Breathing Lessons

In Breathing Lessons, leading pulmonologist and national spokesperson for the American Lung Association Dr. MeiLan K. Han takes readers on a fascinating tour of this neglected yet crucial organ. Han explains the wonder of breathing and reveals how the lungs serve as the body’s first line of defense. She provides a timely overview of the latest scientific thinking about the leading respiratory risks—including indoor and outdoor pollution, smoking and vaping, wildfire smoke, and viruses like SARS-CoV-2—and offers practical advice on how to protect the lungs at each stage of our lives, beginning in the womb. She outlines the major categories of chronic lung disease and demystifies the process lung doctors go through in making a diagnosis and recommending treatments. With authority as both practitioner and medical researcher, Han argues powerfully for social policies that make preserving lung health a national priority. Breathing Lessons is a rallying cry for lung health and an urgent call to start giving our lungs the attention they deserve.