Cottage Grove sentinel., January 21, 2015, Image 16

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COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL January 21, 2014
Understanding COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
commonly referred to as COPD, is an
umbrella term for several lung diseases that
make it diffi cult to breathe. The two main
forms of COPD include chronic bronchitis
and emphysema. Doctors now classify any-
one who has emphysema or chronic bronchi-
tis as having COPD.
COPD can cause coughing with large
amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of
breath, chest tightness, and degradation of
the lungs. People who have COPD may fi nd
it diffi cult to engage in daily activities with-
out becoming breathless. Symptoms may be
quite similar to asthma but with an entirely
different cause.
People who suffer from COPD are typically
smokers or those who used to smoke. Long-
term exposure to other lung irritants, such as
dust or air pollution, also can contribute to
COPD. COPD is a common illness among
the elderly who experienced long-term
exposure to either cigarette smoke or other
noxious particles from fuels, chemicals and
occupational dusts before more stringent en-
vironmental regulations were implemented.
The Mayo Clinic says about 1 percent of
people with COPD have the disease due to
a genetic disorder that causes low levels of
a protein called alpha-1-antitrypsin, or AAt.
AAt is made in the liver and secreted into
the bloodstream to help protect the lungs.
In healthy lungs, air travels through the
trachea, or windpipe, into tubes known as
bronchia that connect to the lungs. These
bronchial tubes end in large bunches of air
sacs, called alveoli. Small capillaries run
through the walls of the alveoli to help with
the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
in the body.
When someone has COPD, the airways and
alveoli lose their elastic quality and many air
sacs may be destroyed. In addition, the walls
of the bronchial tubes can become thick,
infl amed and fi lled with mucus, prohibiting
the fl ow of air. As a result, less oxygen is
breathed into the body and passed into the
bloodstream to fuel the body’s needs. Lack
of oxygen can lead to blueness of the lips
and fi ngernail beds, fatigue and reduced
mental acuity.
No treatment currently exists to reverse
damage to the lungs or other components
of the respiratory system. The majority
of COPD therapies are designed to miti-
gate symptoms and make breathing easier.
These include inhaled medications or pills
taken orally. Many people with COPD may
need to take medicines known as control-
ler medications every day. In the event of a
breathing attack, rescue inhalers also may be
prescribed.
The COPD Foundation says other therapies
also may help patients cope with COPD.
Oxygen therapy can reduce strain on the
heart and prevent the negative side effects
of decreasing blood-oxygen levels. Learn-
ing certain breathing techniques, including
abdominal and pursed-lips breathing, can
reduce anxiety levels and prevent hyperven-
tilation, which typically compounds breath-
ing problems.
People with COPD also should improve the
air quality in their homes. Allergens and air
irritants can make breathing more diffi cult or
lead to acute attacks. Install an air fi ltration
system to keep a home clean.
Above all, quitting smoking is the most
effective way to combat COPD, and smok-
ers should speak with their physicians about
smoking cessation programs and medica-
tions.
Simple ways to maintain your mental acuity
Many people know that a combination of a
healthy diet and routine exercise is the best
way to maintain their physical health. But
what about mental well-being? Memory
lapses are often assumed to be an accepted
side effect of aging, but such an assumption
is incorrect, as there are many steps men and
women can take to maintain their mental
acuity well into their golden years.
• Find time for cardiovascular exercise.
Cardiovascular exercise can help men and
women maintain healthy weights and reduce
their risk for potentially deadly ailments like
diabetes and heart disease. But cardiovas-
cular exercise also can boost brain power.
Cardiovascular exercise pumps oxygen-rich
blood to the brain, and that blood contains
glucose that can fuel brain cells. Cardiovas-
cular exercise also strengthens blood vessels,
which can help prevent potentially devastat-
ing diseases, such as stroke, that can have
a lasting and negative impact on cognitive
function.
• Find time for friends and family. Many
people need no reason to socialize, but those
that do can now cite boosting brain function
as a great reason to get together with family
and friends. Routine socialization can keep a
brain sharp by reducing its levels of cortisol,
a potentially destructive hormone brought on
by stress. Researchers also believe that rou-
tine interaction with other people stimulates
Great Care
in a Great Place.
Right here in Cottage Grove.
At PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center, we care
for every body, every day, in every way that we can. In addition to
excellent patient care at our hospital, we offer personalized primary
care at each of our medical clinics. We also provide digital imaging,
laboratory services and a variety of medical specialties, including
physical therapy. Find out how we keep Cottage Grove going strong.
Discover the spirit of healing at peacehealth.org/cottage-grove.
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1515 Village Drive, Cottage Grove
structures in the brain’s frontal lobe that are
likely responsible for planning, decision
making and response control.
• Squeeze in a nap every so often. Naps
can have a reenergizing effect on men and
women, but a study from German research-
ers also found that naps also can improve
memory. In the study, researchers divided
participants into three groups: people who
would stay awake for 60 minutes; people
who would sleep for six minutes; and people
who would sleep for 30 to 45 minutes.
After the hour was up, participants were
given a word recall test, and those who
slept performed better on the test than those
who hadn’t. But the development that was
perhaps most interesting was that those who
slept for just six minutes performed just as
well on the test as those who slept for far
longer, leading researchers to suggest that
men and women need not take long naps to
improve their memories.
• Include fi sh in your diet. A study from
researchers at Chicago’s Rush University
Medical Center found that people who eat
fi sh once per week have a 60 percent lower
risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than
those who do not include fi sh in their weekly
diets. Researchers credit this lower risk to
DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that is found in
both the brain and in fi sh such as salmon and
tuna.