Sharing the Health!

ResMed announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared AirMini™, the world’s smallest continuous positive air- way pressure (CPAP) device. ResMed’s tiny yet fully-featured AirMini™, to be launched later this year, is designed as a secondary CPAP, making it easier for people to contin- ue their sleep apnea therapy while traveling.

I recently received an advertisement in the mail from my local grocery store. Their pharmacy offers a free 14-day supply of ge- neric antibiotics and up to a 90-day supply of montelukast, the anti-inflammatory drug used for asthma (known as Singulair®). Check to see if you have a similar program in your area! Lloyd H., St. Petersburg, FL

Margaret Eaton of Florida wants you to know you don’t have to stop enjoying life because of respiratory problems. She is an 81-year-old oxygen user who recently went on a 20-day trip to Japan – by herself! Her motto: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!

Dan Lyle of Lady Lake, FL, wants to help people Break the Habit – to the tune of Run Around Sue!

In the Springtime when the pollen levels are high, try and schedule activities so that you’re not outdoors when the pollen count is at its peak, typically from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. It is also a good idea to change clothes when you come back inside so that you don’t transfer pollen to your furniture and bedding. If gardening around moldy leaves, you may want to wear a mask.

I always wondered why my pulse increases when I walk. Finally, I remembered to ask my physician who told me when your oxygen levels decrease, your body’s first response is to increase your heart rate, thinking if it can pump blood faster, you will get the oxygen you need. Wanted to share this in case any- one else wondered!

Evelyn P., New York, NY

I know that many people have been inves- tigating and hoping for the possibility of stem cell treatment for lung disease.

I read a story in the New York Times about three women who suffered permanent eye damage after stem cells were injected into their eyes at a clinic in Florida. “One, 72, went completely blind from the injections, and the others, 78 and 88, lost much of their eyesight. Before the procedure, all had some visual impairment but could see well enough to drive.

Their cases expose gaps in the ability of government health agencies to protect con- sumers from unproven treatments offered by entrepreneurs who promote the supposed healing power of stem cells.

The women had macular degeneration, an eye disease that causes vision loss, and they paid $5,000 each to receive stem cell injec- tions in 2015 at a private clinic in Sunrise, FL. The clinic was part of a company then called Bioheart, now called U.S. Stem Cell. Please be careful out there!

Donna B., Rochester, NY

The simple fact is weak muscles use more oxygen. It just makes sense to keep them toned! Start out slowly and try and increase your exercise time but just start! It doesn’t have to be a gym work out. Use light weights or soup cans at home for arm curls or forward arm raises. Stand on your tip toes while holding on to the back of a chair. Sit in a chair and stretch out your legs one at a time. Tai Chi is a great form of exercise. If you have access to a pool, water aerobics are always fun with a group.

Don’t forget your pursed lip breathing!

Hot off the Press!

Read the “Ultimate Pulmonary Wellness Book” by Dr. Noah Greenspan. It’s at https://pulmonary wellnessbook.com.

Dr. G’s mission in writing

this book is to teach you that for the over- whelming majority of people, being diag- nosed with a respiratory disease is not a death sentence and your situation does not have to be hopeless. In fact, there are many things you can do to minimize your short- ness of breath as well as to maximize your health and the overall quality of your life.

Many herbal supplements contain hidden pharmaceutical ingredients that could be causing serious health risks, according to a team of experts from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The research found that over-the-counter supplements, commonly advertised to treat obesity and erectile dysfunction problems, are labelled as fully herbal but often include potential- ly dangerous pharmaceutical ingredients, which are not listed on the label.

Herbal and dietary supplements are reg- ulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis- tration (FDA), but not as drugs or as foods. Manufacturers don’t have to seek FDA approval nor do the supplements have to be proven safe to the FDA’s satisfaction before putting them on the market.

I recently came across horehound hard candy, it has been a wonderful help in sooth- ing my throat and relieving my dry mouth.

Upon investigating, I found horehound is an herb plant that is a member of the mint family, it can also be made into a tea. It has a somewhat bitter taste, like a combination of mint, root beer and licorice.

Throughout history, horehound has been used in a variety of ritualistic and medicinal ways. In medieval Europe, it was even used to ward off a witch’s spell!

Vogmask is a company whose vision is to make the most beautiful, highest efficiency, most comfortable and best manufactured, reusable consumer masks on the market. The Vogmask is for general use to protect you from particles such as pollen, dust and other airborne contaminants. The carbon filter layer provides deodorization. Recent research indicates that low cost carbon filters have effectiveness in protecting from ozone. For more information, visit www.vogmask. com to see all the different mask patterns available. The contact phone number is 1-650-678-8652.

Holaira, a company based in Minnesota, is developing a minimally invasive device to treat COPD. This simple, one-time bron- choscopic treatment, called Targeted Lung Denervation or TLD, has the potential to provide lasting whole lung improvement for COPD patients by opening obstructed airways to make breathing easier. TLD is under clinical investigation and is not yet commercially available. More information may be found at www.holaira.com.