The Digest - Volume 6.2

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

      It’s hard to believe that we’re almost halfway through the year! And it seems that only yesterday we launched the Year of the Lung awareness campaign. Progress has been made in spreading the word about COPD, and we’ve seen much engagement from states COPD coalitions. This year, several state summits will be held (the most recent was held in Maryland) in an effort to plan the best way to address the issues that affect COPDers.

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Making it Better to Breathe Worldwide

Breakthroughs in tackling Indoor Air Pollution (IAP)—the toxic smoke from half the world’s population cooking on wood, dung and coal fires—have the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of COPD in the developing world.  Worldwide, approximately 2 million people in developing countries die every year from IAP. Of those 2 million deaths, 54 percent are from COPD, according to a 2009 study from the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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The Health Care Reform Debate Ends, A New Chapter Begins

President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on March 23rd, 2010. This legislation—which comes after a tumultuous year stemming from political disparity between the two parties—carries the lofty goal of extending coverage to around 30 million Americans who are currently without health insurance.

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Going Green: Local Efforts to Make Breathing Air Better

Constructing green buildings or other projects may lean towards the expensive side, but there are many things COPDers can do to their current homes to help clear the air and make their living situation more comfortable. Senofer Mendoza, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified designer of Mendoza Designs, says buildings with LEED certification have less particulates floating in the air—and are thus better for COPDers.

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COPD Learn More Breathe Better®:

You may recall that The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health recently awarded subcontracts through the COPD Learn More Breathe Better® campaign to several national and community-based lung health organizations to support efforts to improve awareness and understanding of COPD.

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COPD: An Equal Opportunity Disease

By Dr. David Mannino, University of Kentucky This 1960s jingle comes from a cigarette ad targeted at women. During this time in U.S. history, an important theme was the emergence of equal rights for people regardless of gender, race or ethnicity. This equality transcended many areas of our lives, including the advertising and marketing of cigarettes. Of course by the early 1970s, cigarette ads were no longer being advertised on television.

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From Patient, to Patience, to Practice: A Story of Inspiration, Determination and Faith

Jeff Shumaker knows what it’s like to not be able to breathe. Two separate times—once in 1995 and five years later in 2000—Shumaker, 40, suffered from what is called a “spontaneous pneumothorax.” This is when Shumaker’s lung developed a blister and popped, causing his lung to collapse.

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Nutrition for Better Health!

By Robert A. Harris, Founder of Smart Balance® Food Some years ago, I had one bout of bronchitis after the other. I could not seem to shake it. It affected the way I felt, of course, and it did a number on my speaking voice. That was a problem since I did my own radio announcements for a food product I founded, Smart Balance Buttery Spread®. I used radio quite a lot in those days and I just was unable to feel comfortable doing my commercials in a raspy voice and having to get rid of the congestion to breathe comfortably.

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© 2009