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. Continue Reading This
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). Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
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. Continue Reading This
© 2009