Heavy Breathing

No, this is not about Salsa, or sex, or Denzel, or Idris. It is about coughing, sneezing, and why so many of us can't seem to shake the tightness in the chest, the runny nose, the sore throat. This is dedicated to my neighbor, Miles, to whom I promised to send a list of natural remedies, and who has the same symptoms as I. We're all in this together, Miles, and when one of us sneezes, we all catch it. Or do we? THE ALLMIGHTY SPRING GERM...or is it? Is this a cold, or an allergy?


First, let me say that I am not a doctor, nor a nutritionist, or even a homeopath; but, as some of you know, I have been studying Anatomy, Nutrition, and Physiology at Hunter College during my self-imposed hiatus from real estate. So now I am back at work toiling in the fields of the frustrated, but I continue to study and research the various health-related disciplines which I find so endlessly fascinating. In short, I now know enough about some things to actually be able to say that I know something about what I am talking about (got that??) I will say this, however, that any health related issues should, of course, be referred to an actual doctor, nutritionist, naturopath, acupuncturist, chiropractor, or at least to a reputable pharmacist. These are only my ideas, suggestions and observations.

Now, about that cough. If you are coughing up or blowing out any kind of green or yellow slime (sorry, I know that was gross!), you most probably have a bacterial infection in your lungs or sinuses. For that you should probably see a doctor just to make sure, and you may need antibiotics to get rid of it if it is an infection. Untreated slime can actually turn into pneumonia, which, as we know, can be bad. Very, very bad. (Yes, I know, over-use of antibiotics can make us resistant to them, which is why they should only be used if there is a lot of green slime, and if you can't get rid of it any other way).

If there is no green slime, or no slime at all, then you probably just have the common cold, which is caused by a viral infection, for which there currently is no actual cure. Various drugs claim to be "anti-viral", but these are often unsubstantiated claims. So you may just have to wait it out, and treat the symptoms. But that is not always easy, as I know from personal experience.

As Oprah says, one thing I do know for sure: OTC drugs that contain phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine HCL or various other decongestants, can seriously raise your blood pressure, and should be avoided if you have blood pressure issues. That is why some cold medications can leave you with heart palpitations, dizziness, and other unpleasant symptoms. Since I myself have mild hypertension, (to be the subject of a future post), I spend alot of time reading medicine labels, since I need to avoid the offending ingredients.

(The first two ingredients mentioned above have largely been replaced by the 3rd in most of the products now on pharmacy shelves. but make sure that your medicine chest does not contain preparations with the older ingredients. They are harmful, especially to young children).

So what's a poor suffering sick person to do? Is Mom's chicken soup really a remedy?

Well, yes. Studies have shown that chicken soup, hot peppers, and various other foods have more than a conforting effect on the common cold - they can actually help by shrinking the swelling in the nasal passages. Not sure how this works, but I swear that it does. But watch out for the high sodium content in most commercial brands of chicken soup. Make your own, or call your Mom.

Other things that I find helpful for a cold are: plain aspirin (also helps shrink the swelling and inflammation in the nasal passages), steam saunas or hot baths with eucalyptus oil rubbed on the chest, nasal irrigation with a Neti pot, and mega-doses of EmergenC powder dissolved into water. (This last one helps to replace some of the electrolytes and vitamins that your body may lose if you have a fever or are just plain worn out from being sick). Ginger tea and ginger ale are also good, as you are probably dehydrated, nauseous, and may even be throwing up if you have the flu, for which there is also no actual cure).

Again, modern medicine has not yet found a definite cure for the common cold, despite some recent claims to the contrary, so it is imperative that you find out if that is what you actually have, as opposed to an allergy, which many of us have this time of year when things are blooming and blossoming.

Speaking of allergies, make sure that you eliminate as many of the common allergy triggers from your environment as possible, especially from your sleeping area. I did this recently by banishing our two cats, Ben and Jerry, from our bedroom, where they had been sleeping for the past 5 years, usually on my face. (Pet dander, hair, and pet saliva are highly allergenic substances, but ones that we frequently overlook. What we do for love...)

What a difference it made! I no longer have to take daily hits from an asthma inhaler, although I still keep one handy during tree pollen season. Other common triggers are dust, mold, pollen, and certain foods (more on THAT later).

Finally, one of the best cures for heavy breathing is MORE heavy breathing. By that I mean "deep breathing", from the belly, rather than shallow, upper chest breathing, which can be difficult if you are coughing from a cold or allergy. Alex R., my trainer at the Reebok Club, showed me this recently. Not only did I come away from our session with a clear head and a calm sense of relaxation, I felt that I was really able to breathe fully for the first time in a while.

Of course, for heavy breathing, there's always Salsa...