The End of Our Asthma Module

Well we have come to the end of our Asthma Module. In the past two months we have talked about partnership, triggers, having an asthma plan, understanding why and when you take Rescue Medications vs. Long Term Controller medications.  Discussed the history of asthma and how the Global Initiative confirmed that asthma was an inflammatory disease.  Provided resources such as the American Lung Society and others.  Discussed the devices used to dispense asthma medication and the stages of asthma and that if not controlled it will kill you.  Therefore, there is a need to be in partnership with your doctor to manage the green, yellow and red zones which is your Asthma Plan.  Green is good -you want to stay there and you stay there by knowing when you are sick and what to take, but the Green Zone is really the wellness zone.  The  Yellow zones means an attack or episode is occurring and the patient needs to know what to do to bring them back to the green zone and make sure they do not go to the red zone.  Again if you get to the red zone, what plan do you and your physician have to get that back to the yellow zone. If that is not possible, then is there a plan to get the patient to the ER before things get very bad and maybe even irreversible.  Briefly talked about folk cures.  Asthma is a deadly disease which can be managed and one can live a symptom free.

Aunt Emmy will be on hiatus from March 13^th through March 27^th.  New shows will start April 3, 2011. 

Gather up your friends and tune in on March 3^rd, 2011 at 4:30pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/auntemmy or dial in with your phone from anywhere in the world at 1-323-375-3262 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-323-375-3262      end_of_the_skype_highlighting!  Ciao, and walk good my friends from Conversations with Aunt Emmy, hosted by Patricia Edwards, author of the bestselling book, The Little Pink Purse of Courage: When Breast Cancer Is The Diagnosis and Chemotherapy is the Treatment- www.thelittlepinpurseofcourage;  www.passionsofpatriciaedwards.com. Be well and ask the questions.  Be engaged and empowered  as you partner with you treating physician.

Valentine's Day Weekend and Dental Health

It was Valentine’s Day weekend so conversations with Aunt Emmy on www.blogtalkradio.com/auntemmy  decided to have a show dedicated to dental health. After all Valentine’s is the most kissable of times- right? Special guest was Dr. Brian Hamilton- oral surgeon and past Chief resident of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery at Harlem Hospital. We learned that he loves his work, that oral surgeons are involved in the management of people with cancers of the head and neck as well as of the mouth.  He advised that bad breath or Halitosis can be caused by some medications as well as other underlying health related problems.  He does advise his patients if they have this bad breath.

Very interestingly we learned that medications used to treat   Osteoporosis   can cause problems related to the jaw bone. It is very important he advised to inform your Dentist if   you are taking   any drugs for this condition, especially if you are going to have oral surgery.  He felt strongly that there is a need to ask questions of both your general dentist and your oral surgeon especially about what they are going to do, why and what kind of anesthetic will be used.  It was a great show and if you missed it liver, please download at the link above.  Each Sunday listen to the show by calling 1-323-375-3262!  Have a healthy week

Conversations with Aunt Emmy by Patricia Edwards

Conversations with Aunt Emmy by Patricia Edwards

Welcome to the New Year with the promise of abundant good health, dreams fulfilled and enough prosperity to keep financial stress to a minimum.

On December 26^th, the Sunday after Christmas we did not broadcast a show, but were back on the air the January 2, 2011!

January will start a new topic of conversation  about health and that topic is Asthma. On Sunday’s show our Healthful Tip: breathe deeply at least 5-10 times per day to truly aerate the lung. Over 300 million people have Asthma and it has no cure and is a complex disease.  Aunt  Emmy has been an asthmatic all her life and has learned and knows how important an engaged partnership with your doctor is in living a symptom free life or at least being able to meet the challenges before they affect  your health or even your life.

Asthma was chronicled as a disease over 3,500 years ago and was described by Hippocrates as labored breathing- he was not kidding!  Aunt Emmy pointed out that when people get a diagnosis of Asthma they are usually not in the same state of devastation as when a diagnosis of cancer or HIV/AIDS is presented.  Asthma is not seen as life threatening or very serious.  Yet it is! 

What is Asthma?  Asthma is an inflammatory disease which creates obstruction of the air flow in the lungs as the bronchioles oft times fill with mucus and the muscles around the bronchioles (the breathing tubes) become tighter and therefore, the bronchioles become narrow which prevents the flow of air. Signs and symptoms which could indicate Asthma are cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest.  Well these are symptoms for other diseases as well- so how do they know it is asthma?   On next week’s show we will discuss some of the testing which is done, but a careful history combined with testing will help in the diagnosis.

Questions: Do I have Asthma?

 What is asthma?

How will you make your diagnosis to be sure it is Asthma and not some other disease?

Loss of time from work and loss of time from school in most countries is attributed to Asthma.  Puerto Rico in the Caribbean has the highest incidence of Asthma and in spite of research there is no definitive conclusion on why this is so.  But asthma as we stated is complex and is different for every person.  Invite your friends, your family, your co-workers to  listen in to Conversations with Aunt Emmy on www.blogtalkradio.com/auntemmy on Sunday afternoons at 4:30pm or call -321-375.

Ciao, Walk good and we will have a nugget on Breast Cancer  interspersed throughout this series on Asthma.

Blogs on Asthma for January 2011

Blogs on Asthma for January 2011

I must apologize as our last blogs for December were not posted.  I will rectify that as soon as I can.

This first part of the year, our health module is all about Asthma.  Asthma is a complex, chronic respiratory illness that has been documented as being in existence for hundreds of years.

With over 300 million people in the world being afflicted by Asthma it is certainly one that demands our attention.  It also demands our attention because it is the major cause of absences from work and school, and a reason for numerous Emergency Room visits.

Asthma is a serious as AIDS, CANCER, or any other catastrophic disease that makes you go “Oh no!” when you hear that someone was diagnosed with it. In spite of that we tend not to see Asthma as a devastating life threatening illness – which it IS!

In this series on Asthma I want to leave the audience understanding that there is no disease where being an engaged, questioning, powerful partner with your physician is more vitally important.  Because asthma is complex and is different for each person, it is your partnership with your doctor which is going to make you a symptom free or controlled asthmatic.  The care plan has to be tailored specifically to you.

So what have we learned over the past 5 weeks on Conversations with Aunt Emmy/hosted by Patricia Edwards on www.blogtalkradio.com/auntemmy  on Sunday’s at 4:30 p.m.

Asthma is diagnosed by the physician taking a good history and performing diagnostic tests. The definitive test is a Spirometry.

Asthma is complex and very individual.

Asthma is an inflammatory disease where the muscles around the bronchioles tighten and mucus fills the bronchioles causing constriction.

Some symptoms are cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, tightness in the chest

There are stages of Asthma severity: intermittent, mild persistent, moderate persistent, severe.

The Rules of Two- which is published by Baylor asks 3 important questions and if a yes answer occurs among any of the three questions, then your asthma is not under control.

Triggers are what activate the asthmatic response and differs from person to person.  There are  many , many triggers, strong odors, smoke, dust mites, cockroach droppings, bleach,  dander from animals, dust, exercise,  mold, medications, to name a few.

Aunt Emmy then did a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen review and how to avoid or manage the triggers which are presented in those rooms.

Our last show, talked about the environment, and unique triggers, like non wood furniture, the smell in a new car and nail salons.

Mary, from Palm Bay called in regarding how to manage the smoke in the air; suggestion: stay inside if possible, wear a mask, take your medications, and check with the MD to see if any of the medications should be increased during that time.

The topic of the Peak Flow meter and the two categories of medications used to treat asthma were introduced.  It is difficult to teach use of a Peak Flow meter over the radio.  Aunt Emmy suggested either going to the web or having it demonstrated in the doctor’s office.  Aunt Emmy explained that there were two types of Asthma medications- there is the quick relief medication and the control medication which is taken every day to prevent the triggers from causing the inflammatory process to be initiated.

Asthma can be controlled.  People should not die from Asthma.  In managing your partnership with your physician YOU have to be the best detective in the world.  Keep asking Why, What did I do, Where was I, What could I have eaten, smelled, been that has caused me to be having an attack when   either moments or hours ago I felt so well?

 You are now up to date. Remember Aunt Emmy is all about asking questions

Please invite coaches, teachers, parents, children, family and friends who live with or have contact with an asthmatic to listen in each Sunday.  We will be on this topic for quite a while.

Ciao- walk well my friends…