Who are the Better Breathers?

When do the Better Breathers meet?

Newsletter

Club history and directives

Videos, pamplets and educational materials

Contacting the Club

Other Breathers' Clubs in British Columbia

Related WWW Links

Glossary of Terms and Health Information

The Better Breathers' Club was formed in 1985 by people with Chronic Obstructive Pulminary Diseases (COPD) to assist each other by means of education, mutual encouragement and fellowship.

The Better Breathers' Club of Victoria meet on the third Wednesday of the month, except July and August, at 1:30pm. There is a $2.00 one time cost to join

Meetings are held at:

Saanich Silver Threads
286 Hampton Road ---> (near the corner of Burnside and Tillicum Road)
Victoria, British Columbia

Each meeting consists of:

Exercises (1:30pm - 2:00pm)
Speaker/Program (2:00pm - 3:00pm)
Refreshments (3pm - )

Everyone is welcome. We offer friendship and encouragement to all who have lung diseases.

For more information, contact Grace Fisher at (250) 388-9569

Our newsletter, the Better Breathers' Life Line, is 4 to 6 pages of news, notices of upcoming events and educational articles on topics of importance to patients with COPD.

Life Line is distributed at club meetings and at Victoria area hospitals.

In 1985, a number of patients with COPD, all of whom were 'graduates' of the Respiratory Rehabilitation Course at the Victoria General Hospital, Repiratory Therapist Dabney Allingham and Lael Popham of the B.C. Lung Association formed a group which would give COPD patients on-going education, mutual assistance and fellowship.

Our major projects in the last ten years include:

• Two major health product displays open to the public
  
• An 'Oxygen Workshop' for those people who are oxygen-dependant
  
• Publishing a resource guide for people with COPD
  
• Preparing a video of 'Warm Up Exercises' for patients with COPD
  
• Several displays at health fairs in the community
  
• Preparing a video titled 'Better Breathers Talk about Lung Health' for patients with COPD
  
• Publishing an information brochure containing 13 inserts of subjects relating to health care of patients with lung disease
  

The Better Breathers' Club of Victoria depends on donations at the monthly meetings to pay the nominal club expenses.

• Two videos and a pamphlet have been prepared by the Better Breathers' Club of Victoria.
  • Exercise Video - especially for people with COPD. It plays for 12 minutes and shows some of the group members d emonstrating exercises to improve breathing.

  • Information Video - useful information for anyone who is being treated for asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis (COPD).

  • Information Pamphlet - a collection of useful medical, nutritional, exercise and instructional information for people with COPD. Presented on individual information cards for convenient ref erence.

  To order a video or an information pamphlet, contact Grace Fisher at (250) 388-9569

  These educational materials are presented in the memory of several special friends of the Better Breathers, with generous assistance from Health & Welfare, Canada's New Horizons Program.

• Many pamphlets are available from the B.C. Lung Association
  British Columbia Lung Association

  Outside of Victoria, phone: (800) 665-5864

• Books, pamphlets, respitory equipment and helping aids are available from ARS VitalAire
  ARS VitalAire
  #40 - 4223 Commerce Circle
  Victoria, British Columbia
  V8Z 6N6

  Phone: (250) 595-8700 Fax:(250) 744-2821

• Helpful books are available in the Public Libraries

  For example:
  

  • Asthma and Bronchitis - by Jan de Vries
    
  • Living Well with Chronic Asthma, Bronchitis and Emphysema - by Drs. Myra B. Shayevitz and Berton R. Shayevitz
    
  • The Essential Asthma Book - by Drs. Francois Haas and Sheila Sperber Haas
    
  • Chronic Bronchitis & Emphysema Handbook - by Drs. Francois Haas and Sheila Sperber Haas
    
  • Breath Easy (A Guide to Lung and Respitory Diseases for Patients and their Families) - by Dr. Lawrence Martin
  
  
• Books available in the Better Breathers' Club library in Victoria
  • Every Breath You Take (Coping with Asthma and Other respitory Diseases) - by Dr. John H. Toogood and Dr. Jean-Luc Malo
    
  • The Better Breathers' Resource Guide for people with lung diseases

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  Better Breathers' Club of Victoria Breathers' Club Contacts & Mailing Address

  Better Breathers' Club of Victoria
  c/o Saanich Silver Threads, 286 Hampton Rd.
  Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  V8Z 1H1

  For club information, phone: Grace Fisher at (250) 388-9569

  By email, contact: Barbara Bjerring (aa061@victoria.tc.ca)

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  Contacting Other Better Breather's Clubs in British Columbia

  For information about the Better Breathers' Clubs in British Columbia, phone the British Columbia Lung Association at (800) 665-5864.

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  Links to Related Homepages on the World Wide Web

  British Columbia Lung Association

  British Columbia Government - Ministry of Health

  British Columbia Society of Respiratory Therapy

  Canadian Lung Association Home Page

  Canadian Network for Asthma Care

  
  National Jewish Medical and Research Center - Lung Line

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  Glossary
  • Allergen - a common substance that triggers an allergic response

    Examples of allergens:

    • House dust (dust mites, feathers)
      
    • Animal dander
      
    • Pollen, molds, grasses, wood dust, grain dust
      
    • Specific foods (eg. wheat, peanuts, eggs, corn)
      
    • Food additives (sulfites, MSG, food colouring)
      
    • Medications (aspirin, beta blockers)
      
    • Marking pens
      
    • Paints, lacquer sprays, solvents
      
    • Newspaper print

  • Antibiotic - a medicine used to fight infection

  • Anti-inflammatory - a medicine used to stop or decrease swelling in the airways

  • Asthma - inflamation of the conducting airways in the lungs causing cough, wheeze and shortness of breath. Asthma can be 'triggered' by cold air, dry air, cigerette smoke, allergens or acute upper respitory tract infections

  • Bronchial Tubes - tubes going from the windpipe into the lung air sacs (also called airways)

  • Bronchitis (Chronic) - diagnosed when there is a chronic cough for at least three months of the year for at least two consecutive years

  • Bronchodilator - a medicine used to relax the muscles surrounding the airwaves during an asthma attack

  • Broncospasm - the tightening or squeezing of the muscles around the airways

  • Emphysema - the loss of lung tissue (alveoli) and destruction of the elastic fibers in the lung

  • Inflammation - swelling or puffiness. In Asthma this happens to the inside of the lining of the airways

  • Metered Dose Inhalor (MDI) - holds medicine used to treat asthma. Can be a 'reliever' medicine or a 'controller' medicine (also known as a puffer)

  • Mucus - the sticky stuff you cough up (also known as phlegm or sputum)

  • Peak Flow Meter - small device that can measure how fast air can be enhaled. Used to monitor asthma symptoms

  • Triggers - trigger factors irritate already inflammed airways. Triggers may be different for each person.

    Triggers may include:

    • Viral infections or colds
      
    • Exercise
      
    • Weather conditions (barometric changes, cold, wet, wind)
      
    • Second hand smoke
      
    • Air pollutants & car exhaust
      
    • Perfumes & cosmetics
      
    • Hair spray & shaving lotions
      
    • Cleaning products
      
    • Stress

  • Wheezing - the whistling sound air makes going in and out of the lungs when the airways are narrowed during an asthma attack

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  Nutrition Tips
  • Choose a variety of foods you enjoy. Be sure to eats lots of fruit and vegetables, also milk and milk products; breads, cereals and pasta; protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, or protein alternatives.

  • If you experience shortness of breath, eat small, frequent meals; do not gulp air; take a bronchodilator inhaler before meals; limit sweet foods

  • If you are underweight, eat small frequent meals; take fluids after meals; include protein foods at meals and snacks

  • If you are overweight, limit high fat and sugar foods; increase your activity as tolerated; control your portion sizes

  • Salt - check with your doctor if you have swollen ankles or high blood pressure. You may need to limit your salt intake

  • Fluids - be sure to drink adequet amounts of water and other fluids. Limit alcohol and caffeine

  • Record your daily food and drink intake for three days. Compare this information with the Canada Food Guide. If you have problems, ask your doctor to refer you to the Nutritionist at your hospital

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  Exercise Tips

  Exercise - the more muscles you use, the greater the benefit. Exercise will help with the emptying of air from the lung. Exercises such as knee raising, arm raising, pelvic tilt, head and shoulder raising, forward bending and trunk turning are all very helpful.

  Walking - one of the most useful and enjoyable ways to strengthen the body. Start with a short daily walk with hands in your pockets, your shoulders back and chest relaxed. Exhale through pursed lips. Breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in. F ind an easy, even speed and try to walk a little further each day. Include rest stops if necessary

  Swimming - one of the best aerobic exercises for asthmatics because air inhaledjust above the water line is humid and does not cause exercise-induced asthma. For those allergic to chlorine, there are soom pools available that use ozone rather than chlori ne to cleanse the water

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  How to Use Your Turbuhaler

  1. Remove the white cap by unscrewing and lifting.

  2. Twist grip to the right as far as it will go, then to the left until it clicks. (To load, hold the inhaler UPRIGHT by the body, not by the mouthpiece).

  3. After breathing out gently, place mouthpiece between your lips and breathe in forcefully. (Do NOT breathe out through the inhaler). Remover the Turbuhaler from your mouth and hold your breath for ten seconds.

  4. If you are to take a second dose, repeat steps 2 and 3.

  5. Replace the cap. This protects the contents from moisture.

  IMPORTANT: Because the Turbuhaler produces a powder which is very fine, you may not experience any taste or feel the medication as you inhale. If you have followed the loading instructions, you can be confident that you received the correct dose.

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  How to Use Your Puffer (Metered Dose Inhaler or M.D.I)

  1. Remove the cap and hold the puffer with the canister up.

  2. Shake the inhaler.

  3. Lean your head back a little and breathe out.

  4. Place the inhaler's short end inside the round opening of the spacer

  5. Put the other end of the spacer inside your mouth. Close your lips around it.

  6. Press down on the puffer to release the medicine

  7. Breathe in slowly for 3 to 5 seconds, then hold your breath for 10 seconds to allow the medicine to reach deeply into your lungs.

  8. Repeat puffs as directed. Wait 1 minute between puffs - this lets the second puff go deeper into the lungs.

  9. If you have more than one inhaler, use the 'reliever' first and the 'controller' second.

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  How to Cough Effectively

  1. Sit down in a chair and lean forward

  2. Take a slow, deep breath

  3. Hold that breath for two seconds

  4. Cough once to loosen the mucus

  5. Cough again to move the mucus out. Repeat as necessary

  REMEMBER: A drink of water or hot tea can be helpful

  Not every time is the time to cough.
  We're not recommending that you put it off.
  Cough when the mucus is there.
  This is not the time to despair.
  Plan your cough 'cause when you do
  You'll control it, it won't control you

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  Pursed Lip Breathing

  1. Inhale through your nose (Count 1... 2...)

  2. Purse your lips as though you are going to whistle

  3. Exhale through pursed lips (Count 1... 2... 3... 4...)

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  Diaphramic Breathing

  1. Lie down confortably

  2. Place right hand on center of stomach, left hand on upper chest

  3. Inhale (1... 2...) Feel the area push out under your right hand as your diaphram moves down

  4. Purse your lips and exhale (1... 2... 3... 4...). With your right hand, feel the stomach muscles draw inward. The left hand over the upper chest should feel the least movement

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  Panic Control Breathing

  This position is helpful during times of panic and breathing distress. Take your medication first if prescribed by your doctor.

  1. Sit down in an armless chair with your feet flat on the floor

  2. Lean forward and place elbows on knees

  3. Rest chin in palm of hand

  4. Begin diaphramic breathing and pursed lip breathing to keep control of the panic caused by shortness of breath. Practice these ways of breathing.

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  This Page Created on August 2, 1996. Last Modified May 2002