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, June 7, 2004                                 Volume #3 -- Issue #23
Susie Bowers, Editor    --    Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2004  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 - Understanding COPD Part I
==> 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
Understanding COPD is the first step in learning how to manage our
illness. For many, it is normal when first diagnosed to read as much
as possible on COPD. This initial stage can be scary, depressing and
overwhelming. But over time, with support, we can learn to accept
our disease and continue our journey for knowledge with a more
positive outlook.

There are hundreds and hundreds of sites that contain COPD data, but
many are very technical, and not very uplifting. This issue features
links to easy-to-understand information on COPD.

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

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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GENE LINKED TO LUNG DISEASE IN SMOKERS
A form of a gene called MSR-1 seems to influence whether a smoker
will develop lung problems, such as emphysema and chronic
bronchitis, new research shows. These lung conditions are classified
under the umbrella term COPD. "Clearly, the key risk factor for COPD
is smoking,"researchers said. But only about 15 to 20 percent of
smokers develop COPD, so presumably genetic factors must influence
the risk, researchers explained. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5291719

NEW DRUGS OFTEN GIVE PATIENTS PROBLEMS
A considerable number of people who are prescribed drugs for a
newly diagnosed condition soon stop taking the medicine - often
intentionally - a U.K. study shows. Many have problems with the
drug early on and don't get help. People "need more support when
starting a new medication for a chronic condition and new services
may be required to provide this," Dr. Nick Barber from the
University of London writes in the journal Quality and Safety in
Health Care. See Report:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5327053&
section=news

DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIPS STUDIED
A woman walks into a doctor's office. The doctor says, "What brings
you here today?" The woman starts to answer. Eighteen seconds later,
the doctor interrupts. This may sound like the setup to a lame joke
but it is a scene played out regularly in doctors' offices across
the country. Two decades ago, in 1984, researchers showed that on
average, patients were interrupted 18 seconds into explaining their
problems. Fewer than 2 percent got to finish their explanations.
Today, however, the rise of managed care has helped make
doctor-patient communication a major issue that is drawing
increasing interest from researchers. See More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/01/health/policy/01pati.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.

VALUE OF CT SCAN FOR LUNG CANCER QUESTIONED
Doctors these days may recommend a CT scan for people who smoke or
have other risk factors for lung cancer. The CT scan can spot lung
nodules at an earlier stage than can chest x-rays or other tests.
However, so far, studies have not shown that such screening actually
reduces lung cancer deaths. "Finding a lung cancer when it is small
does not necessarily mean the cancer is at an earlier stage of
development," the lead investigator notes in a statement. "The
genetic characteristics of a tumor likely dictate its behavior more
than its size. Smaller lung tumors can represent late-stage lung
cancer," he adds. See More:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5314125&
section=news

MECHANICAL VENTILATION IN INTENSIVE CARE
One of the main functions of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is the
provision of advanced respiratory support. An understanding of the
indications and types of mechanical ventilation is therefore
essential for anyone working in this environment. This link leads to
an introduction to mechanical ventilation for professionals. It is a
bit technical, but gives a good overview of ventilation procedures.
See Information: http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u16/u1609_01.htm

REPORT SAYS SMOKING AFFECTS ENITIRE BODY
Smoking causes a range of diseases never before suspected, including
cataracts, acute myeloid leukemia and cervical, kidney, pancreatic
and stomach cancers, U.S. Surgeon-General Richard Carmona said. In
fact, smoking affects virtually every organ of the body, Carmona
said in the newest surgeon-general's report on smoking. The report
coincides with a study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) showing that in 2002, 22.5 percent of U.S. adults
described themselves as smokers, down slightly from 2001. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5279128&
section=news

STUDY: DRUG PRICE SPIKE OFFSETS MEDICARE BENEFIT
Prices for prescription drugs taken by the elderly shot up more than
four times the rate of general inflation in 2003 and future hikes
will blunt the effect of a new Medicare law aimed at easing prices,
a consumer group said. Prices for Pfizer Inc.'s blockbuster
cholesterol drug Lipitor and Sanofi-Synthelabo's blood
clot-preventing Plavix rose the fastest among the most widely used
prescriptions by seniors, according to the report by Families USA.
The group has been skeptical of benefits touted by backers of recent
changes to Medicare. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5254529&
section=news

ACUPUNCTURE "MINIMALLY" HELPS BREATHLESSNESS
A standardized acupuncture technique is only marginally better than
placebo treatment for people with disabling breathlessness that is
not a result of cancer, according to a new report. The acupuncture
technique was previously shown to be beneficial in an open study of
cancer patients with breathlessness, the authors explain in the
medical journal Chest. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5315024&
section=news

HALT: 4 STEPS TO DEFEAT THE URGE TO SMOKE
Quitting tobacco is a process. It doesn't happen overnight, but
compared to the amount of time most of us spent smoking, recovery
can be very quick. Years of smoking taught us to react to literally
everything by lighting a cigarette. Between the physical addiction
to nicotine, and the mental associations that tie what seems like
all of our activities to cigarettes, it can feel as though we're
chained to the habit with links of steel. This link leads to four
tips to help you defeat the urge to smoke. See Tips:
http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/cravingsandurges/a/halt.htm

DEPRESSION: YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK
In many cases, depression actually is the result of negative
thoughts. When bad things happen, we begin chastising ourselves.
These thoughts can send us spiraling right down into a deep
depression. You see, we are what we think. If we think something
often enough, we begin to believe it's true. To conquer depression,
we must stop those automatic thoughts and replace them with more
positive, truthful ones. See Story:
http://depression.about.com/cs/psychotherapy/a/cognitive.htm

"SAFER" TOBACCO PRODUCTS NOT THAT SAFE
A new type of cigarette that contains less cancer-causing substances
than conventional brands may not be doing much to protect smokers,
according to new research. Although testing of the new OMNI
cigarettes showed that they contain 50 percent less of a particular
carcinogen, or substance that causes cancer, smokers who switched to
the OMNI cigarette had only 20 percent less of the carcinogen in
their bodies than they did while smoking conventional cigarettes.
This relatively small drop in carcinogen levels may not be enough to
reduce a smoker's chance of developing cancer, the study author
said. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=5315906&
section=news

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 current U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls, go to
http://www.safetyalerts.com/
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  > > > > > > > > >         FEATURED ARTICLES         < < < < < < < < <
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BETTER BREATHERS CLUBS
Do you have breathing difficulties? Confused about COPD? Would
you like to meet other people face to face who share your concerns?
The American Lung Association (ALA) offers free specialist-led
support groups across the United States for individuals who suffer
from breathing difficulties due to COPD. Meetings are held monthly
and are open to individuals and their families interested in
learning how to live better with lung disease. For more information,
contact the ALA at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872).

CANADIAN LUNG ASSOCIATION
This site has good overall content on COPD, ranging from diagnosis
and treatment to disease management. See Site: http://www.lung.ca/copd/tofc.html

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR DISEASE
This is also a very informative site by Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. called "Breathing Space." 
http://www.combivent.com/

DOCTOR ANSWERS COPD QUESTIONS
The drug maker GlaxoSmithKline offers a site with tons of
information on COPD at http://www.ibreathe.com/3_0_copd/3_0_home_page.htm .

Also there is a link to common questions and answers about
COPD. If you are new to COPD, this will give you a good
foundation toward understanding your disease.
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 > > > > > > > > >         NUTRITION/WELLNESS         < < < < < < < < <
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THE POWER OF ACCEPTANCE
Often, people think they have no choices; that's not true - there's
always a choice. People often discuss struggles or frustrations
they're experiencing. Struggling is characterized by that feeling of
trying to place a round peg in a square hole. It's a stressful place
to be. It's also energy draining, time consuming and it distracts
them from the goals they're working on. See More:
http://www.advanceforrcp.com/common/Editorial/editorial.aspx?CC=35336

BEGINNERS SHOULD AVOID INTENSE EXERCISE
Researchers advise not to jump into strenuous exercise right away.
Researchers in Ireland have found that when unfit individuals engage
in unaccustomed exhaustive aerobic exercise, it releases free
radicals that can damage their cells. See More:
http://walking.about.com/od/beginners/a/begintense.htm

PRAYER CAN BE GOOD MEDICINE
Almost a third of Americans use prayer, along with conventional and
alternative medical care, to deal with health concerns. That finding
appears in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
While there is no proof that prayer actually has the power to make
people better, some research has found associations between
spirituality and better health outcomes, the article noted. See
More: http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/518558/main.html
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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

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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/.

-- We have a new angel to watch over us. The mother of Terri,
one of our chat hosts, passed on. She has been battling COPD
and CHF for some time and is now in a better place. To leave
condolences, please go to the link above.

-- A Loving Thoughts Page also has been set up for our chat
host Norm and his wife and caregiver, Anna, who has been
hospitalized. To leave get-well wishes, please go to the link
above.

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)

-- 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

-- 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

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http://www.COPD-International.com/quit_smoking

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http://www.COPD-International.com/exercise/

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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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ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS?
German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Superstition is the
poetry of life." On the other hand, British statesman Edmund Burke
said, "Superstition is the religion of feeble minds." What's your
opinion - how superstitious are you? Find out by taking this quiz.
Good luck. (Like luck has anything to do with it! Or maybe it does.)
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/quiz/Quiz.aspx?QuizID=18
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         > > > > > > > > > >         RECIPE         < < < < < < < < < <
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CHICKEN AND ROASTED GARLIC RISOTTO
Prep/Cook Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp. butter OR margarine
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup OR 98%
Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Cream of Mushroom with Roasted
Garlic Soup
2 cups water
2 cups uncooked instant white rice
1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Directions:

SEASON chicken as desired.
HEAT butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 10
minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside.

ADD soups and water. Heat to a boil. Stir in rice and peas and
carrots.

Return chicken to skillet. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or
until done. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Serves 4.

Note: If desired, substitute chicken tenders or other small
chicken pieces for the chicken breast halves.

(Campbell's Kitchen)
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   > > > > > > > > >         CLOSING THOUGHT         < < < < < < < < <
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Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn
around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or
work around it.

                               -- Michael Jordan --

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Thank You For Your Readership
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