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Breathing… It’s one of those things that you just
take for granted. Your body automatically takes in oxygen and circulates
it throughout your body without you ever having to give it a second
thought. Unless, of course, you are one of the millions of Americans
that suffer from lung disease and wage a daily battle to breathe.
October is Healthy Lung Month and a good time to
remind yourself that not everyone has healthy lungs. According to the
American Lung Association, lung disease is the number three killer in America,
responsible for one in seven deaths. Lung disease and other breathing
problems are the number one killer of babies younger than one year old.
Today, more than 35 million Americans are living with chronic lung
disease such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The list of
lung diseases is long, ranging from
asthma, bronchitis and COPD (chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease), to lung cancer, SARS and tuberculosis. Many of these
conditions can be avoided, or their effects minimized by early detection
and prompt treatment.
“Each day you breathe about 25,000 times, and by
the time you're 70 years old, you'll have taken at least 600 million
breaths." (KidsHealth) With each breath, the oxygen rich fresh air meets
the carbon-dioxide rich blood carried from all parts of your body. It is
in the lungs that blood cells lose carbon dioxide, a waste product, and
gain oxygen. Oxygen rich blood carries its life giving load of oxygen to
your heart, your brain, your liver, and all other parts of your body.
This process is called gas exchange. Healthy lungs do this very well.
Exercise is an important part of a healthy life and
healthy lungs. Your exercises don’t have to be fancy or complicated, but
they do have to be performed safely and on a regular basis. Even a small
amount of exercise is better than none at all. If your heart and
breathing muscles are in shape, they can work with less oxygen. That
means you don’t have to breathe in as much air to do the same amount of
work. You’re stronger and can do more before you feel tired.
Some people with lung disease try to exercise and
get short of breath so they stop. Sometimes you may feel too tired to do
many of the things you like to do. If you’ve been in the hospital or
you’ve been sick at home, your body may be weak and out of shape. Pretty
soon, it seems impossible to exercise because of muscle weakness,
fatigue and shortness of breath. But, exercise is important! You can
build yourself back up with exercise and get back in shape to help build
and maintain strength, maintain the flexibility of your bones and joints
and build stamina to increase the amount of activity that you can do.
When you exercise, follow these steps:
- Try to exercise in the morning and in the late
afternoon or evening after you have cleared your lungs of mucus. Or, try
coughing to help clear your lungs.
- Practice relaxing and deep breathing for a few
minutes. Continue deep breathing for a few minutes. Continue deep
breathing as you exercise. Try to keep breathing out twice as long as
you breathe in. Remember not to hold your breath.
- Start with a warm-up period, including stretching and reaching
exercises.
- If you feel tired or short of breath at any time while you’re
exercising, stop and relax a few minutes, then continue. Remember,
being short of breath isn’t bad, it means your lungs are working
hard. Even conditioned athletes get short of breath during exercise.
- End your exercise with a cool-down period, a time of less
intense or easier activity.
If you have trouble starting and keeping to an
exercise plan, remember to pick an exercise or activity that you enjoy.
And remember to talk to your doctor, respiratory therapist, personal
trainer or physical therapist about the right program for you. Anything
that keeps you active counts!
Do you want to know more about how to live a fuller
life even if you have trouble breathing because of lung disease? Contact
your local Lung Association by calling 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872).
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