Healthy Fresno

The first step to improving your lung health is to learn how healthy your lungs already are. You should also find out whether you are at risk for developing lung disease later. Your doctor can help you with this. In the meantime, here are some suggestions doctors make for improving and maintaining lung health:

• Exercise: Just 30 minutes of physical activity, three to five times a week can make a big difference in the health of your lungs. If you exercise outdoors, try to do it in the morning or early evening when it’s cooler outside. That way, you won’t be exposed to the sun during peak hours or to some of the more harmful pollutants that are in the air during the day.

• Quit smoking: Using tobacco products greatly increases your risk for developing lung cancer or emphysema. It can also cause serious health problems for people with asthma. Children exposed to second-hand smoke at home are at also at a greater risk for developing asthma.
  

• Keep your home healthy: Make sure your home is free of common allergens, such as cigarette smoke, dust, mold, cockroaches, or pet dander.
  

If you have asthma, you can prevent the frequency and severity of attacks by learning to avoid the triggers of asthma attacks. These triggers can be different for each person, but here are a few general tips you can follow (in addition to the treatment your doctor recommends) to help you control your asthma better: 

• Identify and avoid allergens that cause or worsen asthma attack. Some of these allergens could be dust mites, tobacco smoke, or foods and beverages that contain sulfites found in shrimp or dried fruits.

• Get your flu shot each year (unless you are allergic to egg whites), and wash your hands frequently during cold season. Colds and the flu can trigger asthma attacks and other serious health problems for people with asthma.
  

• Be aware of other medications you take and whether they can worsen your asthma. Some over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen, are common triggers for an asthma attacks.
  

• Keep warm during the winter and cool during the summer. Changes in temperature and humidity can worsen the effects of asthma.

• Be smart about your exercise habits. Strenuous exercise can cause an asthma attack. Try to find ways to work out for a longer period of time at a less demanding pace to achieve your fitness goals. Also avoid working out in weather that can trigger an asthma attack such as the cold. If you do want to work out outdoors, wear a mask or scarf over your face in the winter.

• Learn techniques for controlling anger and other emotional stress. Personal anxiety or emotional distress can also trigger an asthma attack.