Every May, we take a moment to appreciate the mothers in our lives. One of the first miracles of motherhood begins even before the baby is born. Let’s think of everything that is programmed to happen as the baby takes her first breath.
The lungs of a fetus are at the ready, but benched for action during pregnancy. So, the puzzle is: how does a fetus get oxygen while bypassing its lungs?
First, let’s recap how adult circulation works and the role that lungs play.
Imagine a nutritional food source that gives your baby exactly what she needs, when she needs it. Breast milk is just that. It provides your baby with nutrients, helps fight off infections and changes as the baby’s needs change. And yet, it might have even more benefits than that. Dr. Meghan Azad is a Winnipeg-based researcher and a recipient of Canadian Respiratory Research Network ERLI award, who is committed to learning just what other super powers this nourishment holds.
Ceremonial tobacco vs commercial tobacco. Is there a difference? Yes, a big difference. Tobacco has been used traditionally by most Aboriginal cultures for thousands of years. First Nations and Métis use tobacco for ceremony, healing and giving thanks, while commercial cigarettes serve an entirely different purpose. In fact they’ve been designed to be highly addictive and will make you sick.
On March 17, 2016, 26 months after receiving her diagnosis of lung cancer, Dr. Terry-Nan Tannenbaum passed away. The courage with which she struggled against lung cancer is evident from the six instalments of her blog.
The Lung Association was truly blessed to have a friend such as Dr. Terry-Nan Tannenbaum.
Stay healthy and prevent the spread of influenza by taking the following steps:
What is the focus of your research?
My research interests include finding new solutions to reduce the growing burden of COPD and new therapies to treat COPD-related co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease.
1. I’ve just been diagnosed with COPD. What does that mean?
COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is largely caused by smoking, but it can also be caused by second-hand smoke, toxins in the environment that you breathe in, and genetics.
COPD develops over time. In most cases, it is diagnosed in people over 40 years of age. Someone with COPD may not realize they are becoming more short of breath until it becomes very hard to do simple tasks like walking up stairs.
Yesterday I met a remarkable person while visiting the COPD clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Meet Trish Verrier.
To see this vibrant 65 year old with hair as red as her scooter and a smile that lights up the room, one doesn’t detect any signs of the sadness or pain she’s endured. Nor does one hear many complaints – which says a lot considering her very serious, and sometimes scary, lung condition. I had to learn more.
What’s the focus of your research?
I study the relationship between the air we breathe and how this may impact airway diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cystic fibrosis.
A champion of health literacy
