Breathing Lessons

A fascinating look at how the lungs work, lung disorders, treatments, and the importance of lung health. I loved that this book was written by a pulmonologist who offered insight into how pulmonologists go about diagnosing their patients. As an asthmatic I especially appreciated the steps one can take in order to preserve lung health. This book was very accessible to the average person so I never felt bogged down by medical jargon. This book was very well done.

Did you know the average person takes over 600 million breaths in their lifetime?

Seeing as how respiration is a largely unconscious process that is regulated in the medulla oblongata, one of the most primitive parts of the brain, you probably didn't. The reason for that is because breathing with ease isn't something many people have to think about. It's a vital biological operation that occurs in the background without anyone having to focus on it, so people tend to take the seemingly "effortless" vitality of the lungs for granted as a result.

That is...until they experience problems that effect their ability to breathe well themselves and panic.

As someone who has lived with moderate asthma for much of my life, and has suffered from both chronic and acute lung exacerbations over the years, I've been there. It sucks. Nobody wants to know what it feels like to choke on air they can't seem to catch. To wheeze. To cough and cough and cough. To have their chest fill with sharp, restrictive fire every time their body encounters another allergen or sneaky little pathogen it doesn't like. No one wants to experience the physiological terrors that are involved in breathing difficulties, no one.

Lung problems and disease are a lot more prevalent nationwide than we may know let alone realize, however. On the whole they remain poorly understood. They can be left undiagnosed or unrecognized until the late stages, too. One of the reasons for this is because doctor's offices don't measure lung function regularly like they do blood pressure or heart rate - which seems insane, almost negligent, when you consider that being able to breathe is imperative to staying alive, right? - and also because the money that is invested in lung research isn't proportionate to the number of patients who are living with lung disease. That means there isn't enough data out there yet to tell a cohesive story or pattern about those who already are or someday could be afflicted. There's so much more out there still to be discovered, studied, experimented, and used for treatment.

I appreciated how this book provided insight into the importance of lung function, lung diagnostics, and overall lung health. It was informative and absorbing. Easily comprehensible for those of us who are neither medical practitioners nor pulmonologists.

The author started off by taking readers through a brief overview of how the lungs work and why. Then she discussed how things like smoking, pollution, vaping, and viruses like influenza or Covid-19 can pose severe respiratory risks. After that, she offered practical suggestions for how to keep the lungs healthy (even if they're diseased) and proposed a kind social intervention that will make the preservation of lung health a priority in medicine.

Breathing is vital to life, to living, so really...why isn't it one already? Better yet, how come it hasn't been one long before now?

Asthma suffer or not, I've never stopped to ask myself those questions before reading this book, but I'm asking them now. I'm encouraging you to ask them, too. What more can I say? I'm with Dr. Han, I think it's time we all knew more about the in's and out's of breathing.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton and Company for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Content
This book opens with an introduction which highlights the author’s expertise and sets the upcoming chapters in context. There is a chapter on how the lungs work, then one about viral, bacterial and fungal infections. The third chapter deals with protecting your lungs throughout all of life’s stages. Chapter four describes a lung MOT with a pulmonologist. Chapter 5 provides short guides to several common lungs diseases including asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis and others. The final chapter looks to future solutions.

Style
Dr. Han has a great writing style. She writes simply but accurately, therefore her book is suitable for a general audience. She’s great at clearly explaining the more complex areas so that anyone can understand. Her writing is engaging too, so that even if lung health is not the most exciting area for the reader, she makes it interesting. I personally, am fascinated by respiratory health!

Highlights
There is a lot of information about heart health, diet and brain training. If you go for a GP check-up they will likely look at things like blood pressure, pulse, weight, diet, smoking and alcohol etc. The lungs are comparatively neglected despite being a major organ. Dr Han makes the case that they should be treated with equal importance as our other vital organs. Few people who didn’t have a pre-existing lung condition gave much thought to lung health before the covid pandemic. This is because they didn’t feel they needed to. There are no ‘lung health’ campaigns (other than related to giving up smoking) that we so often see for heart health. Since the pandemic, however, people are interested in how to keep their lungs healthy and survive viral infections such as covid.

For me the highlight chapters were the ones about protecting the lungs and about different lung diseases. I found these the most interesting and appreciated the author’s practical advice. The author goes into very useful detail. For example she talks about the risks of different workplaces from obvious ones like mining and farming to less obvious ones like hairdressing and office work. She describes the nature of the hazard and gives a range of practical steps to reduce it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know more about: how the lungs work, improving the health of their lungs or their children’s, managing lung diseases and the future of pulmonology. Well written in accessible and engaging style, suitable for a general readership.

This was incredibly interesting. Especially in the times of COVID. Understanding how the lungs work and how to keep them functioning well is something that should be taught to everyone. As someone who had long-hauler COVID symptoms and still struggles occasionally this book offered real solutions for improving lung function instead of vague recommendations. I absolutely recommend this book to those who have had COVID or have a family member who has or if you're interested your biology and how it works.