Health Expert Kathi MacNaughton shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/962/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/962/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/962/index http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159219/tips-traveling-copd Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:40:04 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton Taking a trip when you have a debilitating chronic illness like COPD can be challenging, but with a little planning and preparation, it CAN be done successfully. You and/or any caregivers can use these tips to make the whole process go more smoothly.   1. First off, be sure you discuss your plans with your doctor. Your doctor can make sure you have a sufficient supply of any prescriptions. S/he can also tell you what to expect at various... http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159219/tips-traveling-copd http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159210/return-allergies Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:58:27 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton February might seem a bit early to start worrying about spring allergies, but the reality is that the height of tree pollen season is not that far off, especially if you happen to live in an area that has had a mild winter.   Trees generally begin to pollinate anywhere from January through April each year. The pollen levels will start out low and gradually increase as more and more trees begin to have their sap rising and their vegetation... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159210/return-allergies http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159195/uh-flu-asthma Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:05:58 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton Sometimes, I feel like a drug pusher because I encourage people so often on this site to get a flu shot/vaccine! OK, I'm kidding, but the fact is, experts worldwide recommend that most people get an annual flu vaccine these days, even if they don't have a chronic illness such as asthma. But for those of us who DO have asthma, it's especially important.   So, every fall (hopefully), millions of us asthma sufferers troop off to our doctors... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159195/uh-flu-asthma http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159192/caregiver-perspectives Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:32:38 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton It's not easy being a caregiver for a person with COPD. I have lived that role and I empathize with those of you still going through it. But keep in mind that it's not easy living with COPD either. Imagine that everything you do, including things you take for granted, such as breathing, going to the toilet or eating a meal, exhausts you, leaving you spent and weary of mind and spirit. That's what it's like to live with COPD.   But since... http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159192/caregiver-perspectives http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159188/winter-allergies Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:43:18 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton People who have seasonal allergies often look forward to the colder winter months, hoping that pollen levels will be low or nonexistent and that outdoor molds are buried under snow and frost and symptoms in general will be less bothersome.   However, depending on where you live and what your allergy triggers are, winter allergies can still present some big challenges. People who live in certain areas may actually have their highest level... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159188/winter-allergies http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159187/vaccines-important Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:15:15 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton This flu season of 2012-2013 has been one to remember. Each year, people who have asthma are advised to get the flu vaccine, because we are considered at high risk for serious, even life-threatening, complications from the flu. This is because the flu is a respiratory infection and asthma already causes us to have weakened respiratory systems, particularly if our asthma is not well-controlled.   Each February, close to a year before the... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159187/vaccines-important http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159125/staying-active-quality Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:59:13 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton Having a chronic illness such as COPD, especially in the later stages, as it progresses, can often limit your ability to be active. You are battling fatigue, shortness of breath and perhaps even depression. But a recent study finds that even people who are mostly homebound can benefit greatly from both cardio type exercise and strength training.   This study, published in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, was small, looking at... http://www.healthcentral.com/copd/c/962/159125/staying-active-quality http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159101/talks-anaphylaxis Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:29:28 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening, severe allergic reaction to some type of allergen. I wrote about this condition in my Anaphylaxis & You - What You Need to Know post a few years back.   Immediate treatment is essential in preventing death or even less dire results. The treatment of choice is injectable epinephine. The original device for this was something called an Epi-Pen, a small pen-shaped syringe that a non-medical person... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/159101/talks-anaphylaxis http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159097/interfering-control Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:59:00 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton Most of us who have asthma find that our asthma control is largely dependent on the quality of the air we breathe from minute to minute. People with allergic asthma, in particular, know that airborne allergens are their biggest challenge. Pollen, mold spores, dust mites and pet allergens all can circulate freely in the air and can be found almost everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. But even if you don't have allergic asthma, poor air quality... http://www.healthcentral.com/asthma/c/962/159097/interfering-control http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/157167/indoor-allergies Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:38:50 -0500 Kathi MacNaughton In many areas in the northern hemisphere, colder temperatures and precipitation are starting to drive people indoors more and more. And the more time people with indoor allergies spend inside, the more at risk we are for coming into contact with the substances that can make us miserable.   When we get exposed to things like dust mites, pet dander and mold, it can trigger a chain reaction that leads to an immune system response that you... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/962/157167/indoor-allergies