As Old Man Winter approaches most of North America the time has come to brace ourselves for the asthma trigger factors that often follow. Outdoor allergy triggers were abundant this year from late Spring through Fall. The wide swings in outdoor temperature and barometric pressure have taken their toll on vulnerable sinuses and lungs. Our upper and lower airways (sinuses and lungs) may respond to these physical environmental changes by making more mucus and becoming more congested.

 October and November are two of our busiest months of the year for treating asthma attacks in part, because of the rapid cooling of the air that occurs on certain days. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do about weather changes but there are plenty things you can do to prepare for winter triggers.

Minimizing the influence of outdoor triggers (cold air, drafts, pollution etc.) and reducing the level of exposure to indoor triggers may pave the way to good asthma control.

 Here are 10 tips on how to proceed:

• 1) Winter proof your home in order to reduce the impact of falling temperatures on your indoor environment. Drafts around windows and doors may cause the temperature in your home to drop and worsen your asthma. The drop in temperature in your home may trigger your thermostat to increase the output of your furnace which can dry out the air. This leads to the second tip.
• 2) Make sure you have adequate humidity in your home over winter months. If you have no central humidifier, you should consider getting a portable one. Humidity levels below 40 percent can excessively dry out your airways (upper and lower) resulting in more cough and other asthma symptoms. But be careful not to over humidify because this may foster increased dust mite and mold growth.
• 3) Change the filters on your heating system each month if they are the disposable type. Annual maintenance of your heating and cooling system (and humidifier if you have one) is recommended to assure they are working properly and not emitting toxic particles.
• 4) If you have asthma and allergies especially to mold spores avoid bringing a live Christmas tree into your home (Bah Humbug!). I don't want to be the Grinch but a live tree is infiltrated with dormant mold which may come to life once it is brought into the warm and more humid environment of your home. See my previous article about this.
• 5) Vacuum or damp dust those ornaments and other Christmas or holiday props which come out every winter and adorn your home. Wear a mask when you are doing this, and carry out this procedure in the attic, basement or outdoors (better yet, if possible, have someone who is not allergic, that you can trust not to drop your sentimentals, do this for you).
• 6) Clean thick seasonal bedding materials (quilts, blankets and comforters) before putting them on your bed in order to reduce exposure to dust and other small particles associated with them.
• 7) Avoid the plug-in air fresheners, scented candles, potpourri, incents, aerosol sprays and other fragrance containing items that are so popular this time of the year. They may greatly contribute to the indoor particle triggers that can worsen asthma control. They may smell nice but on the other hand they can irritate the lining of hypersensitive lungs (in other words lungs of the asthmatic). This link is all about fragrances.
• 8) Maintain a smoke free home and try to avoid or minimize wood burning. Ash from a cigarette, even when smoking is limited to when the asthmatic is not home, may lead to third hand smoke exposure. Learn more about this.
• 9) Keep dogs, cats or other pets that have fur away from the bedrooms and family room at all times. The accumulation of dander in carpets, sofas, beds and pillows becomes more of a problem over time, than the presence of the actual pet.
• 10) Have your action plan updated (you do have one don't you?) just in case your doctor wants to make changes.

Don't let the winter spoil your fun because of loss of asthma control. Although asthma cannot be cured it can most often be controlled, which means you get to feel and breathe well throughout the winter and holiday seasons.