Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - North Mississippi - (Page 31)

on my chest, and she gave me 7UP with ice hourly. Sometimes she’d even let me watch TV.” The star is breathing easier now—if her active lifestyle is any indication. She’s nabbing major movie roles, publishing books, ﬂipping historic California homes and raising two kids, whom she adopted when she was 50, no less. Keaton is proof positive that people who have asthma can live full, joyful lives. The trick is ﬁnding the right medication, exercising wisely and keeping stress in check. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY FIND THE RIGHT MEDICATION ucky for Keaton—and the other 25 million Americans who live with asthma— treatments have come a long way since the days of VapoRub and bed rest, says Francis Adams, M.D., a pulmonary specialist and author of The Asthma Sourcebook. “The way we treat asthma has changed tremendously,” he says. When Keaton was a kid, people raced to the ER for a shot of adrenalin under the arm during a severe attack. Since the advent of inhalers, people can treat the condition at home and vaporize attacks before they begin. There’s no cure for asthma, so the goal is to control it—that means staying out of the hospital and needing an inhaler no more than twice a week. Start by pinpointing the type of asthma you have and what triggers it, Adams says. Is it stoked by allergies, exercise or your workplace? Does it strike in the winter or hang around all year? Next, your doctor can tailor a treatment plan. That might include a preventive inhaler, a rescue inhaler, or anti-leukotriene medicine called montelukast (Singulair) that reduces inﬂammation in the lungs. Your doctor may even prescribe a combination drug to streamline your medications, not to mention your medicine cabinet! Newer treatments include omalizumab (Xolair), the so-called “asthma vaccine,” a monthly injection that eliminates breathing problems for many people who have allergy-related asthma. And for the most severe cases, surgeons can perform a bronchial thermoplasty, which uses heat to reduce constriction in the bronchial tubes. Of course, the most important part of any treatment plan is to follow it. “No one likes to take medicine,” Adams says. “I’m a patient, too. I don’t like to take medicine, but you really have to commit to it when you have a chronic illness.” EXERCISE WISELY or many with asthma, “exercise” is a scary word. After all, physical activity taxes your lungs. But Keaton seems to know that in the long run it helps her breathe easier. Photographers have spotted the actress stretching, running laps and doing yoga on a Santa Monica track. And, being just as quirky in real life as she is on-screen, Keaton rehearses lines while jogging through her neighborhood. “I don’t think I can keep trying to memorize my speech while jogging on the streets of Beverly Hills,” she confesses in her memoir. “The Starline Bus Tours unfailingly drive by while I’m in the middle of rehearsing the ﬁnal section … when I sing a bit of ‘Seems Like Old Times.’ It’s awful. I feel like an idiot.” Allergy-Proof Your Home Diane Keaton’s home is her sanctuary. She’s known for lovingly renovating and decorating every house she owns. Asthmatic patients who suffer from allergies can make home a haven, too, by removing dust mites, mold and smoke. Follow this checklist from The Asthma Sourcebook by Francis Adams, M.D., to allergy-proof your home and breathe easier. TO REDUCE DUST MITES: • Remove carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture. • Cover mattresses, pillows and box springs with zippered covers. • Wash bedding in hot water once a week. • Wash stuffed animals. • Use a HEPA air filter. TO REDUCE MOLD: • Keep humidity levels at 30 to 50 percent with a dehumidifier. • Use a mold-remover spray on bathroom walls, window sills, air conditioners, humidifiers and plant soil. TO REDUCE INDOOR POLLUTION: • Ban smoking from your home. • Avoid gas and wood stoves and fireplaces. SPRI NG 2013 31

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Brain Power
No Bones About It
You're the Star
Heart-to-Heart
Lighten Up!
Have No Fear
Work It!
What Are the Chances?
9 Symptoms Never to Ignore
When Allergies Attack
Virtual Health
Botox: A New Miracle Drug?
The Doctor Will See You Now
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2013 - North Mississippi