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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

    What Is COPD?

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) means that the airways leading to and throughout your lungs are blocked, making it harder for you to breathe. The two main types of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema . . .

    Read Dr. Oz's full answer

    How's Your Breathing?

    Learn how tracking COPD symptoms can boost your treatment plan.

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    Action Plans

    4 Common COPD Treatments

    When you have COPD, the goal to avoid flare-ups and improve your overall lung function should set the tone for each day, whether your COPD symptoms are mild, moderate or severe. Nothing is more important than helping yourself breathe better, feel better and live better right now. To do that, you need to . . .

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    3 Choices for Better Breathing

    Learn how simple choices can help you feel and breathe better.

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    Live Well!

    COPD and Emphysema Support

    Research shows that a strong social network is critical to staying healthy in both good times and bad. Get daily strength from a large, caring community that shares your concerns, hopes and goals.

    Find people who understand

    What's the Difference Between
    COPD and Asthma?

    Get expert answers!

    Surprising Truth

    Plus, 6 ways to breathe easier despite air pollution     		82%
    The percentage of COPD cases
    caused by smoking
    Columbia University Department of Surgery
    View all 16 COPD experts

    COPD Q&As

    Celeste Robb-Nicholson, MD
    Celeste Robb-Nicholson, MD
    Internal Medicine
    Harvard Health Publications    		 Q

    What increases my risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
    A

    Risk factors for chronic obstructive respiratory diseases (COPD) include smoking. COPD is more than four times as prevalent among smokers as among nonsmokers, affecting about 14 percent of smokers and just 3 percent of the latter. In addition, smokers are 10 . . .


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    Q What is COPD? Q How can I prevent COPD?
    Q What are the symptoms of COPD? Q How common is COPD?
    Q Can diet affect COPD? Q How does stress affect COPD?
    Q How should I exercise if I have COPD? Q How can I prevent a COPD flare-up?
    Q Why does COPD often go undiagnosed? Q What are common myths about COPD?
    See all related Q&As

    Action Plans

    Take steps to manage symptoms, reduce flare-ups and live better with COPD.


    Ease COPD Symptoms with Acupuncture
    Prepare to Quit Smoking in 10 Steps
    11 Secrets for Greater Happiness
    Sing Your Way to Better Breathing
    5 Ways to Make Walking a Habit

    Connect with an Expert

    Lyall Gorenstein, MD
    Lyall Gorenstein, MD
    Cardiothoracic Surgery
    Columbia University Department of Surgery
    Raja Flores, MD
    Raja Flores, MD
    Thoracic Surgery
    The Mount Sinai Medical Center

    Find an expert in your area to discuss COPD.

     

    What's Your RealAge?

    Find out how COPD is affecting your RealAge and receive a custom action plan to grow younger.


    Take the RealAge Test

    Take the RealAge Test
    Do You Have Asthma?
    Do You Know How Your Body Works?

    Diet and Nutrition

    Diet and Nutrition

    Can Eating Soy Benefit Your Lungs?

    A healthy diet, including foods such as soy, fruits, vegetables and fish, may help reduce the risk of COPD. Learn more about the possible benefits of soy.


    Eat smart

    Breathe More Easily

    Breathe More Easily

    Choices That Help You Breathe

    Eating right, exercising and managing your weight can do wonders for your lungs. These lifestyle choices could boost your energy and improve overall lung function.


    Try this

    Blog

    Nutrition Supplements
    for COPD
    By Mehmet Oz, MD, and Michael Roizen, MD

    Dr. Mike prescribes about 1,200 milligrams a day of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) to many of his patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung condition that steals your breath. It's almost always caused by chronic bronchitis or emphysema, usually with a nasty nudge from smoking . . .


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    Community

    Discussions on DailyStrength


    Has anyone tried flying with COPD?
    By RADAR1974

    Does moderate COPD always become severe?
    By Cindy292

    Loss of Appetite
    By Mamasdarlin

    Jacquri

    posted to COPD & Emphysema Community

    Welcome to our group. You will find a lot of friendly, helpful people here.  

    Join the discussion
    Read recent health blogs

    Related Topics

    • Emphysema • Pulmonary Fibrosis
    • Obstructive Lung Diseases • Breathing Disorders
    • Breathing Disorder Causes • Restrictive Lung Diseases
    • Lung Diseases • Asthma
    • Treatment of Breathing Disorders • Symptoms of Breathing Disorders

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