Allergies and Exercise: How to Stay Active and Healthy Despite Allergies

01 May Allergies and Exercise: How to Stay Active and Healthy Despite Allergies

Introduction

You’ve probably heard that exercise is good for you. It can help you lose weight, improve your mood and reduce the risk of heart disease. But what if you have allergies? Can you still exercise safely?
Well, yes! In fact, research suggests that regular physical activity can actually help prevent allergies in children by strengthening their immune systems. But if you already suffer from seasonal or year-round allergies (or even asthma), it’s important to be aware of how they might affect your ability to exercise safely–and what steps you can take to protect yourself while working out outdoors or indoors with other people who may be at risk for allergic reactions themselves.

Tips for Managing Allergies While Exercising

• Be aware of the symptoms of allergies. If you’re exercising and start to notice any of the following, it’s time to stop:
• Sneezing or coughing
• Runny nose
• Itchy eyes and/or throat
• Swelling in your face or neck (this could indicate anaphylaxis)

Exercises to Avoid

If you have allergies, it’s important to know that certain exercises can make your symptoms worse. High-impact activities like running and jumping can irritate airways and cause swelling of the nasal passages. If pollen is in the air, these activities will increase exposure to allergens that may trigger a reaction. Outdoor activities also increase exposure because they bring pollen into contact with your skin as well as clothing and hair.
Exercises that involve contact with pollen-producing plants (such as grass or ragweed) should be avoided during allergy season if possible; however, if they are necessary for fitness purposes (such as jogging), wear protective gear such as long sleeves and pants so that your skin doesn’t come into direct contact with these plants’ leaves or flowers.

Exercises to Try

• Low-impact activities. If you have allergies, the best way to stay active is by doing low-impact activities like walking or swimming. These exercises will help you maintain your overall health without irritating your airways as much as other forms of exercise do.
• Indoor activities. If you’re worried about pollen exposure when exercising outside, try an indoor activity instead! This way, even if there are plants around that could trigger an allergic reaction in you (like grass), they won’t be able to reach their pollen into the air and cause trouble for anyone else who’s exercising nearby–or even just walking by on their way home from work or school each day!
• Those that involve minimal contact with pollen-producing plants (if possible). Some people may not have access to an indoor gym facility close enough by where they live; however there are still ways around this problem: One option would be finding another person who lives nearby who also wants someone else around while working out together so they can keep each other company while working out at home instead.”

Managing Allergens in the Home

• Cleaning:
• Air filtration:
• Other ways to reduce allergens in the home

Managing Allergens Outside the Home

• Clothing: Wearing a mask or other type of face covering can help reduce allergens in the air.
• Air filtration systems: If you have an air filter system at home, make sure it’s working properly and keeping the air clean for everyone who lives there.
• Vacuuming: Vacuum all carpets, rugs and upholstery regularly to remove dust mites and pollen that may be hiding in your home’s fibers.

Preventing Allergic Reactions

There are several ways to prevent allergic reactions and stay active. The first is by checking the pollen count before you head out. If it’s high, consider staying indoors or taking medication to reduce your symptoms. You should also keep an eye out for triggers like grasses and trees that may cause you to sneeze or cough during exercise. If you know there are certain times of year when pollen counts are higher than normal, try scheduling workouts accordingly–or just avoid outdoor activities altogether until spring arrives!

Managing Allergic Reactions

• Know the signs of an allergic reaction:
• If you have a current or past history of severe allergies, it’s important to know what symptoms to look out for. The most common signs include redness around the mouth and throat; itchy skin; swelling of lips, tongue or face; difficulty breathing (it may sound obvious but this can be confused with exercise-induced asthma); dizziness or lightheadedness due to low blood pressure; hives (small bumps on skin).
• What to do if one occurs: If you experience any of these symptoms during exercise, stop immediately and seek medical attention from someone who has been trained in treating allergic reactions–not just your regular doctor!

Managing Stress and Anxiety

If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, there are a number of ways to manage it. Breathing exercises can help calm your body and mind. Mindfulness is another great way to reduce stress and anxiety by focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about the future or reliving past events. If these methods aren’t working for you, talk with your doctor about other options that could help reduce your symptoms.

Conclusion

• Allergies don’t have to stop you from being active and healthy.
• If you have allergies, there are some things you can do to help reduce the impact of your symptoms.
• You may want to talk with your doctor about whether allergy shots would be right for you.