Just recently, Caleb Umstead, Director of Customer Education at 1st Class Medical, was interviewed on the talk show First Coast Living by the Emmy Award winning television host, Casey Black DeSantis. In this interview, which can be seen above, Casey DeSantis talks with Caleb Umstead about the LifeChoice Activox portable oxygen concentrator, our new program Helping Heroes with Operation Orion, and COPD. To learn more about our Helping Heroes program or to donate to the program, there is a link on the bottom of the page that you can click on. Below is a transcript of the interview. 

Exercise and other physical activities are phenomenal ways of staying healthy and most of all increasing lung function when you are a patient suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Staying active is something your doctor will highly recommend throughout your treatment process, but what you might not know is stress can be directly attributed to increased breathlessness and other COPD symptoms.

So though it is important to stay active, it is also important that you sit down to relax and regather yourself from all the stresses of COPD and your daily life occasionally throughout your day.

As a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) every ounce of energy is precious, this is due to the fact that COPD naturally drains your body of energy exponentially.

Leaving you to feel tired, weak, and unmotivated to do things that you normally enjoy, which is why taking additional steps to conserve energy should be a top priority for your health!

Luckily for you we have prepared a few adjustments and changes in your everyday life that will benefit your health and most importantly give you energy to enjoy life again!

The human body uses food as energy, which is why it is extremely important that you supply your body with the proper energy by eating foods that are good for you.

This is especially important when you are a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Choosing not to nourish your body with healthy foods such as fruits, veggies, and lots of water will take a toll on your body, a horrible diet can even impact your breathing.

Which is why we will be talking about the type of food groups you should nourish your body with, as well as the food groups to stay away from.

A proper diet will certainly not cure COPD but it will make your overall quality of life that much better!

Oxygen is so commonly taken advantage of, but if you have COPD or another lung disease then you are thankful for every breath. As a patient you know, oxygen is a vital requirement for you to overcome the breathlessness attributed to your lung disease. The benefits from supplemental oxygen are countless, but neglect for your oxygen delivery method can be both costly and dangerous.

Since your diagnosis with COPD you have probably begun looking into a portable oxygen concentrator so you can have the ability to leave your house and travel.

With all the options out there it may start to feel overwhelming or you just aren't quiet sure what the proper oxygen concentrator for you is.

When shopping for a portable oxygen concentrator make sure it operates at an oxygen level that matches or exceeds your prescribed amount.

Upon being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or another chronic respiratory disease, your doctor may provide you with a prescription for medical grade supplemental oxygen.

This is because all humans and animals on earth require oxygen to live everyday, but as a patient with COPD your body can no longer deliver the necessary amount of oxygen to vital organs such as the heart or brain.

Oxygen is necessary for all organs in the human body to operate not just strictly the heart, which is where supplemental oxygen comes into play.

The overall quality of life can be drastically improved with the help of a portable oxygen concentrator in patients that suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

When looking for a portable oxygen concentrator there are a few things that must be taken into account, first is will a certain concentrator fit your oxygen requirements, and do you have a prescription?

What I mean by this is will a specific oxygen concentrator keep you properly saturated by delivering a flow rate that meets your prescribed oxygen requirement during all types of activities?