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 paul.herron@mediaplanet.com

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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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