Jason+Smith

=What Is Asthma?= Asthma is a disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity and frequency from person to person. Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in affected individuals, and for some people become worse during physical activity or at night. During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swell, causing the airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. Recurrent asthma symptoms frequently cause sleeplessness, daytime fatigue, reduced activity levels and school and work absenteeism. Asthma has a relatively low fatality rate compared to other diseases. =Air Quality Levels= Air Quality Levels can vary widely from area to area and season to season. The air quality level for Mays Landing, NJ was "Moderate" for 12/31/10. =﻿Asthma Triggers= Asthma attacks can be triggered by dust, pollen, mold, dander, smoke, air pollution, nervousness, and over-exertion. Some examples of "triggers" are pictured here:



=How Athletes Cope With Asthma= Paula shattered the women's world marathon best in Chicago. This crowned a remarkable year that also saw Paula win the Commonwealth Games 5,000m, the European Championships 10,000m, the London Marathon and World Cross Country Championships. Paula's asthma was diagnosed at the age of 14. She keeps her asthma under control by making sure she always gets the right level of treatment.
 * Paula Radcliffe**

Paula - beating asthma - and beating the clock

=﻿What Asthma Feels Like= Breathing through a straw after exercising is like gasping for air non-stop. It is like holding your breath under water too long and trying to get to the surface. It is a horrible feeling. =If I Had Asthma= If I had Asthma I know I wouldn't be able to use my trampolene as easily as I do now. I might even have to take it really easy when playing Video games as sometimes I can get really excited by them. Even riding my bike might have to be limited. Also, I might have to see Doctors a lot more than I do now.

=Why Is There More Asthma Today?= The quality of the air we breathe is not as good as it once was due to air pollution. High concentrations of ozone cause the lungs to be irritated. Also, homes are better insulated today than years ago causing bad air to stay indoors. Some studies suggest 125 million Americans are breathing air that is of poor quality. =﻿Coping With Asthma= Try to relax if an attack occurs. Make notes of anything you think may have triggered the attack. Do not bend over as this puts pressure on the diaphram. Use an inhaler in the proper manner. Here is a video on dealing with asthma (you have to sit through the commercial at the beginning). []#!