Jane Martin
Jane Martin is an accomplished respiratory therapist, author and founder and director of Breathing Better, Living Well.com. She wrote for HealthCentral as a health professional for COPD.
Latest by Jane Martin
Frequently Asked Questions About How Food Affects Your COPD
Ever wonder why you get tired when you eat? Or what to do when you feel really full after a meal, making it harder to breathe? Our experts weigh in.
What You Eat Can Impact Your COPD
Load up on these specific foods to support healthy lung function and ultimately optimize your pulmonary rehabilitation.
14 Tips for Conserving Energy with COPD During the Holidays
The holidays are upon us, and if you’re living with COPD, taking part in all the activity might seem like way too much to tackle. Here are some tips to help you conserve that precious energy – and breathe – so you can have a joyful holiday season.
What's the Difference Between COPD and Asthma?
When you’re short of breath, there’s no mistaking it. It’s clear to see - and feel. But what, exactly, is going on inside the lungs to cause it? And how do different obstructive lung disorders compare? Today we’ll look at a common question asked by p...
Living with COPD: Why Iron is Important
Iron in your blood is important to your health, especially if you have COPD. Why? Iron is an essential part of the process of getting oxygen to all parts of your body. You see, your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, and hemoglobin is in the red bloo...
Understanding Your Medications - Part IV
This is the fourth and final part of our series on COPD Medications. - Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI’s) - Nebulizers - Timing and sequencing of inhaled medicines Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs) A dry powder inhaler (DPI) is different from a metered dose inhale...
Understanding and Using your COPD Medications - Part I
When I ask patients what their inhalers do, they almost always respond by saying, "They open up my lungs." Yes, that’s true. But what’s really important to know - and understand - about COPD medications is that there are different types of ...
Relovair: New Medicine for COPD
Developing new medications and getting them from the lab to your neighborhood pharmacy (or mailbox) as safe and effective - is a long, complicated process, requiring a great deal of care. You may have heard about this new medication. Here’s a brief r...
Is it COPD or Another Lung Condition? How Can You Tell?
In Part I we talked about how your doctor figures out if you have COPD or if it is asthma or pneumonia instead. Here in Part II we will discuss Pulmonary Fibrosis, Lung Cancer, Black Lung Disease, and also find out what was wrong with Jane’s eye and ...
Is it COPD or Something Else?
How does your doctor go about figuring out what is wrong with you and arrive at the correct diagnosis? Let’s begin with a story, something that happened to me not long ago… "Well, it’s one of three things," said the doctor. It could be cau...