It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine. The flu is a respiratory virus and the most common cause for asthma flare ups this time of the year. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns about getting a flu shot.

Here are 10 tips to help you manage your asthma in the winter.

1. Take your daily asthma control medications as prescribed. To keep your asthma well controlled during winter, daily controller medications are important. Do not stop taking your asthma controller. This helps to lower the chances of having asthma problems in the winter.

2.  Have your rescue inhaler available at all times. Take it with you whenever you leave the house. Look at the expiration date and be sure your inhaler is not expired. Let your healthcare provider know if you need refills on any of your asthma medicines.

3. Wear a scarf or mask to cover your nose and mouth to avoid breathing cold wintery air. If you need to shovel snow or walk from your car into the store on a cold day, breathing cold air can make your chest feel wheezy and tight. Children with asthma should wear a scarf or mask to prevent asthma problems when playing outside on a cold day

4. Avoid use of indoor deodorizers, air fresheners, scents, sprays and all smoke types. During the winter we spend more time indoors where odors and smoke, even fireplace smoke, can be an asthma trigger.

5. Keep house dust at a minimum. House dust tends to collect in our homes during the winter. If you have an allergy to dust, vacuuming and damp dusting once a week will lower dust accumulation in your home.

6. Let your health care provider know if you are using your rescue inhaler more than twice a week. This could be a signs that your asthma is getting worse.

7. Have a written Asthma Action Plan. An Asthma Action Plan is a guide that tells you what to do if your asthma begins to flare up. If your asthma does flare up and is not better within 2 days call your healthcare provider. He or she can prescribe other medications before your asthma gets worse.

8. Wash your hands several times during the day. This will keep germs down and lower your risk of getting sick.

9. Stay indoors on very cold days. Watch a movie, do some laundry or read a book when the weather gets really cold. Keeping safe and warm at home can protect you from having asthma problems.

10. Schedule an asthma check up with your health care provider.  If you haven’t seen your doctor or asthma specialist in a while it’s a good idea to get an asthma checkup. Just like making sure your blood pressure is OK, your asthma needs to be checked at least once a year.

Make an appointment today! Visit www.indyhealthnet.org for more information!

Post by Dan Wilson, RRT, CPFT, AE-C

First, it’s important to recognize what you’re experiencing.  As always, self-awareness is key.  Being self-aware means being intentional about evaluating your emotional experience.  Do you always feel sad, lethargic, and irritable in the wintertime?  Most of us experience some lack of motivation in the cold, dark winter days but if you notice it’s a pattern and it’s interfering with your ability to function (i.e. take care of yourself and your kids), it’s something to take seriously.  According to the National Institute of Health, 14% of American adults experience lower mood during the winter while 6% of the adult American population experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  SAD is condition in which one recurrently experiences episodes of depression during a certain time of year (typically winter) and experiences alleviation in symptoms with the change of season.

The month of January can be specifically difficult for most people.  In fact, the Monday of the last full week in January has been deemed Blue Monday by pop culture (not to be confused with solid, psychological research!).  As the cold weather sits in, financial stress from the holiday season takes over, the amount of sunlight per day is short, and we find ourselves failing our optimistic New Years resolutions, we feel the weight of this so-called Blue Monday.  So, how can we take a proactive, healthy approach to these dull winter months?  Here are a few ideas:

1. Get some sunlight.  When there isn’t much sunlight available outside, light therapy can help.  Light therapy involves a light box that you sit in front of each day that is believed to mimic the light of the sun and therefore have a positive impact on your brain.  They are available without a prescription.
2. Exercise.  Exercise has been shown to increase mood, decrease stress, and boost serotonin.  According to some, exercising outdoors for an hour can have the same effect as 2 hours of light therapy.  Exercise also helps you sleep.
3. Sleep.  Whether you experience hypersomnia in the cold winter months or difficulty sleeping, be sure to maintain good sleep hygiene.  Keep a routine with your sleep and wake times and be smart about consuming caffeine and alcohol that can interfere with sleep.  Sleep deprivation can contribute to low mood as well as many other emotional and physiological conditions.
4. Eat well.  Binging on sweets can leave you feeling more lethargic.  Instead, maintain good nutrition in the winter months to provide you energy to face the day.

Hopefully these tips will help you shake the pesky winter blues as we wrap up the season.  If you do think you suffer from depression with a seasonal pattern, consider contacting the behavioral health department at one of our HealthNet clinics.  You are not doomed to be depressed and miserable each winter– there are therapies that can be beneficial and clinicians at each clinic ready to help.