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The best strategy for preventing shortness of breath is to prevent or treat the underlying conditions that cause it (e.g., heart conditions and pulmonary conditions). Although people have no control over developing conditions such as asthma, there are strategies that may help avoid flare-ups or a worsening of the condition.
Strategies for maintaining heart health, as well as controlling sleep apnea and obesity, include:
- Eating a heart-healthy diet that is low in fats and oils and cholesterol.
- A routine regimen of moderate exercise, depending on an individual's overall health, is invaluable in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Exercise keeps obesity at bay and strengthens the heart. It also lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Furthermore, when accompanied by a low-fat diet, exercise may help to reduce plaque deposits, reversing atherosclerosis. Even low-intensity leg exercises have shown benefit in relieving shortness of breath, particularly in heart failure patients in whom shortness of breath is a typical symptom.
- Quitting smoking is critical for all smokers. People who smoke usually find that they experience regular shortness of breath. This may be caused by impairment of the lungs, the heart or both. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that smoking results in about 150,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease each year.
- Controlling diabetes.
- Controlling high blood pressure (hypertension).
- Getting regular physical examinations, particularly if in a high-risk category for heart disease, can be an effective early warning system.
Strategies that may help to prevent or control upper respiratory infections or other pulmonary conditions include:
- Protecting oneself from irritants in the air, including exhaust fumes, coal dust, air pollution, chimney smoke, secondhand tobacco smoke, hair spray and even heavy perfumes
- Washing hands frequently
- Keeping the home well-ventilated and free of mold
- Getting an annual flu shot and regular pneumonia vaccines
- Moving to a warmer climate
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