Breathing Through the Winter
How does your asthma hold up in the winter months? For me, I cannot afford to take my eye off the ball. I am doing well presently, which I am extremely pleased about.
My asthma is usually far worse by this time of year. So how have I managed to keep my asthma at bay so far?
Part of it is being proactive and taking the right steps, and the other part of it is just luck. Sometimes a person can take all the precautionary measures and still fall sick. Of course, this does not mean we should not try to stay well, but if we do get sick, we should not beat ourselves up over it.
Finding effective ways to preventing asthma flares
One of the steps I take to help keep asthma away is to make sure I spend most of my time indoors, or in the car. When I do go out I wrap up as if I am in a blustery blizzard. Wearing a mask or something to stop the bitterly cold air from filtering down into my lungs is important if I want to stay well.
My coats are always appropriate for the weather. They are often waterproof and quilted. I swear by a decent winter coat. It can be the thing that stops me from getting sick. If I can prevent this then there is a greater chance I will keep my asthma away.
Keeping an eye on my breathing
The other thing I do is to keep an eye on my peak-flow readings. If things start to go south I take action by increasing my meds. Obviously, I run this by my doctor. There is always a running communication between us.
Heating my apartment is key in preventing dampness. The heat is timed to come on an hour in the early morning and again in the evening. This keeps my apartment from feeling like an ice box and therefore helps keep the asthma at bay.
My diet is a major factor too
Diet intake is another big thing for me during the cold winter season. I eat lots of hot soups, and drink warm drinks to keep myself well-hydrated and, well, warm! Soups are so easy to make in big batches. I pack mine with loads of vegetables: carrots, broccoli, onions, and tomatoes.
Drinks-wise, I love coffee and different types of tea. We all know there are many delicious flavors of tea out there but my main objective is to always put something hot inside my system.
Keeping our asthma at bay during the winter
We have at least another 3 months of the cold season and I will stick to these basic principles of being prepared. I do not want to jinx things, but I seem to be managing things well, and I have been fortunate in the fact I have been able to escape picking up any bugs.
This has been the reason why my asthma has been manageable. And if nothing else, keeping these practices and trying to stop or prevent getting ill is just good practice. There is a lot to be said about being organized.
Does anyone else have any tips or suggestions on how they get through the winter months with their asthma? Share in the comments section below.
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