World Asthma Day

3rd May is World Asthma Day.On this day,my thoughts go out to thousands of those people who are in some form patients of asthma.Having been a sufferer myself for many years while we lived in Bangalore,I can very well empathise with those who suffer from attacks of asthma.
I think it is a day when one should take stock as to how asthma has been managed so far and what needs to be done to minimise its impact on one's health.
Asthma management would include one's lifestyle,environment,emotional condition and other factors that may be contributing to this dreaded affliction.In my opinion,asthma is hereditary as well as acquired.With some commonsense and change of location and lifestyle,a tremendous transformation can be brought about.Asthma is generally caused by severe concentration of dust particles in the air that we breathe,pollens,temperature fluctuations,humidity,altitude,food habits etc.Carefully one can eliminate the main cause over time and lead a relatively less asthmaprone life.Certain yogasanas are very beneficial for overcoming asthma.There is a plethora of allopathic medicines available.But then one has to be very careful.For it has other side effects.
Interestingly New York and Mumbai have come together to attack the problem of asthma prevalence in the two cities.The US Environmental Protective Agency is lending a helping hand.There is lot of similarity between the two cities.Extensive transport networks,humid climates,high vehicular pollution,etc.An estimated one million people have asthma in New York.You can double that figure for Mumbai.
Asthma prevalence rates have been found to be higher among the poor and in the minority neighbourhoods in New York while in Mumbai it is higher in Sion,Chembur and Parel.
There is a lot that both cities can learn from each other for the common good.