HOLISTIC MEDICINE

    Health professionals are more likely than other Americans to use alternative treatments, according to a recent study published in the journal Health Services Research.  Researchers looked at data from a national survey of 14,329 adults, including 1,280 health care employees.  Three quarters of the health-care workers had used at least one alternative therapy such as acupuncture or tai chi in the past year versus 63 percent of the other respondents.

·        Eat Well.  Good nutrition leads to strong respiratory muscles and help control body weight.  Since people with lung problems often feel short of breath when their stomach is full, it can be helpful to eat small, frequent well-balanced meals and limit foods that can cause acid reflux or gas.

·        Prevent Respiratory infections.  Pneumonia and acute bronchitis or complications of the flu or a cold – can cause shortness of breath, and those infections can prompt asthma-like attacks and exacerbate COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).  The pneumonia vaccine is a (one-time shot) and is recommended at age 65 and for people of any age with chronic lung disease.  Try to avoid crowds during cold and flu season. 

·        Maintain a Proper Weight.  If you are heavy, shedding weight can relieve pressure on your diaphragm and respiratory muscles.  “Extra weight will make you short of breath and magnify the shortness of breath that comes with lung and heart disease,” says Norman H. Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer of the American Lung Association.  If you are underweight, try to gain a few pounds.  The average person uses 50 calories a day for breathing, those with COPD might burn 750 calories a day on breathing alone.

·        Exercise Regularly.  People with lung disease often avoid exercise because of difficulty in breathing, but a program that includes walking and light, upper body strengthening exercises can actually improve it.  A consultation with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen might be helpful.  Asking your doctor about this problem, and following his advice always takes on more urgency than causal advice from a friend or family member when shortness of breath has been noticed.