We know you are getting ready for a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your “special someone.”
This gift-giving opportunity brings us to the question, “What if he or she has asthma? Many traditional Valentine gifts are also traditional triggers for asthma. Nothing could spoil a sweet Valentine moment quicker than an asthma attack! We turned to the American Lung Association for information about this dilemma.
Love In Bloom: If your sweetheart or dear friend has asthma, and you want to give flowers, the doctors and staff at the Florida Lung, Asthma, and Sleep Centers suggests you learn about low-pollen or no-pollen flowers or simple Fragrance-free plants. Asthma and allergy, with wheezing, sneezing and coughing can be the price if you give the wrong blossoms to someone with asthma.
Your florist has the ability to use low-fragrance blooms in many arrangements. Did you know that Orchids, miniature roses and ivy are pollen-free?
Remind your friend or sweetie not to over-water their plants because this can cause mold, which is a serious asthma trigger.
P
lease Don’t Wheeze:
Chemicals in cologne and perfumed body products can cause wheezing and nausea as well as headaches. Today there are unscented versions of many bath Products, soaps, lotions, and candles.
Speaking of candles, the Lung Doctors much prefer the new battery powered kind over real flame. You can learn more tips and triggers by a quick visit to this reliable source. 
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes!
If you plan a super night or trip for a special Valentine date, we suggest a smoke-free place. Check with your restaurant, show venue or hotel, ahead of time about such things as cigarette, cigar smoke, wood fires and candles, to ensure a trigger-free environment.
Did you know that some hotels are now offering rooms that minimize allergens? You will probably find hardwood floors instead of carpet, shades instead of velvet drapes, and even hypoallergenic linens. (Remember that smoke can travel through the heating and cooling systems into your room, so a hotel with no smoking and no pets policies will be preferable for anyone with a lung disease.)
In fact, all of these ideas work for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and other occasions. Likewise, these tips will work if your friend, loved one or beloved, has COPD, asthma, allergy or lung disease of any kind.
Here are a few more Valentine ways you can show your love without leaving your partner or friend breathless:
Gift 1. Quit Smoking: We know it is time for you to stop smoking. So do you. Make a commitment, and find a way. It’s a gift because quitting will allow you to spend more days, more life, with your loved ones.
Gift 2. Skip the Movie: Instead of a sitting activity, celebrate your love with something active! Exercise is important, even if you have asthma. Research here, to find out how to stay active in spite of asthma.
Gift 3. Avoid the Flu: Get your flu vaccine shot! This is the time of year when Emergency Rooms admit people with asthma attacks triggered by respiratory infections like the flu. Don’t spend your Valentines Day In the Emergency Room. Check out the details in this recent blog.
Gift 4. De-stress! Emotions can be exaggerated on any holiday, and Valentine’s Day is no exception. In fact, the day itself can be a trigger. The experts at the American Lung Association have tips for this! “Stress, excitement, anger, crying, and even laughing really hard can trigger an asthma episode. Practice deep breathing to help reduce stress and excitement.”
We of the Florida Lung, Asthma, & Sleep Center Specialists hope you will enjoy a beautiful Valentine’s Day!
