After collapsing in her London home last week, singer Amy Winehouse has been resting and undergoing tests in a London hospital. After a short-lived TB scare, doctors finally pinpointed her condition. She's been diagnosed with emphysema, in the very early stages. Emphysema is a lung condition that creates breathlessness and reduces a person's ability to be physically active.

Though there's no cure for emphysema, Winehouse's condition will likely be controlled by a smoking cessation program (smoking the main risk factor for emphysema), lung rehabilitation, and medications. The damage caused by emphysema is irreversible, but Winehouse's publicist insists she's in the earliest stage of the disease.

According to her father, Winehouse is eager to began rebuilding her health and has been following doctor's orders to the letter. Whether she's able to continue touring or not will depend on whether those doctors feel like she's up to the task.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz! My 12-year-old daughter has started getting into fitness, all on her own motivation. She's always been on the thin side, and is certainly a healthy weight...and a fairly healthy eater. She said she wants to work out to build muscle and put on a few pounds (certainly not what you usually hear from girls at that age group). I want to support her, but I also want to be sure she is doing things in a healthy age-appropriate way.

She lives with her dad and we live in different states, which certainly makes matters more complicated. If she lived with me we could figure out ways to exercise together. Her dad and his girlfriend are both overweight with unhealthy habits. Any suggestions on how to get started? And is there anything she shouldn't be doing yet or things I should look out for? Thanks, Judy

Hello Miss Judy. You ask a great question and are smart to be both excited and leery of the situation. A child of 12 eager to pursue true fitness is an absolute gift. It is also a perfect point for that child's parent to stop and evaluate the situation, to make sure it's addressed correctly.

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Toss those hot dogs, bacon, and cured meats you're planning to devour -- because they could just take your breath away.

According to an analysis published recently in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, people who munch on these meaty items have an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD, the umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is the fourth leading cause of death in America and is primarily caused by smoking. Still, diet plays a role and while studies don't conclusively link eating habits with COPD, there does seem to be an association. Specifically, those who ate 14 or more servings of cured meat per month increased their odds of developing this condition by 80 percent.

I don't know about you, but 80 percent seems pretty significant to me. This, along with the fact that cured meats contain large amounts of nitrates -- linked to lung damage in animals -- is enough for me to steer clear of these iffy meats for the rest of time.

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For many, "life on the farm," represents a simpler, healthier life than a less natural, urban existence. But a recent study finds that, in fact, the truth is just the opposite.

Australian researchers found that farm workers have a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- a term given to a combination of lung conditions most commonly found in smokers.

No one knows for certain what aspect of farming might cause this correlation, but it isn't the first time the occupation has been linked to lung disease. Farmers have traditionally had a higher rates of asthma and lung cancer, for instance -- both of which may be caused by the inhalation of pesticides and other chemicals used in maintaining crops and livestock. There's also the "agricultural dusts" that farmers inhale. These organic materials from both animal and plant sources are known to cause inflammation in the airways.

It's hoped that with further research, doctors and scientists can understand exactly what's causing these health concerns.

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Last month, Brian wrote about how the Mediterranean diet may prevent childhood asthma. Now another study has found that it may not be too late for adults as well. That news is coming out of France, where researchers followed 43,000 men for over a decade.

What they found was that the more closely men followed a Mediterranean type diet, the lower their risk was of developing lung disease like bronchitis or COPD. COPD is not only debilitating, it also is set to become the third leading cause of death across the globe. The Mediterranean diet, filled with fruits, veggies, fish, and whole grain breads, is rich in anti-oxidants which reduce inflammation in the tissue. On the other hand, a typical Western diet rich in red meats, processed foods, sugar, and nitrate-rich cured meats actually increases the amount of inflammation in the body.

Following a Mediterranean-type diet has also been linked to the prevention of Alzheimer's, heart health, and brain health, in addition to the childhood asthma study. According to the American Heart Association, there isn't one specific Mediterranean diet. Instead, it's a pattern of eating that has similar dietary guidelines to our own, but is rich in fresh, unprocessed foods and monounsaturated fats. Learn more about it here.

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Deli meats causing problems in the lungs, of all places, seems like an unlikely truth. But according to recent research it does seem to be the case. When experts looked at the connection between a diet including cured meats such as deli meat, hot dogs, and bacon and the development of COPD later in life, they found what looks like a direct link: the more cured meats in a person's diet the higher the risk for COPD.

They are quick to point out, however, that this study by no means proves anything. In fact, they aren't even recommending that people stop eating cured meats, just that they consider cutting back a little.

I think we all already know that fresh is always better, and it's not just for fruits and vegetables.

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