COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as explained on Real Farmacy, is a term that encompasses several conditions, that is, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and bronchiectasis. These progressive lung illnesses are known to cause breathing problems by obstructing the airflow and damaging the lung tissue.
it is the third major cause for death in the U.S. and the fifth one in the whole world. According to the NHLBI, there are around 12 million individuals who have the disease but have not been diagnosed. Below, check out the main details for each of these four illnesses as well as details about a groundbreaking research.
Chronic Bronchitis
This condition is manifested by a chronic inflammation on the bronchial tubes’ lining. They are in charge of oxygen transportation and for removing CO2 from the lungs. The major symptoms of this condition are shortness of breath, thickened and narrow airway, coughing, wheezing, and tiredness, as well as chest infection.
Asthma
This chronic illness causes inflammation of the airways and it also makes them tighter. It is manifested by symptoms like tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. As noted on Real Farmacy, more than 25 million US citizens have been diagnosed with it and around 7 million of them are children. If left untreated, chronic inflammation may destroy the airways’ surface layer.
Emphysema
This illness is known to cause a gradual destruction of the alveoli that are found at the tip of the smallest air passages known as bronchioles. As the time goes by, the walls of the alveoli are destroyed, which results in holes and larger air sacs. They lower the gas exchange in the lungs and trigger tiredness, dyspnea, and early death.
Bronchiectasis
This disease is known to scar the airways and makes them wider and flaccid. Even though it may be a congenital defect, it may also be an acquired illness triggered by a serious lung infection, recurrent infections, or some injury. As a result, the airways can no longer remove the mucus adequately and they become inflamed and eventually, they lose the capacity for mucus removal and the mucus starts to accumulate. The bad bacteria present can lead to chronic infections, airway damage, and poor oxygen flow to the organs. Some of the symptoms are tiredness, shortness of breath, and severe coughing.
Lung Tissue Regeneration Is Possible
In a recent research done at Georgetown University School of Medicine, the researchers used a vitamin A derivative and were able to reverse emphysema in laboratory mice. After a 12-day treatment, the mice grew new and healthy alveoli and it is believed that the treatment regenerated the capacity of the mice to produce alveoli.
Beta-carotene or vitamin A is a type of carotenoid and a pigment present in plants and it helps produce their color. After being ingested, beta-carotene is transformed in the body into retinol, i.e. vitamin A, which the body can further utilize for different purposes or it can just be used as an antioxidant that is destroying free radicals.
One of the best ways to elevate vitamin A in the body is by eating the right foods, as pointed out on Healing Life Is Natural. This fat-soluble vitamin is stored in the liver so it should not be consumed in large amounts because it may cause liver damage. This is why vitamin A supplements are not recommendable.
Best Food Sources of Vitamin A
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
- Winter squash
- Cantaloupe
- Spinach
- Kale
- Apricots
- Collard greens
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili powder
- Red pepper
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