Emphysema is a condition where the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs are damaged and rupture, creating large air filled spaces in the lungs. The early symptoms of emphysema are shortness of breath, coughing, and recurrent lung infections.

Imagine a collection of tiny bubbles. As each tiny bubble pops, it combines with the neighboring bubble and a larger bubble forms. A similar process happens to the air sacs of the lungs - as the sacs rupture they combine to form larger sacs. Eventually large air spaces from, replacing the spongy elastic tissue of the lungs, and causing hyperinflation of the lungs.

Each time a sac ruptures, the surface area of the lungs diminishes, reducing oxygen absorption. Eventually, the lungs are not able to absorb enough oxygen for the body.

Complications

The loss of elastic tissue of the lungs makes breathing more difficult and those with emphysema must use chest muscles to support breathing. This gives those with emphysema a barrel chested appearance. The use of muscles to support breathing takes significant effort, leading to weight loss and exhaustion. Normally, exhalation is effortless due to elastic recoil in the lungs. Emphysema patients, on the hand, must use their muscles to physically push the air out the lungs.

The chronic inflammation associated with emphysema causes excess mucus, which may be difficult to expectorate due to hyperinflation. This leads to solid mucus plugs that may become infected.

Emphysema is progressive and may develop into chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

Risk Factors

Smoking tobacco is one of the main risk factors of emphysema, as well as long term exposure to respiratory irritants such as asbestos, fumes, dust, paints, and chemicals.

However emphysema also develops in those who do not have exposure. A genetic disorder resulting in alpha-1-trypsin deficiency may predispose individuals to loss of elastic tissue, fibrosis, and emphysema.

Treatment

There is no cure for emphysema. To slow the profession, remove the cause of respiratory irritation. Antifibrotic herbs and connective tissue tonics help to preserve what lung function still exists.

Oxygen therapy may slow the progression of the disease. Chronic hypoxia leads to pulmonary hypertension, which results in further detrioration and strain on the heart.

Serine protease inhibitors may reduce elastase enzymes that break down elastic tissue.

Lifestyle Tips for Clearing Morning Mucus

Mucus builds while sleeping and lying down at night due to slowed circulation and less movement. Emphysema patients may benefit from clearing the lungs first thing in the morning by:

• Take a hot shower with the bathroom door closed to fill up the room with steam.
• Inhaling steam through the mouth for 10-15 minutes
• Taking an expectorant herb formula
• Inducing nausea and/or vomiting with mustard powder or lobelia (nausea and vomiting has a very strong expectorant effect)
• Gentle but vigorous pounding of the chest and back to loosen mucus

Disclaimer: 'Emphysema' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.

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COMPUTE MY DIET FOR EMPHYSEMA
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Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Emphysema'. Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution. Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine. Please check with your medical doctor before making any changes to your health & wellness routine, and for the proper use of these products.

These supplements are contraindicated / may aggravate 'Emphysema'.

RESPIRATORY HEALTH TIPS

DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics (gunas). Biocharacteristics are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Emphysema', you should select foods with the following biocharacteristics. Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.

Digestion:

Emetic

EMETIC

An herb that causes vomiting and nausea.

SEE ALL 'EMETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Energy Vitality:

Prana

PRANA

Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy (Qi in Chinese Medicine, pneuma in Greek). Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter.

SEE ALL 'PRANA' FOODS / HERBS

Skin Care & Beauty:

Antifibrotic

ANTIFIBROTIC

Fibrosis of an organ is often a progressive leading to organ failure (i.e lungs, liver, kidney). While vulneraries usually help restore collagen, antifibrotic herbs often clear collagen. Aka fibrinolytic.

SEE ALL 'ANTIFIBROTIC' FOODS / HERBS

,

Vulnerary

VULNERARY

An herb used for the treatment of wounds (antiulcer, connective tissue tonic).

SEE ALL 'VULNERARY' FOODS / HERBS

Respiratory-Health:

Expectorant

EXPECTORANT

Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.

SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

,

Hydrotherapy

HYDROTHERAPY

Uses water in various forms (liquid, steam, or ice) to promote health and wellness. Includes baths, steam, etc.

SEE ALL 'HYDROTHERAPY' FOODS / HERBS

,

Lung Tonic

LUNG-TONIC

Strengthens the lungs. Lung tonics include antifibrotic, vessel tonic, or nourishing herbs with an affinity for the lungs. They aid recovery in acute or chronic lung conditions.

SEE ALL 'LUNG-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

,

Mucolytic

MUCOLYTIC

An herb that breaks apart mucus, liquefying the mucus.

SEE ALL 'MUCOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:

Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

, Antihistamine,

Antimicrobial

ANTIMICROBIAL

An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.

SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

,

Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-CALMING' FOODS / HERBS

, Mast Cell Stabilizer

Heart & Circulation:

Vessel Tonic

VESSEL-TONIC

An herb that improves the tone and integrity of blood vessel walls. This is helpful in easy bruising.

SEE ALL 'VESSEL-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:

Flavonoids

FLAVONOIDS

Flavonoids are a colorful type of polyphenol. As all polyphenols, they have a strong antioxidant effect. Many flavonoids have an anti-inflammatory, and/or antiallergen effect.

SEE ALL 'FLAVONOIDS' FOODS / HERBS

Subtaste:

Acrid

ACRID

Acrid taste is a combination of bitter and pungent tastes. Example include radish, turnip, and coffee.

SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS

Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE #4

EMPHYSEMA IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE #4 - TISSUE DISEASE

If you have symptoms in this category it means your imbalances have overwhelmed your body's resistance causing a full-fledged disease. Once imbalance reaches this stage it is more likely to cause acute or chronic conditions. You might be tempted to focus your attention on fighting symptoms in this category, but dismiss earlier warning signs of imbalance - i.e. symptoms in the stage 1 category. It is ideal to find and address the root causes weakening your system and remove them first. This ensures you are not adding fuel to the fire of disease. Once the root causes are removed, you can work on addressing the disease head on along with strengthening your body. This typically yields a quicker recovery and prevents recurrence. Ayurveda's preventative approach suggests you pay careful attention to every stage of disease development. (See all disease stages on JB)

GET MY FREE AYURVEDA BODY MAP According to Ayurveda, one or more of the following doshas and biocharacteristics may aggravate 'Emphysema'. If you have an excess of one of these doshas or biocharacteristics below, Ayurveda recommends reducing foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate them. Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be reduced.

Are you prone to a problem with 'Emphysema'? Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Respiratory System by taking the free respiratory health quiz:

TAKE THE RESPIRATORY HEALTH QUIZ

The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Emphysema'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them.

Risk Factors of Emphysema

Complications of Those Reporting Emphysema

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