If you have asthma or exercise-induced asthma, there is no reason you cannot be active and pursue healthy fitness activities, provided your asthma treatment keeps your asthma symptoms under control. And there are many benefits from physical activity and fitness that go beyond asthma, including weight control, better sleep, less stress, stronger heart, etc.

This time of year, many people like to get “out in nature” to do their exercise, from running to cycling or even walking. If you live in the city, though, that can mean exposing yourself to dangerous levels of air pollution and motorized vehicle exhaust. And that’s definitely NOT a good thing for anyone, but especially for people with asthma.

Air pollution and car exhaust are considered asthma irritants. Irritants can’t set off an immune response as allergens like pollen can. But, they do irritate already inflamed airways, and asthma symptoms can worsen as a result. So, although exercising is good for you, exercising outside in an urban environment if you have asthma is NOT.

The only solution is either to find a non-urban location or one where traffic is not heavy for your outdoor exercise, such as a park, or to exercise indoors. If you must exercise outdoors in the city, then try to do it in the early morning or evening, when the sun is not at its peak and ozone levels are lower. Ozone is a main ingredient in smog and results from an interaction between sunlight and car exhaust. Using these strategies will also help you avoid seasonal airborne asthma triggers, such as pollens and mold.

Learn More:

• Exercise-Induced Asthma
• Asthma Symptoms
• Asthma Triggers