Other Wise Ways Follow pollution reports. For older people with asthma, pollution is more likely to trigger an episode, explains Dr. Pacheco. Many television and radio stations now track pollution and air quality. Use these reports and then plan your day accordingly. You may not get asthma symptoms on the very day that pollution is high, she warns.
Pollutants can take two to three days to trigger an asthma attack.
Roam the produce aisle. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Have one or two servings with each meal, and you ll reach five easily. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants including vitamins C and E, chemicals that may protect your lungs from an asthma attack, says Gary E. Hatch, Ph.D., researcher and pharmacologist in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pulmonary Toxicology Branch in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Seek supplements for extra protection.