What exactly is asthma?
One of the most serious manifestations of allergy,asthma results in chronic inflammation leading to swelling of the inner wall of the bronchi, contraction of the muscles around them and more profuse secretion of mucus, all of which shrink their caliber. Result: the air has difficulty passing, especially when exhaling.
Would living by the sea be a good idea?
Some asthmatics feel better at the seaside. So when they are allergic to birch pollen, which is primarily a forest tree, they are likely to cough less and be less breathless. Many other pollens are also less frequent on beaches, not to mention that the wind blowing from the sea tends to drive them from the coasts. On the other hand, humidity can promote the proliferation of dust mites and mold in homes. Bad pick for those who are sensitive to it! This is why doctors usually recommend the mountain as the ideal vacation spot for allergic, summer, like winter. Clean air contains fewer irritating pollutants and, most importantly, it gets drier and cooler the higher you go. An environment which is extremely displeasing to dust mites: they disappear from an altitude of 1,500 meters. It is therefore no coincidence that thermal establishments for people with asthma are often located in mountain ranges …
Why avoid the proximity of the main roads?
There is no shortage of studies to denounce the harmfulness of automobile pollution and its implication in chronic diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular accidents, etc.) and respiratory diseases. The Aphekom study conducted in ten major towns European Respiratory Journal (“European Respiratory Journal”) estimated that it alone would be responsible for 14% of asthma cases in children. According to the researchers, this damage is due to oxidative stress caused by pollutants on the body’s cells, leading to permanent inflammation. In 2007, the Piama cohort, following 4,000 Dutch babies since birth, observed an increased risk of developing an allergy, as well as ENT infections, among 4-year-olds who were exposed to heavy road traffic. “They are also more sensitive to food allergens,” says Dr. Annesi-Maesano. The effects of pollution are felt from the second trimester of intrauterine life and affect lung development until adolescence. A fact perfectly noted by Prof. James Gauderman, of the University of Southern California, still in 2007. Having evaluated the respiratory capacity of 3,600 10-year-old children residing in twelve different urban areas, he found lung development much lower for those who live within 500 meters of a major highway, compared to children who are more than 1,500 meters away.
If you cannot move out, take at least a few precautions: ventilate the house early in the morning or late at night, once the busy hours have passed and, above all, take advantage of the green spaces to play sports or take the children for a walk.