PC THE TOWN

COPD is a debilitating disease that affects your ability to breathe well. COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a lung condition usually caused by smoking. It affects more than 24 million people in the U.S., or 6 percent of the population as of 2013. It is the third leading cause of death in America. According to the COPD Foundation, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis. This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness. Many people mistake their increased breathlessness and coughing as a normal part of aging. In the early stages of the disease, you may not notice the symptoms. COPD can develop for years without noticeable shortness of breath. You begin to see the symptoms in the more developed stages of the disease. That�s why it is important that you talk to your doctor as soon as ...

Are you suffering from a depressed state of mind, or have you dealt with bouts of depression over your life time? Do you know people who suffer from depression? Some people get upset or sad over circumstances, and they may be in a state of temporary depression that lasts for a short time. However, a depressed mood that is long term is classified as clinical depression. According to PsychCentral, clinical depression goes by many names -- depression, "the blues," biological depression, major depression. But it all refers to the same thing: feeling sad and depressed for weeks or months on end (not just a passing blue mood). This feeling is most often accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, a lack of energy (or feeling "weighed down"), and taking little or no pleasure in things that gave you joy in the past. A person who's depressed just "can't get moving" and feels completely unmotivated to do just about anything. Even simple things -- like getting d...

During the summer months, you can become overheated without realizing what is happening to you. Heat exhaustion can be deadly. If you are playing or working outside in hot weather, one of the most dangerous health situations from overexposure to the heat can result in major difficulty for you. Heat exhaustion can lead to serious physical and mental fatigue, as well as the possibility of not being able to recover. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), Heat exhaustion occurs when your body gets too hot. The hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls thirst and hunger, also controls the body's core temperature. Normally, the body cools itself by sweating. When you are exposed to high temperatures for a long time (working outdoors in the summer, for example) and don't replace the fluids you lose, the body systems that regulate temperature become overwhelmed. As a result, your body produces more heat than it can release. Heat exhaustion requires immed...

How is your Java consumption? Are you a one, two, or three cup a day drinker? Or do you just keep a pot going with an IV attached all day? There are studies that can prove drinking coffee is good for you and some that say it�s not that healthy. What do YOU think? According to HellaWella, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but is seemingly also one of the most maligned. However, after hundreds of years of consumption and decades of research, it seems the benefits of drinking coffee far outweigh the risks. However, unfiltered coffee � such as that prepared in a French press � proves an exception, as it can elevate cholesterol levels. In multiple studies comparing people who drink three to five cups of coffee per day with those who drink zero to two cups per day, it has been found that those who drink more coffee are significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer�s disease and have a reduced risk of developing dementia. Moreover, drinking caffeinated coffee has ...

America�s Independence Day is a gigantic celebration of the nation�s founding and freedoms. July 4 is the nation�s birthday, and this year marks the 238 th anniversary. Let freedom ring! Here is what John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers and America�s second President had to say about it in 1776: �The most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival� It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.� The National Council on Fireworks Safety offers these common sense safety tips for using consumer fireworks in hopes that injuries to consumers can be greatly reduced this season: �          Always purchase fireworks from a reliable source. �          Use fi...