I frequently tell my patients with asthma that there are as many types of asthma as there are people with asthma. The illness develops from a complex interaction of our family history, childhood environment, indoor and outdoor air quality, diet and more. Once the illness is present, it can be worsened by a variety of factors, many of which we have already covered on this website and podcast, from tobacco smoke, air pollution, pollen, wildfires, mold, cockroach exposure and more. Furthermore, all of these factors can interact with each other. One of those factors is obesity. My guest on the podcast today has studied the impact of obesity on asthma, as well as how air pollution may have a disproportionate impact on those who are obese. We also discuss factors that affect members of the Latino community who suffer from asthma and other illnesses, and what can be done at the individual and community level to improve health.
Dr. Fernando Holguin is a Pulmonologist and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. He grew up in Mexico City, where he went to medical school, followed by residency and fellowship at Emory University. He has focused his 25 year career on research and patient care, focusing on those with asthma, including severe and difficult-to-treats asthma in particular. He is the Director of the Clinical and Research Asthma Program and the Executive Director of the Colorado School of Public Health’s Latino Research and Policy Center.
He also serves as the co-chair of the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society Task Force on severe asthma. He is an NIH, ALA and AsthmaNet investigator and has participated in the implementation and design of cross-over clinical trials related to asthma. His work initially focused on epidemiology of disease and lung physiology, but more recently, he has been studying mechanisms of disease. Dr. Holguin has authored or co-authored more than 170 papers and is internationally known for his work in asthma, COPD and air pollution.
As you can hear on the podcast today, so many elements of our health are determined by multiple complicated factors, including the air we breathe, our own family history, and even our diets and exercise. I see patients whose asthma is worsened by obesity or who did not develop asthma until they developed obesity. Obesity is a complex syndrome, and impacts people in different ways. I see the people for whom it contributes to worsened breathing. Weight loss certainly helps, but weight loss is often not easy. It is fascinating how the air we breathe can impact us differently based on our underlying physical and mental health, our neighborhood, healthcare access and life stressors.
To Do
1- Decrease processed foods in the diet, add more vegetables, fruit and whole grains to the diet.
2- If you or someone in your family is coughing regularly or has shortness of breath, talk to your doctor about it. A diagnosis is very important!
3- Learn more about asthma risk factors and triggers- see Twitchy Airways Club section of the website.
4- As always, stop smoking! Click here if you need help to quit.
5- Calculate your BMI here, if it is over 25, you may be overweight. If it is over 30, you may have obesity and be at risk for a more severe impact from air pollution. Talk to your doctor about what steps may be most important for your health.
6- Get vaccinated for COVID19 when you can to help slow the spread and avoid dangerous variants and follow health precautions. Decreasing isolation will also help with mental health!
