Respiratory Care Week is a special week to honor Respiratory Care Therapists — RTs — and to think about respiratory health.
RTs work with people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions. They administer breathing treatments and educate patients on lung health, as well as working alongside other health professionals to improve their patients’ quality of life.
Here at MANA, we have a great team of RTs!
Art Middleton, RT, is MANA’s Pulmonary Diagnostics Lab Director. We’ve recently updated our Pulmonary Function Testing technology and added a new service, Nitric Oxide Testing, for asthmatic patients. 
Getting great medical care is essential, and there are also steps you can take that will make a difference. Here are 5 essential steps you can take to improve your respiratory health:
- If you smoke, stop. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
- Exercise regularly. Aim for 10,000 steps or enjoy aerobic activities like cycling, dancing, and running.
- Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps keep lungs clear.
- Choose nutritious foods. Deficiencies in vitamins A, C, and E have been implicated in lung diseases.
- Add some green houseplants to your home or office. They’ll add oxygen and improve air quality.
MANA’s respiratory care services include pulmonary medicine specialists and the Asthma Clinic.