Overview

- Dr. Ray Baker If you are a member of that shrinking visible minority, smokers, and you are sick and tired of feeling defensive and guilty, take heart. This is a great time to quit! With the stress and overindulgence of the holiday season finally over, you can harness those feelings of guilt to make the New Year a time to start fresh, to invest in a longer, healthier life.

The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is a rating of how clean the air is. It is issued by the Ministry of the Environment, which monitors our air quality every day. The AQI evaluates the various air pollutants (e.g., carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particles that can be inhaled) on a scale of 0 to 120. Higher numbers mean higher health risks.

Candles and incense burn through so many parts of our lives. Are there benefits or risks to their use?

If your child had croup, you'd certainly know it - that barky, seal-like cough is unmistakeable. But do you know the important differences between croup and regular viral infections?

There are a number of conditions that affect the lungs. Some lung conditions are caused by infections and others by inflammation or damage to the lung tissue. Some of the more common lung conditions include the following:

Here are 10 things you should know to keep your lungs - and your family's lungs - healthy:

Why do I feel short of breath? Feeling short of breath temporarily (e.g., when you exercise or run up the stairs) may be completely normal, but when it is unexpected, sudden, constant, or lasting for a long time, it can be a sign of a medical problem.

ulmonary hypertension occurs when the arteries of the lungs narrow, making it more difficult for blood to pass through. This increases the pressure in the arteries. Pulmonary hypertension can be caused by:

Pulmonary hypertension is treated with medications, surgery and lifestyle changes. You and your doctor will decide what treatment options are best for you.

Why bother - I've smoked so long it wouldn't help my health. Although some of the damage done by smoked tobacco is permanent, much is reversible. As early as 20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. Within weeks, your lung function increases. In the months after stopping, the linings of the mouth, throat, and bronchial tubes repair themselves, the cilia (little hairs) in the bronchial tree start to work, and the lungs begin to clear themselves. By 10 years after quitting, your risk of dying from lung cancer is reduced by half.

Shortness of breath, known also by its medical term "dyspnea," is described as an uncomfortable awareness of breathing. It is a common symptom in advanced cancer, especially if the cancer involves the lung. It is also the major symptom of chronic lung disease and chronic heart disease, also known as congestive heart failure.

The first step in treatment of dyspnea (shortness of breath) is to correct what is correctable. For example, antibiotics are given for infection, diuretics for fluid in the lungs from heart failure, or blood thinners for a clot in the lung. If there is an underlying lung disease, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema, medications used to treat these conditions may provide relief.

Spirometry is a test used to assess respiratory disease by determining how much air the lungs can hold as well as how much and how quickly air can be exhaled. The test is done with a spirometer, which consists of a mouthpiece and tubing connected to a recording device. A person inhales deeply, then exhales vigorously and as quickly as possible through the tubing while measurements are taken.

Not ready to quit smoking cold turkey? A new study shows that just cutting down on the number of cigarettes you smoke can reduce your risk of lung cancer. Noting that "many smokers are unable or unwilling to completely quit smoking," a team of researchers from Denmark set out to determine the impact reducing the amount people smoke could have on their lung health.

We all know that the list of health risks associated with smoking and tobacco use is a long one, and at the top of the list are premature death and reduced quality of life. Nearly half of all smokers who do not quit will die because of smoking.

Learn more about the causes and symptoms of hyperventilation and what to do if you hyperventilate.