Me. My neighbor, her daughter, and her two granddaughters. My boyfriend. My best friend's husband. 4 co-workers. 3 close friends.
One coworker and one friend were hospitalized this spring because of their asthma.
I don't remember this many people having asthma when I was growing up. I didn't have it as a kid. It was a pretty rare condition. Here in the Boston area, it seems there are higher concentrations of asthma.
Why? Overall, my friends and coworkers are a pretty health-conscious bunch. We exercise, eat fairly healthily, choose organic whenever possible, and take care of ourselves.
Hypotheses:
a) Pollution. Though the Charles River is cleaner than it used to be, the air quality is pretty poor. A major airport, high motor vehicle traffic, and urban industry all pump particulate emissions into the air that we breathe. Our water is pretty heavily chlorinated. Even though most of us drink filtered water, the chlorine's still present in our showers, pools, and other water. How much does environmental pollution contribute to asthma?
b) Climate. Boston's weather is notoriously changeable. The humidity allows for mold growth, happily pollinating plants, and all those allergens being suspended in the perfect medium for inhalation. This has been a particularly warm and wet spring, so mold and pollen are unusually high. Global warming as a contributing factor?
c) Processed food. Though I make health-conscious choices now, I've eaten plenty of junk and processed foods over the years. I still keep a few frozen pizzas in the freezer for nights I don't feel like cooking. Do the preservatives, artificial flavorings and colorings, and other ingredients in processed foods contribute to asthma?
d) Obesity. Though I'm fairly fit and active now, I've been substantially overweight in the past, as have many people I know. Perhaps the obesity contributed to weakening the lungs? Edited to add: Acid reflux is also a related factor, and obesity and poor eating habits can contribute to acid reflux.
e) Genetics. My dad had asthma as a kid, then again when he was older. Nobody else in my family, though. Genetics could explain the higher concentrations of asthma in certain geographic areas.
This disease ties me to my job (which fortunately I love) because there's no way I could afford my medications on my own.
Do you have asthma? Where do you live? What do consider the chief contributing factors?