COPD News from COPD-International -- Vol #3

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, March 1, 2004                                 Volume #3 -- Issue #9
Susie Bowers, Editor    --    Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2004 COPD-International.com          All rights reserved.

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      > > > > > > > > > >        IN THIS ISSUE        < < < < < < < < < <
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==> Welcome
==> COPD News
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - Stretching Exercises
==> 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
As most of us with COPD know, exercise is one of the best things we
can do to offset the debilitating symptoms of lung disease. For some
us, doing strenuous exercises is not possible. But overtime, we can
build up our exercise tolerance, and one of the best ways to start
is by doing simple stretching exercises.

This issue focuses on simple stretching movements we can do that can
help us improve our flexibility. Always check with your doctor
before starting any type of exercise program.

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
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> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
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FDA CLEARS NEW BREATH TEST FOR ASTHMA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently cleared for
marketing a first-of-a-kind, non-invasive test system designed to
monitor a patient's asthma. This test system measures the
concentration of nitric oxide in exhaled human breath. See Story:
http://labtestsonline.org/news/fdaasthma030509.html

STUDY ADDS ASTHMA TO HRT ILLS
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), already linked to stroke, heart
disease and breast cancer, may slightly raise the risk of developing
asthma, researchers reported. "This finding presents yet another
factor women may need to consider when debating whether or not
estrogen still has a role in the short-term treatment of menopausal
symptoms," said R. Graham Barr, lead author of the study. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4418616

STUDY: ASPIRIN COULD TRIGGER ASTHMA ATTACK
According to the BBC News, asthma patients may be more at risk of
having an asthma attack after taking aspirin than what has been
previously thought. Researchers writing in the British Medical
Journal found that one in five people with asthma are at risk of
having a severe reaction to the drug, which is twice as many as had
been estimated. The article says that other non-steroid
anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, may also trigger
an attack. See More http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3504323.stm

LUNG CONDITION FOUND IN SICKLE-CELL PATIENTS
High blood pressure in the lungs has been identified as a major risk
factor for death in adults with sickle-cell disease, and all people
with the disease should be screened for this complication, according
to a published study. See Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/26/health/26SICK.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.

ADVISERS VOTE ON NEW FLU VACCINE
Experts who determine the make-up of the influenza recently decided
on a new formula that includes this past season's nasty Fujian
strain. The Fujian strain, an influenza A virus, started showing up
about a year ago, but it was too late to get it into the past year's
vaccine mix. It hit North America and Europe with a vengeance in
October, two months earlier than normal, and quickly made headlines
when several children died. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4396971

STUDY: HEALTH CARE WORKERS LAG IN FLU SHOTS
Health officials lecture Americans every year on the importance of
getting an influenza vaccine but are not even able to get a majority
of their colleagues to do so, vaccine experts said. Only 36 percent
of hospital workers are vaccinated each year against flu - putting
themselves, their families and most of all, their vulnerable
patients at risk. See Report:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4438350

U.S. MANDATES BAR CODES ON MEDICINES
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule
requiring bar codes on the labels of thousands of human drugs and
biological products.

The measure will help protect patients from preventable medication
errors and reduce the cost of health care and represents a major
step forward in the department's efforts to harness information
technology to promote higher quality care.

Prescription drug makers will be required within two years to put
bar codes on packaging in an effort to reduce potentially dangerous
dispensing errors in hospitals, U.S. health officials announced.

The bar codes - similar to ones retail stores use on their products
- are meant to enable nurses and other health-care workers to
electronically verify that they are giving the right drug at the
right dose and the right time.

The FDA estimates the bar codes will help prevent nearly 500,000
medical problems over 20 years, and save $93 billion by reducing
health-care costs, patient pain and suffering and lost work time
over that period.

(Health and Human Services Press Release)

CANCER PATIENTS NOT GIVEN FULL INFO ON OPTIONS
People facing incurable cancer need more information about their
treatment choices, according to researchers in the Netherlands. In
their study, the researchers found that doctors often discussed the
option of palliative chemotherapy, which is designed to shrink
tumors even when a cure is unlikely. But less than half of patients
were told about the option of watchful-waiting, which involves
treating symptoms as they develop rather than using chemotherapy to
attack a tumor. See Story: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=health
News&storyID=4426761

LOW ANTIBODY LEVELS TIED TO VIRUS IN ELDERLY
Frail elderly individuals with low antibody levels to respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) are at heightened risk for severe RSV disease,
new research suggests. An RSV vaccine might therefore benefit the
elderly population.

While RSV is a common virus in kids that circulates each winter,
studies conducted over the last decade have identified RSV as an
important contributor to the increase in pneumonia and influenza in
older people. As immunity to RSV is incomplete, repeated infections
occur throughout life. See Story: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=health
News&storyID=4394670

RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY OF SLEEP
It has become abundantly clear that disorders of breathing during
sleep can have profound effects, only some of which are apparent
during wakefulness. There is significant interaction between sleep
and breathing in both directions: sleep changes the way we breathe,
and problems with breathing can profoundly fragment sleep. See Story
http://www.priory.com/cmol/strad.htm

EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE FOR CANCER PROMISING
According to the Associated Press, a new, experimental vaccine for
lung cancer showed promising results in a recent but small study.
The article said that the vaccine was developed by researchers at
Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and their study findings
were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

According to the article, the study involved 43 patients and three
of those injected with the vaccine, called GVAX had no recurrence of
lung cancer for more than three years afterward. The article also
said that vaccine studies are relatively new to cancer research and
unlike traditional vaccines, some of them are designed to treat or
cure existing disease rather than prevent them.

GERMAN FIRM SEEKS APPROVAL FOR NEW COPD DRUG
German drug maker Altana AG said it has filed for European approvals
for its key smoker's lung and asthma treatment Daxas, one of two
drugs in its pipeline analysts say have blockbuster potential. See
Story: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4353004

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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BENEFITS OF STRETCHING
Stretching is just about the simplest of all physical activities. It
is the perfect antidote for long periods of inactivity and holding
still. Regular stretching throughout the day will:

-- Reduce muscle tension
-- Improve circulation
-- Reduce anxiety, stress and fatigue
-- Improve mental alertness
-- Decrease the risk of injury
-- Make your work easier
-- Tune your mind into your body
-- Make you feel better!

See More Benefits:
http://www.copd-international.com/Library/exercise-stretching.htm

NIA OFFERS EXERCISE GUIDE
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) offers an excellent guide on
exercising. Below is a link to the section on stretching exercises.
http://www.nia.nih.gov/exercisebook/chapter4_stretching.htm

SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON THE COMPUTER?
This links lead to a virtual slide show of stretching exercises we
can do to loosen up our joints and muscles if we tend to sit at the
computer too long.http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=WL00030&si=2424

Editor's Note: Everyone with COPD should be screened for heart
disease and complications of COPD that can be made worse with
exercise before starting an exercise program. Also, exercise does
not need to be strenuous. To get the most benefit, you need to
exercise at least 3 to 5 times a week.

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> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
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NEW STUDY: EXERCISE NEED NOT BE PAINFUL
"No pain, no gain" may be the mantra of coaches everywhere, but it's
bad advice for most exercisers, research suggests. In a new study,
pain or displeasure was the most accurate indicator that a person
had crossed a threshold believed to be the optimum level of
exercise. See Story:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4387130

PHYSICAL FITNESS MAY PROTECT AGING BRAIN
Being physically fit may be good for the aging brain, researchers
report. In a new study of older adults, higher levels of physical
fitness were associated with improved mental abilities. The results
highlight the importance of staying in shape, according to one of
the study authors. See More:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4368708

STUDY: WALKING HELPS PEOPLE WITH HEART FAILURE
A progressive walking exercise program at home can decrease symptoms
experienced by people with heart failure, according to results of a
study published in the American Heart Journal. The findings, the
researchers conclude, "provide support for the safety and efficacy
of home-based exercise." See More:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4429360
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> > > > > > > > > > > COMMUNITY UPDATE < < < < < < < < < < <
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WELCOME NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
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http://www.copd-international.com/Library/newsletters/archives.htm

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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

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Host Don from NM - Don is a smoking cessation counselor.
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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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> > > > > > > JUST FOR FUN < < < < < < < <
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STARS AND PLANETS QUIZ

How much do you know about the rest of the universe? Try this quiz.
It's out of this world.

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Quiz/Quiz.aspx?QuizID=78
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> > > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < < <
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BAKED SALMON
Here's a straightforward way to prepare delicious salmon. Basil,
garlic, lemon juice and parsley provide a mild seasoning that
perfectly enhances the distinctive flavor of this irresistible fish.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours
Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons light olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

Directions

1.. In a medium glass bowl, prepare marinade by mixing garlic,
light olive oil, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and
parsley. Place salmon fillets in a medium glass-baking dish,
and cover with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator
about 1 hour, turning occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3. Place fillets in aluminum foil, cover with marinade and
seal. Place sealed salmon in the glass dish, and bake 35 to
45 minutes, until easily flaked with a fork.

(Allrecipes)
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> > > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < < <
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Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson --

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