COPD and Climate
I've known for about 20 years I had emphysema due to my addiction to tobacco. Previously I had worked as a medical social worker in Florida for a hospital based home health agency. I worked with many dozens of patients who were hooked up to oxygen tanks or machines and sucking on their inhalers. They tend to be a nervous bunch, because nothing is scarier than not being able to breathe.
Later I was a webmaster and sold herbs, vitamins, minerals, essential oils and magnetic jewelry online. I studied and researched herbal and naturopathic medicine and nutrition and owned a couple ALFs - assisted living facilities. I learned from personal experience that as my COPD became worse, I could no longer tolerate the heat and humidity nor could I afford my air conditioned indoor cocoon. I wasn't getting enough sun or exercise due to the Florida heat. My personal comfort zone with COPD was between 60 and 75 degrees. I was suffering from a vitamin D deficiency in the sunshine state.
I searched all of North America for the perfect year around climate in my comfort zone, between 60 and 75 degrees, and found two cities that had the perfect climate in Mexico for people with emphysema: Cuernavaca and Uruapan. Nearly every morning is in the 60s and nearly every afternoon is in the low 70s. Both cities are in the mountains about 5,000 feet above sea level. For air conditioning you open the window and for heat you close the window, plus UV light from the sun is about 30% stronger in the mountains, which means more vitamin D for taking a half hour sunbath everyday without sunscreen, winter and summer.
Smoking tobacco robs the body of getting enough vitamin C and vitamin D, which helps to protect the lungs and other organs and prevents disease. Staying indoors too much also prevents you from getting enough exercise.
Later I was a webmaster and sold herbs, vitamins, minerals, essential oils and magnetic jewelry online. I studied and researched herbal and naturopathic medicine and nutrition and owned a couple ALFs - assisted living facilities. I learned from personal experience that as my COPD became worse, I could no longer tolerate the heat and humidity nor could I afford my air conditioned indoor cocoon. I wasn't getting enough sun or exercise due to the Florida heat. My personal comfort zone with COPD was between 60 and 75 degrees. I was suffering from a vitamin D deficiency in the sunshine state.
I searched all of North America for the perfect year around climate in my comfort zone, between 60 and 75 degrees, and found two cities that had the perfect climate in Mexico for people with emphysema: Cuernavaca and Uruapan. Nearly every morning is in the 60s and nearly every afternoon is in the low 70s. Both cities are in the mountains about 5,000 feet above sea level. For air conditioning you open the window and for heat you close the window, plus UV light from the sun is about 30% stronger in the mountains, which means more vitamin D for taking a half hour sunbath everyday without sunscreen, winter and summer.
Smoking tobacco robs the body of getting enough vitamin C and vitamin D, which helps to protect the lungs and other organs and prevents disease. Staying indoors too much also prevents you from getting enough exercise.
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