Utah Valley Better Breathers Club

If you have lung disease that is attributed to Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency join the community of Utah Alphas for support and information. There is a zoom meeting this Saturday June 13 at 10:00 that will discuss future meeting and their Virtual National Education Conference. Here is the meeting details.

We are going to hold a Zoom meeting on June 13. At 10:00 AM
Please join us.

We will be short and to the point so you can get on with your Saturday. The meeting should last just 40 minutes.
On June 13 please join our meeting with other Utah Alphas and caregivers to discuss the following:

• June 25-27: Virtual National Education Conference
We will discuss Saturday how the Conference will be broadcast and how easy it will be to see each session.
• Research Registry
• Continuing awareness of need for protection from Covid-19
• Future meetings of the Utah Alpha-1 Support Group.

Here is how to join the meeting

Topic: DC Young's Zoom Meeting
Time: Jun 13, 2020 10:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72272553287?pwd=NDlCVzdxcTdHaW9VUHplVnpNOGtUQT09
Meeting ID: 722 7255 3287
Password: UtahAlphas
I plan to launch the meeting at 9:57 AM so we can use all of the allotted 40-minute time slot.

You can use a PC, tablet, or smart phone to have video and audio connected.
But: If you do not want to be in the video feed, or do not have a smart phone or computer available, you can call in on audio only.
Call: (646) 568-7788
Enter Meeting ID: 722 7255 3287
Enter Password: UtahAlphas

National Education Conference Agenda can be viewed at:
https://www.alpha1.org/alphas-friends-family/education/national-education-conference/

Please get yourself registered to be part of the conference.
It is a perfect (and free) opportunity to get to know the people who are behind the Alpha-1 Agenda in politics, healthcare and research.

Every Utah Alpha and caregiver should register.
Then the Foundation will know that Utah deserves their own Education Day in 2021 (when things are closer to normal than today).

DC Young
435-705-4902

:

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COPD Care, Good watch

COPD On Air: Identifying gaps in COPD Care Host Barry Price is joined by primary care physician Dr. Larry Neuman of Morrison Heights Clinic and Dr. Keith Robinson of Transformative Health Solutions to discuss how treating COPD is not a one size-fits-all approach and how to identify those patients who may be falling through the cracks of trad...

COPD On Air: Individualizing Treatment Host Barry Price is joined by primary care physician Dr. Larry Neuman of Morrison Heights Clinic and nurse practitioner Wendi Haller of Louisville Pulmonary Care to discuss the importance of personalizing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treatment to individual patient needs.

Good information on COPD management.

COPD On Air: Let GOLD Be Your Guide Host Barry Price is joined by primary care physician Dr. Larry Neuman of Morrison Heights Clinic and Dr. Keith Robinson of Transformative Health Solutions to provide a summary of the 2020 GOLD report and how it translates into their COPD practice.

Here are some good podcasts on COPD and treatment.

Eating for Pulmonary Disease
We had a great BBC meeting this week on nutrition and eating for pulmonary lung disease. I just wanted to share some information as a follow up to that. Many times, when educating patients on their lung disease they are surprised to learn that what they eat can impact the way they breath. When you struggle to breath, your body uses and burns more energy and calories than a normal person does. Eating the right combination of foods can help to ease breathing. Those with lung disease can have a hard time getting rid of Carbon dioxide which is the waste product we exhale. Eating foods that produce less gas can often help those with lung disease breathe easier. For that reason, it is recommended to eat a diet with fewer carbs and more healthy fats. Talking to your doctor and determining what an ideal weight is for your body type is important. If you are overweight, you should take the steps to lose weight, and if you are underweight, it is just as important to gain weight. Many complications can come from both spectrums, but to best handle infections the body needs to be well-nourished. Nutrition can help prevent serious lung infections and help the body recover quicker when you are sick.
Here are a few eating tips recommended by the American Lung Association (ALA):
• Rest or take a nap just before eating.
• Eat more earlier in the day, later in the day you may be too tired to eat.
• Avoid foods that cause gas or make you feel bloated.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. 4-6 small meals a day
A few things our members said that helped them was to have easy alternatives on hand or make extra for leftovers. This allows them to have a healthy choice without the effort of cooking and cleanup.
Reference
American Lung Association [ALA] (2020). Nutrition and COPD. Retrieved from

Nutrition and COPD Your body uses food as fuel for all of its activities. The right mix of nutrients in your diet can help you breathe easier.

I found this video to have some interesting information about taking Vitamin D and Vitamin C for Influenza, the common cold, and possibly even Coronavirus.
Retrieved from

Coronavirus (COVID-19), Flu, and Common Cold - Should you take Vitamin D and Vitamin C? Coronavirus (COVID-19), Flu, and Common Cold - Should you take Vitamin D and Vitamin C?

So…you keep hearing the word “Exacerbation”!!! What is it and how can you help prevent it?
According to the COPD Foundation, an exacerbation is any flare-up of your breathing that causes worse than usual symptoms. This usually happens when you get sick with a respiratory infection and can be very serious. An exacerbation and can lead to multiple ER visits and hospitalizations. Learning to manage your COPD and watching for symptom changes can help to prevent or minimize the severity of these exacerbations.
Some early warning signs of an exacerbation are:
• Increased cough or sputum production.
• Change in sputum color.
• Increased shortness of breath or wheezing.
• Low-grade fever, fatigue, or ankle swelling.
• Having to use rescue inhaler more often than usual.
• Increase in oxygen needs.
• Confusion, restlessness, or feeling dizzy.
The main treatment for an exacerbation is antibiotics and steroids. It is important to recognize when your symptoms worsen so you can seek treatment early before it turns into an exacerbation.
To help reduce exacerbations it is important to:
• Wash hands well and often.
• Avoid people who are sick.
• Get your annual flu shot and pneumonia shot as advised by your doctor.
• Manage symptoms every day with a controller inhaler medication.
• Develop a COPD Action Plan.
• Call your doctor if symptoms don’t get better within 24 hours.
• If smoking…Quit.
Reference
COPD Foundation (2020). What is an exacerbation? Retrieved from

Avoiding COPD Exacerbations | COPD Foundation An exacerbation of COPD is a flare-up or episode when your breathing gets worse than usual and you become sick. With COPD you may have no symptoms, or stable symptoms, for a long time.