Respiratory and Pulmonary

#WorldLaughterDay A good, hearty laugh comes with myriad health benefits. We speak to Dr Mahesh Parikh, founder of the Laughing Club at Mahemdavad, the 321st Club in Gujarat, who has witnessed people recover from severe respiratory problems, high blood pressure, and other health complications with laughter yoga. Why do we need a Laughter Club? A club means an association of people with common interest. The Laughter Club is a gathering of persons interested in maintaining their health, because…

Do you or your loved one have COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Do you understand the various types of COPD and medications? Would you like to know what accessories/devices you need to keep at home? How to handle pollutants? What exercises are useful in managing COPD?  How will COPD progress? What questions should you ask the doctor? Are you prepared for emergencies? We have pulled all of the above and an action plan into an ebook that you can download and print. Download your…

Kailash Ashutosh Mehta,76, quit smoking after Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) disabled him. He fought his disease with exercise and pulmonary rehabilitation that helped him improve his breathing, fitness and quality of life. I had been smoking for 50 years. One day, when I could not walk even two steps without suffering from acute breathlessness, I was severely jolted. I realised I had damaged my lungs irreversibly and developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. I had to quit…

Ramesh Koppikar, a heavy smoker for 35 years, made several unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking. It finally took a heart attack for him to break the nicotine addiction and kick the habit for good. Read and share his experience. I started smoking cigarettes at the age of 23 when I was studying engineering at BHU, Varanasi. I was staying in the hostel on campus and my friends and I would go for a walk after dinner. The BHU campus is large and green, hence our walks would be…

Your doctor may recommend the following tests: Spirometry: This measures the amount of airflow obstruction in COPD patients and it is a commonly used test to diagnose these conditions. This test is performed with a hand- held device, called a spirometer. The patient is asked to inhale deeply, then rapidly blow out the air. Based on the amount of exhaled air, the stage of COPD can be diagnosed. Chest X-ray Complete blood count: This is to exclude the presence of other…

Anjali Sen, 78  has had Asthma almost all her life and she recounts how she has grappled with this chronic and nagging affliction. She is a homemaker, an avid reader, a cricket enthusiast and lives in Kolkata. Can you explain your condition in a few words? The attack starts as a slight breathlessness and quickly develops into panting, gasping and choking. I have to admit that I have not had any severe asthmatic attack for the last 12 to 15 years as I am now able to…

Tai Chi, the ancient martial art from China, may be widely known as a self-defense art, but has abundant health benefits that can help cure ordinary ailments to life threatening diseases, says Tai Chi guru Carlton Hill.  What is Tai Chi? How is it different from other martial arts? Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan is a five thousand year old martial art practised in China. Though, in present times, it is mostly practised for its health benefits. Tai Chi Chuan is unique because one can…

As the temperature plummets, asthma attacks and pneumonia cases rise. Family practitioner and paediatrician Dr Gita Mathai tells you why this is so and how to protect yourself.  Asthma What is asthma? Asthma refers to a condition that causes shortness of breath with a whistling sound from the chest. It is also called "reactive airway disease".  What causes asthma symptoms? The whistling sound is caused by the narrowing of the tubes through which the air passes…

Dr Shital Raval tells you 5 tips how to heal lungs and improve lung function, especially if they are weakened by smoking. But first, quit smoking. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD. Patients with COPD have impaired lung function, and one of the first things that you have to do to improve lung function is to quit smoking. A recent study by the Glasglow University stated that quitting can better lung function test scores by…

It is important to manage COPD if you do not want the complications to set in. The possible complications are: Heart failure Respiratory failure Food and nutrition  Drink plenty of fluids. You should drink at least 6 to 8 -ounce glasses of non-caffeinated beverages each day to keep mucus thin and easier to cough up. Limit caffeine (contained in coffee, tea, several carbonated beverages such as cola, and chocolate) as it might interfere with some of your medicines. Control sodium (salt)…