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How do you Live Well? Why do you Live Well? By staying active coaching my girl's soccer teams, playing golf, hiking & walking as often as possible. Having lived with asthma since early childhood the only way to Live Well is to maintain some type of physical activity year round, with asthma you can't afford to take time off because you will lose lung capacity and stamina much faster than someone without asthma. Gaining it back is even more difficult because you start out at a severe disadvantage in physical activities and have to work twice as hard to get to the same physical condition as someone without asthma. Does having asthma affect your ability to Live Well? If yes, how do you overcome this challenge? When I was very young it was more difficult because I didn't understand asthma and what it was doing to my body during an attack, I would panic because I couldn't breathe and that only made things much worse. Having lived with asthma for more than 30 years I have learned to relax, put my arms over my head to increase my oxygen intake, and to drink lots of water at the beginning signs of an asthma attack. I also know what seasons of the year cause my asthma to flare up so I use allergy medications along with my regular asthma medicine to reduce the risk of an asthma attack. How does your family Live Well? As a father, what things are you doing and teaching your children to Live Well and to Live Well with asthma? My girls are heavily involved in soccer and school sports on a year round basis – even if it isn't their favorite sport or activity the objective is to keep them physically active so they can better control their asthma and not suffer the drop in off-season and then having to work twice as hard to get into the same physical condition as people who do not have asthma. What advice do you have for others with asthma? In addition to my having asthma for more than 30 years, three of my daughters also have been diagnosed with asthma at an early age. My advice to parents is to stay calm; panic will elevate the intensity of an asthma attack in children and they will react to your panic with panic. Don't use asthma as an excuse for you and especially your children to be inactive. Preventative medicine combined with regular physical activity will allow you and your children to live a much more active and enjoyable lifestyle. Are there any other challenges to Living Well? If yes, how do you overcome them? There are many challenges in today’s society because everyone is in such a rush on a daily basis. Finding the time and energy to take even a 15 minute walk can seem impossible some days, but that walk usually ends up giving me the “pick-me-up� or quiet time I need to unwind so I can finish the day. What are the benefits to Living Well, for you and your family? We spend more time together as a family doing the things that we all enjoy. Not only do we receive the physical benefits for our bodies during these activities we also develop a stronger bond with our children that is priceless. What advice do you have for other families trying to LiveWell? I could go into the "I am to busy" talk but if you truly want to make a difference in your child’s development you will find the time. Make it a family lifestyle and mix up the activities so everyone has a say in what you do as a family -- and do it as a family. Is there anything else you’d would like to add about Living Well? We have an opportunity and responsibility to change the course of the next generation by being actively involved in our children’s well-being and development. Living Well is a good way to lead by example and to influence our children to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they grow into adulthood and pass it on to future generations.
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