Allergens come in all shapes and sizes to affect our daily activities. Inhaling dust bunnies kicked up in a garage during spring cleaning or winter air combined with dust from Texas, can make you sneeze enough to wonder if you’ve ye-ed your last ha. An area of our lives that can be greatly diminished or affected by allergens is exercise and physical activity. For this reason, it is important to take proper precautions and implement strategies to help make exercise as easy as possible with these conditions.
First off, not exercising because of allergens or allergies affecting us isn’t the best route. Avoiding physical activity allows allergens to build up in our body and cause an inflammatory response in our tissues. Although it is recommended to avoid doing intense physical exercise in an uncontrolled environment, light physical activity indoors will help keep your allergy symptoms from flaring up worse down the road. “The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology indicates warm-ups help reduce allergic symptoms.” Make sure to include at least a 10 to 15-minute warm-up prior to your workout.
Another factor to consider is the type of exercise that would be best to work with your allergies. Indoor pool workouts and swimming are prime locations to exercise as the warm humid air allows for the lungs to breathe deeply and clear the sinuses. Another beneficial activity for people who suffer from allergies and/or asthma is yoga or pilates. These activities help generate total body health as well as place a large emphasis on breathing.
Finally, be aware of the weather and how the conditions can affect your body outdoors. It is recommended to avoid physical activity outdoors on especially warm, windy days as these conditions make allergens easily transported through the air. Check the pollen and mold counts for your area so you can avoid exercising outdoors when these are high. Although these conditions are not ideal for exercising if you have sensitivities to allergens, it is possible over time to build up your body’s tolerance to be able to be active in these environments.
-Zach Dykes, Exercise Specialist