[TylerE]

I can only imagine what it's like living somewhere actually cold. I've got pretty bad asthma (severe enough that I'm on a maintenance med on top of the rescue inhaler) and allergies. Cold is a big trigger for my asthma, and yea, after doing the conversion 10C is about when I'd start to really notice, but I probably start seeing some effects around 15C or so. Luckily I live in a temperate area, the coldest it ever gets is about -5 or so. My other big asthma triggers are exercise and my allergens - which are all the basic boring stuff - pollen, ragweed, mold, dust, etc. So basically walking outside is like getting punched in the lungs. I started wearing N95 masks basically when I was able to get my hands on them (so, early 2021) and eventually settled on the 3M Aura actually mentioned in another post. They really do warm the air quite a bit, enough to mostly not trigger my asthma, and help a lot with the allergies too. I've also only gotten sick once in 4 years, and that was last year when I took my mom out for a mother's day meal at a packed restaurant. I really try to avoid restaurants during peak hours. Ironically strep and not COVID. So, basically, starting wearing them for one health reason, have kept wearing them for that and for several side benefits that were happy discoveries.

I have to be really careful as I have a number of other chronic conditions, including diabetes, and between them, and the meds I take for 'em, I'm usually rather fatigued and run down at the best of times. It's quasi-stable, but I've been hospitalized several times foe respiratory issues, and I'm only in my 30s, and to be frank, none of what I have exactly gets better with age.

[Moru]

I'm sorry to hear that, I can only too well imagine how it's like. I'm just like you but several notches better and 20 years older and no diabetes. It helped a lot to start biking and I'm getting better and better thanks to the lungplus. But I do feel like I got hit in the lungs now and then if I don't start very slowly. After 15-20 minutes I can start with uphill and higher speeds and all feels fine again.

[TylerE]

It's a really vicious cycle. Right before the pandemic, I had a decent routine up, was down about 40lbs.. still big, shut down...then the pandemic, everything shut down (including my gym, permanently). About a year later for no real reason any doctor has been able to really explain beyond "well, you're diabetic and have unfortunate bone structure" I developed pressure ulcers on the bottom of both feet nearly simultaneously, in roughly the same (mirror imaged) spot. The second broke out just as the first was starting to heal in earnest. Basically spent June 2022-March 2023 on near bed-rest as that was the only way to actually get them to heal. They've both since healed, but my feet are never really gonna be the same again, plus there's nerve damage etc that basically means I don't have a ton of sensation down there anymore. Which is a long way of saying... you know how in TV commercials for gyms and the like it always says "consult your doctor before starting any exercise routine"... that's my actual life.