How Exercise Can Help Asthma Patients

Asthma is a poorly understood condition. Doctors do not know what exactly causes asthma. However, it is thought that asthma occurs due to genetics, environmental factors, and allergies. In asthma respiratory tract becomes inflamed, constricted, filled with mucus. Thus, asthmatics find it difficult to breathe.

In some cases, those living with asthma know the reasons for its attack like exposure to cold air, certain foods, or other allergens. Asthma cannot be cured but can be managed with lifestyle changes and medications.

If asthma is well managed, then exercise is not contraindicated. In contrary to common belief, physical activities may even improve life when living with asthma. Exercise improves general health, strengthens the cardio-respiratory system, increases energy level, lowers levels of stress hormones, enhances immunity, increases resilience. Asthma is not a reason to compromise on physical activities.

Exercise can help in asthma by:

• Improving stamina
• Increasing lungs volume and ability to breathe
• Boosting immunity, and protecting from seasonal illnesses
• Helping in weight loss, correcting hormonal balance, thus reducing asthma attacks
• Improving mood, reducing depression

Exercise helps to keep you healthy; it means that you can better handle asthma attacks. Further, exercise helps by reducing the risk of other ailments like diabetes, stroke, heart diseases, and even some types of cancers.

How much exercise is enough?

Most of the professional organs agree that an adult should have at least 150 minutes of medium intensity exercise a week. However, it does not necessarily mean 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. If a person cannot dedicate enough time to an exercise than one can divide these 30 minutes into several blocks.

One does not necessarily have to go to the gym each day for a workout. There are other ways to start doing exercise:

• Going to job walking, or taking a bus after a few bus stops
• Taking the stairs in place of lift
• Traveling less often by car, instead, going to places by walking or using a bicycle
• Walking the dog
• Playing with children in a park

Some of the asthma friendly exercises are walking, swimming, badminton, team sports like cricket, yoga, and so on.

However, some precaution is needed in “exercise-induced asthma.” It is asthma triggered by exercise. If you have an asthma attack each time after a physical exertion than it could be exercise-induced asthma, however, it is not a contraindication to exercise; it merely means that doctor may need to prescribe specific kind of medications.

Asthma and bodybuilding

Asthma is not a rational excuse not to exercise. In most cases, asthma will only get better with exercise. Bodybuilding will boost confidence, improve looks, reduce attacks. However, it is important to take medications on time and actively manage your disease.

Can a person with asthma use anabolic steroids? Yes, surely. There is no known case of allergy or worsening of asthma in reaction to anabolic. It means that an asthmatic can use most anabolic steroids if needed. Similarly, one can also take dietary supplements like creatinine, protein shakes, and so on.