IRVING, Texas, Sept. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Diagnosed at age 45 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Russell Winwood, an accomplished triathlete and Ironman doesn't let limited lung function hold him back. He and Amanda Maucere, RDN, dietitian at Lung Health Institute, are taking the stage at an American Lung Association LUNG FORCE Expo to shed light on a trend reshaping the way chronic lung disease is managed.
"My doctors kind of told me to go home and get my affairs in order," Winwood, father of four, said. "A lot of people, when they are first diagnosed, see a death sentence but I knew I wanted to try out for the Ironman again. The day of the race was the day I decided how I would live with this disease."
Winwood looked beyond conventional therapies and managed his condition with lifestyle changes. He adjusted his diet and trained an average of 24 hours per week leading up to the Ironman race.
"Increasingly, we see patients like Russell take their health into their own hands, using functional foods that offer health benefits in addition to nourishment," Maucere, who helped develop Lung Health Institute's Anti-Inflammatory Initiative™, said. In fact, 47 million households have a consumer who manages ailments through diet, according to Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company.
"Nutrient-dense foods such as nuts, seeds, meats, and vegetables that provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and fiber help protect us from toxins that lead to inflammation," said Maucere. "This is especially important for patients with chronic lung disease who already have difficulty breathing."
Winwood and Maucere will speak to the power of simple lifestyle changes in the management of chronic lung disease at the American Lung Association LUNG FORCE Expo on Friday, Nov. 9. Register online at lung.org/expo.
About Lung Health Institute
Lung Health Institute leads the industry in regenerative medicine and is among the first cellular therapy providers accredited by The Joint Commission, widely considered the gold standard of quality patient care. Our exclusive focus on and multidisciplinary approach to lung disease yields expert care for every patient, even when conventional treatment isn't effective or stops working. Offering a variety of programs and services including the Anti-Inflammatory Initiative™ and cellular therapy in several locations across the United States, Lung Health Institute has helped thousands of people with chronic lung disease improve their quality of life and Breathe Easier™. For more information, visit thelunghealthinstitute.com.
SOURCE Lung Health Institute
