Allergies and COPD

According to the American Lung Association, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) causes serious long-term disability and early death, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

People with asthma or COPD have airways that make them more sensitive to dust, mold, pet dander, chemical household products, and more.

You might think that this awful disease is caused by smoking, and yes smoking is a terrible risk factor, but scientists are finding that the roots for developing COPD can go way back, long before lighting that first addictive cigarette.
COPD may start in childhood

Very recent studies revealed that three-quarters of COPD cases start with risk factors encountered as children, yes, even as babies.

This article notes that having asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, allergies, and eczema, and also parents who smoke, increased the link to COPD in later life.
Non-toxic cleaning products are recommended.

Cleaning or personal care products that come in aerosol cans require extra caution. The Melaleuca Wellness Guide notes two potential problems. First aerosol cans send a fine mist of chemicals into the air that's easily inhaled and absorbed. Second the ingredients themselves may be harmful.

Convert your home to Melaleuca products, beginning with the Eco-Sense laundry system and household cleaners.
Allergies may be triggered by exposure through the skin.

This study on how children develop allergies makes you want to shake your head in amazement. The allergies start with a baby that inherits a less-protective skin barrier. Allergies then develop after the skin is exposed to dust and food. The lead scientist in this study realized that there is a strong connection with development of allergies from skin exposure and the use of baby wipes. Baby wipes leave soap residue on baby’s skin, and soap is a known agent sometimes used to deliver other chemicals through the skin. Please read the full article to understand how allergies can be prevented.

Babies who have an inherited skin barrier defect will also often develop eczema. Many times children will outgrow eczema, but later develop food allergies, hay fever, and/or asthma.

Parents are advised to help protect the skin barrier by moisturizing their baby's skin.
Renew Intensive Skin Therapy Lotion

Two independent, double-blind clinical studies determined that Renew quickly improves dry skin, and improves the severely dry skin symptoms associated with eczema. Renew users with eczema-prone skin had improved skin hydration and significant improvements in the reduction of redness, itching, flaking and scaling.
Good to Know

We noted in Newsletter 275 “Safer Cleaning Products,” a recent study that followed over 6000 participants for twenty years and found that those who used cleaning products at least once a week had their lung function decline. Women whose occupation was cleaning lost more lung function, almost as if they smoked a pack of cigarettes every day for 20 years.

The EcoSense line of household cleaners is very different from common brand name cleaners. They do not depend on harsh alkaline chemical reactions. Instead soil is dissolved and rinsed away by the use of natural enzymes, solvents, and surfactants. They do not contain surface damaging abrasives, bleach, ammonia, phosphates, or glycol ethers. And they do not contain quats. And they are not packaged with the endocrine disrupting chemicals, BPA, or phthalates. They also are non-aerosol and do not contain petroleum distillates or hazardous solvents.

~ Richard M Barry

Allergies and COPD Success Stories

My mom has COPD, and I made her a nasal inhaler with our Pure Essential oils, (eucalyptus, peppermint) for her to open her airways with when she is having trouble breathing and sleeping. She loves it and it has helped her get through more than one rough night.

~ Jen

Provex Plus had just been introduced when we started our Melaleuca account 24 years ago. My husband suffered with spring and fall allergies that affected his sleep and ability to even exercise. Our 4 year old daughter was having allergy problems all year long. When we learned that grape seed extract in the Provex Plus is also a natural anti-histamine, they both started on it; 1 mg per lb of body weight for 2 weeks, then decrease it to remain symptom free. We opened a capsule daily into our daughter’s cereal or pudding. They both stayed on Provex Plus for a year, and then used it seasonally. That, along with switching our cleaners and laundry to Melaleuca, has kept them allergy free. It’s amazing! AND what a blessing to know something natural, side-effect free, and healing to use when the Wyoming wind would blow up seasonal allergies over the years.

~ Karen

I've been a devoted customer of Melaleuca since July 2003. These wonderful products have changed our lives forever! Asthma and allergies were very serious in our home before Melaleuca. I was on a nebulizer and steroid meds every day. Many days I needed several breathing treatments to breathe at night and to keep attacks at bay. All of my 5 kids were on constant allergy meds too.
Once I totally converted my home to these marvelous products (and Melaleuca makes that easy with the Value & Career Packs), we began to get relief. After just three weeks we noticed our asthma attacks, and my need for the nebulizer, had stopped. I had pneumonia at the time, and with the Vitality Pack and ProVex-Plus, I was finally able to clear my lungs and recover. It's been years since I've needed those treatments, and what a relief to put the nebulizer in the drawer and get everyone off those dangerous meds! Even our seasonal allergies have disappeared since we no longer have that battle going on in our bodies. Our immune systems have become stronger overall. I'll soon be 64 and look forward to watching my 10 grandkids grow up. Thank you Melaleuca for giving us our lives back!

~ Marilyn

I have had asthma since I was 5 years old. However, from my teen years on, as long as I stayed away from the worst offenders, cats, horses, cows, etc, I didn't have much of a problem until I hit menopause 13 years ago. At that point my allergies and asthma intensified. May was a particularly bad month every year, and I would have to wear a filter mask when I walked my dog morning and evening, or I would have an asthma attack. One asthma attack and then I was sensitive to everything, and it would lead to doctor visits and prescriptions. Eight years ago I switched my home over to Melaleuca products. Without the indoor irritants of ammonia, bleach, etc the outdoor allergens weren't enough to trigger the asthma. I have not had an asthma attack in 7 1/2 years.

~ Jane

My son has had mild asthma for 10 years. I was beginning to think he would be on medication forever. Every time he went to the specialist the results never changed. He has low lung capacity and could never improve on the breathing tests. He was at the doctor about six months after switching the products in our home and for the very first time they noted an improvement in his test results. I know we're all living and breathing a much healthier life because of Melaleuca. Small changes add up to a substantial difference in quality of life!

~ Nancy