Inside your lungs are 300 million tiny air sacs called alveoli, where oxygen enters the blood and carbon dioxide leaves it. the alveoli are naturally elastic. When healthy, they expand each time you inhale and contract every time you exhale. But if you have emphysems, the alveoli lose thei relasticity and become permanently stretched. Often, the sacs rupture. As a result, they no longer move oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the blood as they are supposed to. The entire body literally becomes starved for oxygen, and you end up gasping for breath.
The disease claims about 106,000 lives every year. But it's highly preventable and sometimes treatable.
CAUSES
In the vast majoruty of emphysema cases, damage o the alveoli results from decades of smoking cigarettes. Long-term exposure to dust, chemical vapors and other pollutants can do their share of harm. And some people have a hereditary deficiency of the enzyme responsible for maintaining the alveolis' elasticity.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which often grows worse over time. The chest gradually becomes enlarged and barrel-shaped, a by-product of the constant struggle for air. If you're a smoker and you already show some signs of emphysema, you can stop the disease from getting worse just by giving up cigarettes. That won't reverse the damage that has already occurred, but it could save your life.
TREATMENT
Your physician may prescribe a bronchodilator, just like those used to treat asthma. A bronchodilator can help you breathe easier, at least temporarily. To enhance its effectiveness, try pairing it with any of the remedies below:
- Reduce your fat intake - Emphysema makes exercise difficult, which in turn makes controlling your weight difficult. But even if you can't engage in strenous aerobic workouts, you must do something to maintain a healthy weight. Otherwise, carrying extra pounds strains your breathing capacity. To maintain a healthy weight, switch to low-fat, high-fiber-diet.
- Consume C-rich and A-rich foods - Research shows that the more vitamin C-rich foods people consume, the better their lung function.
- Eat more Fish - Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that peopls who eat fish 2 or more times a week have significantly better lung function than people who ate fish less than twice a week. Fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory properties. For the most omega-3's per ounce serving, choose Atlantic herring, canned salmon, whitefish, or fresh tuna.