Lung
and Asthma
The
lungs are two sacks of a soft, spongy like material. The trachea is a rigid
tube that connects the mouth with the bronchia. The bronchia are two tubes that
come off of the trachea and go into each lung. The bronchia further split into
several bronchioles, and the tubes split further and further, and get smaller
and smaller until they end at the alveoli. The alveoli are thin air sacs at the
ends of the bronchioles. The average adult has 600 million of these air-filled
sacs. The membranes of the alveoli are where the diffusion of oxygen and carbon
dioxide occur with the pulmonary capillaries.
The capillaries bring carbon dioxide rich air to the alveoli, which are rich in
oxygen. The gasses are exchanged across the membrane of the alveoli. These
membranes are prone to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is when chemicals or
other toxins release an electron that causes damage (see antioxidants). Think
of the free electron as a chemical “bullet”. Antioxidants are like bullet proof
vests that protect the cells.
The alveolar membranes are easily damaged by smoke and chemicals. Damage to the
alveoli makes them useless for oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, turning them
into inert sacs. The lungs make use of water-soluble antioxidants like vitamin
C, glutathione and N-acetyl cysteine for protection.
Here
are some facts about lung disease:
A pulmonary function test can help diagnose lung disease
if you have early warning signs of lung disease such as shortness of breath or
fatigue. These tests can assess the severity of functional impairment,
determine your suitability for certain jobs or activities, and follow the
progress of the disease and its response to treatment and cardiopulmonary
rehabilitation.
One quick and easy test to see if you have adequate lung function is to light a
match and hold it at arms length. See if you can blow it out without pursing
your lips. If you cannot, you may need to look further into the health of your
lungs.
Lung
cancer
Lung
cancer is the most common fatal cancer in the U.S., and has increased in recent
years more than any other cancer. The main cause of lung cancer is cigarette
smoking, which is responsible for about 87% of lung cancer cases.
Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Two
lung diseases fall under the category of COPD: bronchitis and emphysema. Both
conditions are largely caused by smoking and often occur together.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis
affects 13.5 million Americans and is the sixth-ranking chronic condition in
the country. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes
that connect the windpipe to the lungs. When the lining is inflamed, excess
mucus is secreted and airflow to the lungs is disrupted. This creates a cough
to get rid of the mucus and unclog the tubes.
Emphysema
Emphysema
is a severe lung disease that develops gradually over a period of time. It
affects about 1.9 million Americans, most of whom have been smokers for years.
Portions of the lungs become so damaged they will not expand or contract with
breathing. The lungs become rigid with trapped gases in the alveoli that cannot
escape. Because the lungs are not efficient in exchanging oxygen and carbon
dioxide, the heart has to work harder and becomes damaged. The damage is
irreversible, and death due to heart disease is often the result of emphysema.
Occupational
lung diseases
People
who are exposed to particles in the air such as coal dust and asbestos fibers
are at risk for developing occupational lung diseases called pneumoconiosis,
including the following:
Major
acute pulmonary infections (influenza and pneumonia)
People at risk for pulmonary infections are those with
weakened immune systems, such as the very young, very old, those with chronic
respiratory or circulatory problems, and those with weakened immune systems
from congenital deficiencies, medications and AIDS.
Obstructive
sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder in which
the upper airway frequently collapses during sleep. This results in cycles of
subconscious awakenings that, in severe cases, can occur several hundred times
a night. Suffers of sleep apnea experience excessive daytime sleepiness or
reduced cognitive function such as memory loss and lack of concentration. They
may also experience oxygen desaturation, an increase in heart rate, and
elevated blood pressure during the apnea episode. Sleep apnea has also been
associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to
angina, stroke and heart attack, and accidents caused by excessive daytime
sleepiness.
The
National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research estimates that about 20 million
people in the U.S. suffer from sleep apnea, yet less than 3% of those afflicted
know the cause of their fatigue or other symptoms. There are over 1500 sleep
disorders clinics in the U.S., which have "sleep labs" to diagnose
this disease.
Asthma
Asthma, the seventh-ranking chronic disease in the United
States, is a condition where a person's airways are often inflamed or swollen,
making breathing very difficult. Affecting more than 15 million diagnosed
Americans (some experts estimate an equal number are undiagnosed), asthma is
triggered by substances or events which cause the airways leading to the lungs
to become more inflamed or swollen than usual. This may cause a person to feel
breathless, wheeze, and/or cough.
Unfortunately, asthma can kill --- almost 5,000 Americans
die from asthma every year. And, asthma is on the rise, especially among
children. This year, asthma will cost the U.S. economy over $3.6 billion in
direct health care costs with an additional $2.6 billion in indirect costs.
Asthma will often respond to treatment of the adrenal
gland, hidden allergies or digestion. Fixing underlying health issues is often
valuable for the asthmatic patient.
Dietary
/ Lifestyle Guidelines:
This is an area where you want to have adequate diagnosis
and treatment. Diet and lifestyle changes are directed toward general health—in
other words the same habits that are good for every other condition will apply
here. These include:
1.
Drink an adequate amount of water each day:(adults): Water is
necessary to keep the cells hydrated and protected, to eliminate waste and
ensure the health of mucus membranes.
2.
Eat plenty of vegetables: Plenty means that at least half of the
food eaten (by volume). Vegetables are very high in fiber, vitamin C, folic
acid and minerals.
3.
Avoid deep fried food, partially hydrogenated oil and hydrogenated oil:
As time passes, we keep finding out more and more bad things about hydrogenated
oil and fried foods. Hydrogenated oils are pro-inflammatory and can be
incorporated into membranes, weakening them and making them more prone to
microbial and chemical invasion.
4.
Avoid refined sugar: Refined sugar increases insulin and
adrenal hormone production and can cause the body to excrete essential minerals
and increases the body's need for vitamins B & C.
5.
Avoid refined carbohydrates: They create all of the same health
problems created by refined sugar.
6.
Avoid chemical additives: Avoid processed foods and chemicals. The
average American consumes 10 pounds of chemical additives every year. This has
had a devastating effect on our health.
7.
Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly:Ideally, you should chew
food until it is liquid.
8.
Exercise
regularly:Your health care practitioner will discuss exercise with
you.