Natural asthma control should begin long before your symptoms take hold. Once coughing, wheezing and chest pain begin, many asthma patients have to depend on medications to address bronchial inflammation. Whether you are one of them, you can take proactive steps to reduce the severity of your asthma symptoms and prevent “attacks.” Planning, tracking and making lifestyle and environment changes are simple, natural ways to control asthma.
Identify Triggers
Identify the triggers of your asthma symptoms so that you can avoid them in the future. This is the No. 1 suggestion of doctors, including those at the Mayo Clinic. Watching pollen counts and staying indoors may be the extent of your action plan. It may also entail some difficult choices, such as changing jobs if you have a chemical allergy or parting ways with a pet if dander triggers your asthma. You can get help from a physician in determining which irritants or allergens set your breathing off.
Ban Smoking
Avoiding asthma triggers sometimes requires more specific techniques. If you smoke cigarettes, you can find a natural way to quit through resources suggested by the American Lung Association. If others around you smoke, take it upon yourself to control asthma by declaring your home or another personal space off limits to smoking, a common irritant to airways.
Avoid Aerosols
Aerosol or simple pump sprays diffuse perfumes, cleaners, hair products and other potential allergens into the air. The American Lung Association recognizes these as sources of asthma flare-ups The substance itself or the nebulizing action of the liquid can irritate your nasal passages and lungs. If you aren’t allergic to the ingredients, you may be able to control asthma and continue using a product if you pour instead of spray.
Tame Mold and Humidity
Dust mites and mold, two major allergens that bring on asthma symptoms, enjoy high indoor humidity, reports Health Magazine. Natural ways to reduce these threats are to use dehumidifiers, exhaust fans and window circulation to remove excess moisture in the air. Wipe a 5 percent solution of bleach water over any mold spots on walls, sink fixtures and bathroom tile.
Monitor Your Health
The World Asthma Foundation advises that you monitor your daily health for changes in your asthma symptoms. This natural way of listening to your body will help you and your doctor control asthma by discovering patterns in your triggers and your responses to breathing impairment. The American Lung Association recommends keeping a journal to track your asthma ups and downs, so you doctor can adjust treatment methods as needed.
