This is a guest post written by Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Kellie Hill of The Right Plan Nutrition Counseling. 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects an estimated 24 million individuals in the United States. Common symptoms include increased breathlessness, frequent coughing, wheezing and tightness in the chest.

Some of you may remember Larry’s story from last Christmas.  This 911 dispatcher called for help and 1^st Class Medical answered.  Larry’s insurance company had given him a portable oxygen concentrator to use but then said they had sent it in error and demanded that he send it back. 

Without a portable unit to use, Larry would likely have had to quit his job and, as a single dad, wasn’t sure how he would support his son. 

In order for Larry to continue the important job he does, we provided him with a stationary, AirSep Visionaire to use while at work and a SeQual Eclipse to use when he was on the go. 

Daylight savings time has passed which means the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder. For some, the cold weather and shorter days are a refreshing change. However, if you suffer from COPD, chances are you dread winter.

Cold weather has the ability to negatively affect your COPD in a number of different ways. From causing you to experience shortness of breath to putting you at a higher risk of getting sick, there are several risk factors you have to account for. Not to mention, winter is the peak of cold and flu season.

According to the World Health Organization COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, behind heart disease and stroke.  It currently kills more women than breast cancer and diabetes combined. 

Over 3 million people die each year of COPD related causes.  Despite being such a prolific killer COPD is probably the least recognized and most underdiagnosed disease. 

It is estimated that approximately 14.2 million people have been diagnosed with COPD but as many as 13 million have COPD and have yet to be diagnosed.

November is National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness month, a full month dedicated to spreading awareness and shining light on the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States that continues to take more and more lives each year.

This silent and often invisible respiratory disease is an umbrella term that includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and severe bronchiectasis.

COPD is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease that restricts airflow from the lungs.

COPD exacerbations and flare-ups are taxing on both you and the healthcare system. Not to mention, they are one of the terrifying aspects of dealing with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and for a good reason. COPD exacerbations result in more than 100,000 deaths and over 500,000 hospitalizations each year. Did you know that within 30 days of hospitalization 21% of COPD patients will be readmitted to the hospital?

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.

Your breath is your lifeline and when it becomes difficult to breath, your life comes to a halt. Hearing the diagnosis of COPD may sound like a sentence to a life of inactivity, a life that no longer includes enjoyed activities of your past.

This is true to a certain extent, but not totally true. Over time, certain exercises have proven to help those who have COPD. If you practice these exercises and learn to incorporate them into your life, there is a chance you will be able to continue some of those activities you enjoy, though on a lower level of intensity.

Having a loved one be diagnosed with COPD or another life threatening lung disease takes an emotional toll on you both, but it is extremely important that as a caregiver you are educated on resources and information on how to support and promote an active and healthy lifestyle for your loved one.

It's the little things that matter, which is why a few adjustments applied to your loved one's daily routines and habits will have numerous amounts of beneficial factors.

Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you should already know how imperative it is for your treatment that you maintain and attend all regularly scheduled doctor's appointments.

Not only is it important to attend appointments but also that you openly communicate with your doctor about everything your feeling, as well as questions or concerns you may have about your COPD or treatment.

To better understand your health and to know where to start in treatment, your doctor will ask about your families medical history, run some blood tests, and ask about any other previous medical conditions you may have.

These baseline tests will help your doctor better manage your COPD, and help them better asses your progress as you regularly visit your doctor.