Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your respiratory health. But quitting smoking may be one of the hardest things you’ve had to do in your life.

The extreme grip of nicotine addiction is unknown to non-smokers, but as a smoker you know if you don’t give into those cravings you become cranky and irritated.

Common belief is, if you’ve been smoking for a huge portion of your life then the damage is already done and there is nothing you can do.

Sure your respiratory and cardiovascular system may be damaged, but the second you quit smoking your body instantly begins to repair itself.

Quitting smoking will reduce the risks of a whole myriad of diseases, ranging from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to a heart attack and stroke.

And don’t you know with every cigarette you are taking more and more time off your life?

That’s less time you get to spend with your children, grandchildren, husband or wife.

You’re family likes you better when you are kicking and breathing, so don’t you think it’s time to put down that nasty habit? Even secondhand smoke can cause damage, but it can also be repaired.

Back in December we met Larry Peel.  Larry was diagnosed with COPD about 11 years ago and has been on supplemental oxygen for the past 7 years. 

We got in touch with Larry because one of our owners saw a news report about him.  He had received an oxygen concentrator from his insurance company, Kaiser but now they were wanting the unit back because they said that he had received it in error. 

Larry explained that he needed the portable during his long shifts as a 911 operator but the insurance company still called his lifeline to oxygen, "non-essential".  

Peel sometimes resorted to going without oxygen and trying to remain as still and calm as possible to avoid getting winded and triggering a coughing spell.

As you can imagine, in the life of a 911 dispatcher this was not always possible.  It's estimated that patients who do not use their required oxygen increase their chances of heart failure or stroke by up to 50%.  

With Larry's dosage he would need up to 5 or 6 heavy tanks to last him through a 10 or 12 hour shift.  He feared that he would have to quit work, leaving this single dad unable to support himself and his son.

Using the Power of Food to Quit Tobacco Use

Tobacco use has led to millions of premature deaths. That’s millions of brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles and children that were taken from their families entirely too young. All due to the decision to pick up a cigarette. Sure you may have been pounded with countless “Don’t Smoke” ads throughout your life, so we’re not here to preach to you. But instead we are providing this information for people that have decided they don’t want to be another statistic, but instead want to live a healthy and active life. Although quitting cigarettes is easier said than done. We have some tips that will greatly increase your odds of finally being tobacco free so your body can begin repairing some of the damage from years of smoking almost immediately!

Understanding Cystic Fibrosis

Unlike other chronic lung diseases such as COPD, cystic fibrosis isn’t a disease that develops over time. Instead it is a lifelong, hereditary disease that affects your lungs, pancreas and other vital organs due to thick and sticky secretions.

The secretions are thin and slippery like a lubricant in a healthy patient, but a defective gene causes mucus and digestive juices to become thick and sticky.

Resulting in clogged airways and digestive passageways. When cystic fibrosis (CF) was first being diagnosed during the 1950’s, patients rarely reached the age to go to elementary school.

Progress is shown in treatments as in 1985 the average lifespan of patients was 25. As short ago as 2007 the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis meant patients still had a limited life span, but with cutting edge research efforts doctors have been able to extend the life expectancy of patients dramatically to a median age of 40.7 (cff.org).

With proper treatment and disease education, patients can still attend school, work and have a high quality personal life.   

Some people travel the world in hopes to visit many of the famous landmarks before they die, you on the other hand have a different view for your dream getaway.

You don’t plan your trip around interesting museums or any of the other touristy activities that others make the highlight of their trip.

Instead you are more interested in the types of cuisine a travel destination has to offer. Instead of labeling yourself a tourist, a traveling foodie is a better description for your intentions.

Now with all the new restaurants popping up across the nation, let alone the world. It may be difficult to pick one place to visit in your quest for the next great dish.

Which is why we have compiled a list of the top 5 places for senior foodies to visit, so you can spend less time picking a destination and more time enjoying what you love most, FOOD!

With all these tasty dishes, you’ll want to bring your best foodie friend along to share and amplify the experience with.  

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD, is the third leading cause of death in the United States alone.

On February 27th, 2015, the disease claimed one of it's approximate 120,000 yearly victims.

The victim was one of the most well known actors from the original Star Trek, Leonard Nimoy.

We talk a lot about COPD and heart ailments in relation to oxygen use but not every oxygen user has lung or heart problems.  We recently met one very special oxygen user whose need for oxygen stems from a liver problem.

Inova Labs Inc., the company that manufacturers the LifeChoice Activox Sport and LifeChoice Activox Pro portable oxygen concentrators, just announced their newest portable unit. It is called the LifeChoice Activox 4L.

With each model that comes out, it seems as though the machine becomes more efficient and user-friendly. The Activox 4L is no exception to this observation.

Weighing in at 4.8 pounds, the LifeChoice Activox 4L is one of the lightest portable oxygen concentrators on the market.

It offers pulse flow settings of 1-4 which allows more patients to use this unit, and if your flow rate were to change it can most likely accommodate those changes.