| Do you remember when smoking cigarettes was a | | | | but there are treatments that can help. Ask your |
| cool thing to do and the harmful affects were not | | | | doctor about medication and strategies to get you on |
| even thought about? Today when I see patients who | | | | a smoke free plan. |
| are still smoking or have smoked for years I cringe at | | | | Healthy Precautions Can Help COPD |
| what their lungs might look like. | | | | Living with COPD is not all doom and gloom. There are |
| I recently treated a patient, now 75 years old for a | | | | many things you can do at home to stay as healthy |
| condition known as COPD (chronic obstructive | | | | as you can. Always take the precaution of getting |
| pulmonary disease). He had been smoking for many | | | | your flu and pneumonia shots every year. The reason |
| years and over time the tobacco smoke had irritated | | | | for this is because people who have COPD are more |
| his airways and destroyed the fibers in his lungs | | | | susceptible to lung infections so you want to be on the |
| causing shortness of breath, wheezing, and tightness in | | | | safe side. |
| his chest. | | | | As with most diseases half the battle is learning to |
| Unfortunately, the symptoms of COPD don't appear | | | | manage your symptoms and adjust your lifestyle to |
| until significant lung damage has occurred and they | | | | make your life more comfortable. Here are a few |
| usually worsen as time goes by. In order to find out if | | | | suggestions to make breathing easier:o Stay clear of |
| you have COPD there are a number of things your | | | | anything that irritates your lungs, such as smoke, |
| doctor will do. | | | | pollution, cold or hot air.o Use an air filter and air |
| First on the list is a physical exam along with listening to | | | | conditioner in your home.o Rest during the day.o |
| your lungs. Background information will be needed to | | | | Exercise to keep up your strength.o Take medication |
| learn about your past health issues and whether you | | | | prescribed by your doctor.o Discuss maintenance and |
| were exposed to other things that could irritate your | | | | rescue medicines with your doctor to determine which |
| lungs. You will also be given a chest X-ray and other | | | | is best for you. |
| breathing tests to find out how well your lungs are | | | | Nutrition and Healthy Eating Habits Aid COPD |
| functioning and rule out other problems that could | | | | Healthy eating is one area that is critical if you have |
| cause the same symptoms. | | | | COPD. If you are overweight it puts stress on your |
| People with COPD may suddenly have flare ups | | | | heart and lungs. On the other hand, if you are |
| during which their symptoms get much worse. This is | | | | underweight, you may have less energy and are less |
| what is referred to as exacerbations and they can | | | | able to fight off infection. Therefore, maintaining a |
| range from mild to life-threatening episodes. The longer | | | | healthy weight is important to your overall well being. |
| you have COPD the worse the flare ups will be. | | | | You can still enjoy eating by keeping a few things in |
| Because of the severity of this condition, it is very | | | | mind.o Eat while sitting up straight to ease the pressure |
| important to find out as soon as possible if you think | | | | on your lungs.o Choose foods that are easy to |
| you might have COPD. The earlier it is detected the | | | | prepare.o Eat in a relaxed atmosphere with friends |
| more time you will have to take steps to slow down | | | | and family.o Eat your main meal early so you will |
| the damage to your lungs. | | | | maintain energy throughout the day.o Include a favorite |
| Airway Obstruction to Blame for COPD | | | | food in your meals.o Use medications that make |
| COPD refers to obstruction in the lungs and is often a | | | | breathing easier about 1 hour before eating.o Rest |
| mix of two chronic lung diseases. People with COPD | | | | before eating if you are short of breath.o If you use |
| may have one or both of the following conditions:o | | | | oxygen, use it while eating because digestion requires |
| Chronic bronchitis occurs when the airways that carry | | | | more oxygen.o Eat six small meals a day so that your |
| air to the lungs get inflamed and create mucus. It is | | | | stomach is never extremely full. A full stomach makes |
| characterized by an ongoing cough and the increased | | | | breathing more difficult by pushing on your diaphragm.o |
| mucus production further narrows the bronchial tubes | | | | Drink at the end of your meal to prevent you from |
| causing inflammation.o Emphysema is a lung disease | | | | filling up too quickly while you eat.o Eat and chew |
| that causes inflammation within the walls of the alveoli. | | | | slowly to help with your breathing.o Drink a liquid |
| In a healthy person, tiny air sacs in the lungs are like | | | | breakfast or nutritional supplement if you have trouble |
| balloons that get bigger and smaller to move air | | | | breathing in the morning. |
| through your lungs. When you have emphysema these | | | | What you eat is just as important as how you eat.o |
| air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch. The result | | | | Avoid foods that bloat the abdomen and make |
| is the feeling that you are short of breath. | | | | breathing difficult. These off limit foods include onions, |
| The cause of COPD is almost always due to | | | | cauliflower, broccoli, melons, peas, corn, cucumbers, |
| cigarette smoking over a long period of time. But other | | | | cabbage, brussel sprouts, turnips, raw apples, and |
| types of smoke can also be an irritant such as cigar | | | | beans. Avoid fried and greasy foods that can cause |
| smoke, secondhand smoke, pipe smoke, pollution and | | | | gas.o Vary your diet by eating fruits and vegetables, |
| certain types of chemical fumes. Acid reflux disease | | | | dairy products, cereal and grains, and meats.o Limit |
| (GERD) may also aggravate COPD and may even | | | | your salt intake because sodium causes you to retain |
| cause it in some people. | | | | fluids.o Use herbs or look for reduced sodium foods |
| COPD is most commonly seen in people over 60 | | | | instead.o Don't waste energy on foods with little |
| because it takes years for lung damage to start | | | | nutritional value, such as snacks, candy, and soft drinks. |
| causing symptoms. A number of serious lung infections | | | | Living with COPD can be scary. It is never easy to |
| as a child can also increase your risk of developing | | | | feel short of breath or suffer with chronic coughing. |
| COPD. | | | | But you can do yourself a big favor by removing what |
| The most important thing to do is quit smoking to slow | | | | is causing your condition. If you are smoking now is the |
| the progression of COPD. It doesn't matter how long | | | | time to quit. Work with your doctor to find out what |
| or how much you smoke, you can help stop the | | | | other things you can do to manage your illness and |
| damage to your lungs if you quit. I know it is hard to do | | | | bring joy to your life. |