Affecting millions of people around the globe, asthma is an inflammatory disease that causes difficulty in breathing. There is no cure for this disease, however, with proper measures and medications you can keep the asthma symptoms under control. Asthma symptoms may differ in severity from person to person. For few individuals, an asthma attack may just seem like a tiny nuisance, while for others the symptoms may wreak havoc in their day to day lives.

The most commonly experienced asthma symptoms are difficulty in breathing, pain in the chest, wheezing, and coughing. Research has found that your lifestyle can have a major impact on the symptoms of this inflammatory disease. A few habits could trigger an asthma attack and may lead to life-threatening conditions. Here’s a curated list of useful lifestyle tips for managing asthma that can help you avert an attack.

Foods for asthma

Certain foods may trigger an asthma attack and also help keep asthma symptoms at bay. Particular asthma-friendly foods include:

• Magnesium-rich food sources (i.e, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and kale).

• Foods rich in vitamin D-rich (i.e., eggs, cheese, and milk).
• Foods such as leafy greens and carrots, which are loaded with beta carotene.

Stop smoking
This particular lifestyle tip may seem like a no brainer. However, staying away from tobacco smoking can have a major impact on a person suffering from this chronic disease. Various studies have established tobacco smoke as a trigger for an asthma attack. Furthermore, smoking can worsen the condition, cause a flare-up of the asthma symptoms, weaken the respiratory system and lead to life-threatening scenarios. It has been found that passive smoking can prove to be equally harmful to people suffering from asthma.

Identify your triggers
Identifying the triggers that exacerbate the symptoms is among the most important lifestyle tips for managing asthma. The most common triggers that can provoke this inflammatory disease and lead to an attack are air pollution, dust mites, furry pets, mold, etc. Prolonged exposure to any of these allergens could trigger an attack. It is critical for people suffering from asthma to identify the triggers to be able to cope with this chronic illness.

Stay physically active
Physical activity is essential for everyone including individuals suffering from asthma. Inducing breathing exercises and yoga in your lifestyle can work wonders on the health of your lungs that can further help manage the symptoms of this reactive airway disease. Additionally, regular physical activity can help bring down stress levels, a common trigger associated with asthma attacks.

Lose excess weight
There are a large number of studies indicating the connection between excess weight and asthma attacks. Asthma patients who are overweight are more likely to experience frequent attacks. In order to cope with this disease and prevent the symptoms from flaring up, it is essential to lose excess weight. Maintaining healthy body weight is among the most useful lifestyle tips for managing asthma that overweight individuals should follow.

As per the studies, your lifestyle habits can have a direct impact on the body’s ability to cope with a chronic illness like asthma. The above-stated lifestyle tips can come in handy and help you manage the asthma symptoms in an effective way. Work on lifestyle habits that trigger an asthma attack to live a more comfortable life.