Current asthma-related statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state that one in 13 people has asthma. In the United States, more than 25 million people suffer from asthma. This includes 7.7 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children.
Approximately 11 Americans die from asthma every day. Each year, more than 4,000 people die due to asthma. The sad thing is that most of these deaths could have been avoided with proper treatment and care.
There are several types of asthma:
- Adult-onset asthma
- Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB)
- Allergic asthma
- Non-allergic asthma
- Asthma-COPD overlap
- Occupational asthma
Most of us are more familiar with allergic asthma. However, even those with adult-onset, asthma-COPD overlap and occupational asthma may react when exposed to allergens. These allergens include certains trees, fabrics, grass, weed pollen, dust mites, cockroaches, and pet dander.
Other common asthma triggers include irritants found in the air, such as smoke, pollution, chemical fumes, and even strong odors like perfume. One thing is clear - asthma sufferers benefit from clean air.
Asthma attacks can range from painful to life-threatening. This is why it is important for families of asthma sufferers to ensure their homes do not harbor asthma triggers that can seriously hurt their asthmatic family members.
Precautions to take
People with asthma have little recourse when it comes to environmental allergens and irritants that may be present when they are outdoors or outside of their homes. However, at home, there are simple, precautionary measures that you can take to help reduce the incidence of an asthma attack:
- Know your asthma triggers: Identify what causes your asthma attacks. Make a list of triggers, especially the uncommon suspects such as certain food additives, stress and extreme emotional states.
- Get rid of allergens at home: Reduce the possibility of exposure to allergens at home by investing in air purifiers with medical grade air filters that will get rid of airborne irritants.
- Avoid all types of smoke and fumes: This means no smoking. Also avoid strong perfumes and scented candles. Essential oils can be a great alternative!
- Strengthen your immune system: Eat nutritious food, get adequate sleep, and engage in low to medium-impact exercise to give your immune system a boost. This way, you can avoid common infections like colds or the flu, which can make your asthma symptoms worse.
- Get your home deep cleaned: Ensuring your environment is clean and hygienic is one way to allergy-proof your environment.
Breathe easy with clean air
Living with asthma is no small feat. However, there are ways by which you can manage it when you’re at home. Ensure you and your family are breathing in clean air by investing in something as simple as air purifiers equipped with medical grade air filters.
Learn why medical grade makes all the difference!
