Do Not Try This At Home
by Caroline Hellman

I should state first and foremost that I do not reccomend my readers try this at home--really.

But lately I've been seeing how much I need albuterol before I run. Don't get me wrong--I'm not going off asthma medicine cold turkey, as I take advair daily. But even in the cold recently, I've realized that I often can get along just fine without puffing before I go.

What's interesting to me, too, is that my lungs seem to adjust to the cold. Unless it's bitterly cold, beyond freezing, about one mile into the run I've warmed up, and so have my lungs. They're not working as hard, my breath isn't rasping, and I'm enjoying normal breathing, which is pretty cool.

For now I know I need the advair, but as I keep running, and hopefully lose the next few pounds that would make me my ideal weight, I'll be paying close attention to my asthma, making sure I need the extra boost--or not.