BREATHE BETTER AND EASIER

   We do not often think of breath as nourishment but it is an important part of getting food delivered to every body cell for energy and the performance of all parts of the body.  If we are not careful about the food we send to our stomach that would be like shopping for groceries but not delivering them home to serve at the table.  According to John Hansen-Flaschen, M.D., medical director of the Lung Center at the University Penn Lung Center at the University of Pennsylvania, “Shortness of breath is one of the most common and most important forms of discomfort.”        

   In a study of people who had heart attacks, six out of 10 said they felt breathless at times before the event.  If one frequently feels short of breath, it might be that the left side of the heart is not pumping very well.  Though this is called “heart failure,” it doesn’t mean that your heart is about to stop or that you are in immediate danger, but it can affect your quality of life.  “When the doctor asks if they have it, patients say no,” says Dennis Doherty, M.D., a professor of medicine in the division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.  “They should ask if they were short of breath while doing previous activities.”

   “In people with asthma, the air ways – tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs – are swollen and inflamed and are very sensitive to allergens such as pollen and dust, chemical fumes, airborne irritants, cigarette smoke, aerosol sprays, and chilly air.  Allergies are the cause of such attacks for almost 80 percent of asthma sufferers.  Consider being tested for asthma.  Cigarette smoking is the chief cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD)  Chronic bronchitis inflames airway linings, causing them to thicken and form heavy mucus,” continues Dr. Doherty.

   “Some people with severe COPD need oxygen from a portable unit which can be administrated through nasal prongs or a face mask.  Everyday stress can spark mild hyperventilation.  Cognitive behavioural therapy, changing thoughts and behaviour can be effective.  Listening to music, meditation, muscle relaxation, regular aerobic exercise, talking to a friend, and yoga can all be helpful,” Dr. Doherty adds.  One of the exercise classes offered here at Carrington is yoga – all can be performed from a sitting position – but a more advanced yoga class is offered as well.  I find deep inhalations in the outside air and then with pursed lips expelling it to the count of four, is very helpful, especially when there is a family history of asthma.