What is COPD Emphysema
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of respiratory tract diseases that are characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. It is usuall...
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Things I Have Learned
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I have been living with emphysema for seven or so years. In hopes to contribute to this great forum as a newbie I offer tips I have learned and used to control the progression of this disease.
1. Get healthy! Eat foods that boost the immune function. Most diseases are allowed into our body due to either a lack of immunity from infectious diseases (COPD is not in this catagory), or a weakness in our immune system. Here's one on many sites that appear to have good info on this: http://www.nutritional-supplement-... 2. Exercise as much as possible. Walking is one of the best things you can do. Do as much of this as your body will comfortably tolorate. Take a camera or an I-Pod with you to have an excuse to go walking. 3. Strengthen your chest muscles. Concentrating on the muscles that control you diaphram. I use a device named EXPAND-A LUNG. It's a small unit that has a mouthpiece simular to a snorkle. This is connected to a small valve device with a knob one can turn to increase or decrease the amount of effort it takes to breath through it. Sport professionals use this alot to increase the volume of their lung capacity and to keep the diaphram muscles strong. Remember, COPD is air that is trapped in your lungs which is very difficult to exhale in order to add another breath. By the way, I have no affiliation with the company that sells or makes it. You'll have to do a seach on where to buy online as I did a few years back. Hope this info from my experience helps someone. For those who already who have this knowlege, please forgive me if I seem to be a know-it-all. I'm not. I'm here in this forum to learn more from the group to help myself. Live long, live with a grin and Love deeply gentlemike Posted on 10/12/09, 03:10 pm |
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Hi,
I have the lung expander. I bought it a few years back and used it for awhile and then forgot about it. I started to blow up balloons and play the harmonica. The lung expander worked the best so I will start using it again. Thanks for the reminder. Hugs, Nellie 
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Thanks for your suggestions. Although I'm new to COPD, I have always felt that general good health (eating well, taking supplements, avoiding excessive stress, sleeping enough, getting outside and walking and exercising) is important no matter what disease you have.
I'm using an incentive spirometer to keep my lungs and associated muscles used to expanding. Welcome to the group, Mike! Joan
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Thank you Joan!
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To add my little 2 cents...
Taking care of our physical needs is most important and I agree. I also feel that taking care of our emotional and spiritual needs is just as important. Having a good laugh is not only good for our lungs, it is also good for our souls. As the song goes, "Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative." Rather than thinking COPD is life threatening, one can think of it as life affirming and get in touch with those things that are so important in life....our friends, our families, nature, good books, happy times....the list can go on and on. Try not to focus as much on those things that you may not be able to do any more, but those things that you can do - whether it's crocheting a lovely afghan or writing a letter to an editor about subjects important to you. Take some time just for you....sit outside on a beautiful day. Just sit there and let serenity flow through. Or watch a storm..Nature in all its powerful self. It can be rather humbling. If you think COPD is bad, remind yourself you could have an incurable brain tumor..and keep it in perspective. Certainly, having this disease is not a rose garden, but I don't recall being promised one in the first place and when I think "Why me?", Well, then I think "Why not me?" Would I wish it on others? I, for one, often feel blessed that I have been given COPD, for there are a great many days when I feel more alive that I ever have and appreciate each and every single day I have been given whereas I used to take so many of them for granted.
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This is for Mike and others that have used the Expand-a- lung or the breather.
Has anyone noticed an improvement in their overall breathing. Less sob, longer exercise time? Thanks, Hugs, Nellie
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