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Q
and A
 Asthma
is not a problem with breathing in, but with breathing out. Stale
air gets trapped in the bottom of the lungs, forcing you to use the
top part to gasp for air.
Q.
What is the primary cause of asthma?
A. ALLERGIES. Between 50 percent and 90 percent of people with asthma
have allergies. The most common allergens, or allergy-causing substances,
are pollen, grass, dust, mold, tobacco smoke and animal dander.
Q.
What triggers an asthma attack?
A. An asthma episode can be set off by various environmental or emotional
"triggers," such as chemicals, pollution, pollen, animal dander, tobacco
smoke, exercise and stress.
Q.
Should Asthmatics exercise?
A. Exercise is as important for people with asthma as it is for anyone
else. Equipped with the proper medication, people with asthma can
exercise normally.
Q.
Normally, a person without asthma can exhale about 75 percent to 85
percent of the air in the lungs within a second, emptying them within
three seconds. How many seconds does it take an Asthmatic to empty
air in the lungs?
A. It takes a person with Asthma six or seven seconds to expel all
the air from the lungs.
Q.
If you have Asthma, do you need to see a Doctor?
A. YES. If you have asthma, you should see a doctor regularly;
for severe episodes, conventional medical treatment is always necessary.
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Studies
have shown that increased levels of physical activity are associated
with a reduced incidence of coronary heart disease, hypertension,
non-insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, depression
and anxiety.
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Active
people with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes
or other chronic diseases are less likely to die prematurely than
inactive people with these conditions.
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Inactive
people lose muscle fiber at a rate of 3 to 5 percent every decade
after age 30. That's a 30 percent loss of muscle fiber by age
60! Health experts warn that as a consequence of diminished exercise
tolerance, a large and increasing number of elderly people will
be living below, at, or just above "thresholds of physical ability."
In this condition, a minor illness could make them completely
dependent on others for their daily care.
Diet
Hints for COPD
Here are some ways you
can help yourself eat meals that provide your body with the nutrients
it needs. If you have certain favorite foods you're not sure about,
ask your dietitian if they are high in carbohydrate. Your dietitian
may suggest ways that other foods can be used to balance the carbohydrate
in those foods you most enjoy.
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Choose
foods that are easy to prepare. If you use all your energy to
cook, you won't have enough left to eat.
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Ask
a family member or friend to help with grocery shopping or cooking
if you are too short of breath to do these tasks.
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Rest
just before eating.
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Eat
more food early in the morning if you're usually too tired to
eat later in the day.
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Avoid
foods that cause gas or bloating. They tend to make breathing
more difficult.
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Eat
4 to 6 small meals a day. This way your diaphragm can move freely
and let your lungs fill with air and empty out more easily.
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Use
water-packed fruit, or fruit with no added sugar. Fresh fruit
is also a good choice.
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Add
margarine or other sources of fat to breads and vegetables. If
high cholesterol levels are a problem for you, use mono- or polyunsaturated
fat, oils and margarines. Add margarine or other sources of fat
to breads and vegetables. If high cholesterol levels are a problem
for you, use mono- or polyunsaturated fat, oils and margarines.
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If
drinking liquids with meals makes you feel too full to eat, limit
liquids with meals; drink an hour after meals. · Use artificially
sweetened jams, jellies, and hard candies.
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