With Inter Miami’s Major League Soccer debut only 5 months away, David Beckham is set to make history as one of the few football players who went on to own a professional football club in one of the most popular leagues in the world. David Beckham is one of the best players to ever play football, having had an amazing career playing for renowned clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint Germain and LA Galaxy. He won multiple trophies throughout his long career, and he’s regarded as one of the greatest midfielders ever. However, Beckham’s career was not one without challenges. A lesser known fact about Beckham is that he has suffered from asthma since childhood. Instead of letting his condition hold him back, Beckham found ways to ensure that his illness did not affect his performance.Â
How Beckham managed his asthmaÂ
Even though Beckham’s case of asthma is not very serious, he still needed to find ways to manage it to be able to do the exceptional things he did on the field. Being a professional footballer, Beckham always had world-class healthcare professionals taking care of him. A lot of credit also goes to the healthier diet choices he made. Beckham’s diet was mostly made up of fruits, vegetables and other foods rich in fiber, which dampen asthma by reducing airway inflammation. Since high-fat meals are known to increase airway inflammation for asthma patients, Beckham found a way to meet his body’s high protein requirements by only consuming lean meats. To fulfil his fat requirements, Beckham consumed low-fat products like yoghurt and olive oil. Beckham also kept his inhaler close at all times, and was even pictured using it at half-time during the 2009 MLS Cup Final.
The importance of managing asthma for athletes
Just like Beckham, any athlete can have asthma and still excel in sporting activities that require stamina. First of all, athletes need to work closely with their doctors to get the necessary medication and advice on how to better manage their asthma. Athletes must also be mindful of their home environments, keeping them clean and free from pollutants that can cause asthma symptoms. One thing athletes must be particularly careful of is mold. Mold can aggravate asthma symptoms, or even cause asthma in perfectly healthy people. Athletes can prevent this by carrying out regular inspections to detect and get rid of mold before it does any damage. They should also avoid using cleaning products or sprays containing toxic substances that, when inhaled, can cause asthma or worsen their symptoms. In order to achieve the best performance at all times, it is essential for athletes like Beckham to consider their health in a holistic way, looking beyond diet and training into their home environment.
Hopeful athletes who suffer from asthma should know that there are ways to manage it in a way that ensures their highest level of performance in their chosen field. The fact that Beckham managed to have such a wonderful football career while facing such a physical limitation is inspiration for anyone living with asthma.Â
