Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Overview

People with COPD have difficulties breathing, primarily due to the narrowing of their airways, this is called airflow obstruction.

Symptoms

COPD is the third leading cause of death in America, claiming the lives of 124,477 Americans in 2007

In 2011 research was published which revealed that this was the eight consecutive year in which women exceeded men in the number of deaths attributable to COPD. In 2007, almost 64,000 females died compared to almost 60,000 males.

In 2010, the cost to the US for COPD was projected to be approximately $49.9 billion, including $29.5 billion in direct health care expenditures, $8.0 billion in indirect morbidity costs and $12.4 billion in indirect mortality costs.

The symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) usually develop over a number of years, so at first you may not be aware you have the condition.

COPD does not usually become noticeable until after the age of 35. We recommend you see a licensed health practitioner straight away if you suffer from any of the following:

increasing breathlessness when exercising or moving around
a persistent cough with phlegm that never seems to go away
frequent chest infections, particularly in winter
wheezing

With COPD sufferers, the airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed. As the air sacs get permanently damaged, it will become increasingly difficult to breathe out.

Symptoms of COPD are often worse in winter, and it is common to have two or more flare-ups a year. A flare-up (also known as an exacerbation) is when your symptoms are particularly bad. Other signs of COPD can include:

weight loss
tiredness and fatigue
swollen ankles

Chest pain and coughing up blood (haemoptysis) are not common symptoms of COPD, they are usually caused by other conditions, such as lung cancer.

Causes

There are several things that may increase your risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – many of which can be avoided.

You can change some of the things that make COPD more likely such as:

Smoking: Smoking is the main cause of COPD. At least four out of five people who develop the disease are, or have been, smokers. The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and permanently damaged by smoking. This damage cannot be reversed. Around 10-25% of smokers develop COPD.

Passive Smoking: Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of COPD.

Fumes and Dust: Exposure to certain types of dust and chemicals at work, including grains, isocyanates, cadmium and coal, has been linked to the development of COPD, even in people who do not smoke.

The risk of COPD is even higher if you breathe in dust or fumes in the workplace and you smoke.

Air Pollution: According to some research, air pollution may be an additional risk factor for COPD.

There are a few factors for COPD that you cannot change, including:

Having a Brother or Sister with Severe COPD: A research study has shown that smokers who have brothers and sisters with severe COPD are at greater risk of developing the condition than smokers who do not.

Having a Genetic Tendency to COPD: There is a rare genetic tendency to develop COPD called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. This causes COPD in a small number of people (about 1%). Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a protein that protects your lungs. Without it, the lungs can be damaged by other enzymes that occur naturally in the body. People who have an alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency usually develop COPD at a younger age, often under 35.

Do

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Diet

If you suffer from respiratory diseases, you need to be screened for food allergies and sensitivities, and then avoid eating those foods you are allergic or sensitive to. In addition, avoid all sugar and sugar products, wheat and wheat byproducts, soy products, soft drinks, commercially processed foods, and all foods containing artificial ingredients, such as additives, colorings, flavorings, and preservatives (BHA, BHT, sodium nitrite, sulfites, saccharin, aspartame, and cyclamates, to name a few). Also minimize your intake of milk and dairy products, and coffee and other caffeine products, as well as red meat, salt, refined carbohydrates (white breads, pastries, commercial pastas), corn, chocolate, and unhealthy fats (hydrogenated or trans fats).

Drink plenty of pure, filtered water; at least eight ounces every two hours. For best results, add fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper, making sure to brush your teeth afterwards so the acid from the citrus is not allowed to sit on the teeth. In addition, enjoy freshly made organic vegetable juices throughout the day, as well as hot broths and soups. Diluted organic pear juice can loosen up lung congestion. As part of your daily diet, emphasize organic, whole foods, especially plenty of fresh, raw organic fruits and vegetables, preferably soaked nuts and seeds, organic, free-range meats and poultry, and wild-caught fish. Garlic, cayenne pepper, chili peppers, horseradish, mustard, and onions should be eaten regularly, due to their powerful health benefits for the lungs and overall respiratory system. Organic, extra virgin olive oil should be used liberally. Organic grapes and fresh grape juice can be effective, as well.

It is important to not add further toxicity to your system so try to adhere to the following:

Do not consume any artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda, NutraSweet or Aspartame

Do not consume high fructose corn syrup or mono-sodium glutamate.

Do not drink any carbonated beverages.

Avoid all fast food restaurants.

Avoid all canned food.

Eliminate conventional dairy products. The best dairy products are raw, unpasteurised and homogenised dairy from grass fed cows. If this is unavailable, then buy organic dairy.

Avoid conventional beef. The best beef is organic grass fed beef. www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok?affld=104400 The second best is organic meat; this includes beef, veal, lamb, chicken and turkey.

Supplements:

Useful nutrients for respiratory problems include vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, chlorophyll, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), folic acid, lecithin, and the amino acids L-cysteine, L-methionine, and L-glutathione.

Take Vitamin D3 50,000-100,000 International Units a day for periods of 4 weeks at a time.
Wholefood supplements are the best way of ensuring your nutritional needs are met. The best we know on the market is Kevin Trudeau’s “KT Daily” product. You can find more details here kevintrudeaudailylifesessentials.com/
Take an Omega 3 supplement:

Krill oil –

Fish oil

Cod liver oil

Vegetarian –

Prescription and non-prescription medication:

What non-prescription and prescription drugs are you taking? Your non-prescription and prescription are partially the reason that you have this illness or disease – you need to get off these medications but do so only under the guidance of a licensed health care practitioner.

Mind

We know that when the body is out of balance, energy doesn’t flow, leading blockages and eventually disease. Here are some things you can do to combat stress and restore balance:

Go to a Dr Morter BEST (Bio-Energetic Synchronisation Technique) Practitioner.
Sign up for Energetic Re-Balancing: 2 practitioners to consider are:
Stephen Lewis, founder of the Aim Program. Find out more by clicking here.
. Find out more by clicking here.
Consider using Mary Millers Iching System Products – ichingsystemsinstruments.com
Reiki healing is very powerful in releasing stress and emotional baggage. Find a practitioner here.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) has had remarkable results in dissolving stress. Find a local practitioner here or go towww.thetappingsolution.com or www.tftrx.com
Try Hypnotherapy to relax the mind. Find a practitioner here.