The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 26, Number 1 | Page 18

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | September 2019
Healthy Living Tips from
Pause and take a Breath of Fresh Air—Fall’s a Great Time to Breathe Easier
With the dog days of summer finally wrapping up, it’s time to refresh, recharge, and take a breath of fresh air.
The last few months of excessive heat and humidity has taken a toll, not only exacerbating respiratory problems like
asthma and COPD, but also curtailing a lot of outdoor activity. How many of us have cut down on our daily walks
simply because it’s been too darn hot! Even getting out to the gym to hop on the treadmill has been a chore. The
weather has simply dragged a lot of us down.
Time to Reset the Clock
With fall approaching it’s a good time to reset your internal clock, and slowly begin to get back into your routine. As
the days get crisper, folks with respiratory problems may see their symptoms easing, and may not need to reach for
their inhaler as often. Seize on this opportunity to get your breath flowing and your heart pumping again.
Deborah Heart and Lung Center Pulmonary Product Line and Respiratory Director John Hill, RRT offers this advice:
“Settling back into a routine walking again will not only boost your energy levels, but will re-open your social outlets,
as you reconnect with neighbors on your route who have also been cooped up in the air-conditioning all summer.
Combine this with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, both from the end of season summer harvest, and the early fall
bounty, and it’s a good time to recharge those batteries.”
And, Hill reminds us, everyone should take advantage of beautiful fall weather.
“Before you know it,” he says “the days will be getting darker and colder, and our respiratory tracts will become dry
and irritated. If you use one, you may find yourself once again reaching for your inhaler more than you would like.”
If you have respiratory issues that concern you, and you’d like an evaluation (or second opinion), contact
Deborah Heart and Lung Center at 856-646-3484 or visit www.DemandDeborah.org.
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