Sunday, July 14, 2013

7 Triggers of Asthma Symptoms - How to Eliminate Them


Although there may be many factors triggering asthma flares, seven of them seem to be the most common and deserve closer attention. We shall try to eliminate all of them concurrently if we want to reach satisfactory temporary and long term results. The 7 triggers of asthma symptoms are:

1. Polluted and toxic air
2. Air borne allergens
3. Food allergens
4. Digestive problems leading to hypersensitivity of the immune system
5. Improper breathing
6. Unreleased emotions
7. Stress

The symptoms of what is described as "asthma" can be triggered by any of these factors and/or by their combination. Therefore all of them should be always addressed at the same time.

1. Polluted and toxic air
It seems that we cannot do much as far as air around us is concerned, but we can at least take care of the quality of the air we breathe at home. The first thing to do is to keep all air pollutants away from your home, including cigarette smoke, excess moisture and chemicals.

Ventilating is another way to improve the quality of air at home. Use exhaust fans in the bathroom and kitchen. Check the efficiency of your house exhaust systems for stoves and appliances.
Do not allow smoking in your home, your office and in your presence.

2. Air borne allergens
If possible, avoid exposure to air borne allergens, like pollen and mold, especially when their concentration in the air is high. If you have to go out, follow those three simple steps to limit your exposure to air borne allergens: wear a mask with HEPA filter, keep windows in your car shut and turn the air condition on while driving, take a shower and change clothes as soon as you get back home to remove pollen that gathered in your hair and on exposed parts of your body, and on your clothes

3. Food allergens
The most obvious tip is to avoid allergenic food. You should also avoid alcohol and caffeine as they have strong allergenic properties. You should eat as much raw vegetables and fruit as possible since they are rich in flavonoids and other nutrients helping you avoid allergic reaction.

4. Digestive problems
Digestive problems are often caused by irregular eating, eating to much or eating to little, and eating too fast. You must learn the habit to eat regularly, eat slowly, and chew well in a stress free way. Have a look at your daily schedule and try to plan 4-6 meals during the day and at times when nobody and nothing will disturb you.

5. Improper breathing
You may wonder if there is something like proper and improper breathing. Everybody can breathe, right? Right, but then why some people can run long distance and keep their breath while others are out of breath after a flight of stairs? Breathing mechanics are essential here. Fortunately, you can learn optimal breathing techniques and improve your breathing skills. You might start with "The Science of Breath. A Practical Guide" by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine, MD, and Alan Hymes, MD.

6. Unreleased emotions.
Anger, fear, hate, and many other negative emotions have a great negative impact upon our breathing and breathing efficiency. We can not always deal with them at once, and we let them remain inside. This may lead to further problems. When you find a subconscious way to "suppress" those emotions by changing the breathing pattern, such breathing pattern, often very restrictive, will appear each time you experience that bad emotion. Finally, however, those suppressed emotions will manifest themselves in a way of a dysfunction or pain.

7. Stress
Stress is also a factor that changes the way you breathe in a negative way. It usually results in short and shallow breath, and chronic stress can fix that pattern, leading to further problems. Therefore, you should learn at least basic stress management and relaxation techniques to help you to deal with stress at all times. You can also create your own de-stressing rituals to get you out of negative thoughts and excessive strain on your nervous system and respiratory system.

The 7 triggers of asthma symptoms described above are the most common ones, although they may not be the only ones. Dealing with them, however, should reduce the risk of occurrence of asthma episodes significantly. The tips on coping with them given here are also just general guidelines which everybody should investigate further on their own. Learning the right way to breathe, to control your emotions, and to control the quality of your closest environment will greatly contribute to your health and quality of life.

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