Blog - AlphaNet

Why is Patient Empowerment Important?

In 2006, Dr. Symma Finn, a researcher from the University of Florida doing her PhD thesis in sociology, set out to identify what benefits there were to a patient group – specifically Alphas – that were “empowered” or felt a sense of control over their own health.

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8 Ways to Boost Your Mental Health Today

We know life can sometimes be overwhelming, and you may not always feel your best. Here are some tips to help you relax, recharge, and boost your mental health today.

10 Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep

Read on for some great tips to help you fall asleep and stay asleep so that you start each day feeling rested and ready to take on the world.

A Brief History of Alpha-1

From the discovery of human neutrophil elastase's role in lung damage to the development of life-saving treatments, read on to learn about the history of Alpha-1 and find out how our evolving understanding of Alpha-1 continues to shape both clinical approaches and patient outcomes today.

Alpha-1 Children: What a Parent Can Do

Learn about what you can do as a parent to help protect your Alpha child’s health.

An Alpha's Guide to Airway Clearance

When you have Alpha-1 lung disease, mucus can build up in your lungs. If you can’t clear the mucus by coughing, it can make you sick and cause damage. Luckily, there are several techniques that can help. Read on to learn more about airway clearance.

Combating Lung Disease Risk Factors

While smoke is a major risk factor for lung-affected Alphas, it’s far from the only one. Many substances found throughout the home and other environments can negatively impact your health.

Clinical Corner: Managing Your Infusion Supplies

If you are one of the many Alphas who receive augmentation therapy at home via an infusion nurse or you self-infuse, it is crucial that you learn to properly manage your infusion supplies. Learn some great tips for keeping track of your supplies, staying organized, and making sure you’re ready for the unexpected.

Clinical Corner: Medication Management After a Natural Disaster

Many Alphas are on a wide range of medications including inhalers, pills, and temperature-sensitive intravenous medicine. With this in mind, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers valuable information detailing the important steps every Alpha should know in order to safeguard their medications in the event of a natural disaster.

Clinical Corner: Preventing Infection – Techniques for Infusions

Preventing infection may be the single most important thing an Alpha can do to maintain their health. For Alphas with lung disease receiving augmentation therapy, this means that you and your infusion nurse must be diligent with the procedures used during your infusion to ensure that they are clean and germ-free.

Clinical Corner: Tips for Cleaning and Disinfecting Respiratory Equipment

Almost all devices used to deliver oxygen and inhaled medications become moist from contact with the secretions of breathing and coughing. This moisture creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. It becomes extremely important, therefore, to clean, disinfect and maintain your respiratory equipment in order to significantly reduce the risk of lung infection.

Combating Seasonal Affective Disorder

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Awareness Month. SAD is a condition that affects some individuals during the fall and winter months when daylight hours become shorter. Read on to learn more about SAD and find tips to manage it.

Coordinated Breathing for Lung Disease

Coordinated breathing helps you match your breathing to the activity you're doing. You can control how deeply and quickly you breathe with techniques like pursed-lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing.

Coping wiith Alpha-1

If you are like most people, you have already been coping with all kinds of stressful situations. And now you’re expected to add one more thing to the list: coping with Alpha-1. Read on to learn about different ways to handle stress in your life while dealing with a condition like Alpha-1.

Dealing with Loss: The Five Stages of Grief

If you’re living with Alpha-1, your lungs are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs, exacerbating existing lung conditions and potentially leading to long-term lung damage.

Designing Your Personal Exercise Program

Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey or looking to optimize your current routine, understanding some exercise fundamentals can help you get the most out of our workouts, track your progress, and ultimately, feel your best.

Diet and Nutrition Guide for Alpha-1 Liver Health

One of the best things a liver-affected Alpha can do for their health is pay close attention to their diet. A healthy, balanced diet can support liver health by helping to prevent excess weight gain, provide extra support for liver function, and avoid preventable liver damage. Read on to learn more and find diet and nutrition tips for Alpha-1 liver health right from the Big Fat Reference Guide.

Diet and Nutrition Guide for Alpha-1 Lung Health

Besides keeping active, and staying proactive with your prescribed treatments, your diet can play a major role in how well you feel as a lung-affected Alpha. Read on to learn about diet and nutrition tips for Alphas and discover ways you can make mealtime more exciting.

Emergency Preparedness Guide for Alphas

Are you prepared for an emergency? If you are an Alpha who is on augmentation therapy or oxygen therapy it is especially crucial to have a plan in the event that a natural disaster or an emergency takes place. Read on for tips on how to stay prepared for any emergency that may come your way.

Energy Management Techniques for Daily Living

One of the first goals for an Alpha with lung disease to consider is the development of a reasonable set of expectations for dealing with work, family, and health that will allow you to conserve the energy you need for the act of breathing. Read on to find tips to help you manage your energy and get the most out of each day.

Exercise Tips for Beginners

We all know exercise has a number of benefits for us; it's great for releasing stress, maintaining mental clarity, and, of course, keeping physically fit, but many of us struggle with where to start when it comes to working out.

Healthy Eating During the Holidays

There are ways to enjoy what the holidays have to offer without going overboard! Find holiday health tips that will help make sure you stay on track and feel your best when the New Year rolls around.

Healthy Eating May Lead to Healthier Alphas

While eating well should be a priority for everyone, a balanced diet can be especially important for Alphas as it may lead to notable changes in their overall quality of life.

Helpful Tips and Tools for Combating Stress

We feel stress whenever the demands placed on us are greater than the resources we have available to help us meet those demands. Each of us learns how to handle stress by relying on our own skills and abilities. Read on to find positive ways to deal with the stressors in your life.

How to Discuss Alpha-1 with Your Doctor

It is your physician’s responsibility to do their best to understand and monitor your condition, but your health as an Alpha should be a collaborative effort. Read on to find some tips straight from the BFRG on how to discuss your condition with your doctor and help keep your Alpha-1 health in check.

How to Educate Others About Alpha-1

Beyond advocacy work, simply sharing your knowledge and personal experience is a powerful way to significantly raise awareness, help others get diagnosed earlier, and move the Alpha-1 community closer to a cure. Read on to learn how to spread the word and help others understand Alpha-1.

How to Identify Trustworthy Resources: A Guide for Alphas

For those with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency or those who suspect they may have Alpha-1, early diagnosis and proper management are crucial, making it essential to find reliable, accurate health information to help navigate the condition. Read on to learn how to identify trustworthy sources for medical and other information.

Improving Indoor Air Quality: Why and How?

What is more important than the air that we breathe? The quality of that air – especially for Alphas who are particularly vulnerable to environmental irritants. Read on to learn why monitoring your indoor air quality is crucial to your health and find ways to improve the air quality in your home.

Is Oxygen Therapy Right for Me?

For those who are affected by low oxygen levels (hypoxemia), oxygen therapy or supplemental oxygen can provide the additional oxygen needed to help you continue to perform at your best.

Managing Alpha-1 in the Workplace

Living with Alpha-1 can present challenges, especially in the workplace. As an individual with Alpha-1, you may need to consider your health needs and take steps to manage your condition while continuing to work. Fortunately, there are practical strategies to make the workplace more comfortable and manageable for those with Alpha-1.

More Nutrition Tips for Alphas with Lung Disease

Our bodies need a long list of nutrients to stay healthy. Some of these nutrients are especially important when you have lung disease. Protein, sodium, calcium, and magnesium are a few to pay attention to. Keep reading to learn how to get key nutrients in your daily diet.

Move It or Lose It

The various stages of COPD can come with limitations. While it’s important to understand those limitations, it’s also important to find ways to work around them for your own benefit.

Navigating Health Insurance: Key Terms and Tips

As a patient with chronic medical needs, it is important to fully understand your health plan including what benefits you are entitled to and whether or not you must abide by any yearly or lifetime spending limits.

Navigating Health Insurance: Key Terms and Tips

New Year, Healthy Habits

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reassess your daily habits and make sure you are taking habits that truly serve you well into the new year. We have gathered a list of tips that will help you feel your absolute best in 2026.

Nutrition for Alphas: Beyond the BFRG

These tips have been culled from years of information gathering and trial by some of your most experienced AlphaNet Coordinators and Senior Medical Director, Robert A. Sandhaus.

Oral Hygiene: Important for an Alpha’s Overall Health

While at one time it was believed that the worst outcome of gum disease was tooth loss, studies have shown that oral health affects the entire body.

Proper Use of Inhalers

Through the use of an inhaler, certain medications can be directly administered to the lungs. Types of inhaler devices include pressurized metered dose inhalers (MDIs or pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs), and soft mist inhalers.

Reducing Inflammation Through Diet

In this article, we’ll explore how inflammation plays a role in Alpha-1, and how a nutrient-rich diet can help individuals reduce inflammation, improve their immune system, and potentially manage Alpha-1 symptoms more effectively.

Seeking Support from Others

Whether you are a newly-diagnosed Alpha coming to terms with your recent diagnosis or you are an Alpha experiencing health or life issues that you are struggling to cope with, there are a number of resources available to help you navigate through difficult times...

Sleep Apnea: A Health Problem That Can Be Sneaky

Everyone has trouble sleeping sometimes. Usually when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you notice it. You may also stop breathing in your sleep, without even noticing that it’s happening.

Small Moves, Big Benefits: Combating a Sedentary Lifestyle

Learn about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle and find small ways to get more movement throughout your day.

Smoking is Your Greatest Risk

Smoking and secondhand smoke damage your lungs, along with your heart and other organs. And the damage happens even faster when you have Alpha-1. The good news is that you can quit. Read on to learn more.

Spring Clean Your Allergies Away

Find useful tips on how to remove allergens from your home and prevent more from getting in.

Stretch, Lift and Walk: Exercise Tips for the Active Alpha

While incorporating healthy eating habits into your daily life can lead to positive changes, exercise is also a key component to overall improved health.

Summer Travel Guide for Alphas

Find great travel advice specifically for Alphas taken directly from our own Big Fat Reference Guide to Alpha-1.

Summer Wellness Guide for Alphas

Follow this guide to get tips on how to live your best life this summer while treating your body well, too.

Telehealth for Alphas: Weighing the Pros and Cons

While telehealth offers many advantages, it’s not a perfect solution for everyone. Understanding both the benefits and limitations of telehealth can help individuals with Alpha-1 make informed decisions about their care.

The First Visit After Your Alpha-1 COPD Diagnosis

The first visit with your healthcare provider after a diagnosis of Alpha-1-related COPD is an important one. This visit is a first step toward stopping your lung disease from getting worse. Read on to learn more about what to expect from your first visit.

Use It or Lose It: 5 Tips for Maintaining Your Mobility

Personal mobility can play a significant role in improving your quality of life, and the choices you make now can influence your quality of life down the road. As the saying goes “if you don’t use it, you lose it!” Read through for a few ideas to help you be proactive about maintaining and increasing your mobility.

What Every Alpha With Lung Disease Needs to Know

There are certain things every person with Alpha-1-related-COPD should know in order to help prevent disease and live their best quality of life. We have compiled a list of subjects each Alpha with lung disease should be acquainted with and have included links to informational articles and worksheets to help you learn everything you need to know about living with COPD.

What is the Alpha-1 Research Registry?

You have probably heard of the Alpha-1 Research Registry, but what exactly is it? And how does it benefit the Alpha-1 community? Read on to learn more about the Research Registry and why you should join.

What is a Pulmonary Rehab Program?

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program designed to help you reach your activity goals. It can help you breathe easier, and you just might find yourself enjoying life more, too. Read on to learn more and find out whether pulmonary rehab may be right for you.

Why is Diet So Important for Alphas?

Diet is especially important for Alphas. Good nutrition can help protect your lungs and liver while a poor diet can lead to health problems that make Alpha-1 harder to manage. Read on to learn more about eating right for Alpha-1.

Why is Exercise So Important for Alphas?

We know exercise is good for everybody, but why is it so crucial for Alphas to stay physically fit? Regardless of how Alpha-1 affects you, exercise can help prevent your condition from worsening and may even help improve your quality of life in the long run.

Why is Patient Empowerment Important?

In 2006, Dr. Symma Finn, a researcher from the University of Florida doing her PhD thesis in sociology set out to identify what benefits there were to a patient group – specifically Alphas – that were “empowered” or felt a sense of control over their own health.

Why is Staying Hydrated So Important for Alphas?

Read on to find out why it’s essential for Alphas to prioritize hydration and how to ensure you’re staying hydrated.

Wildfire Smoke Safety for Alphas

If you’re living with Alpha-1, your lungs are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs, exacerbating existing lung conditions and potentially leading to long-term lung damage.