Breath and Bike On (Allergies anyone?)

    

     Being a chronic asthmatic has been the plague of my life. I have tried many medical options to deal with this infirmity and I have to say that some work better than others and some I am not willing to do. For emergencies I have a home nebulizer that has brought me relief many times. However biking in the sticks can be tricky to find relief. A lot of people with this problem will carry an inhaler system which is a vaporized Albuterol that is easy to take out of your pocket and use. This is an easy and simple system to find relief.
     I am not saying that I am smart, in fact, I am saying that I never carry one. I rarely have a problem when I am biking. It is the stopping that kills me. And often I find that the inhaler doesn't work that well as I am winding down from a long days ride and setting up a place to camp. You never know when it can come but you defiantly feel the chest getting tighter and your lungs getting more musical.
     I am writing this not just for asthmatics but for all allergy sufferers. Here are my favorite tricks:

Mormon Tea (Ephedra)

     It is hard to throw a rock and not hit Mormon Tea in the state of Utah. It is however found throughout the western united States. Just grab some of it's spiny leaves as you ride by so you can boil up some breath easy tea for the wind down. I like to breath in the steam as I sip to relief. You will find your sinus symptoms will disappear as well. 

    There is a popular herbal remedy sold in herbal shops called Ma Huang which comes from China. It is often sold as a weight loss product. This plant is the sister plant to Mormon Tea and has the same effect. 

MaHuang (Ephedra)

     Position is important to help breath easy:

Tripod position

This position allows the greatest ease for breathing therefore giving the least amount of effort to help your attack subside. Does this position look familiar to you bikers?

What people need to know is that asthma isn't a minor 'wheeze-disease.' It kills over five thousand people in America every year, and I could've been one of them.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Keep Riding!