Alpha-1 Advocacy Alliance - Healthtips Exercise

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Testing for AAT Deficiency
Simply click HERE Alpha One International Registry
provides AAT Deficiency Testing. This AAT Deficiency Testing is a
COMPLETE CONFIDENCIAL TESTING SERVICE
and WITHOUT COST TO YOU.
This testing will include measuring the CONCENTRATION of AAT in your blood, determining the TYPE of ATT in your blood and (where appropriate) determining your AAT genotype by testing the DNA in your blood; State of the art, full-spectrum Alpha-1 Testing .

Please read the detail at: AAT Deficiency Detection Center

Health Tips

Exercise-Exercise-Exercise

Exercise is the best friend an Alpha lung patient could ever have besides their doctor. The physical stimulation will not only increase the patient's ability to deal with the stress of decreased air, but also with the emotional trials of being able to do less and less. As you exercise and gain strength, you will find that you can do more and more.

Everyone should go through some sort of pulmonary rehab to establish an exercise program suited to them. At rehab, the physical therapist monitors your oxygen needs and your physical restraints and plans a program that allows you to increase your exercise capacity. The person who goes in being unable to walk five minutes on a treadmill, may leave there after the six week program able to walk for 20, 30 or 40 minutes. Everyone is different but they should be evaluated first. Your therapist will be checking your oxygen levels to determine how much you need, if any.

Begin by contacting your doctor and asking to be put in pulmonary rehab. There is usually one within most hospitals and they are even popping up now in some of the bigger fitness centers. Most insurance companies will pay, but check with yours to find what benefits you have available to you.

If getting out is a problem, you can always begin a modified program at home. Check with your doctor FIRST about what you want to do. Below you will find some suggestions for simple exercises you can do at home. This is not a cardio workout, but a simple group of movements that will or can help you become more flexible and get more oxygen to your muscles.

Common Sense Instructions FIRST!!

This website has some good common sense instructions for you to follow before you begin any exercise program at home. Check it out!
http://www.aarc.org/patient_education/tips/exercise.html

Upper Body Strengthening

This website from the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand provides the written instructions as well as pictures for you to follow. They are very simple and easy to follow.
http://www.asthmanz.co.nz/copdexcontent.htm

Proper Breathing Exercises

The following website has the proper instructions for diaphragmatic breathing. Keeping the diaphragm working is a struggle for the COPD patient, but is essential for breathing properly. It takes time to get used to working the diaphragm, so don't expect to get this right the very first time. We tend to rely on our shoulder muscles to help us breathe as our lung function decreases. That's why we look like we have no neck! When you begin breathing from the diaphragm, you will feel your shoulders dropping and experience a more relaxed feeling in your whole upper body.
http://www.cipladoc.com/html/eom/eom.htm

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