In one of my first posts, I think I told you how the last time I went to my respirologist to check on my lungs, he told me the condition of my lungs had improved. I had been diagnosed with asthma several years earlier, with my symptoms and test results getting worse with each visit to the respirologist. Since my father had recently died from pulmonary fibrosis, and my mom from lung cancer before that, the deteriorating condition of my lungs was worrisome.
At that 2012 visit, I didn’t tell the respirologist about my wheat allergy news (discovered by a naturopath). Prior to that doctor visit I had been wheat-free for almost one year before this round of testing; I wanted to see if there was a change in the pulmonary (lung) function test results before I mentioned the allergy. His response to my belief that my wheat-free diet was the reason for the change in my lungs was skeptical, as not many doctors like to be told that advice from a naturopath is sound. His comment at that time was “well, whatever you have been doing, keep doing it. Come back and see me next year”…
Well, I just returned from the annual respirology appointment, and my pulmonary function test results were even better than last year! In fact, the respirologist now feels he doesn’t need to see me anymore unless my symptoms return.
Although some things, like smoke and strong chemical smells, still bother me, I know to avoid them. I also know that daily exercise and reduced stress make a difference too; my new career takes care of that aspect.
2023 Update: During our last trip to Florida I was exposed to Red Tide, a lung-damaging algae bloom. As a result, my asthma symptoms reappeared after all these years, lasting for two months!
photo credit: pexels-photo-7447010
