Breathing Lessons: A Doctor’s Guide to Lung Health

“Breathing is an unapplauded marathon,” writes pulmonologist Han in her debut, an easy-to-understand and informative guide to lung health. She breaks down pulmonary health into six sections: “How the Lungs Work” covers lung structure and the muscles that move to make breathing happen, while “The Battle Within” is a primer on pollution, infections, and diseases, including viral, bacterial, and fungal infections (plus a quick look at coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2). “Protecting Your Lungs for Life” shares steps readers can use to take better care of their lungs (breastfeeding helps prevent childhood asthma, for example, while adults can make exercise a regular habit, as it likely has benefits for lung health), and “How Pulmonologists Think” prepares readers for medical interviews, imaging, and pulmonary testing. (even though medical technology is advancing, Han notes, listening to a patient report their medical history is still a crucial part of a diagnosis.) “A Short Guide to Lung Disease” spotlights asthma, cystic fibrosis, and respiratory failure, outlining their corresponding clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment, and “The Fifth Vital Sign” makes a case that lung function should be measured at a frequency on par with blood pressure. Han’s heartfelt plea to “preserve human lung health” hits all the marks. Comprehensive and accessible, this arrives right on time. (Nov.)