Exercising with allergies can be difficult for some people. Although you cannot exercise your allergies away, a regular workout can help manage the symptoms. It does not have to be intense or challenging. In fact, simple movements that can help get the blood pumping can help you get rid of allergens around you. Studies have shown that regular exercise can help contain allergies. It promotes strong blood flow, which in turn allows the allergens to be moved quickly throughout the body and eliminated via the kidneys and skin.

Yoga & Pilates

Allergies may be eased by providing the immune system with a few breathing exercises or yoga. There are specific practices in yoga that can help strengthen the immune system. These exercises include Kapalabhati Pranayama or the Skull Shining Breath, a traditional internal cleansing technique that involves short and quick exhalations through the nose. This technique gets rid of the nasal cavities and irritants, perfect for those with acute symptoms.

Pilates also focuses on deep breathing, which is also perfect to strengthen the heart and lungs. In fact, experts recommend resistance training and stop-and-go forms of exercise especially if you have asthma. On the other hand, long-duration runs and cycling may trigger symptoms, especially if excessive cardio initiates shortness of breath. 

Also, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology says that warm-ups reduce allergic symptoms. They also recommend to spend approximately ten minutes of stretching for full benefit. 

Aquatic Exercises

Swimming provides an ideal workout environment for allergy and asthma sufferers. These individuals accomplish an exhilarating exercise program without triggering symptoms. However, if you have a specific allergy to chlorine, you might want to stick to breathing exercises.

Exercising outside can be a lot of fun and help you breathe fresh air. However, if you have known allergies that get triggered when you’re out and about, take note of the following:

• Wear a mask to filter pollen and pollution for those outdoor walks
• Check the daily pollen and mold counts for your area, and take note of the peak hours
• Determine what your allergy triggers are
• Avoid hot and windy days and beware of thunderstorms as well. Asthmatic reactions tend to peak after these for some individuals, according to some research
• Stay hydrated while exercising especially when taking allergy medication, as these can cause dry mouth