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Old 08-16-05, 10:30 PM
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mtnroads
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tucson, AZ and SE Asia
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I have had asthma since I was a kid but it hasn't prevented me from doing lots of aerobic exercise for most of my adult life. As a kid though, it was miserable since we didn't really understand it in those days. I have both EIA as well as allergy-triggered from pollens, molds, certain foods, and pet dander. The allergic reactions are more debilitating and can literally send one to a hospital, although it's only happened a couple of times to me. I now take shots for the allergies, moved to an area of cleaner air, and have cut out foods like dairy that exacerbate it, so it rarely acts up anymore.

The EIA is not usually as bad - it reduces lung capacity and strength but one usually feels it coming on, can back off, and then remain functional to some degree. There have been a few times when I had to walk back from a run when I started out too fast. For me, cold dry air is a killer - I will get an attack in 5 min from shoveling snow or x-country skiing if I don't use an inhaler first. Warm, dry air is best - one reason people used to move to AZ for it. You learn to manage it and it isn't a problem. I don't even carry an inhaler with me anymore, unless I'm going somewhere overnight where I might run into a problem. And I keep one in the car.

Now, with respect to exercise. In pollen season or when it is cold, I don't run or bike without taking a puff off the inhaler first, the rest of the year I'm fine without it. Warm up slowly, and breath through the nose as much as possible, to pre-heat and filter the air to your lungs. BTW, yoga is excellent for learning to control your breathing. Once you get going on your workout, especially if you make it past 45 min, most people will not experience a problem. This is the key that will eventually allow you to reduce the use of the inhaler. Many trained athletes with EIA also have a starting routine to warm up slowly, and prevent it from occuring.

Lastly, I cannot emphasize enough - do not live, work, or exercise where the air is bad if you have asthma! Smog, smoke, diesel particulates and chemicals are really bad for your lungs. You have to make it a priority to protect them. Even though you can get away with using the inhaler to prevent an actual attack, as I did for years when running in Sacramento, in the summertime, you will still cause damage that is cumulative. Between the air quality and the pollen, it got so bad there that I had problems breathing at night, which is the main reason I eventually moved out here near the coast, where we get really clean air off the ocean year round. You have to make it a priority.

john

Last edited by mtnroads; 08-16-05 at 10:40 PM.
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