Join us in the second installment of our Integrative Therapy in Respiratory Disease 3-part series. In this podcast we explore mindfulness with a physician expert. Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang explains what mindfulness is, and how it can help clinicians, as well as patients and caregivers, navigate the stresses of daily life, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. She concludes the podcast by leading an interactive session on mindful masking, we hope the audience will follow along!
More than half of county residents may face complications if they contract SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the COVID-19 illness. Data analysis by county epidemiologists found 57% of San Diegans have at least one factor, such as age, heart or — not surprisingly — lung disease, that increases their risk during the pandemic.
Local pulmonologist Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang said lung diseases like asthma and chronic bronchitis restrict airways that can become further inflamed by coronavirus.
Join us for a frank conversation about the dangers of vaping and e-cigarettes with pulmonologist and Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine, Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang. Learn the dangers and how to talk to your kids about the risks.
Pulmonologist Ni-Cheng Liang takes a look at how the breath—a common anchor of attention in meditation—can be triggering. Explore her masking practice to calm feelings of anxiety and stress when we’re unable to comfortably connect with the in or out breath.
“Could COVID-19 be an opportunity that brings the plight of health care professionals finally to the forefront? Protect us so we can protect you. Do your part and stay home. Flatten the curve to give health care professionals a chance. Donate PPE. Donate food. And yet through this war, we, health care professionals, along with the entirety of humanity, are united against a common, invisible enemy. We are all human; we all seek to be healthy and happy, all deserving of love and connection. Are we able to remind ourselves that health care professionals have never been so united before? That humanity has never been so united? Can all the health care professionals, no, all of humanity bear the weight of the world together? We can; we must. For our sake. For humanity’s sake.”
Pulmonologist Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang discusses vaping, including what it is, why it’s bad for you and more.
In recent years, cigarette smoking has been on the decline. However, another method of inhaling nicotine — as well as many other chemicals — is on the rise. It’s known as vaping, e-cigarettes or e-cigs. Is vaping safe? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaping has been linked to more than 40 deaths and thousands of cases of lung disease across the United States.
Vaping is the process of inhaling a liquid that has been heated into a vapor. Vaping devices contain a cartridge that holds liquid. When someone inhales on the mouthpiece of the device, it triggers a battery-powered heating element that converts the liquid into vapor, which is then inhaled into the lungs. Depending on the ingredients in the liquid, the vapor may contain a variety of compounds, including nicotine, marijuana derivatives, such as THC and CBD, and countless flavorings, ranging from mint and menthol to fruit and candy.
Initially, vaping was viewed as a potential aid to quit smoking, but the FDA has not recognized it as a valid form of nicotine replacement therapy. Research shows that while vaping has helped some quit smoking cigarettes, some users are now addicted to it.
Moreover, vaping has become a popular behavior with nonsmokers, especially among young users. The National Institutes of Health reports that about 37 percent of 12th graders reported vaping in 2018, compared with 28 percent in 2017.
“Vaping has turned into somewhat of a fad among adolescents,” says Dr. Liang. “The e-cigarette user age is much younger than that of smokers, and the flavorings unfortunately attract a younger population.”
Often, parents have no idea their children are using e-cigarettes. Vaping devices come in many shapes and forms, ranging from easily recognizable cylinders and pipes to devices cleverly disguised as USB drives, pens and lip balms.
Vaping dangers
In addition, vaping is bad for you. Nicotine is addictive, but most worrisome is the damage vaping may do to the lungs. As of December, the CDC reports more than 2,400 cases of lung disease and 52 deaths associated with vaping,
“Vaping contains so many different additives, and one possible culprit in these lung injuries is vitamin E acetate, which dilutes the e-liquid,” explains Dr. Liang. “In many of those patients, vitamin E acetate was found in their lungs.”
Dr. Liang compares vitamin E acetate to honey coating the delicate lining of the lungs and airways, which interferes with normal lung function. Symptoms of vaping-related lung injury have included coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing up blood.
“The lung injury is partially reversible and steroids are the mainstay of treatment,” Dr. Liang says. “But we don’t even know what vitamin E acetate does to the lungs as this has never come up before. We think it might cause a severe and rapid airway obstruction and it can also induce lung injury from damaging the air sacs within the lungs themselves.”
While vitamin E acetate seems to be more prevalent in black market and homemade e-cartridges, trace amounts have been found in commercial products as well. What’s more, other potentially deadly additives, including cyanide and pesticides, have been identified in some black market products.
There is no “safe” vaping
Is there a way to vape safely? The answer is no. At this time there is no oversight as to what goes into vaping cartridges, so you have no real control over what you breathe into your lungs. “Flavorings” may contain a mix of toxic chemicals. Even substances that are safe to use on skin, such as glycerin, are known to irritate the lungs when inhaled.
“I’ve treated people who have almost died from this type of lung injury and it’s been a huge wake-up call for them,” says Dr. Liang. “It’s not worth your lung health or your life to vape, or even try e-cigarettes.”
If you are trying to quit smoking, talk to your physician about safe, proven methods, including FDA-approved nicotine replacement products and cessation programs. Many workplaces offer programs for their employees and families.
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