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Respiratory HealthDecember 2009 Your GuiDe To breaThinG easY
respiratory HealtH
2
CONTENTS 2BreatheBetter,LiveBetter
4HealthyChoices,HealthyLungs
4Mom’sChecklist
5PanelofExperts
7Nature’sRelief
RESPiRaTORyHEaLTH
Publisher: Paul Herron [email protected]
Contributor: Jo Mathis [email protected]
Designer: Carrie Reagh [email protected]
Photos: ©iStockphoto.com
For more information about supplements in the daily press, please contact: Kayvan Salmanpour, 1 646 922 1400 [email protected]
This section was written by Mediaplanet and did not involve The Boston Globe News or Editorial Departments.
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MastersBreathing
at the
art of
New England’s Long-Term Acute Care Leaderin Inpatient & Outpatient Pulmonary Care.
Our Outcomes Exceed Expectations.
S TOU GH TON • BOS TON • DOR C H E S T E R781-344-0600 • www.newenglandsinai.org
AdvertoriAla very special thanks to...
the American Association for respi-
ratory Care is 50,000-strong member
associationofrespiratorytherapists.We
focus on education and advocacy to
ensurepatientsreceivethebestrespira-
torycarepossible.
littleBusyBodies, inc.manufactures
and distributes patent pending Saline
nosewipescalledBoogieWipes®.Wecur-
rentlyhave8SKU’sonthemarketinclud-
ingthreedifferentscents;Fresh,Grape,
Menthol.BoogieWipes® retailat$3.99
forapackof30wipes.
ridgeCrest Herbals makes natural
remediesforspecifichealthneeds.our
eclectic and innovative formulas draw
from herbal medicine, nutrition, and
homeopathy for “Guaranteed results,
naturally!”
The odds are also very likely
that you know someone
wholiveswithachronicre-
spiratory illness—someone with a
conditionlikeasthmaorCoPd.
Arespiratorytherapistspecializes
indiagnosingandtreatingpatients
with respiratory problems. our
organization, the American Asso-
ciationforrespiratoryCare,assists
respiratory therapists so that they
maystaycurrentonbestpractices
inthecareofpatientswithasthma,
flu,pneumonia,CoPd,andnumer-
ousotherlungailments.ourgoalis
thatourpatientsbreatheeasier.
therearemanydifferentrespira-
toryproblems,buttwostandout.
Asthma
Morethan23millionAmericans
reporttheyhaveasthma.ifyouhave
asthma and do not have a formal
“Asthma Management Plan,” we
suggestyougotoyourdoctorand
haveonedesignedforyou.Aplan
willhelpyou:
• administeryourmedications
withthecorrectmedication
deliverydevice.
• understandhowtoprevent
asthmaepisodes.
• understandnecessarysteps
tobetakenshouldyouhave
anasthmaepisode.
• understandthetriggersthatcan
makeasthmaworseandavoid-
anceinterventions.
COPD
Mostpeoplehaveheardofeither
chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
theseare formsofCoPd(Chronic
obstructive Pulmonary disease).
thereareover9.8millionAmericans
withthediseaseandanother12mil-
lion that are undiagnosed. it’s im-
portanttoknowCoPdiscurrently
the 4th leading cause of death in
theU.S.andwillbethethirdleading
causeofdeathin2020.
the good news is that CoPd is
easilydiagnosed.ifyou’reasmoker
or former smoker, over 40, have
certain genetic markers, or live or
work around chemicals or fumes,
you could be at risk. By taking a
simplebreathingtestthatleadsto
earlydiagnosis,theopportunityfor
earlycareand treatmentcanhelp
you live an improved and longer
life. once diagnosed, medications
areavailabletohelppatientsbetter
managethedisease.typicallyitisa
respiratorytherapistthatdoesthe
testing,educationandadministra-
tionofmedications.
Respiratory Therapists On the Job
Chancesareifyouoralovedone
receivetreatmentforthosecondi-
tionsaboveorforasthma,pneumo-
nia,asurgicalprocedure,oranyof
numerousotherrespiratorycondi-
tions,arespiratorytherapistwillbe
involvedinyourcare.ourjobisto
help you breathe better and live
better.Wemaintainawebsitededi-
catedtopatients,YourlungHealth.
org, to provide a source of lung
health and respiratory care news
specifically for patients and their
families.Checkitoutandbewell.
Breathe Better, Live BetterMorethanlikelyyouorsomeoneclosetoyouhas been affected by a respiratory illness atsomepointinyourlife.
BY:tiMotHYMYerS
AmaircareHePAAirFiltrationSystems
provideexcellentrespiratoryrelieffrom
airpollution.the3-stagePerfectSeal™
processremovesbacteria,viruses,partic-
ulatesandvolatileorganiccompounds.
2
respiratory HealtH
4 5
AccordingtotheU.S.Sur-
geon General, there are
no safe levels of second-
handsmoke.
According to the U.S. environ-
mentalAgency,Americansspend
about 90 percent of their time
indoors.Sostartwithyourhome.
Change your furnace filter often.
When it is time to replace worn
carpeting,installflooringinstead.
Also, eliminate heavy window
treatments. Both carpets and
window treatments attract dust
and household dust can contain
allergens. if you have mold, find
the source of the moisture and
fix it quickly. Mold spores grow
within 24 hours and they cause
allergicreactions.
Sinceradonisthesecondlead-
ingcauseoflungcancer,testyour
hometoprotectyourselfandyour
family.radonisanaturallyoccur-
ringradioactivegasthatcanseep
into your home. it is estimated
thatonein15homeshaveunsafe
levels of radon. the only way to
knowifyouhaveitistotest.do-
it-yourselftestkitsareinexpensive
andeasy.
Household chemicals, such
as cleaning and personal care
products, can release potentially
harmful chemicals into the air.
Switchtonaturalproducts.Green
canbeclean.
despite the overwhelming
nature of improving outdoor air
quality, there are changes you
can make to do just that. When
driving, planning more efficient
routesandcarpoolingarehealth-
iersolutions.don’tallowyourcar
to idle.An idlingenginereleases
twiceasmanyfumesasavehicle
inmotion.Foreverytwominutes
a car is idling, it uses about the
sameamountoffuelittakestogo
aboutonemile.vehicleemissions
account for about 60 percent of
ozonepollution.
Woodburningisanothersource
ofbadair.Besureyouneverburn
chemically treated, painted or
green wood. in New england,
woodburningfromoutdoorwood
boilers,fireplacesandwoodstoves
isalargesourceofparticulatemat-
terairpollution.insomelocalities,
wood-burning equipment has
beenidentifiedasthesourceof80
percentormoreofallfineparticu-
latesduringthewintermonths.
Breathing bad air can cause a
“sunburn” to the lungs. ozone
particles can attack lung tissue
andcauselungdiseaseandeven
death.themoreyouareexposed,
themoredangerousitcanbe.the
warning signs are there. Here in
New england, asthma rates are
higher at 10 percent than the
national average of about eight
percent. lung disease is increas-
ing faster than any other major
disease. everyone should be re-
sponsible for the air we breathe
andmakecertainthatothersdon’t
“trespass”ontheirair.Bymaking
simplelifestylechanges,wewillall
breatheeasier.
Healthy Choices, Healthy Lungs a proactive approach to Better Breathing
Mom’s Checklist
iftheairwebreatheisclean,thenourlungswillbehealthy.improvingairqualityissomethingwecanalldobymakingsimplechangesinoureverydaylifestyle.
Beyond keeping little fin-
gers from exploring little
noses—what’s a parent
todo?
Fortunately, it all gets down
tosomebasicprinciplesthatwill
servechildrenwellfortherestof
theirlives.
Because flu and cold viruses
are usually spread by respiratory
secretionsfromeitherthenoseor
mouth, frequent hand washing,
especially after contact with the
mouthornose,iscrucial.Children
shouldalsobetaughtatanearly
agetocoughorsneezeintotheir
upper sleeves rather than into
their hands, which then spread
theirgerms.
Anannualfluvaccineisrecom-
mended for children 6 months
to18years,accordingtotheU.S.
Centers for disease Control and
Prevention’s Committee for im-
munizationPractices.
MindeedoneyandJuliePickens
ofPortland,oregonareco-found-
ersoflittleBusyBodies,inc.,and
inventorsofBoogieWipes,gentle
salinewipesforstuffynoses.each
isalsoabusymotherofthree.the
womenrecommendthatchildren:
• take a daily vitamin supple-
mentwithvitaminC
• Keeptoaregularsleepsched-
ulesotheygetenoughrest
• Garglewithsaltwateratnight,
which can kill germs in and
aroundthemouthandthroat
A balanced, healthy lifestyle
that includes both exercise and
relaxationiskey,saiddoney.
“Justgettingupeverymorning,
taking some deep breaths and
starting thedaywithpositiveat-
titudegetskidsontherighttrack,”
shesaid.
Pickens goes through a check
list of healthy tips each morning
when giving her kids their daily
vitaminsupplements.
“Just 30 seconds at the begin-
ning of the day puts it in their
brainthat,`Hmm,maybeishould
bealittlemorecarefulaboutthis
today,’”shesaid.
Finally, doney said parents
should do the best they can
to serve as role models of
healthyliving.
“Beingaparentisanexhausting
jobandsometimesandweforget
totakecareofourselvestoo.take
your vitamins with your kids,
invite them for a glass of water
andhealthysnackwithyouortake
a walk together and enjoy the
freshair.”
“Setting a good example for
themisreallyimportant,asisany-
thingyoudoinparenting.”
Asifparentsaren’tbusyenoughduringtheholidays,theymustalsogettheirchildrensafelythroughthiscoldandfluseason.
4
respiratory HealtH
5
Q: How can herbs play a role in
helpingtherespiratorysystem?
A: Because of the epidemic in-
creaseinantibiotic-resistantbacte-
ria,it’scrucialtolimitantibioticuse.
Naturehasasolutioninmedicinal
plants.
· Cold symptoms are eased by
drinking hot diaphoretic teas
such elder flower, yarrow and
peppermint. if there is fever,
considerboneset.
· Gentle decongestant remedies
can ease the symptoms of a
runnynose.Considerechinacea,
goldenseal,hyssopornettles.
· Sore throats are comforted
withherbssuchasslipperyelm,
marshmallowandlicorice.
· For coughs, consider mullein,
thymeorhorehound.
· to open the airways, choose a
mildherbalbronchodilator;the
ChineseformulaBiYanPian.
Q: How can we stay healthy this
fluseason—andbeyond?
A: Myadviceisasfollows:
1.do not ever smoke. this is the
numberonecauseof lungdis-
ease. Use every resource you
cantoquit.
2.Getanannualflushot.
3.Practicecommonsensehygiene
measures ifyouhaveacoldor
are surrounded by others with
respiratory tract infections.
(Wash your hands, sneeze or
coughintoyourelbow,etc.)
4.takesomeformofaerobicexer-
cisethreetimesaweekifyouare
able.inthewinter,youcanwalk
inamall.
5.ifyouareoverweight,gethelp
withdietarymeasures.theusual
adviceincludesportionsize,no
second helpings, no desserts,
morefruitandvegetables.
Q:How do you get children to
actively join in the fight against
germsandbacteria?
A: it’s hard to educate kids that
it’snotenoughjusttowipetheir
noseonceoruseahandsanitizer
once, but something they have
todothroughouttheday.they’ll
washtheirhandsandsay,`oK,i’m
good!’ Getting children to form
thehabitofkeepinggermsaway
throughoutthedayisimportant.
So we just make sure it’s not a
chore; that it’s something they’ll
wanttodo.therearesomegreat
products out there especially
for children—soap that changes
color, and Boogie Wipes, which
smellgood.theseproductsmake
staying healthy fun, and more
likelythatthey’llactuallywantto
usethem.
Q: How do homeopathic herbs
benefittherespiratorysystem?
A: Herbs and homeopathy are
two different health disciplines
which complement each other.
Herbs are the roots of modern
pharmacology, and nearly all
drugswerediscoveredfromherbs.
Herbscanprovideaneffective
and more natural approach to
respiratory health by promot-
ing clear lung passages and free
breathing without resorting to
suchthingsasinhaledsteroids.
Homeopathic medicine is a
200-year-old system designed to
trigger a healing response from
thebodymuchasavaccinewould,
butwithoutthecommonsideef-
fects.Homeopathicmedicinesare
based on herbs or other natural
compounds, but the methods
andsmalldosesusedaredifferent
fromothermedicines.
Panel of Experts
Q: What role does the natural
sweetener Xylitol play in helping
ourairwaypassages?
A:Xylitol is likelythebestwayto
compensatefortheeffectsofour
environmentsandtheirpromotion
ofallergiesasthmaandinfectious
problems. the nose is central to
breathing;ithumidifiesandwarms
the air we breathe. When the
nose isblockedandapersonhas
to mouth breathe, they are more
opentopulmonaryinfections.
Xylitolislikelythecheapest,easi-
estandmosteffectivewaytokeep
thenosecleanandavoidallofthe
problems that originate there. it
works to keep the volume of the
airwaysurfacefluidoptimal,which
helpswashthenose,anditreduces
the ability of nasal pathogens to
holdontocellsinthenose.it’slike
soapandwaterforthenose.
dAvidHoFFMANNMedicalHerbalisttraditionalMedicinals
AleXANderC.WHite,MdChiefofPulmonaryMedicineNewenglandSinaiHospital
MiNdeedoNeYANdJUliePiCKeNSCo-founderslittleBusyBodies,inc.
MAttWArNoCKPresidentridgeCrestHerbals
AloNzoH.JoNeS,d.o.ClinicalAssistantProfessorofFamilyMedicinetexastechUniversity
7
Thornton and Naumes was founded in 1978 at the in-ception of mesothelioma and asbestos litigation in New England, helping to bring justice to the construction and shipyard workers who found themselves harmed through exposure to toxic materials in their environment. More than 30 years later, the firm is the largest plaintiff ’s law firm in New England, having represented more than 10,000 workers and their families injured by dangerous prod-ucts and toxic materials. The firm serves as the Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel for Massachusetts, coordinating all of the legal and administrative aspects of asbestos litigation for all claims in both the state and federal courts, and handles cases all over the country through co-counsel arrangements designed to maximize the value of each case.
Thornton & Naumes is noted for its considerable expertise in a number of legal areas involving complex toxic prod-uct litigation, public health, and corporate misconduct, primarily those cases involving serious health problems from various toxic products and/or unsafe pharmaceuti-cal drugs. The firm has represented the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in its lawsuit against the tobacco industry, which settled for $8 billion, and it contributes a substantial amount of energy to the local medical community, sup-porting medical research to treat and cure environmental-ly-caused cancer and providing a house for families of vic-tims who are receiving medical treatment at the Brigham & Women’s International Mesothelioma Program clinic.
Thornton & Naumes LLP
100 Summer Street, 30th Floor Boston, MA 02110PH: 1-800-431-4600 • www.tenlaw.com
From Left: Michael Thornton, David McMorris, Edwin Wallace, Neil Leifer
Mesothelioma & Absestos Claims
Birth Defects From Toxic Exposure
Whistle Blower Fraud Claims
respiratory HealtH
7
AdvertoriAl
Afterall,saysMattWarnock,
president of ridgeCrest
Herbals, inc., until re-
cently, nearly all manufactured
drugs stemmed from herbs, in-
cludingaspirinfromwhitewillow
bark.
“Many illnesses, like colds or
seasonalflu,areself-limitingcon-
ditionswherenaturewilljusttake
its course,” says Warnock. “But
natural remedies can help you
control the symptoms, and get
youfeelingbetterfaster.theycan
also boost your immune system
tohelpreducethefrequencyand
durationofinfections.”
Bestofall,hesays, theydon’t
requireaprescription—justgood
commonsense.
Because herbal supplements
aren’t subject to the same rigor-
ous quality control as drugs, it’s
besttodiscussyourchoiceswith
your doctor. try to limit herbal
products to those manufactured
intheUnitedStates,becausetoxic
contaminants such as lead and
mercuryhavebeenfoundinsome
herbal supplements produced in
other countries, especially india
andChina.
“Herbshavetheirrisksandside
effects,” says Warnock, “but they
are usually less pronounced at
normal doses, and with complex
herbal formulas—small amounts
of many ingredients, rather than
large doses of one or two—they
maynearlydisappear.”
Nature’s ReliefFor many years, people used herbal remediestohealwhatailedthem.Moreandmore,we’reagain turning to nature for relief for commonhealthconcerns.
Asbestosisisachronicandprogressivepulmonarydiseaseinvolvingtheaccumulationofscartissue
causedbyasbestosfibers.onceinhaled,themicroscopicasbestosfibersbecomeembeddedinlungtissue
andcausechronicirritationandinflammation.overtime,scartissueandfibrosis(excessivefibrousconnec-
tivetissue)develop,leadingtosymptomssuchascoughing,shortnessofbreathandpainwhenbreathing.
Becausethedamageisirreversible,therecurrentlyisnocureforasbestosis.treatmentsincludesurgical
procedures,medicationstorelievepain,andvaccinationstopreventfurtherlunginfection.
Mesotheliomaisararecancerthatmostcommonlyaffectstheliningofthelungs(75percent),butcan
alsoaffecttheliningoftheabdomenorheart.Causedalmostexclusivelybyasbestosexposure,theinhaled
asbestosfiberscauseinflammationandcellulardamagethateventuallyleadstocancerformation.Meso-
theliomaexhibitsalonglatencyperiodof20to50yearsbeforesymptomsarise,whichincludepersistent
cough,difficultybreathingorswallowing,fatigueandshortnessofbreath.
Although there is no cure for mesothelioma, promising studies conducted around the world are
makingadvancementsintreatmentandpatientprognosis.treatmentsformesotheliomamaybecurativeor
palliative(whichseekstorelievesymptomsratherthancurethedisease)andincludesurgery,chemotherapy
andradiation.Anumberofmesotheliomasurvivorsfoundunitingtraditionalandalternativetherapies
tobevitaltotheirsuccessandnumer-
ousclinicaltrialsareconstantlyfinding
newcombinationsoftherapiestotreat
this rarecancer.Formore information
visitAsbestos.com.
Asbestosis and MesotheliomaAlthoughthepublicisfamiliarwiththetoxicityofasbestos,fewareawareoftheseconditionsbecausetheyarerelativelyrare.
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