Are Your Lungs Shrinking?

By Al Sears, MD

When it comes to physical health, there are few things more important than "lung power." Great martial artists like Bruce Lee knew physical strength and robust health depend on your lungs.

The strong men of my father's era knew it too. Part of what gives you the capacity to live robustly is getting enough oxygen. But without your awareness, you are probably losing lung capacity. Your lungs tend to shrink with age.

Sooner or later, you get tired more quickly, you're less virile, you get colds and the flu more often, and it takes longer to recover from illness.

I've proven that it doesn't have to be that way. You can stop this loss of vitality by taking a few simple steps to build your lungs back.

By the time you reached 20, you stopped growing lung tissue and your lung capacity stabilized. This lasted for about 10 years. Then, around 30, your lungs started to decline. The alveoli that deliver oxygen to your blood began to die off. Slowly, most folks limit their daily activities so their lungs can keep up.

Unless you prevent it, you lose 20 percent of your vital lung capacity by about age 35. By 50, you've lost 40 percent of your breathing capacity and the decline continues for life.

If you get the flu at age 35 or 40, you can shrug it off. That's because you have the extra lung capacity you need to sustain yourself--even if the flu or pneumonia takes some of your lung volume out of commission with fluid.

But if you're 65 or 70 and you get a bout of flu or pneumonia, you won't have the reserve lung capacity to sustain you. That is why the death rate is so much higher for seniors who contract these respiratory diseases. They simply don't have the lung capacity to get them over the hump.

What's more, bigger lungs supply your working body with more oxygen. They also restore cell health by removing cell-eroding carbon dioxide. When there's plenty of oxygen circulating around the body, your muscles can afford to use it to build reserve sources of energy for times of stress or exertion. But as your lung capacity decreases, your normal everyday activity takes up more of it, leaving you with very little reserve.

And as your lung capacity diminishes, you're more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke that permanently affects the rest of your life. Lack of oxygen reserves is a risk factor in heart attacks.

Fortunately, you can implement a simple exercise program that will improve your lung capacity and minimize the consequences of losing lung volume. If you focus on improving your lungs' elasticity, improving posture and improving the function of your diaphragm, the rest will take care of itself.

The best way to do it is simple: High intensity, short-interval workouts. My PACE® program is the only program I've ever encountered that is specifically designed to best accomplish this most important goal. In fact, the technique we use is so revolutionary, the U.S. Patent Office awarded it a service mark.

And you can make this challenging exercise program more effective with a diet rich in protein. You need protein to build organ tissue. It will also increase your need for certain vitamins. Consider adding the following vitamins for even faster results:

• Beta-carotene (25,000 international units) shields your lungs from air pollution and smoke, keeping the small air sacs in your lungs cleaner and healthier.
• Selenium (50-200 micrograms) helps keep your lungs elastic.
• Vitamin A (5,000 international units) turns into carotenes, which your body needs for lung function.
• Vitamin C (1,200 milligrams) helps people with asthma breathe easier and is a great water-soluble antioxidant.
• Vitamin E (600 international units) preserves oil-soluble nutrients needed for building new cells, fights cellular aging and protects your lungs from oxidative damage.2

To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD

References

1. Aging Changes In the Lungs. Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Health Encyclopedia (www.enh.org), accessed 5/11/05
   
2. Prevention's Healing with Vitamins. Rodale Books: Emmaus, PA, 1996.

[Ed. Note:Dr. Sears is Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs. He has written over 500 articles and 7 books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation.]

Health & Immunity:
Mother Nature's Natural Germ Fighters
By Lisa Forgione, MD

Part 2 of a 2-part article

Natural Topical Therapies
Some natural substances have amazing anti-infective properties, but are not effective or safe when taken internally. However, they work wonderfully when applied topically to the skin or mouth area. Please see Part 1 of this article for the internal therapies available.

Tea Tree Oil has been used for centuries for all types of skin infections, scabies, insect bites, burns, and acne. It effectively penetrates deep down into the skin layers. It is also useful for hard-to-treat fungal infections, such as nail fungus, dandruff, vaginitis, and ringworm. Apply topically to the gums for periodontal disease. It should not be taken internally and should be discontinued if irritation develops.

The essential oil of clove can be applied topically to mouth ulcers, sore gums and toothaches. Gargling with diluted clove oil helps relieve sort throats. It can be used topically like tea tree oil for all kinds of skin infections.

As its name implies, comfrey helps heal burns, bites, stings, bedsores, skin ulcers, dermatitis, scabies, inflamed bunions and rashes. It is available in ointments and creams.

Remember having a cold as a child and the soothing feeling of Vick's VapoRub on your chest? Eucalyptus in the Vick's is what suppressed your cough and let you sleep. Eucalyptus is a terrific decongestant, and useful for all kinds of respiratory infections -- apply topically to the chest or back, or use as a steam vapor that can be made from the leaves.

For Internal and External Use
You have probably heard of silvadine as a topical burn treatment. Colloidal silver is a powerful antibiotic for both internal and topical use. It can treat drug-resistant staph, tuberculosis and the bird flu. In Africa, it is used to treat just about everything, including AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, cholera, and pneumonia. It can be used topically to treat burns, wounds, thrush and other skin infections.

Use a 5-parts-per-million concentration, at a dose of one teaspoon three to four times per day. There have been rare instances of silver overdose resulting in skin and nail discoloration. However, this is from ingesting silver salts, not colloidal silver. Carefully research the product you are buying for its strength and purity and follow the directions for usage to the letter.

Check your spice shelf for oregano. Wild oregano and oregano oil both fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections, along with boosting your immune system. Use oregano to help fight acne, allergies, athlete's foot, insect stings, bronchitis, colds, diarrhea, gum disease, parasites, sinusitis and skin infections. Apply the oil topically as needed. Wild oregano is also available in capsules to take orally as directed.

There are many more natural products available to fight infections of all types. We have covered the more common ones here. It's astonishing how readily available these treatments are -- and they are inexpensive! You can avoid germ resistance, antibiotic side effects, and long waits at your doctor's office by allowing Mother Nature to heal you. A visit to your local health food store or an internet search will provide you with information and easy access to these exciting products.

The editors at Total Health Breakthroughs know it is impossible to avoid germs. We want you to be happy, healthy and infection free. Winter is cold, flu and pneumonia season. So, eat your garlic, oregano, cinnamon and honey, rub on your tea tree oil and breathe your eucalyptus vapor. Care for yourself naturally and safely, and live well!

[Ed. Note: Lisa Forgione, MD, is an Emergency Medicine Physician practicing in Wadesboro, North Carolina. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Forgione participated in the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and has received several Physicians Recognition Awards for teaching from the AMA and AAFP.]

Healthy Recipes:
Artichoke & Wild Salmon Eggs Benedict
By Kelley Herring

Boost your body's antioxidant defenses with this Benedict breakfast! The production of glutathione -- your body's master antioxidant and detoxifier -- is manufactured by your liver given the right ingredients, including sulfur-containing amino acids and selenium.¹ This delicious dish provides 51% of your daily requirement for selenium, plus those sulfur-containing aminos from the organic eggs.

Time To Table: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Excellent Source of: Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Protein, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Folate, Riboflavin
Good Source of: Calcium, Niacin
Preferences: Gluten-Free, Low Sugar

Ingredients
1 ounce organic cream cheese
8 medium organic artichoke bottoms, drained
2 ounces wild smoked salmon
6 large organic omega-3 eggs
4 large organic egg whites
4 tsp. organic extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. organic plain yogurt
2 tsp. organic lemon juice
3 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss artichoke bottoms with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons oregano. Place them top-side down on half of a large baking sheet. Roast until the artichokes are just beginning to brown, about 12 to 14 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and whites. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic or porcelain enamel) over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, folding and stirring frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula until almost set, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in cream cheese and the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano. To serve, divide the artichoke bottoms among 4 plates. Top each artichoke with equal portions scrambled egg, smoked salmon and creamy lemon sauce. Garnish with oregano sprigs if desired.

Nutrition Information
323 calories, 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 329 mg cholesterol, 537 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g sugar, 14 grams fiber, 25 g protein

Reference

1. Gladyshev VN. Selenoproteins and selenoproteomes. In: Hatfield DL, Berry MJ, Gladyshev VN, eds. Selenium: Its molecular biology and role in human health. 2nd ed. New York: Springer; 2006:99-114.

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