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 6, 2010
Volume #9 -- Issue #36
Susie Bowers, Editor -- Web-Editor@COPD-International.com
Copyright © 2010 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.
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > >
IN THIS ISSUE < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
==> Welcome
==> Follow Us
==> COPD News
==> New Hope/Innovations
==> Recalls/Warnings
==> Featured Articles - First Ever World Spirometry Day
==> Nutrition/Wellness
==> Community Update
==> Link Directory
==> Just for Fun
==> Recipe
==> Closing Thought
==> Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
________________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > WELCOME < < < < < < < < <
________________________________________________________________
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.
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 in Delaware
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.
________________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > FOLLOW US < < < < < < < < <
________________________________________________________________
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/pages/COPD-International/102669007969
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
http://www.twitter.com/COPD_Intl
________________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > COPD NEWS < < < < < < < < <
________________________________________________________________
KATRINA LEAVES LEGACY OF HEALTH CONCERNS
Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. Gulf region,
killing nearly 2,000 and displacing more than 250,000 others from
Louisiana to Florida. In a series titled "Hurricane Katrina: Five
Years After," FoxNews.com looks back on the costliest natural
disaster ever to strike the United States, focusing on the health
consequences. See Feature Story:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,600309,00.html
REHAB CENTERS - FACES OF COPD SAMPLER Faces of COPD is an outreach
program of the COPD Foundation. The COPDers who are sharing their
stories are informed, educated and empowered and want to share their
COPD story with you. The following is a sampling of their videos in
this series. See Video:
http://rehab--centers.net/50177/faces-of-copd-sampler/
See More:
http://www.shareyourcopdstory.com/index.html
GOLFING WITH COPD
As if playing golf isn't tough enough, imagine playing when you
can't breathe that well. That's what people with COPD must face, but
that shouldn't deter their love for the game. Often times, people
with pulmonary disease will need supplemental oxygen to help keep
the oxygen saturation in the blood at adequate levels. Portable
units allow for freedom of movement outside the home and while
working in the garden or playing golf. These are stored in backpacks
that can be worn on the back during a round of golf, for example.
A key concern that needs to be addressed for golfers with COPD is
how much oxygen they will need during their round of golf. It's
imperative that you discuss this with your physician before getting
back out on the links. Another concern is how the oxygen will be
delivered. See Full Story:
http://thesymptoms.org/golfing-with-copd-pulmonary-disease
CONSUMERS AGAIN ENCOURAGED TO GET FLU SHOT
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is encouraging consumers
to get immunized against influenza and to consider their local
pharmacy as the site to receive their vaccine. Pharmacists in all 50
states, including the District of Columbia are authorized to
administer influenza vaccines and, as of June 30, 2010, more than
120,000 U.S. pharmacists have been trained to administer
immunizations. See Story:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198044.php
STUDY: OCCASIONAL SMOKING ALSO DAMAGES THE LUNGS
Investigators found that even extremely low levels of exposure to
cigarette smoke produced genetic abnormalities in the cells of non
smokers and occasional smokers. It is no secret that active smoking
is a particularly dangerous habit that can have a wide range of
adverse effects, medical, personal and social.
However, in what can be termed as a rude wake-up call for those who
feel a drag now and then is harmless, a new study found that even
low levels of smoke exposure can do significant damage to the lungs.
According to researchers, the effects of "casual" smoking on
respiratory health may not be too damaging in the initial stages,
but prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke could lead to COPD and even
lung cancer. See Story:
http://www.themoneytimes.com/featured/20100821/occasional-smoking-too-damages
-lungsstudy-id-10125355.html
HOSPITAL AMONG FIRST TO OFFER NEW ASTHMA TREATMENT
El Camino Hospital has been selected as one of the first hospitals
in Northern California to offer bronchial thermoplasty, a new
medical treatment for the most severe cases of asthma. Approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April and now becoming
available at leading pulmonary institutions across the country, the
treatment promises significant relief for the 10 to 15 percent of
asthma sufferers whose out-of-control symptoms cannot be contained
by current medications. See Story:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/199455.php
SURVEY: SOME DOCTORS MAY DECREASE ASTHMA MEDICATIONS
Impact Prescribing Of Single-Agent ICS And LABA/ICS Combination
Therapies
Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory
firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that some
surveyed physicians indicate that they will decrease their overall
prescribing of long-acting beta2 agonists (LABA)/inhaled
corticosteroids (ICS) combination therapies over the next 12 months
for the treatment of asthma in response to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) new safety controls for LABA-containing
medications.
Most notably, the FDA controls state that LABA/ICS combination
medications should be reserved for patients who remain uncontrolled
despite treatment with controller medications (e.g., single-agent
ICS therapies). See Article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198837.php
MEDICARE DRUG PLAN CHANGES IN THE WORKS
An effort to streamline the entangled field of Medicare drug plans
could force 3 million seniors to switch plans next year whether they
like it or not, says an independent analysis by Avalere Health.
"Beneficiaries will see their prescription plan eliminated as part
of a new effort by Medicare to winnow down duplicative coverage and
offer consumers more meaningful choices. Seniors would not lose
coverage, but they could see changes in their premiums and
copayments." See More:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/199014.php
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/
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > NEW HOPE / INNOVATIONS < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following news
item was previously
reported in earlier newsletters,
but what makes this story
interesting is the accompanying
graphics.
A RAT LUNG TODAY, A HUMAN ONE TOMORROW? The starfish, known for its
ability to regenerate damaged tissue quickly, may have been upstaged
this summer by the humble lab rat. A team led by anesthesiology and
biomedical engineering professor Laura Niklason grew an artificial
lung from harvested rat lung tissue and successfully implanted the
new lung into a live rat. The team published its findings in the
June 24 issue of Science Express.
"I think 2010 will go down as the 'year of the lung,' " Niklason
said. "Prior to 2010, hardly anyone was doing research in lung
regeneration; now it's all the rage."
Niklason's team used a new tissue engineering method known as
decellularization - a method of removing a tissue's individual cells
while leaving its structure intact - pioneering the technique's use
in the treatment of lung disease. Niklason said the researchers
treated the extracted adult rat lungs with a detergent chemical. The
detergent removed most lung cells, leaving the tissue's airways,
blood vessel network and fibrous architectural structure, or
extracellular matrix, intact.
With this framework in place, Niklason said her team applied
harvested lung cells grown in vitro from newborn rats to the
existing framework. Niklason said the findings were "remarkable":
The cultured cells successfully distributed themselves to
appropriate locations on the framework, resulting in healthy adult
rat lung tissue. See Story:
http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2010/sep/01/rat-lung-today-human-one-tomorrow/
RAPID TB TEST SHOWS HIGH ACCURACY
A two-hour molecular diagnostic test detected tuberculosis bacteria
(TB), including rifampin-resistant strains, with sensitivity and
specificity well over 90 percent, researchers found. Sensitivity
exceeded 98 percent in samples from patients with smear-positive
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections and the false positive rate
was 0.8 percent, according to Dr. Catherina C. Boehme of the
Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) in Geneva,
Switzerland. See Story:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Tuberculosis/tb/22011
AMGA ANNOUNCES COLLABORATIVE ON MANAGING COPD
The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and the American
Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) are announced an opportunity for
AMGA members to participate in a learning collaborative on care
management for patients with COPD. The Best Practices Learning
Collaborative is for organizations that are striving to improve the
care of patients with COPD. Participants will work together to
develop an optimal care framework that includes a comprehensive,
patient-centered, value-based approach to chronic care.
The learning collaborative will support improvements in chronic care
management systems that focus on improving the care of patients
across care settings. Up to fifteen groups will be invited to
participate in the collaborative. See News Release:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/amga-announces-learning-collaborative-managing-
chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > RECALLS / WARNINGS < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RECALLS
The link below leads to the list of active recall cases of the
United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS). See current recalls at
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp
U.S. FDA RECALLS
To view current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls,
go to
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > FEATURED ARTICLES < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
BE PART OF WORLD SPIROMETRY DAY, OCT. 14, 2010
The Federation of International Respiratory Societies have declared
Oct. 14, 2010 World Spirometry Day to celebrate lung health during
the Year of the Lung. This coordinated event to deliver free
spirometry helps raise awareness for lung disease around the world.
Spirometry is a simple diagnostic tool that can be utilized to
screen for lung diseases like COPD. Everyone who has a stake in
raising awareness of lung disease, COPDers and providers alike, have
a role to play in this event.
Do you want to be a part of the World Spirometry Day Festivities?
Check out the World Spirometry Day calendar for an event near you.
And if you don't see an event registered in your area, you can start
your own! There are organizing kits available on the World
Spirometry Day website. See Blog:
http://blog.copdfoundation.org/be-part-of-world-spirometry-day-october-14-2010/
MORE ON FIRST EVER SPIROMETRY DAY
On Oct. 14, free spirometry will be offered worldwide. This event
will be one of the top opportunities to raise awareness about lung
health through the public and the media. The European Respiratory
Society (ERS) and the European Lung Foundation (ELF) will coordinate
the organization of the event.
Spirometry will be delivered to the general public, using primarily
the facilities already available in the hospitals and clinics. In
each country, a special event, with higher visibility should be
organized to attract media attention, such as at the government,
with the minister of health, or local celebrities. See More:
http://yearofthelung.org/1368-world-spirometry-day.htm
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > NUTRITION/WELLNESS < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
A BUDGET-FRIENDLY GUIDE TO HEALTHY COOKING
Food is a big part of any household budget, and fixing healthy
recipes that taste good can seem like a challenge. But with good
nutrition as your first priority, you can put a little planning and
bargain hunting to work and end up with some cheap meals that have
rich taste. Here's how to get started.
Start by carefully thinking about your menu, then make a plan and
stick to it. You can save money by buying discount food, buying in
bulk and eliminating what you really don't need or eat. "A great
example of a healthy budget food is beans," says Joan Salge Blake,
MS, RD, dietitian and nutrition professor at Boston University.
"Beans are a great source of protein and fiber. You can add canned
beans to a salad or pasta and you have a cheap recipe that is
healthy and filling."
Try these other tips when shopping:
Eliminate junk food. Buy in bulk. Buy frozen produce. Take advantage
of discounts.
In the same way that buying large is less expensive, so is cooking
large. You can save money by using some imagination for leftovers
and desserts.
See More Tips:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-recipes/budget-friendly-guide.aspx?xid=nl_
EverydayHealthHealthyAging_20100830
ALLERGISTS OFFER RAGWEED SURVIVAL GUIDE
August marks the start of misery for as many as one in five
Americans who suffer from hay fever, also called seasonal allergic
rhinitis. That's because ragweed, the main cause of hay fever,
begins blooming around mid-August and in one day each plant can
produce a million pollen grains that can travel for miles from its
source. "Ragweed can bring on sneezing, stuffy nose and watery
eyes," says allergist Dr. James Sublett, chair of the American
College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's (ACAAI) public relations
committee. "But there are lots of things people can do to find
relief until the first freeze comes along." See these survival tips
from ACAAI:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/198185.php
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > COMMUNITY UPDATE < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
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
KEEPING IN TOUCH (KIT) WITH OUR COPD FRIENDS
Over the years, we have had many of our active COPD friends simply
disappear suddenly. As COPD patients, we would begin to worry about
them, not knowing if they were ill, in the hospital, or worse.
Others who live alone have found themselves in the unfortunate
situation of winding up in the hospital due to an emergency, with no
means to contact their friends and support lists. For many, COPD
also tends to make hermits of them, with diminishing contact with
others. All three of these situations have been addressed in the
new "Keep In Touch" program at COPD International. For more
information, or to join, go to:
http://www.copd-international.com/Keep_in_Touch/
DEDICATION TO THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
Some we have known by name, others only by nickname and still
others have remained totally unknown, preferring to read, learn and
seek comfort in the knowledge that they were not alone.
In honor all COPD patients everywhere, both known and unknown,
who have gone on before us, we have dedicated a new section of the
Web site. See Memorials:
http://www.COPD-International.com/remembering
MESSAGE BOARD ON SURGICAL OPTIONS FOR COPD
Thanks to the generous contribution of time and experience by some
of our regulars here at COPD International, we were able to open a
new message board for the exchange of information and support on
surgical options for COPD. This new board will cover subjects such
as LVRS, transplants and valve procedures, etc. For a complete
listing of all our message boards (forums), please go to
http://www.copd-international.com/messageboards.htm
COPD NEWS/INFORMATION FEATURE
"COPD Info" brings you the latest news, articles and
information from a wide variety of resources on a very timely basis.
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDInfo/
For those of you with news readers, there is also an RSS link.
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/
HOSTED CHAT SCHEDULE
We currently have a total of 42 Hosted Chats. There is a mix of open
chats plus specialty chats as listed below. The full chat schedule
is at:
http://www.copd-international.com/Chat-schedule.htm
NEWCOMERS CHAT T
Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. - Hosted by Deb and Lyn. New
Time
-- Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. -
Hosted by Jackie and Rachel.
Officially titled "Newcomers Chat," you do not have to
be new to
COPD to join us! It is for the newly
diagnosed, new computer users or those that are
unfamiliar and want to learn more about how chat rooms
work.
These chats will be slow paced to give all time
to keep
up.
These
chats are held in the Special COPD Topic Room at
http://www.copd-international.com/COPD/chat.htm If you
are a
mIRC or Web TV user, the room is #copd
TWO COPD FOCUSED CHATS These chats are a change from our
"open"
chat style to a more structured "COPD focused" type of
chat that
is geared exclusively to discussions surrounding our COPD
diagnosis and its related life issues.
-- Mondays at 3 p.m. hosted by Lyn
and James
-- Fridays at 10:30 a.m. hosted by
Deb and Naomi
ON-TOPIC CHATS
-- Caregivers: (NEW TIMES) Hosts
Kitty, Gal, Jackie and Lyn
(Note: Only caregivers in these
chats please.)
http://www.copd-international.com/caregivers/chat.htm
--
Monday through Friday at 9:30 to
10:30pm --
-- Quit Smoking Now (QSN): Daily
at 7:30 p.m. with Hosts
James, Gal, and Jackie
http://www.copd-international.com/quit_smoking/chat.htm.
For more information on all our chat rooms, please contact Deb,
chat coordinator, at chat@copd-international.com.
______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > > LINK DIRECTORY < < < < < < < < < < <
______________________________________________________________
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
-- 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 Advocate Bill Horden Library
http://www.copd-international.com/COPDAdvocate/
-- 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.
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > JUST FOR FUN < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
WHAT HAPPENED IN MY BIRTH YEAR?
Be sure you enter the year of your birth.
http://whathappenedinmybirthyear.com/
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > > > RECIPE < < < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
Editor's Note: Recipes are not
diabetes-friendly
unless
otherwise noted.
EASY SKILLET BEEF AND HASH BROWNS
If you're in the mood for meat and potatoes, you won't go wrong with
this skillet supper. Family-friendly and super-simple, it'll become
a regular in your dinnertime rotation.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 25 min.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of
Celery Soup
(Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups frozen hash-brown potatoes
3 slices process American cheese
Directions
1. Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high
heat
until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour
off
any fat.
2. Stir the soup, water, ketchup and Worcestershire in
the
skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the potatoes. Reduce
the
heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the
potatoes
are tender. Top with the cheese. Makes: 4 servings (about
1 cup
each).
Kitchen Clip: Give this skillet a little more vegetable
"power"
by stirring a cup or two of frozen peas, green beans or
carrot
coins in with the potatoes.
(Campbell's Kitchen)
_______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > > CLOSING THOUGHT < < < < < < < <
_______________________________________________________________
"I can't give you a
sure-fire formula for success, but I can give
you a formula for
failure: Try to please everybody all the time."
- Herbert Bayard Swope -
______________________________________________________________
> > > > > > > >
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE < < < < < < < <
______________________________________________________________
TO SUBSCRIBE:
mailto:List-admin@copd-international.com?subject=subscribe-news
TO UNSUBSCRIBE:
mailto:List-admin@copd-international.com?subject=unsubscribe-news
ONLINE ACCESS: http://www.COPD-International.com/lists
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Recommend the COPD-International Newsletter to a friend!
Thank You For Your Readership
-----------------
Notes
-----------------
Newsletters are archived in the COPD-International online Library.
However, links to outside sources cannot be guaranteed after
publication date.
"COPD-International Newsletter" is an opt-in ezine available by
subscription only. You must have sent an e-mail request or visited
our Web site to request this subscription. We neither use nor
endorse the use of "spam." This newsletter is never sent to anyone
who has not requested it and we NEVER share your e-mail address with
third-parties.
© 2010 COPD-International.com, except where otherwise indicated. All
rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from
copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their respective
owners. All content provided "as is" without warranty of any kind.
All Disclaimers Apply: The information and guidance provided in this
newsletter should never be interpreted as a diagnosis, treatment
plan or any other form of professional service.
All information provided should be judged as individual "opinions"
and discussed with a qualified health care professional before any
remedy, treatment or therapy is started.
Links in this newsletter to other Internet sites are not
endorsements of any products or services associated with such sites.
