asthma in the Chilly Weather
31-01-2019 | Posted By: Chhavi | 3232 View(s)
Winters are pretty hard for people with asthma. In asthma, the lungs are already more reactive and irritable. So any virus that impacts and harms the lungs can create more problems that bring on an asthma event faster and easier than people realise. Many experts say that an asthma attack is more likely to happen during the and winter months. There are basically two challenges for people with asthma in the winter season. One is that people spend more time inside and when you are indoors, you breathe in asthma triggers like dust mites, pet dander, and fires in the fireplace. The second challenge is that it is cold outside and when you step out of your home, you inhale the cold air which could trigger an asthma attack. While winter is a bad season for those who have asthma, there sure are some ways you can try to deal with winter asthma. Here are some tips to manage winter asthma.
Highly Effective Tips to Deal with Winter Asthma
1. Keep Your Hands Clean
Wash your hands 4 – 6 times a day with mild soap and hot water to avoid spreading or catching cold and other viruses. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer because they are the best. Teach your kids the benefits of good hand washing to reduce the chances of spreading germs in your house.
2. Identify Your Triggers
When you inhale anything that triggers asthma, your airways can become tight and clogged with mucus. You may then wheeze, cough, and struggle to catch your breath. Hence, it is best if you talk to your doctor about having a few tests to identify what your triggers are. Once you identify your triggers, you will be in a better position to make some changes that may help you eliminate those triggers. This is one of the best ways to deal with winter asthma.
3. Get a Shot
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends that people age 6 months and older get a flu shot annually so that they be protected against the flu virus. If you have asthma and you get the flu, then asthma could get more serious. It is essential that those who have asthma get the flu vaccine so that they can keep their asthma under control.
4. Avoid Sitting by the Fireplace
During the winter season, we all love to sit by the fireplace. But doing so is not good for your asthma. Your lungs can be irritated by smoke, especially when you have asthma. So do not sit by the fireplace if you want to deal with winter asthma effectively.
5. Breathe Through Your Nose
This seems so obvious and simple, isn’t it? But this advice has a logic behind it. Breathing through your nose can prevent you from beginning to wheeze. It also prevents shortness or breath or the feeling of tightening in the chest. When you breathe through the nose, the air warms before it enters your lungs. So it is best if you breathe through your nose, instead of your mouth to prevent asthma attacks.
6. Exercise inside your Home
If it is chilly and cold outside, then you should exercise indoors instead of exercising outside in a park. If you want to exercise in the fresh air, then you must choose a time of day when it is warmer, such as afternoon.
7. Replace Filters
The heating system at your home may blow debris and dust throughout the house, especially when you first start using it up for the winter season. It is highly essential to clean and replace filters before you turn on your system so that the filters do not release debris and cause you to have an asthma attack. Check and clean the filters frequently throughout the heating session. Also, you must keep the temperature and humidity levels in your home consistent.
8. Warm up Before Exercising
Some studies show that those who have asthma recover faster and have better lung function after exercising if they warm up before working out. Warmup up before working out is important for those who have asthma, especially in winter.
9. Take your Medications on Time
Talk t your doctor regularly to create a great treatment plant, and continue to get regular checkups. Do not ignore your health at any cost because of your work or personal life. If you experience your asthma symptoms getting worse in the winter season, consult your doctors about changing the medications you take. Also, do not take over-the-counter medications. Talk to your doctor about medications first.
10. Eat Warm Foods
Cold and flu also trigger asthma attacks. It is important to eat warm foods during the winter season to boost immunity and prevent cold and cough. Some of the warm foods you can add to your diet are onions, ginger, turmeric, almonds, hot peppers, and so on.
Best Home Remedies for Winter Asthma:
There are many easy and highly effective home remedies that you can try to get relief from asthma and its symptoms. Some of the best home remedies to manage winter asthma are:
1.Turmeric
What You Will Need
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 glass of water
What You Need To Do
Take a glass of water and mix ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder in it. Stir well and drink this. Do this two times a day.
How Does this Help?
The curcumin present in turmeric helps to treat asthma. Turmeric also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help in alleviates the inflammation of the airways. Turmeric is also an antimicrobial agent that helps to treat winter asthma.
2. Ginger
What You Will Need
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon of honey
• 1 cup of hot water
What You Need To Do
Take a teaspoon of grated ginger and add it to the hot water. Allow it to steep for about five to seven minutes. Now strain the water, mix ½ teaspoon of honey and drink this herbal tea while it is warm.
How Does This Help
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help in keeping the respiratory tract healthy. It also helps in relaxing the airway muscles and also regulates calcium uptake, which relieves the constriction and helps provide relief from asthma.
3. Onions
What You Will Need
• A raw onion
What You Need To Do
Take a raw onion and chop it properly. Add this to your salad.
How Does This Work
The anti-inflammatory properties of onions help in clearing the airways, which in turn prevent asthma. This vegetable that makes people cry is a boon to asthmatics. Add onions to your diet to manage winter asthma.
4. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
What You Will Need
• Eucalyptus oil
• A towel
What You Need To Do
Put four – six drops of eucalyptus essential oil on a clean towel and keep it beside you when you sleep. Put it in a way that you can breathe in the aroma.
How Does This Work
Eucalyptus oil contains eucalyptus that helps break down mucus and provide relief from asthma symptoms. This is one of the best remedies to manage winter asthma.
5. Tea Tree Oil for Winter Asthma
What You Will Need
• Tea tree oil
• Face cloth
• Warm water
What You Need To Do
Dip a clean face cloth in the warm water completely. Wring out the excess water and pour the tea tree oil on the damp cloth. Inhale the vapours until the face cloth returns to room temperature. Do this few times a day to get relief from asthma symptoms.
How Does This Help
Tea tree oil has decongestant and expectorant properties that help to provide relief from wheezing and coughing. These properties also play a pivotal role in eliminating the excess mucus. The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce the inflammation in the airways and also treat infections that are present in the respiratory system.
6. Honey
What You Will Need
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• A glass of warm water
What You Need To Do
Mix two teaspoons of honey and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder in a glass of warm water. Drink this two times a day. Make sure to drink it before you go to bed.
How Does This Work
There are many health benefits of honey, which is why it is one of the oldest remedies for a host of diseases. Honey contains a lot of powerful minerals and vitamins that help to provide relief from the symptoms of asthma. It also helps to remove phlegm from your throat and improve the quality of your sleep.
7. Coffee
What You Will Need
• A cup of hot coffee
What You Need To Do
Simply brew a steaming cup of coffee and drink it. Drink hot coffee to get relief from asthma.
How Does This Work
Drinking one to two cups of hot coffee a day is one of the best and easiest ways to deal with winter asthma because it immediately eases up your airways and helps you breathe properly. It is one of the quickest antidotes for asthma. Furthermore, coffee contains caffeine that acts as a bronchodilator and helps to open up the constricted airways, which in turn helps provide relief from asthma. So, drink a cup of coffee if you have asthma.
8. Oregano Oil
What You Will Need
• Oregano oil
• Essential Oil Diffuser
What You Need To Do
Put a few drops of oregano essential oil in the diffuser and inhale the vapours. Allow the diffuser to use up all the oil. Use this remedy daily to prevent an asthma attack.
How Does This Help
Oregano oil cleanses the air passages and the lungs. It also helps to thin the muscles and eliminates bacteria and viruses that cause infections.
9. Garlic for Asthma
What You Will Need
• 10 – 12 garlic cloves
• Milk
What You Need To Do
Take ten to twelve cloves of garlic and boil them in milk. Drink this concoction once a day to get relief from asthma symptoms.
How Does This Help
Garlic is without any doubt one of the best remedies to get quick relief from asthma symptoms. It also helps to clear the congestion in your lungs and reduces the inflammation of the airways.
10. Lavender Oil
What You Will Need
• Five to six drops of lavender oil
• A bowl of hot water
What You Need To Do
Add 4 – 6 drops of lavender essential oil to the hot water and then inhale the steam for eight to ten minutes. Do this once every day.
How Does This Work
Lavender oil controls mucus production, soothes the air passages and boost the body’s immunity. All this helps in providing relief from asthma symptoms and preventing an asthma attack.
11. Kalonji Oil (Black Seed Oil)
What You Will Need
• ½ teaspoon kalonji oil
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• A cup of warm water
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What You Need To Do
Take ½ teaspoon of kalonji oil and mix it a cup of warm water. Now add a teaspoon of honey and drink this two times a day, once before breakfast and then after dinner.
How Does This Work
Black seed oil, also known as kalonji oil offers a lot of health benefits. Kalonji also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that help to treat asthma. It can also be used for the treatment of bronchitis.
12. Vitamins for Asthma Treatment
What You Will Need
• Vitamin C foods
• Vitamin D foods
What You Need To Do
Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamin C and vitamin D. You can also take vitamin C and vitamin D supplements every day. Also, get some sunshine to increase vitamin D levels in your body. But do not take supplements before consulting a doctor.
How Does This Work
Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties that help treat asthma. Vitamin D also enhances the body’s innate antimicrobial response. Vitamin C helps to boost immunity which helps keep cold and flu at bay. Cold and flu may trigger an asthma attack. Hence, it is best if we eat vitamin C rich foods to strengthen our immunity and stay healthy during the winter season.
Foods that Trigger Asthma
There are many foods that are allergens and can trigger an asthma attack. The common foods that trigger an asthma attack are:
• Peanuts
• Fish, and shellfish
• Eggs
• Soy and its products
• Milk
• Wheat
• Gluten
Food additives like MSG (Monosodium glutamate) can also trigger asthma.
Diet Plan for Asthma
It is pivotal to follow a healthy diet to keep asthma at bay. Food rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants keeps the respiratory system healthy.
Some of the best healthy foods for people with asthma are:
• Fruits – Kiwi, pineapples, berries, cantaloupes, bananas, and apples.
• Vegetables – Garlic, sweet potatoes, ginger, kale, tomatoes, sweet potatoes
• Juices – Drink fresh vegetable and fruit juices.
Stay away from junk food and fried fatty food because they can also trigger an asthma attack.
What are the Causes of Asthma?
Now that we have understood the remedies to deal with winter asthma. Let us now understand the causes and symptoms of asthma.
What Causes Asthma?
It’s not yet clear why some people get asthma, and others don’t, but it is probably due to a combination of genetic and environments factors.
Some of the asthma triggers are:
• Airborne substances, such as mould spores, pet dander, pollen, dust mites or particles of cockroach waste.
• Physical activity
• Cold air
• Air pollutants
• Certain medications
• Respiratory infections, such as cold and flu
• Stress
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Preservatives added to certain types of foods and beverages, including dried fruit, beer, and wine.
What are the Signs & symptoms of Asthma?
The symptoms of asthma may vary from person to person.
Some of the common signs and symptoms of asthma include:
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or chest tightness
• Trouble sleeping
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing or wheezing
• A wheezing sound when exhaling
• Wheezing attacks that get worse due to cold and flu
Risk Factors for Asthma
There are a vast range of factors that can increase your chances of getting asthma. These risk factors include:
• Having an allergic condition
• Being obese or overweight
• Being a smoker
• Exposure to exhaust fumes
• Exposure to other types of pollution
• Too much exposure to occupational triggers, such as chemicals used in hairdressing, manufacturing and farming.
Types of Asthma
The different types of asthma are listed below:
1.Allergic Asthma – The allergens present in the environment can cause allergic rhinitis. When this leads to asthma, it becomes allergic asthma.
2. Cough-variant Asthma – Cough is the main symptom of asthma, and this type of asthma is generally triggered by respiratory infections.
3. Exercise-Induces Asthma – Physical exertion can also lead to asthma, and this is called exercise0induced asthma. In this type of asthma, the airways start to constrict between 5 to 20 minutes of starting the exercise.
4. Occupational Asthma – When your asthma gets triggered only in your work surroundings, it is known as occupational asthma. Farmers, hairdressers, animal breeders, and woodworkers are some of the common professionals who have this type of asthma.
5. Nocturnal Asthma – The symptoms of this type of asthma are aggravated during the night and can be dangerous.
Exercises to Control Asthma
Do not stop exercising if you have asthma. Doing yoga, going for a walk, and engaging in some physical activity will help you prevent asthma attacks. Cardio workouts like cycling, walking, and jogging also helps to keep asthma attacks at bay by keeping your body fluids flowing and preventing excess mucus build-up in the airways.
Do the following exercises to manage winter asthma:
1.Simple Breathing Exercise
This is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. To do this simple breathing exercise, you need to sit with your back straight and breathe in and out slowly. Make sure that your stomach goes out during inhalation, not your chest, and while exhaling, your stomach should go in. Do this exercise daily to deal with asthma effectively.
2. Pursed Lip Breathing
Sit in the simple breathing position, and exhale through pursed lips as if you are blowing a whistle. Exhaling should be twice as long as inhaling.
3. Buteyko Breathing
Sit straight in an upright position and keep your chest and belly relaxed. Take a deep, long breath and then you need to exhale slowly. You need to hold your breath for as long as possible. Then, you have to continue breathing gently.
Asthma is a severe disease, and you shouldn’t take it casually. If you experience symptoms of asthma, consult a doctor and get a health checkup done.
