In the 21st century, we are highly dependent on energy sources like natural gas and electricity. We use fuel to power our cars, cook and heat our homes, and we use electricity to charge our phones, computers, and more. But what happens when we lose access to these resources due to a natural disaster or some other problem? In some situations, this can be a minor nuisance; but in others, it could be life-threatening.

Most people don’t put a lot of thought into the way that they get around. As humans, we learn to walk from a very young age and we use our basic motor skills all the time. So, for most people, it’s difficult to imagine being in a situation where these basic functions are impaired. However, for someone with COPD, problems with mobility, balance, and coordination can be a daily struggle. Healthy, functioning lungs are essential for physical exertion, no matter how little it may be.

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone and people with COPD should take extra precautions to avoid over-exerting themselves mentally and physically, over-eating, and stressing. If you are one of the 16 million Americans with COPD, avoiding these COPD triggers over holidays will make everything more enjoyable and you will run a lower risk of getting sick or experiencing a COPD exacerbation.

However, this holiday season, 2020 and going into 2021, the global COIVD-19 pandemic is making this holiday season even more difficult, especially for our family and friends that have COPD.

Oxygen therapy has evolved to the point where the oxygen user should not only be getting the oxygen they need to breathe, but the freedom and independence to do more activities, travel, and find happiness in everyday comforts. The demand for oxygen to be user friendly, portable, and noninvasive is hugely due to the fact that every year, about 1.5 million patients in the United States utilize long term oxygen therapy.

Most people like to think of the internet as a place they can have all their burning questions answered. Just a quick visit to your favorite search engine and you can have some of the world’s most complex questions answered in a matter of minutes. However, while it is easy to use the internet, it’s still important to be wary about where we’re getting our information and how we use it.