Asthma and Being Active
It is a well known fact that 1 out of 6 New Zealanders have asthma! Although asthma affects breathing it doesn't mean an asthmatic needs to stop playing sport or being active!

Do you have an asthmatic in your family, or know someone who is an asthmatic? If so, keep reading for some great tips and hints to make physical activity easier for your child.

What Is Asthma?
When you have asthma your breathing tubes react to things that would normally cause no problem, such as cold air or pollen. The muscle around the wall of the tube tightens up making it narrow. The lining of the breathing tube becomes swollen, and sticky mucus is produced, clogging up the breathing passages.

With the tubes narrowed like this, it is difficult for air to move in and out, and the chest has to work harder. Tightening of the muscle around the breathing tubes can happen quickly and is the most common cause of mild asthma. It can be relieved quickly too, with the inhaler.

Keeping active
Some asthma is triggered by exercise but most people with asthma can do regular activity without being affected. Remember physical activity is fun, good for your heart, circulation, bones and muscles. You also feel better if you're fit!

If you have asthma remember to check these things before you exercise:

• Make sure you have your inhaler with you. Use your reliever inhaler before you start.
• Tell your coach or teacher that you have asthma - sometimes they can carry your inhaler
• Warm up e.g. run on the spot for 30 seconds, do thirty star jumps at an easy pace resting after each ten. Building up your level of exercise gradually reduces the chance of getting asthma that is caused by exercise
• Be aware that exercising in the cold air may trigger asthma
• Try to keep away from flowering grasses or freshly mown grass

Breathe don't heave!
Slow deep breaths through your nose with the right pattern may help stop asthma caused by exercise.

Follow these four steps to good breathing:

1. Breathe through your nose. Nose breathing is easier said than done if you aren't used to it or if you have a blocked nose due to hayfever. Nose breathing may take practice.

2. Be a belly-breather. Your diaphragm is a large muscle separating your lungs from your abdomen. It can work away forever and never get tired. If you use your chest muscles instead of your diaphragm, you feel tired and tense. Using your diaphragm will soon become automatic but you have to break old patterns of breathing first. This takes a little attention and practice.

Follow these steps to practice belly-breathing;

• Sit in an upright chair - sit tall but stay relaxed
• Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly
• Breathe in gently but fully through your nose
• As you breathe in, pay attention to the movement of your hands
• If you are using mainly your diaphragm to breathe, the hand on your belly will be pushed forwards slightly as your belly expands
• If you are using mainly your chest muscles to breathe, the hand on your chest will be pushed upwards and outwards as your chest expands
• Practice both ways of breathing and feel the difference

Now you have felt the benefits of belly-breathing, practice for a few moments several times a day. Soon belly-breathing will be automatic.

3. Relax to let air flow out slowly. Forcing air out makes it harder for the air to flow freely. It's important to just relax and let the air flow out slowly. Notice how natural this feels.

4. Breathe in a rhythmic pattern. When you are tense or anxious you breathe faster, taking shorter, shallower breaths. This way of breathing is tiring. Try breathing fast now and notice how it makes you feel. Up tight? Frightened? When you remember to breathe slowly, you feel calmer and can cope better with stress.

Information sourced from the Asthma & Respiratory Foundation of NZ.