Our goal on Cleverly Changing is to have open conversations about health. Regardless of your health needs we want to shed light on healthy habits and how to break habits that can hinder your well-being.
Although, asthma is challenging. Add a smoking habit and it’s highly likely a person will have issues with breathing, exercising, etc. One of the best things smokers who have asthma can do is to rid themselves of their nicotine addiction. Here’s how to improve your asthma condition and get away from cigarettes for good.
Asthma and Smoking
An outsider may scratch their head at a person with asthma who also smokes. Why would they seek habits that can worsen their medical condition? However, as those with asthma know, it’s hard to quit smoking. First, those who use nicotine develop a physical addiction to the chemical it produces, dopamine, and makes a person feel good.
Secondly, smoking cigarettes becomes psychologically addictive since the behavior is associated with habits and routines. A walk outside or visit with a friend can become a trigger, and smokers take out a cigarette and light up without thinking about what he or she is doing.
Thirdly, people smoke due to social pressure and cues. Some people smoke when they go out to eat or when they go to bars and drink alcohol. For a person trying to quit, people, places, and things become reminders of their addiction. However, there are ways to walk away.
Methods of Quitting
Over the years, quitters have endorsed several methods of ridding themselves of nicotine addiction. For one, doctors prescribe a range of medications smokers can take orally. Additionally, one may use nicotine alternatives such as a patch or chewing gum. Otherwise, smokers can try behavior modification or a mixture of methods to help them quit. While stopping ‘cold turkey’ continues to be the most popular method, it is not the most effective. Actually, those who go from smoking e-cigs to vaping have success, and some report an alleviation of asthmatic symptoms.
Asthmatic Relief
A study involving smokers and vapers found that those who used less nicotine, vaping more and smoking less, reported a relief of asthmatic symptoms. However, in doing research, one is going to find contradictory information related to vaping. Watch the video above because there are huge issues associated with vaping and explosions.
Associated to the relief of asthma is the regrowth of cilia, tiny like hairs in the respiratory tract. The regrowth occurs as one weens away from nicotine. Some report a scratchy throat and an increase in coughing, which could be confused with asthmatic symptoms.
Vaping and Natural Remedies
People adopt vaping to get away from cigarettes. E-juice mixtures vary. Ingredients include nicotine, vegetable glycol or propylene glycol, along with assorted flavors. Some devices allow for users to make their own e-liquid. For example, some suggest including mint to helps soothe the throat. Echinacea, licorice root, and honey are known natural remedies that combat asthma. Perhaps you could try mixing natural ingredients in with your chosen e-juice.
New research suggests that e-cigarette vapor produces tiny particles that users suck deep into their lungs, potentially causing or worsening respiratory diseases . . . The study found formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, in overheated vapor produced by high-power e-cigarette devices known as tank systems, the newspaper reported. These systems are larger devices than typical e-cigarettes, and are designed to vaporize liquid nicotine quickly to give users a bigger nicotine kick. (Thompson)
Although, vaping is now safe, please do your own research because recent health studies suggest otherwise.
Bring the Beverages
While vaping helps relieve asthmatic symptoms, don’t forget that the vaping industry is unregulated. Thus, vaping can have terrifying risk associated with it. It can also make a person feel dehydrated, so it’s best to drink water too. Also, coffee may offer some relief for those with asthma. Caffeine serves as a bronchodilator and the hot temperature of the beverage helps clear air passageways.
In a 2007 study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers pooled and analyzed the results of a half dozen clinical trials looking at the effects of caffeine on asthmatics. They found that caffeine produced small improvements in airway function for up to four hours, compared with a placebo, and that even a small dose — less than the amount in a cup of Starbucks coffee — could improve lung function for up to two hours.
In other words, in a pinch, a cup of coffee or strong tea might provide some momentary relief.
But the improvements are very slight, studies show — certainly not enough to make caffeine a replacement for medication. The other problem is that because of their chemical similarities, consuming too much caffeine can compound any side effects of theophylline. As a result, doctors advise people taking that medication to watch their consumption of coffee, tea, chocolate and other foods with caffeine. (O’Connor)
About the author: Jenny is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about health and wellness. She also enjoys reading and long walks on the beach. Thanks so much for sharing your insight on self-care.
References:
The Doctor Oz Show. Dr. Jen Goes Undercover To Ask About E-Cigarettes On The Doctor Oz Show. 2017. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.
O’Connor, Anahad. “Can Coffee Ease Asthma Symptoms?”. Nytimes.com. N.p., 29 Nov. 2010. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.
Thompson, Dennis. “E-Cigarette Vapor Contains Potentially Harmful Particles: Review”. WebMD. N.p., 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.
