HIKING WITH ASTHMA – HOW TO BEAT AND TREAT YOUR OWN BODY

By snee

There are two reasons for which you might be reading an article about hiking with asthma. One, you have asthma and would like to hike. Two, you know someone who struggles with the condition and would like to help. Either way, you have come to the right place. I am an asthmatic and a hiker. Therefore, I know how it feels to do both – painfully wheeze inside your own home and take calm deep breaths on mountains you conquered on your own feet. Without a helicopter.

I am here to write about how I got from one point to another. Hope it will help.

Disclaimer: I am not an MD. The information presented in this text is based on my own experience and research on asthma. They are not by any means to be construed as medical advice nor a substitute for the opinion of your health care professional.

Asthma – what happens and why

Asthma is when you can’t breathe easily or almost not at all. It is like a 200 lb bag of sand that comes flying out of nowhere to hit you in the chest, knock you down and stay there until it feels like it. A relentless bag of sand with nothing to do but sit on your lungs and apply pressure. Until it kills you.

This is as close as I can get to describe in words the despair of a person suffering an asthmatic attack. But what actually happens inside to cause all these terrifying sensations?

For reasons currently beyond the full understanding of modern medicine, the air passages in your lungs (bronchial tubes) and tinier tubes these divide into (bronchioles) start swelling. This is inflammation. It makes air passages tight.
As the inflammation continues, specific cells in your lungs start producing mucus. This makes air passages become even tighter. It becomes difficult to inhale.
The air you manage to breathe in gets to the little air sacks at the end of the bronchioles. It gets trapped there, due to all the swelling and mucus. Carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange cannot be performed properly. Your body lacks oxygen (hypoxia) and you cannot breathe out.

And, as you are having trouble performing the basic function needed to keep you alive while a low oxygen level makes you restless and confused, people around you say something like “Stay calm it will pass”. Yeah, right.

And now I am here telling you that you can go hiking with asthma. Yeah, right once more.

Hiking with asthma – is it even possible

”Did you know that there are people with asthma who run marathons?”

This is the first sentence my pulmonologist told me when I was diagnosed with the condition. It was 3 days after my first asthma attack. I was 18 at the time, unable to walk, sleep or eat properly. As it turned out, this simple question was more than half of my recovery. It soothed me and prepared me for what was coming. So, I now give it to you, to repeat as a mantra – did you know that there are people with asthma who run marathons?

If it is possible to have asthma and run a marathon, why would hiking with asthma be a problem?

Hiking with asthma – benefits

Science has spoken and the answer is yes. Hiking is good for asthma. And here is how.

According to a scientific article titled Hiking – A Low-Cost, Accessible Intervention to Promote Health Benefits, published in 2018 in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, immediate benefits of hiking include ”decreased blood pressure, decreased stress levels, enhanced immune system functioning, and restored attention”.

Three out of four of the quoted benefits of hiking are in direct connection with asthma.

Decreased blood pressure – High blood pressure can make asthma attacks more frequent. At the same time, asthma, as an inflammatory condition, can lead to high blood pressure. More details on the relation between the two can be found in this scientific report.
Better immune system functioning – Asthma is not an autoimmune disease. However, narrowing of the airway passages and increased production of mucus are an (over) reaction of your immune system. So, the two are most closely connected.
Decreased stress levels – Stress hormones have a major impact on asthma. Adrenaline can cause the smooth muscles surrounding the airways to contract or tighten (bronchoconstriction). This means narrowing of the airway passages. Cortisol normally helps reduce inflammation. However, prolonged high levels of cortisol (chronic stress) can weaken the immune system. This can make individuals more susceptible to respiratory infections or allergens that trigger asthma symptoms. For more details on the matter, check the report named Stress and Inflammation in Exacerbations of Asthma.

So, scientifically speaking, hiking helps relieve the conditions that influence asthma directly. Therefore, it is up to you and your lungs to agree on how to start walking.

Now, let’s move on to this more individual perspective.

How to hike with asthma

This part of the article will be about what an asthmatic person can do, on an individual level, to enable and prepare oneself to start hiking with asthma. It is about what I have done so far, with success.It all comes down to 3 things – medications, food and persistence.

The best medical advice I ever got

“Take your medications and start a diet.“

Let’s go back 20 years from now to the same medical checkup when I was first diagnosed with asthma. I was the one barely breathing but it was my mother who was barely alive. Fear overwhelmed her. In essence, she needed the assurance that I was not going to die. And she got it.

What I got was the above-mentioned advice -take your medication and start a diet.

So, mom had some grocery shopping to do. I had to forget some foods ever existed.

Hiking with asthma - food regime

Changing my diet had a massive impact on my recovery. And my hiking. Let’s clear something out here. I am really not any sort of new-age healthy living freak. I am just an average omnivore with a few extra pounds who happens to be living proof of how a specific diet can help you relieve asthma symptoms. To the point that you even start smoking, which I was foolish enough to do. Apart from being an utterly stupid move on my part, this nicotine episode is at the same time reliable evidence of my physical and mental recovery. It proves that for a significant part of my adult life with asthma, I felt strong enough to live a full life and smoke a pack a day without any fear of asthma reoccurrence. Then I thought, if smoking with asthma was possible, why wouldn’t hiking with asthma be?

Unprocessed food

“Eat exclusively unprocessed or minimally processed foods for 3 months following the diagnosis/attack“.

The asthma diet prescribed by my doctor was very simple. Too simple even, to the point that it becomes complicated.

In essence, I was to avoid all fast foods and anything that comes in a plastic package or a can and has a long expiration date. This means saying goodbye to hard cheese, for example, not to mention hams, bacon, tuna cans or even bread and cereals. It is difficult I know. We are all hooked on added salts, sugars and taste enhancers. However, the goal of the regime is to unburden metabolism, improve immune system functioning and reduce inflammatory response to the extent possible. This helps asthma management greatly.

The list below is an example of what I ate and why. The list is non-exhaustive of course, as there are many other unprocessed foods you can include in your regime. For more info, look for studies on anti-inflammatory diets.

Foods that help asthma management

Unprocessed food	What it contains	How it helps asthma management
Fruits
Apples	vitamin C and antioxidants	support lung function and reduce inflammation in the airways
Oranges	vitamin C	bolster the immune system and may reduce the risk of respiratory infections
Berries	antioxidants, including flavonoids and anthocyanins	combat inflammation and oxidative stress
Bananas	vitamin B6 and fiber	contribute to lung health and overall well-being in individuals with asthma
Vegetables
Spinach	vitamins A, C, E, K, minerals, and antioxidants	supports lung health and helps reduce airway inflammation
Broccoli	vitamin C, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds	positively impacts asthma symptoms
Carrots	beta-carotene	maintain healthy lung tissues and potentially alleviate asthma symptoms
Kale	vitamins A, C, and K, and antioxidants	promotes lung function and may aid in asthma management
Whole grains
Quinoa	protein, fiber, and essential nutrients	contributes to overall health
Brown rice	fiber, vitamins, and minerals	supports immune function and lung health
Oats	beta-glucans and antioxidants	reduce airway inflammation and enhance asthma management
Legumes
Lentils	protein and fiber	support respiratory health
Chickpeas	vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants	reduce airway inflammation
Black beans	fiber and antioxidants	help in maintaining lung health and mitigating asthma symptoms
Nuts and seeds
Almond	healthy fats and antioxidants	have anti-inflammatory effects
Chia seeds	omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants	reduce inflammation
Flax seeds	omega-3 fatty acids and lignans	anti-inflammatory properties
Fatty fish
Salmon	omega-3 fatty acids	anti-inflammatory properties
Diary
Plain yoghurt and kefir	probiotics	healthy gut microbiome positively impacts immune function
Herbs and spices
Tumeric	curcumin	anti-inflammatory properties
Ginger	gingerols	anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties
Other
Extra virgin olive oil	monounsaturated fats and antioxidants	anti-inflammatory effects
Honey	flavonoids and polyphenols	reduces inflammation and fights free radicals
Green tea	polyphenols and antioxidants	anti-inflammatory properties

Processed foods and asthma - related risks

Contrary to the above, the majority of the food modern people eat is processed or even ultra-processed. Processed food became common, and, with time, the common becomes mistaken for normal i.e. acceptable or even good. In essence, such a chain of development of “normality” is what is wrong with this world.

Anyhow, eating bacon every once in a while will not kill you, of course, but as an asthmatic person, you should be aware of what processed food contains and what these substances do to your body. Before we continue, remember that asthma is a state of chronic inflammation.

To sum up, these substances harm you directly. All of them (and many other similar) are found in foods that comprise the so-called Western diet. This includes highly processed meats and cereals, snacks, soft drinks, packaged foods, fried foods, alcohol, etc.

Scientific evidence suggests that the Western diet is in direct correlation with inflammation, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, immune system function and asthma. So, in order to stay healthy or improve your condition and go hiking with asthma you simply have to avoid processed foods to the extent possible. Period.

Processed food ingredients	Effects on asthma
Sulfites	Can cause asthma and allergy symptoms 1
MSG flavor enhancer	Directly related to obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation 2
Trans fats	Induce inflammation 3
Refined carbohydrates	Promote inflammation 4

Hiking with asthma – step-by-step guide

Once you have balanced your medications and your diet, you are free to start hiking with asthma.

Fear of asthma attack occurrence is huge, I know. Yet, a life lived in fear is a life half lived. So, here is how to overcome the fear and start hiking with asthma as freely as possible.

Always take your medications with you

Irrespective of what triggers your asthma and how long it has been since your last attack, bringing your medications with you is a must. Better safe than sorry.

Rest before hiking

People who suffer from asthma have a tendency to get tired easily. So, try to start your first hikes when you actually feel good physically. Good night’s rest is paramount.

Pace yourself properly

In the context of hiking with asthma, this means 2 things – paying attention to how you feel while hiking and knowing when to decrease the intensity in order to calm your breath and be able to continue. This is determined on an individual level. The best advice I can give you here is to start small. Take shorter hikes with frequent rests.

Don’t change altitudes too quickly

Start small but start low too. You will be able to track uphill and take higher altitudes too, but it will take time. In the beginning, settle for even terrain.

Count your breaths

This has to do with pacing. Synchronize your steps with your breaths and try to breathe through your nose. It would be great if you could, for example, make 2 steps while inhaling and 4 while exhaling. This mimics breathing exercises. 2 steps per exhale are also ok. In any case, find the rhythm that does not tire you.

Final advice

From one asthmatic person to another – do not rush. Not ever. The time will come for the marathons and mountains, but you have to be patient and persistent in your patience. Remember, those who persist are the ones who prevail.

PS. Try not to start your hiking in cold weather. Breathing in cold air may narrow and dry air passages. And always dress properly. Advice on how to do this is given here.

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