COPD-INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER
http://www.COPD-International.com
Dedicated to the philosophy
"You can learn to control this disease instead of letting it control you!"
Monday, August 30, 2010
Volume #9 -- Issue #35
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2010 COPD-International.com All rights reserved.
FREE BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY! Subscription information is at
the end of this newsletter. THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY. This newsletter is published on Mondays.
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> > > > > > > > >
IN THIS ISSUE < < < < < < < < <
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==> Welcome
==> Follow Us
==> COPD News
==> New Hope/Innovations
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Resource on Living With COPD
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> Community Update
==> Link Directory
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought - A Tribute to Host-Rachel
==> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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> > > > > > > > > WELCOME < < < < < < < < <
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ABOUT US
We are a group of fellow COPD sufferers, caregivers and others
interested in this disease. Our online community is devoted to
helping one another to live the best life possible with this
debilitating illness through interactive support.
As many of us have found, COPD is a disease of many faces,
contradictions and components. Therefore, our diversified community
is here to share its combined wealth of knowledge and information,
so we may all become well-informed patients and take control of our
disease rather than letting this disease control us.
We welcome your input and participation in our newsletters and will
review for publication any pertinent information you wish to share
with others on COPD and related topics. Also, periodically we will
feature stories and information from guest writers. If you wish to
contribute to the newsletter, please contact us at
Newsletter@COPD-International.com.
Yours in health,
Susie in Delaware
Editor's Note: There are several exceptionally long links in
this edition. Please cut and paste the entire address into
your browser if you have trouble opening the page.
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> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
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Q&A: HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER
Health hazards from thunderstorms
Q: I seem to have asthma attacks before and during thunderstorms. To
my surprise, my doctor said that not only can thunderstorms affect
asthma, but they can also present other health hazards. What can you
tell me about these?
A: The summer thunderstorm is great theater - bright flashes of
lightning, the sharp crack of thunder, the wind whipping and, of
course, the rain. But even if you stay indoors, thunderstorms are
associated with some adverse health effects. Researchers have
documented thunderstorm-related outbreaks of asthma, and there are
hints that storms can also trigger problems ranging from sleep apnea
to migraine headaches.
The most obvious threat of thunderstorms is their flashiest feature:
Lightning. One of the many misconceptions about getting hit by
lightning is that it's inevitably fatal. In fact, while about 60
Americans die each year from lightning strikes, four to five times
as many survive, although the injuries can be quite serious. Cardiac
arrest, not burns, is the most common cause of death from lightning
because the electricity scrambles the electrical system of the
heart.
As far as asthma goes, almost everyone who gets thunderstorm asthma
also has seasonal allergies. This means they're prone to having an
allergic reaction to pollen or fungal spores. So how might
thunderstorms increase pollen and spore counts?
Most of us have experienced that ominous drop in temperature and the
gusts of wind that signal the approach of a thunderstorm. According
to one theory, those gusts whip pollen off grass and trees. Another
explanation is that pollen and possibly spores get swept up into the
storm clouds where moisture ruptures the pollen grains into smaller
fragments, which then get transported down to ground level by cool
downdrafts and outflows. See More:
http://www.freep.com/article/20100822/FEATURES08/8220333/1033/Features08/
Health-hazards-from-thunderstorms#ixzz0xd4SQpne
JOHNS HOPKINS RESEARCHER HAS MAJOR ASTHMA FINDING
One in 15 people in the United States have asthma, but in the
nation's inner cities, it's one in four who have the condition that
makes it so hard to breathe. Mary Bubala reports a researcher at the
Johns Hopkins Children's Center has isolated a major reason why.
Six-year-old Collin MacLaurin lives just west of downtown Baltimore
in a row home. The first-grader has suffered with asthma for several
years, having attacks at any time of the day and he's allergic to so
many things. "Cats, mice, mice droppings, dust, outside, inside
allergies, just a whole list of things and I didn't even know," said
his grandmother, Lavinia Dean.
Dean enrolled her grandson in a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins
Children's Center, hoping it would help Collin. Dr. Elizabeth
Matsui's research has proven that mouse allergen is a major cause of
asthma in Baltimore City children. See More:
http://wjz.com/health/asthma.johns.hopkins.2.1883263.html
VITAMIN D MAY PROTECT LUNG PATIENTS FROM MOLD ALLERGY
Mold allergy is a nuisance to everyone affected by it, but it can be
dangerous for individuals with asthma or cystic fibrosis. That is
why any news of successful therapeutic approaches is bound to
attract attention. A study, which is soon to be published in the
Journal of Clinical Investigation, has found that vitamin D may be
able to prevent or even treat allergy symptoms triggered by
Aspergillus fumigatus, or common mold.
In the study, the scientists analyzed Th2 cells that help the body
develop an allergic reaction, including to A. fumigatus. They then
discovered that allergic individuals with increased Th2 reactivity
had lower average levels of vitamin D, compared to the control group
of healthy participants. See Story:
http://www.betterhealthresearch.com/news/vitamin-d-may-protect-lung-disease-
patients-from-mold-allergy-19931854/
STUDY: EATING SENSIBLE DIET IMPROVES LUNG HEALTH
Steering clear of full-fat, fried, and processed foods is not just
good for overall health, it could help prevent chronic lung
conditions, a large U.K. study has revealed. Led by Seif Shaheen,
professor of Respiratory Epidemiology at Barts and The London School
of Medicine, the study - involving 1,551 men and 1,391 women with an
average age of 66 - showed that those whose diet favored fresh fruit
and vegetables, oily fish and wholegrain products had far better
lung function than those who chose a diet high in fat, sugar and
processed food. The study also revealed that the beneficial effects
of the sensible diet were particularly strong in men who smoked. See
Article:
http://www.physorg.com/news201887932.html
SNEEZING AGAIN? AVOID RAGWEED
If you've been sneezing your way through August, ragweed may be the
culprit. Ragweed season usually starts around mid-August and tends
to torment allergy sufferers until the first frost sets in. Because
ragweed counts are the highest between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on hot,
dry and windy days, consider avoiding outdoor activities during that
time, says an expert from the Saint Louis University Medical Center.
Seasonal allergy triggers abound, and knowing which ones affect you
can help you avoid them to reduce the risk of annoying symptoms such
as sneezing, stuffy nose and itchy eyes, Dr. James Temprano,
assistant professor of internal medicine at the university, said in
a university news release.
If you're not sure what's causing the problem, consider a skin test
to determine which allergens are affecting you, Temprano suggested.
See Article:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/allergy-and-asthma/articles/2010
/08/22/sneezing-again-avoid-ragweed.html
MEDICARE EXPANDS PLAN FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO QUIT SMOKING
Medicare had covered tobacco counseling only for those diagnosed
with a tobacco-related disease or showed signs of such a disease.
More help for senior citizens who want to stop smoking will soon be
available through a change being made at Medicare. The Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) expanded Medicare coverage of
evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling, removing a barrier to
treatment for all tobacco users covered by Medicare, which includes
about 4.5 million seniors.
Under the new coverage, any smoker covered by Medicare will be able
to receive tobacco cessation counseling from a qualified physician
or other Medicare-recognized practitioner who can work with them to
help them stop using tobacco. See Story:
http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Medicare/2010/20100825-MedicareExpands
Coverage.htm
BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO LUNG DISEASE AWARENESS
By Joe Palca, NPR
Robert O'Rourke has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and he
wants the world to know about it. It bothers him that a disease that
kills tens of thousands of people each year in this country is
largely unknown, so he's using his public relations background to
try to put IPF on the map.
O'Rourke was diagnosed in the fall of 2006, and at the time, he was
in charge of public relations for Caltech, one of the top research
institutions in the country - a job he'd held for nearly a
quarter-century.
His symptoms were shortness of breath and a dry cough - not very
specific. His pulmonologist wanted more details. Unlike normal lung
tissue, scar tissue can't take oxygen from the air and get it into
the blood. People can tolerate a little bit of scarring in their
lungs, but O'Rourke's lungs are riddled with scar tissue.
"April of this year, things went south rapidly," he says. "And since
then I've been on oxygen 24/7. And that's the way this disease is -
you can ride along very nicely, and then it takes a dip." See Full
Feature Story:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129376945
Make browsing in our Library and catching up on general medical news
in our Reading Room part of your daily surfing routine at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/
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> > > > > > > > > NEW HOPE / INNOVATIONS < < < < < < < < <
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BAXTER ENTERS ACCORD OVER LUNG DISEASE DRUG
Baxter International and Israeli biopharmaceutical company Kamada
have entered a distribution and manufacturing agreement for Glassia,
a drug that treats genetic lung-damaging disorder alpha-1
antitryspin (AAT). In a joint statement, the companies said Baxter
will market Glassia, made by Kamada, in the United States, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand. Baxter will also gain access to Kamada's
technology of the liquid AAT drug.
Baxter will serve as the exclusive distributor of Glassia in the
United States. The deal does not include the inhaled version of the
drug, which is currently undergoing clinical trials in Europe. But
the companies said they will examine cooperation of the inhaled
product. See Press Release:
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20100824/NEWS03/100829962/baxter-enters
-accord-with-israeli-firm-over-lung-disease-drug
CONFERENCE REPORT: PHENOTYPES ARE THE FUTURE OF COPD
Physicians must look at the bigger picture when it comes to
understanding COPD, delegates heard Mary Anne Kenny report from the
COPD7 International Conference in Birmingham, where experts stressed
the need for tailored approaches to COPD. Respiratory experts from
all over the world gathered in Birmingham, U.K., recently for the
COPD7 International Conference COPD.
Bart Celli spoke on "FEV1 independent - clinical phenotypes."
According to Celli, professor of medicine at Tufts University and
chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at St
Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, understanding COPD phenotypes
is the future of the condition and of finding ways to treat it.
The goal of phenotyping is to identify patient groups with unique
prognostic or therapeutic characteristics, he continued, "but
significant variation and confusion surrounds our use of the term
"phenotype in COPD." See More:
http://www.imt.ie/features-opinion/2010/08/phenotypes-are-the-future-of-copd.html
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> > > > > > > > > RECALLS / WARNINGS < < < < < < < < <
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RECALLS
The link below leads to the list of active recall cases of the
United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS). See current recalls at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp
U.S. FDA RECALLS
To view current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls,
go to
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html
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> > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < <
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LIVING WITH COPD
The content on the site below, selected by the WebMD editorial
staff, is an an exceptionally extensive resource for all things
COPD. Such topics include:
COPD: At Home and Going Out
Tips to Avoid COPD Breathlessness
Managing Your COPD
COPD and Smoking: How to Give It Up
You may want to bookmark this page:
http://www.medicinenet.com/living_with_copd/focus.htm
COPD: MYTHS VS. FACTS
How much do you really know about COPD? See Quiz:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=110385
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> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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IS BOTTLED TEA ANOTHER JUNK DRINK?
A study revealed that bottled tea contains very low levels of
antioxidants and polyphenols compared to brewed tea, a presentation
at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society
revealed. In fact, the researchers found that in order to get the
same benefits found in a single cup of brewed tea, in some cases the
consumer would have to drink 20 bottles of bottled tea.
Shiming Li, Ph.D. who reported on research carried out by Professor
Chi-Tang Ho, explained: Consumers understand very well the concept
of the health benefits from drinking tea or consuming other tea
products. However, there is a huge gap between the perception that
tea consumption is healthy and the actual amount of the healthful
nutrients - polyphenols - found in bottled tea beverages. Our
analysis of tea beverages found that the polyphenol content is
extremely low. See More:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198641.php
HOW EXERCISE EASES ANXIETY
Anxiety can be overwhelming and cause many physical and emotional
side effects. When you can't stop worrying, you can't sleep and you
may even feel sick to your stomach. While an anxiety disorder should
be monitored and treated by a qualified professional, exercise can
be part of an effective treatment plan to help manage your anxiety
symptoms.
Exercise and Anxiety: What the Research Says "Exercise won't cure
anxiety or depression, but the physical and psychological benefits
can improve the symptoms," explains Sally R. Connolly, LCSW, a
therapist at the Couples Clinic of Louisville in Kentucky. "Research
shows that at least 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week
can significantly make a difference." Some studies have suggested
that regular exercise can help alleviate anxiety as much as
medications, and the anxiety-relieving effects of exercise may last
longer than those of drugs. See More:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/anxiety/anxiety-and-exercise.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthWomensHealth_20091205
SURVEY: NEW YORK MOST BEDBUG INFESTED U.S. CITY
New York has more unwanted nocturnal guests than other urban areas
and has been named the most bedbug infested city in the United
States. It surpassed Philadelphia, Detroit, Cincinnati and Chicago,
which rounded out the top five cities, according to extermination
company Terminix, which compiled the list based on call volume to
its offices around the country so far this year.
"In the past, offices might get a couple of calls a month for bedbug
eradication," said spokesman Clint Briscoe. "Now, some of them are
getting several dozen a week."
The company blamed international travel for the bugs' return 60
years after they were thought to have been eradicated in the United
States. But it said the appearance on its list of smaller cities
shows the insects that live in furniture, clothing and luggage, are
getting a grip on the U.S. heartland. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67N5OI20100824
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> > > > > > > > > COMMUNITY UPDATE < < < < < < < < <
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WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
We welcome all our new subscribers and invite you to join our
e-mail lists and check out our chat rooms, where you can talk freely
about COPD in an atmosphere of fellowship. The link to the chat
schedules can be found on our Home Page or just drop in anytime
you have a need to talk. For new subscribers, archives of back
issues of the newsletter can be accessed at
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/newsletters/archives.htm
KEEPING IN TOUCH (KIT) WITH OUR COPD FRIENDS
Over the years, we have had many of our active COPD friends simply
disappear suddenly. As COPD patients, we would begin to worry about
them, not knowing if they were ill, in the hospital, or worse.
Others who live alone have found themselves in the unfortunate
situation of winding up in the hospital due to an emergency, with no
means to contact their friends and support lists. For many, COPD
also tends to make hermits of them, with diminishing contact with
others. All three of these situations have been addressed in the
new "Keep In Touch" program at COPD International. For more
information, or to join, go to:
http://www.copd-international.com/Keep_in_Touch/
DEDICATION TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
Some we have known by name, others only by nickname and still
others have remained totally unknown, preferring to read, learn and
seek comfort in the knowledge that they were not alone.
In honor all COPD patients everywhere, both known and unknown,
who have gone on before us, we have dedicated a new section of the
Web site. See Memorials:
http://www.COPD-International.com/remembering
MESSAGE BOARD ON SURGICAL OPTIONS FOR COPD
Thanks to the generous contribution of time and experience by some
of our regulars here at COPD International, we were able to open a
new message board for the exchange of information and support on
surgical options for COPD. This new board will cover subjects such
as LVRS, transplants and valve procedures, etc. For a complete
listing of all our message boards (forums), please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/messageboards.htm
COPD NEWS/INFORMATION FEATURE
"COPD Info" brings you the latest news, articles and
information from a wide variety of resources on a very timely basis.
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDInfo/
For those of you with news readers, there is also an RSS link.
CONDOLENCES
Rachel, our night chat host, passed from cardiac arrest. She was so
upbeat before her surgery and had a laptop, hoping to get back to
being active again. She will be greatly missed. Please go to her
Loving Thoughts page to leave condolences for her family.
http://www.copd-international.com/Loving-Thoughts
Also see closing thoughts below.
HOSTED CHAT SCHEDULE
We currently have a total of 42 Hosted Chats. There is a mix of open
chats plus specialty chats as listed below. The full chat schedule
is at:
http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm
NEWCOMERS CHAT T
Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. - Hosted by Deb and Lyn. New
Time
-- Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. -
Hosted by Jackie and Rachel.
Officially titled "Newcomers Chat," you do not have to
be new to
COPD to join us! It is for the newly
diagnosed, new computer users or those that are
unfamiliar and want to learn more about how chat rooms
work.
These chats will be slow paced to give all time
to keep
up.
These
chats are held in the Special COPD Topic Room at
http://www.copd-international.com/COPD/chat.htm If you
are a
mIRC or Web TV user, the room is #copd
TWO COPD FOCUSED CHATS These chats are a change from our
"open"
chat style to a more structured "COPD focused" type of
chat that
is geared exclusively to discussions surrounding our COPD
diagnosis and its related life issues.
-- Mondays at 3 p.m. hosted by Lyn
and James
-- Fridays at 10:30 a.m. hosted by
Deb and Naomi
ON-TOPIC CHATS
-- Caregivers: (NEW TIMES) Hosts
Kitty, Gal, Jackie and Lyn
(Note: Only caregivers in these
chats please.)
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm
--
Monday through Friday at 9:30 to
10:30pm --
-- Quit Smoking Now (QSN): Daily
at 7:30 p.m. with Hosts
James, Gal, and Jackie
http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/chat.htm.
For more information on all our chat rooms, please contact Deb,
chat coordinator, at chat@copd-international.com.
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> > > > > > > > > > LINK DIRECTORY < < < < < < < < < < <
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SPECIAL-INTEREST PROGRAMS
-- General Information on Clinical Trials
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/clinical_trials.htm
-- Continually Updated List of COPD Clinical Trials
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/trials.htm
-- Quit Smoking Support
http://www.COPD-International.com/quit_smoking/
-- Exercise Forum
http://www.COPD-International.com/exercise/
-- Caregivers Support
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/
-- COPD Advocate Bill Horden Library
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDAdvocate/
-- COPD Library
http://www.COPD-International.com/Library/
-- Welcome Wagon
http://www.COPD-International.com/welcome/
-- To Volunteer
http://www.copd-international.com/volunteer.htm
Don't forget to checkout all our support programs listed on our
Home Page at
www.COPD-International.com.
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> > > > > > > > > JUST FOR FUN < < < < < < < < <
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UNDERGROUND BOWLING
http://ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/full/ap/3040935/graphic1.swf
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> > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < <
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Editor's Note: Recipes are not diabetes-friendly
unless
otherwise noted.
NEW TWIST ON CRUSTED CHICKEN
The chicken is so moist and flavorful. The more seasonings you use
the better it tastes. Mayo may cause some areas to be a little
mushy, but it still tastes amazing.
Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 35 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 cups cheese flavored crackers (such as Cheez-It,
crushed
1 cup French-fried onions, crushed
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 teaspoons sesame seed, toasted
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut in half
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Directions
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat an oven
to 375
degrees F (190 degrees C).
Mix cheese-flavored crackers, French-fried onions,
Italian bread
crumbs, sesame seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl. Set
aside.
Wash and pat chicken breasts dry. Spread a thin layer of
mayonnaise on one side of each piece and place
mayonnaise-side
down in the cracker mixture. Spread a thin layer of
mayonnaise
on the other side of the chicken and cover with the
cracker
mixture, patting firmly into the chicken. Place chicken
breasts
on the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cracker
mixture
on top; lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken breasts are
no
longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 35 to
40
minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the
center
should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Cook's Note: Use regular Cheez-It
Crackers;
they help keep the chicken moist.
(Allrecipes)
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> > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < <
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The marks left by a very special person.
On the 21st, our Host Rachel's battle with COPD and other conditions
ended. She has left an unbelievable number of friends behind - an
untold number of COPDers who have been guided and helped during her
years and years of volunteering as our primary night host.
As I was reading some of the comments made about her, I realized how
fortunate we had been to have had the opportunity to have had her in
our lives. Rachel in her gentle, yet firm when needed, and caring,
helpful and humorous way has set an example for us all to follow.
Rach would want us to remember the fun times, happy chats, funny
emails and her love for life that were a part of her way. Those of
us left behind certainly are much richer for having known her.
Rest Well Rachie --------- You will be missed.
cg
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Thank You For Your Readership
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rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from
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All Disclaimers Apply: The information and guidance provided in this
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