9 tips to prevent asthma attacks

Living with asthma doesn't mean you have to be at the mercy of an attack at any time. There's plenty that you can do to boost your immune system with a few lifestyle changes.

It's a fact that adults raised on farms rarely have asthma.

• Researchers think that the reason asthma is on the rise in developed countries is that today's children are rarely exposed to the germs, insects and just plain dirt that older generations were, so their immune systems never learn to react appropriately to these harmless substances.

A combination of genes and environment leads to an overly sensitive airway that reacts to triggers like airborne pollutants, allergens or cold air by releasing inflammatory chemicals that lead to swelling of the bronchial tubes in the lungs.

• Because asthma runs in families, researchers have long suspected that certain genes make people more susceptible.
• A variant in a gene called ORMDL3 seems to increase the risk of asthma in children by 60 to 70 percent.

• shortness of breath
• coughing
• chest tightness
• wheezing

There's plenty you can do to prevent attacks if you already have asthma.

Take a look at these tips and see what you can do to improve your chances.

More than a third of American homes have levels of mouse allergens high enough to contribute to asthma. Here are suggestions for targeting asthma-causing allergens.

• Damp-mop your floor daily.
• Seal all cracks and holes in walls and doors, around window frames. They're perfect entry points for mice.
• Keep all food in sealed containers.
• Use mousetraps.

• You're 66 percent more likely to have persistent asthma symptoms if you're obese than if your weight is in the normal range. It may have to do with inflammatory chemicals released from fat cells.

A major reason for uncontrolled asthma is the lack of a personalized asthma plan. Studies find that using these plans significantly reduces asthma attacks and death. The following questions developed with your doctor can help create a plan for you.

• When should I call you?
• When should I seek emergency care?
• When is quick-relief medicine not enough?
• When, if ever, should I increase my use of inhaled steroids?
• When, if ever, should I start taking oral steroids?

About one-third of people with asthma don't properly use their inhaler.

• This lack of understanding can increase the risk of asthma attacks, hospitalization and even death. Talk to your doctor.

If you have trouble recognizing the early signs of worsening asthma, this device can help. It measures your lung function, warning of an impending asthma attack.

• You can use it daily and adjust your medication based on the results and it can keep you attack-free.

One study found that these not only reduced the number of dust mites in the bed but also enabled children with asthma to cut their dose of inhaled steroids by at least 50 percent.

• You're likely to have fewer problems controlling your asthma and less severe symptoms if your care is provided by an allergist.

You'll be less likely to be hospitalized, go to the emergency room or overuse rescue medication — a sign of uncontrolled asthma.

A study found that those who ate fish once a week were 30 percent less likely to have asthma than those who ate it once a month or less.

• Asthma is first and foremost an immune system disease, where immune cells overreact by pumping out inflammatory chemicals that narrow airways.

Diesel exhaust can cause serious problems for people with asthma.

• Street traffic can significantly reduce lung capacity and increase inflammation in people with asthma, because tiny particles of dust and soot are inhaled deep into the lungs and are absorbed into the blood.