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, September 22, 2003
Volume #2 -- Issue #38
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2003 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
==> COPD News
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Emergency/Disaster Follow-up
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> Community Update
==> Link Directory
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought
==> 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.
EDITORIAL COMMENTS
Much of the East Coast of the United States was affected by a
severe hurricane last week, leaving millions of people without power
and tens of thousands homeless. Two earlier newsletters addressed
the importance of being prepared for emergencies, especially for
those of us with chronic illnesses.
This issue features information on what to do in the wake of a
disaster and the importance of having a plan in place that not only
includes being prepared, but one that also takes into account
protecting your health, safety and well being after a severe storm.
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. If you wish to contribute
to the newsletter, please contact us at
Newsletter@COPD-International.com
Yours in health ...
Susie
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> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
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WORLD COPD SLOGAN: "COULD IT BE COPD?"
The slogan for World COPD Day 2003 is "Could it be COPD?"
World COPD Day 2003, organized by the Global Initiative for
Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), will be held November
19, 2003. The event represents a partnership between healthcare
groups and respiratory educators to raise awareness about COPD,
and builds on the success of the first-ever World COPD Day, held
November 20, 2002. See More: http://www.goldcopd.com/
FLU VACCINE PLENTIFUL THIS YEAR
According to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced
that the flu vaccine will be plentiful this season and, for the
first time, will include a nasal-spray vaccine called FluMist. The
CDC also said that it estimates that manufacturers will produce
about 85.5 million doses of the flu vaccine during this season.
According to the article, the flu season runs from November through
March, and peaks in January. The CDC recommends that people get
inoculated in October, especially people at high risk, such as those
who are ill or elderly. The article cites the American Lung
Association's (ALA) recommendation that children with asthma get
vaccinated, since influenza can trigger asthma attacks.
(Wall Street Journal)
DIET BOOST DOES NOT SPEED REHAB IN LUNG DISEASE
Carbohydrate-rich nutritional supplements do not improve the
rehabilitation of patients with chronic lung disease, according to a
report in the medical journal Thorax. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3470180
ASTHMA INHALERS LINKED TO CATARACTS
Using high doses of steroid asthma inhalers significantly increases
the risk of developing cataracts, suggests a new U.K. study. People
who used high doses of inhaled corticosteroids for a long time
increased their chance of developing the eye disorder by nearly 70
percent compared with those not on the drugs. See Story:
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994181
HELP FOR CHRONIC SINUSITIS SUFFERERS
In a new study, researchers report treatment with interferon gamma
resulted in marked improvement in treatment-resistant sinus
infections. See Details:
http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/8006313/main.html
SINUSITIS, CYSTIC FIBROSIS LINKED
Cystic fibrosis patients are highly susceptible to sinus infections
due to the nature of their incurable disease, a genetic disorder
that causes a buildup of sticky mucus in the lungs that severely
compromises their function. Doctors say treating the condition can
improve patients' well-being. See Story:
http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/515048/main.html
WOMEN SMOKERS HIT HARD BY LUNG DISEASE
According to this Wisconsin report, lung disease is starting to
stalk women more than men. See Story:
http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/56891.php
COMPUTE YOUR SMOKING RISK
The U.S. National Cancer Institute offers this smoking profile with
a graph that will show your risk of dying of lung cancer now and in
the future if you smoke. For comparison, the graph also shows the
same risk for nonsmokers. A button at the top of the page allows you
to see how much quitting can reduce your risk of dying. See
Profiler: http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/smokersrisk/
DRUG FOR OSTEOPOROSIS WINS RESPECT
Patients whose bones are literally crumbling from osteoporosis are
turning to the first drug that has the potential of reversing a
disorder that thins bone density and affects 10 million Americans.
Doctors are hailing Forteo as a breakthrough for patients whose
bones are susceptible to fracture, sometimes from a stress as gentle
as coughing. See Article:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3476335
WHAT'S THE DIAGNOSIS?
This is an interesting column on the diagnosis of a man suffering
from morbid obesity, difficulty breathing and drowsiness. See
Diagnosis:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/21/magazine/21DIAGNOSIS.html
Editor's Note: The article above is available free of charge
for online subscribers. To access the article you need only
fill out a short user form.
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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> > > > > > > > > RECALLS / WARNINGS < < < < < < < < <
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RECALLS
To view U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls go to
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/Recalls.htm
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> > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < <
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PREPARING FOR WEATHER-RELATED EMERGENCIES
The link below leads to the archived August 18, 2003 newsletter that
includes information on being prepared for weather-related
emergencies.
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/newsletters/2-33.htm
HHS CAUTIONS AMERICANS FOLLOWING STORM
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cautions
those affected by the hurricane to remember to protect their health
as they clean up in the aftermath of the storm. The HHS provides
advice on food and water safety, dealing with power outages and much
more emergency information at
http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/hurricane.html
U.S. FDA OFFERS ADVICE IN WAKE OF HURRICANE
http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fsgdisas.html
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> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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MEDICAL JOURNAL QUESTIONS HERBAL REMEDIES
The editor of a leading U.S. medical journal has called for tighter
regulation of herbal remedies because of "potentially misleading"
health claims made by distributors of the products. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3455862
FATTY DIETS HELP THE LUNGS
A fat-rich diet might benefit some patients who suffer from COPD,
a Canadian study suggested. Researchers found that meals rich in
carbohydrates were associated with increased carbon dioxide
production and decreased exercise capacity. Short-term crossover
studies, involving diets of various compositions, suggested that
high carbohydrate quantities increased the stress imposed on the
ventilatory system. Full findings were published in
Chest. 2001;119:353-363. "Nutritional Intervention in COPD:
A Systematic Overview."
COMFORT FOODS SWITCH OFF STRESS
When life is not going so smoothly and people reach for goodies full
of fat and sugar, they are doing more than surrendering to cravings.
Comfort foods like chocolate cake and ice cream literally blunt the
body's response to chronic stress, scientists report. See Story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/16/health/nutrition/16FOOD.html
Editor's Note: The article above is available free of charge
for online subscribers. To access the article you need only
fill out a short user form.
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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.
LOVING THOUGHTS
To express your loving thoughts, get-well wishes and prayers for
our fellow community members, who are very ill or hospitalized,
please go to http://www.copd-international.com/Loving_Thoughts/
-- William Woods, Woody as we know him in chat, has been
admitted to the hospital with pneumonia.-- John Peterson of Cape Cod is back in the hospital following
complications from a double-lung transplant.
Get-well wishes can be posted at the link above for Woody
and John.
-- Lance Woodard is still in the hospital and on a vent from
complications following his lung transplant. A TLC page located
at http://members.tripod.com/~copd_tlc/LanceW1.html
DAILY CHATS
Scheduled chats with hosts are held daily. We invite everyone to
stop in and visit. See Chat Schedule:
http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm
Also, the special weekly on-topic chats are listed below.
On-Topic Chats (All Eastern Time)
-- Lung Transplants: Wednesdays at 7 p.m. - Host Tony Hamel
http://www.copd-international.com/COPD/chat.htm-- Exercise Chat: Mondays at 2 p.m. (EDT) - Host Tonie
http://www.copd-international.com/exercise/chat.htm-- Caregivers: Sundays at 4 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Host Kitty (Note: Only caregivers in these chats please.)
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm-- Quit Smoking Now (QSN): Mondays at 9 p.m.
Host Don from NM - Don is a smoking cessation counselor.
http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/chat.htm
For more information on our chat rooms, please contact Deb, chat
coordinator, at Chat@COPD-International.com
We look forward to seeing you!
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> > > > > > > > > > > LINK DIRECTORY < < < < < < < < < < <
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SPECIAL-INTEREST PROGRAMS
-- 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 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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A JOB ANYONE COULD DO
This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody,
Anybody and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked
to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could
have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that,
because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could
do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it! It ended up
that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody
could have done!
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> > > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < < <
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CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN AND BOW TIES
Prep/Cook Time: 20 min.
Ingredients
3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
2 tbsp. butter OR margarine
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Cream of Chicken OR 98%
Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup pesto sauce
1/2 cup milk
Directions:
COOK pasta according to pkg. directions. Drain.
MEANWHILE, heat butter in skillet. Add chicken and cook until
browned, stirring often.
ADD soup, pesto sauce and milk. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat
5 min. or until done. Stir in drained pasta and heat through.
Serves 4.
Note: To make homemade pesto, put 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 2 fresh
garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese,
1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in food processor or
blender. Process until smooth. Makes about 3/4 cup.
(Campbell's Kitchen)
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> > > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < < <
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"Be prepared."
-- Boy Scouts of America Motto --
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Thank You For Your Readership
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Notes
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