Don't let anyone take your breath away this festive season.

Oxygen is so abundant we never worry about where it's coming from do we? Like anything you truly appreciate it when you are in danger of losing it. This is why I felt it very relevant to put out the warning about lung disease just before the festive or as I like to call it, the silly season. The time when we let down our guard and put whatever we can whenever we like into our bodies just because it's the party time of the year. We drink more, smoke more and conduct ourselves in reckless behaviour.

Back to oxygen and our lungs. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) affects 2.1 million and is predicted to reach levels of 4.5 million by the year 2050 if we don't take action now to start controlling this escalating problem. The scary part of this equation is past evidence indicates that one in three Australians with COPD were not aware that they even had the disease which means they are not taking the important steps to manage and keep the condition in check.

It is all fine and dandy for me to go quoting these figures and expecting everyone to take matters into their own hands and ensure they are lung disease proofed. My advice along with every other lifestyle influenced condition is to keep living a natural and unprocessed existence as much as you possibly can. It is the more hands on option but if hands on means healthier long term, that will be the option I will choose every time. And if this is your philosophy then I salute you wholeheartedly. If you want to start directing your life in this direction follow this simple, formula.

1. Slow down. this alleviates the need to cut every corner and utilise harmful health sapping options to assist you on your quest to save a minute here and there. At sometime in your life you will have to slow down, why not do it on your terms? Stop and smell the roses!!!
2. Move more. Live by this mantra and you won't go wrong. In every task we do there is a more time efficient way of doing it. Mowing lawn, going to the shop, sending messages, getting upstairs, socialising, preparing food, losing weight and the list could go on for ever. That's why the more time consuming option when feasible will be a healthy option.
3. Go natural. Food, shampoo, deodorant, fly repellent, toothpaste and so on are all examples of products that can be produced naturally or severely processed or chemicalised. Especially the chemical options are not only damaging to you and your lungs but in general your health and the environment. Options are out there if you are prepared to look for them.

Stay in control of your body and what it does and what goes into it. Become the gatekeeper from hell and only allow beneficial lifestyle choices into your life.