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Take Care of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Naturally
Date: 26/09/08
Keywords: Heart Disease
A recent study alerted me to the fact that inhalers prescribed for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been shown to increase the risk of heart failure by 67 per cent.
A recent study alerted me to the fact that inhalers prescribed for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been shown to increase the risk of heart failure by 67 per cent.
Alarmed, I went on a mission to find out more about this disease. COPD includes two conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It’s mostly caused by smoking but air pollution and polluted work conditions may cause some cases or make the disease worse.
Just by looking at the description and causes of this disease it is clear that almost everyone living in a highly populated and polluted area could be prone to COPD. If that’s not bad enough, an added risk of heart failure is chucked in for free, if we use our inhalers to alleviate the condition!
Go Natural
Let’s say you develop a persistent heavy cough and produce a lot of phlegm during these outbursts. You experience breathlessness ever so often and it gradually increases every time you exert yourself. A few years later the coughing is a part of your existence. Your breathlessness is almost chronic and you are prone to suffer chest infections accompanied by green and yellow phlegm and sputum.
Chances are that you have developed COPD. How can you alleviate the symptoms of this chronic disease without grabbing the inhaler (and heart attack) first?
* Build up your natural defences: Start by strengthening your immune system so that you don’t get colds and coughs often. Take a good multivitamin supplement and additional supplementation of magnesium, vitamin c, Coenzyme Q10, and L-Carnitine.
* Go herbal: Herbal solutions that will help keep the COPD under control are Garlic, Liquorice, Indian Tobacco (Labelia), and Marshmallow.
* Top-up with antioxidants: Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are important features of COPD. Targeting oxidative stress with antioxidants or boosting the endogenous levels of antioxidants is likely to benefit the treatment of COPD. Antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory agents such as curcumin (a principal component of turmeric), resveratrol (a flavanoid found in red grapes) and green tea can help.
* Steaming: Add a few drops of the essential oil of Eucalyptus to a humidifier and breathe in the air, especially when you have trouble breathing. ‘Steam’ twice a day with Eucalyptus, once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening.
* Go Green: Sulforaphane is an antioxidant and stimulator of natural detoxifying enzymes. It is found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. US researchers found that Sulforophane increases the activity of a gene (NRF2) that can protect the lungs against oxidative damage due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When eating cruciferous vegetables, do so in moderation as you want to avoid gas and bloating when you suffer from COPD.
* Go Fish: Japanese researchers at Kagoshima University Hospital found that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids appeared to improve COPD patients' breathing difficulties, possibly by countering the airway inflammation. After two years, patients in the omega-3 supplement group showed an overall improvement on tests that measured their breathing during a short bout of exercise. Omega-3 is found largely in oily fish, and to a lesser extent in flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil.
* Exercise: Studies have shown that people with COPD who exercise regularly tend to improve their breathing, ease symptoms, and have a better quality of life.
* Lose Weight: Carrying extra weight can make breathlessness worse.
Things to avoid
There are a few things that can aggravate the symptoms of COPD.
* Smoking: This cannot be stressed enough. If you stop smoking at an early stage of the disease, it will make a huge difference. Any damage already done to your airways cannot be reversed, but stopping smoking prevents the disease from getting much worse. It is never too late to stop at any stage of the disease, even if you have fairly advanced COPD, you are likely to benefit and prevent further progression of the disease.
* Airway irritants: This could be a bit more difficult to avoid since the inhalation of small particles can trigger an attack, such as: air fresheners, perfumes, exhaust fumes, dust particles and animal hair. An air purifier will help reduce these irritants in your home.
* Cured meats: Sausages, ham, bologna and bacon contain high levels of nitrites, which are added to prevent rancidity and bacterial growth and enhance the pink colour. Just like cigarette smoke and air pollution, nitrites generate molecules known as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that have been linked to COPD.
* Limit your salt intake: Too much sodium can cause you to retain fluids that may interfere with breathing.
* Avoid foods that cause gas or bloating: Everyone knows how uncomfortable that full-stomach feeling is. And it makes breathing more difficult, too. To minimize gas or bloating, avoid foods and drinks such as carbonated beverages and fried, spicy, or greasy foods.
If you are using an inhaler such as Atrovent or Spriva (which contain anticholinergics ipratropium and tiotropium) it may be a good idea to discuss any concerns you have with your doctor, especially if you feel you are at any risk of developing heart disease.
According to a research consortium at Harvard Medical School in the US, adults who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) perform 22 days less work per year than people who don’t have the disorder.
Fortunately, adult ADHD can be treated with natural therapies, including:
* Fish Oil: Omega 3 fatty acids, abundant in fish oil, are crucial for proper brain function. (Two to three grams daily).
* Meditation: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help both adults and teens with ADHD.
* Exercise: Regular physical activity raise levels of dopamine, which can improve concentration and focus. Feeling occasionally distracted, disorganized or forgetful is common in today’s rat-race culture, but if such feelings are persistent or severely impacting your life, consider consulting a mental health professional to see if you meet the clinical criteria for ADHD.
Sources:
‘Inhalers may up heart death risk’ published online 24 September 2008, news.bbc.co.uk
‘COPD alternative treatment’ by Dr. Ray Sahelian
‘Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease’ published online, patient.co.uk
‘Natural cure for thick mucus in lungs of COPD patient’ published online 19 February 2007, home-remedies-for-you.com
‘Broccoli Compound Protects Against COPD Damage In Lungs’ published online 15 September 2008, medicalnewstoday.com
Back to topAlarmed, I went on a mission to find out more about this disease. COPD includes two conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It’s mostly caused by smoking but air pollution and polluted work conditions may cause some cases or make the disease worse.
Just by looking at the description and causes of this disease it is clear that almost everyone living in a highly populated and polluted area could be prone to COPD. If that’s not bad enough, an added risk of heart failure is chucked in for free, if we use our inhalers to alleviate the condition!
Go Natural
Let’s say you develop a persistent heavy cough and produce a lot of phlegm during these outbursts. You experience breathlessness ever so often and it gradually increases every time you exert yourself. A few years later the coughing is a part of your existence. Your breathlessness is almost chronic and you are prone to suffer chest infections accompanied by green and yellow phlegm and sputum.
Chances are that you have developed COPD. How can you alleviate the symptoms of this chronic disease without grabbing the inhaler (and heart attack) first?
* Build up your natural defences: Start by strengthening your immune system so that you don’t get colds and coughs often. Take a good multivitamin supplement and additional supplementation of magnesium, vitamin c, Coenzyme Q10, and L-Carnitine.
* Go herbal: Herbal solutions that will help keep the COPD under control are Garlic, Liquorice, Indian Tobacco (Labelia), and Marshmallow.
* Top-up with antioxidants: Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are important features of COPD. Targeting oxidative stress with antioxidants or boosting the endogenous levels of antioxidants is likely to benefit the treatment of COPD. Antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory agents such as curcumin (a principal component of turmeric), resveratrol (a flavanoid found in red grapes) and green tea can help.
* Steaming: Add a few drops of the essential oil of Eucalyptus to a humidifier and breathe in the air, especially when you have trouble breathing. ‘Steam’ twice a day with Eucalyptus, once in the morning and once in the afternoon or evening.
* Go Green: Sulforaphane is an antioxidant and stimulator of natural detoxifying enzymes. It is found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. US researchers found that Sulforophane increases the activity of a gene (NRF2) that can protect the lungs against oxidative damage due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When eating cruciferous vegetables, do so in moderation as you want to avoid gas and bloating when you suffer from COPD.
* Go Fish: Japanese researchers at Kagoshima University Hospital found that supplements of omega-3 fatty acids appeared to improve COPD patients' breathing difficulties, possibly by countering the airway inflammation. After two years, patients in the omega-3 supplement group showed an overall improvement on tests that measured their breathing during a short bout of exercise. Omega-3 is found largely in oily fish, and to a lesser extent in flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil.
* Exercise: Studies have shown that people with COPD who exercise regularly tend to improve their breathing, ease symptoms, and have a better quality of life.
* Lose Weight: Carrying extra weight can make breathlessness worse.
Things to avoid
There are a few things that can aggravate the symptoms of COPD.
* Smoking: This cannot be stressed enough. If you stop smoking at an early stage of the disease, it will make a huge difference. Any damage already done to your airways cannot be reversed, but stopping smoking prevents the disease from getting much worse. It is never too late to stop at any stage of the disease, even if you have fairly advanced COPD, you are likely to benefit and prevent further progression of the disease.
* Airway irritants: This could be a bit more difficult to avoid since the inhalation of small particles can trigger an attack, such as: air fresheners, perfumes, exhaust fumes, dust particles and animal hair. An air purifier will help reduce these irritants in your home.
* Cured meats: Sausages, ham, bologna and bacon contain high levels of nitrites, which are added to prevent rancidity and bacterial growth and enhance the pink colour. Just like cigarette smoke and air pollution, nitrites generate molecules known as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that have been linked to COPD.
* Limit your salt intake: Too much sodium can cause you to retain fluids that may interfere with breathing.
* Avoid foods that cause gas or bloating: Everyone knows how uncomfortable that full-stomach feeling is. And it makes breathing more difficult, too. To minimize gas or bloating, avoid foods and drinks such as carbonated beverages and fried, spicy, or greasy foods.
If you are using an inhaler such as Atrovent or Spriva (which contain anticholinergics ipratropium and tiotropium) it may be a good idea to discuss any concerns you have with your doctor, especially if you feel you are at any risk of developing heart disease.
According to a research consortium at Harvard Medical School in the US, adults who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) perform 22 days less work per year than people who don’t have the disorder.
Fortunately, adult ADHD can be treated with natural therapies, including:
* Fish Oil: Omega 3 fatty acids, abundant in fish oil, are crucial for proper brain function. (Two to three grams daily).
* Meditation: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help both adults and teens with ADHD.
* Exercise: Regular physical activity raise levels of dopamine, which can improve concentration and focus. Feeling occasionally distracted, disorganized or forgetful is common in today’s rat-race culture, but if such feelings are persistent or severely impacting your life, consider consulting a mental health professional to see if you meet the clinical criteria for ADHD.
Sources:
‘Inhalers may up heart death risk’ published online 24 September 2008, news.bbc.co.uk
‘COPD alternative treatment’ by Dr. Ray Sahelian
‘Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease’ published online, patient.co.uk
‘Natural cure for thick mucus in lungs of COPD patient’ published online 19 February 2007, home-remedies-for-you.com
‘Broccoli Compound Protects Against COPD Damage In Lungs’ published online 15 September 2008, medicalnewstoday.com
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