The ancient secret to effective, drug-free COPD relief

Without question, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranks as one of the most underrated health issues.

A large proportion of the 15 million Americans diagnosed with COPD are considered disabled, due to the way the disease limits physical activity. This disability generally worsens as patients age, severely impacting quality of life.

And tragically, thousands of patients succumb to this cruel disease every year.

But new research shows that an ancient form of gentle exercise can give COPD patients relief with zero side effects—something mainstream drugs can’t do.

This lung disorder isn’t just a “smoker’s disease”

COPD isn’t just a disease, it’s an “umbrella term” for a cluster of chronic inflammatory lung diseases that impair breathing: emphysema, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, chronic bronchitis, and others.

Symptoms of COPD are progressive, meaning that over time, the symptoms of coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shallow breathing become more pronounced as quality of life deteriorates.

So it’s no wonder that this debilitating disease is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., prompting about 150,000 fatalities each year. For patients with severe COPD, the two-year survival rate is about 50 percent, which is worse than many common cancers.

And don’t make the mistake of writing this off as a “smoker’s disease.” Anyone can develop COPD. In fact, 1 in 4 patients have never smoked at all.

Meanwhile, Big Pharma is cashing in with a COPD drug market that’s projected to top $14 billion in profits in 2025—on the back of a fast-growing population of patients.

As you can imagine, drugs that treat COPD come with a host of potential adverse effects—ranging from chronic insomnia to dangerous seizures. And in the case of inhaled steroids, fracture risk soars.

But according to a study from Cochrane (an independent organization that analyzes health research), it appears that light exercise—in the form of the ancient martial art called tai chi—works just as well as drugs in relieving some COPD symptoms.

When a Cochrane team reviewed 12 studies that included more than 800 older participants, they found that COPD patients who practiced tai chi for periods that ranged from six weeks to one year, walked nearly 100 feet further in six minutes than patients who didn’t practice tai chi.

Most importantly, those in the tai chi groups also had improved lung function.

As effective as intense pulmonary rehabilitation

Tai chi might seem like an unusual way to exercise. After all, it’s a martial art. But it’s so serene that some people employ it as a meditative practice.

Tai chi also happens to be an ideal way to strengthen muscles and improve balance for many people who find a physical workout too demanding due to aging or a disability.

In Dr. Marc Micozzi’s Breathe Better Lung Health Protocol, he applauds researchers who are investigating the benefits of treating COPD with tai chi instead of drugs.

In one particularly impressive study, Dr. Micozzi discusses how researchers developed a modified form of tai chi—with a series of 6 movements rather than the usual 24—in order to accommodate COPD patients.

Researchers divided 120 patients with moderate-to-severe COPD into two groups. One group learned the modified tai chi which they practiced for about five hours per week for 12 weeks.

The second group participated in 12 weeks of traditional pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). This approach emphasizes healthy lifestyle habits such as:

  • A full range of exercise (walking, biking, and strength training)
  • Being alert to breathing changes that warn of “lung attacks”
  • Breathing techniques to overcome reduced lung function
  • Healthy eating habits

PR programs are highly effective in promoting longer lifespans and helping COPD patients manage the disease’s most difficult challenges. But unlike tai chi, PR requires access to trained physiotherapists and special facilities.

After 12 weeks, the tai chi group and the PR group showed significant improvements in:

  • Exercise capacity (walking distance achieved in six minutes)
  • Lung function
  • Overall health status

And Dr. Micozzi adds, “Tai chi also seemed to prevent shortness of breath from getting worse, and the benefits lasted longer even after stopping the exercises than in the PR group. There’s no drug that confers that many benefits without any side effects.”

Other facets of natural lung support  

Dr. Micozzi points out that, since tai chi is an alternative therapeutic treatment, you’re not likely to hear more than a peep about it from the mainstream media…

“Nor will you hear about any of the other new research on lung health and other similar, natural approaches like massage, qi gong, and yoga—all of which help improve breathing and respiration.”

But you do have access to the latest research along with a wide variety of whole-body approaches to preventing, treating, and reversing lung disease, in Dr. Micozzi’s Breathe Better Lung Health Protocol.

Simply click here to find out more about this one-of-a-kind online learning tool, or to get started right away!

SOURCES

“Tai Chi for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 6. Art. No.: CD009953. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD009953.pub2.