Running Better With Asthma
Many professional and semi-professional athletes, especially runners, have asthma attacks when participating in their sport. So, if you want to be a distance or cross-country runner, yet you have asthma, does this mean that you can't participate in such active sports? Not at all! So here are some tips for running better with asthma.
| * Research shows that gradually running is much easier on asthmatic lungs than intense, all-out speed. This is true both when learning the sport and also when practicing. Short, intense bursts of speed can leave the asthmatic runner desperately gasping for air, so longer, slower, endurance runs are easier on the lungs. * Running in cold, dry weather is harder on the lungs than warmer, moist conditions. If the lungs are kept moist and warm, then an attack is much less likely, since dryer and colder conditions are triggers. |
* If you are going to be running in cold weather, using a scarf or muffler to protect your nose and throat may help.
* Be informed about your medications, and pay close attention to your requirements to minimize the possibility of an outbreak. Getting careless due to inattention or the excitement of an event may result in unpleasant consequences.
* Keep your body in good shape. Regular aerobic exercise, in particular, will help to develop your lungs and might prevent them from reacting when you especially don't want them to.
* Yoga, with its gentle stretching and concentration on the breath can greatly help asthmatics to stay fit and avoid attacks induced by running. With yoga, every movement is coordinated with the breath and this discipline will greatly help when actually running on the track. You can learn to coordinate your running steps with your breath in a mindful way that reduces the likelihood of an asthma attack. In addition, yoga greatly relaxes the body and reduces stress. Often the fear of an asthma attack is exactly the trigger that brings on a real one.
There are Olympic runners that compete successfully even though they have asthma. If you pay attention you can be certain of running better with asthma and not allowing this dehabilitating disease to keep you from competing. Asthma that might be only an annoyance to a non-athlete can be the difference between success of failure in an athlete.
For a fabulous bargain & empowering information, check out "Kiss Your Asthma Goodbye"