My roaring asthmatic 20's

Not mad, just disappointed

When I was younger, my pediatrician told me that I would most likely grow out of my asthma when I reached adulthood. So far that hasn't been the case. Here's how I cope:

Know the air you breathe 

Monitoring air quality is exceptionally important. Resources like Air Now gives a detailed description of how healthy the air is to breathe throughout the day. This is a great travel resource as well because you can scope out a city's pollution before booking a trip. 

Monitoring Indoor Humidity

Winters are especially dry for me, which makes it difficult to breathe. Getting a humidifier guarantees me at least 8 hours of good air a day while I'm home after work or sleeping. It's important to get a humidifier that monitors the humidity level in the room. Too much humidity can cause mold and is dangerous. Your ideal relative humidity percentage is between 40% and 50%, according to Thermastor

See also: Guide to Warm vs. Cool Humidifiers (Mayo Clinic)

Inhalers & Backups

I always try to have a prescription inhaler on me, but sometimes I'm on the go and forget it at home. Recently, the FDA approved an over the counter inhaler, called Primatene. It doesn't replace a prescription inhaler, but it could help you get through a rough day without your main. 

See also: Asthma Medications: Know your Options (Mayo Clinic)

Asthma-Focused Yoga 

I've been exposed to an entire subset of Yoga dedicated to helping relieve respiratory problems. The positions often involve some intense stretches, but I've found that they help my breathing quite a bit. Here's a link below to a few yoga poses to help asthma: 

Fragrance Tips

I find that my asthma is a lot better when I use slightly less cologne and keep my fragrances as natural as possible. An Australian Study found that "33% of Australians report health problems, such as migraine headaches and asthma attacks, when exposed to fragranced products." I try to wear minimal scent or keep it as natural and oil-based as possible when it comes to fragrance.

What are some of your asthma tips?

With love, 

Richie