Be Clear-A Self-Care Method to Living with Bronchiectasis

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Be Clear-A Self-Care Method to Living with Bronchiectasis Linda Esposito
Helping people with bronchiectasis live their best life
Yale MPH • Author • Patient Advocate
💗 1:1 Zoom education • No medical advice

Author of “The BE CLEAR Method to Living with Bronchiectasis” available on Amazon-

https://amzn.to/333htls?trk=public_post_share-update_update-text

Bronchiectasis is the permanent scarring of the lung airway passages, often from an infection, asthma or COPD. It is a lifelong chronic disease, but by practicing the BE CLEAR Method of self-care, created by Linda C. Esposito, MPH, you can feel better!

Our flight to Paris was rescheduled, giving me time to work on my standing yoga practice and find a little more flow to ...
10/12/2026

Our flight to Paris was rescheduled, giving me time to work on my standing yoga practice and find a little more flow to let my spirit shine.

Many of us have stepped away from yoga because of reflux issues, so I’m experimenting with a standing, flowing practice.

Loving this gorgeous yoga mat, courtesy of artist and bronchi-sister Maggie Hart.🩵💙

Well, last night our flight was canceled and rebooked which gives me time to talk about my space shuttle maneuver. No, I...
10/12/2026

Well, last night our flight was canceled and rebooked which gives me time to talk about my space shuttle maneuver.

No, I’m not taking a space shuttle to Paris. It’s a hybrid airway clearance approach that I have exclusively shared with my coaching clients.

A couple of years ago, bronchiectasis expert Dr. Pamela McShane rocked our world when she said she prefers her patients to nebulize first, then use a OPEP device, such as an Aerobika or Acapella, or exercise to move mucus out.

That differed from the approach many of us learned at National Jewish Health: connecting the AeroEclipse nebulizer cup to the Aerobika and doing both therapies together. Cheryl Torres, lead respiratory therapist at NJH, says the doctors favor this in-line approach because they believe it is effective and takes less time.
The different approaches sparked lively discussions in our community.

I even made a YouTube video, “Get the Mucus Out,” about them.

At a professional conference, I told Dr. McShane she had turned our world upside down. She laughed and said, “Linda, whatever works for people is what’s most important.” I think we can all agree.

When clients still feel congested and can sense mucus moving but can’t clear it, I sometimes share my occasional “best of both worlds” approach: the Aeroeclipse alone for about five minutes, then I connect the Aerobika and continue until the saline is gone (with the Aeroeclipse some liquid will always remain in the cup.) Remove the nebulizer cup and finish with the Aerobika.

I call this the “space shuttle maneuver.” I know nothing about space science, but on Zoom I try to get a laugh out of my client by lifting off the nebulizer cup as if it were a space capsule floating away.

For people without reflux concerns, I also share NYU’s suggestion to use the Aerobika lying on your right side, left side and back, taking about 10 breaths in each position, followed by huffing.

Whether you approach your airway clearance with a new space, shuttle maneuver, or have plans to travel.

I wish you all a safe journey.🚀

Do not change your current practices without first discussing it with your medical team.

Click to watch Let’s Get That Mucus Out YouTube video‼️‼️

https://tinyurl.com/bdh3p34c

This month, we’re talking about airway clearance, including how to manage it while traveling. When I’m back from Paris, ...
10/11/2026

This month, we’re talking about airway clearance, including how to manage it while traveling. When I’m back from Paris, I’ll write more about airway clearance and traveling in a blog post.

What we pack depends on our usual airway clearance routine, the severity of our disease, and the kind of trip we’re taking. Are we taking a cruise, staying in one apartment, or moving from hotel to hotel?

How comfortable are we with taking on some risk by bringing fewer devices? A safari, where luggage may be limited to one 30-pound duffel bag, is one example of when packing light may be necessary.

My husband and I are going to Paris to visit his sister, who has lived there for decades. We’ve rented an apartment because we like to whip up a quick meal. Staying healthy on vacation means doing my best to eat well and get enough sleep. As I tell my clients, it’s not all about airway clearance.

I’ll use dancing and movement to help open up my airways, plus an exercise band for strength exercises and stretches.

I’m bringing two Aerobika devices and two InnoSpire Go nebulizers, which I got from someone who bought several in Australia. I planned to take my Trek S, but it was acting a little wonky when I tested it. I couldn’t tell if it was the cord or the compressor, so I decided to leave it at home.

Mesh nebulizers can be unreliable, too, so I feel better bringing two.

I’ll pack heavy-duty plastic bags for soaking my devices in soapy water. Since I’m bringing two sets for an eight-day trip, I could probably clean them without sterilizing them, but that doesn’t feel comfortable to me.

I’m also bringing my Drizzle Pot. Buying an inexpensive pot and using the stove will be my Plan B.

I take everything on the plane with me in my carry-on bag. I don’t have a special labeled bag for medical supplies because that doesn’t appeal to me. But I do have a letter from my doctor explaining why I need to bring hypertonic saline on board.

And if I get sick, I have my rescue antibiotic.

Most importantly, I’m packing a good attitude.

Travel has taught me things won’t be as they are at home. I have to accept that before I even set foot out the door.

Ombra has been begging me to take her along to Paris next week. She knows we’re going to visit family and she says she’s...
10/10/2026

Ombra has been begging me to take her along to Paris next week. She knows we’re going to visit family and she says she’s family, too.

She’s looking very chic, and she’s even been learning French. I’ve told her repeatedly that North America is where she has to stay, but she’s still trying her hardest to convince me.

Now she’s practicing: “Bonjour! Je suis un nébuliseur.”

She’s determined to make it to Paris, and just as determined to help us keep our airways clear.

https://www.monaghanmed.com/product/travel-guidelines

Monaghan Medical

We talk a lot about mucus with bronchiectasis. But have you ever wondered why it can be so difficult to clear?In my news...
10/09/2026

We talk a lot about mucus with bronchiectasis. But have you ever wondered why it can be so difficult to clear?

In my newsletter this week, I explain what can happen when the cilia, the tiny hair-like structures in our airways that I think of as little brooms, become damaged and can’t move mucus as effectively.

But there’s another part of the story: the mucus itself may be more concentrated, thicker, and heavier, making it harder to move.

Years ago, a woman who specialized in helping people clear their lungs showed me a simple visual: turn a sputum cup upside down. Thicker mucus may stick to the top. I’ve never forgotten that demonstration. It can help you describe what you’re seeing to your medical team.

And here’s something that may surprise you: simply drinking more water won’t change the makeup of bronchiectasis mucus.

I’m working on a blog post about why our mucus can be different, how it can become stagnant, and what that has to do with airway clearance. I hope to share it before I leave for Paris on Monday.

Watch this space!

Haven’t signed up for my monthly newsletter?

More than 1,000 people have opened this week’s issue, and I’m happy knowing that many are learning more about the why and how of airway clearance.

To sign up for future newsletters, visit letsbecleartoday.com.

Use the pop-up or scroll to the bottom of any page. It’s that easy. We have a lot to do, and we don’t need to search endlessly for good information.

A new Bronchiectasis & NTM support group is meeting on October 20 at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET!🥰The group welcomes people in...
10/08/2026

A new Bronchiectasis & NTM support group is meeting on October 20 at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET!🥰

The group welcomes people in San Francisco and Northern California, as well as anyone living elsewhere. We’ll meet on Zoom, so you can join from wherever you are.

The meeting will be led by Katelyn, an NTMir Ambassador and social worker.

To receive the Zoom link, please contact:
Katelyn: [email protected]

Patricia: [email protected]

Join in for an opportunity to connect with others who understand life with bronchiectasis and NTM.

NTM Info & Research
Bronchiectasis and NTM Association
Bronchiectasis Info & Research

I feel as if I know this woman because we’ve been communicating on Instagram for years. I love seeing photos of her chil...
10/08/2026

I feel as if I know this woman because we’ve been communicating on Instagram for years. I love seeing photos of her children and grandchildren, and years ago, we even trialed a new vibration vest together.

When she reached out to tell me she was starting Brinsupri and wanted to read through my social media posts, I suggested a better way to find the information: visit my website, letsbecleartoday.com, and type “Brinsupri” into the search box.

I currently work with about six clients who are taking Brinsupri. Most take 25 mg, and one takes 10 mg. She chose to start at 10 mg several months before her first visit to National Jewish Health, planning to ask her care team whether they would recommend increasing the dose.

After three months, she says she can’t believe how much better she feels even on the 10 mg. She’s a very active woman who swims in the ocean and goes to dance classes several times a week. Before starting Brinsupri, she had been short of breath and had very little energy.

I hope everyone who decides with their healthcare team to try a DPP-1 inhibitor such as Brinsupri finds the treatment helps. Each person’s experience is different. And if Brinsupri isn’t the right fit, more treatments are in development.

I’m turning off messaging today so I can focus on packing. If you’ve followed me for a while, you may remember that a couple of years ago, when I went to Portugal and Morocco, I left my two Aerobikas in my baby bottle sterilizer!

I don’t want that to happen again.💙🩵

It’s exciting to hit “Send” and know that the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis newsletter is going out to almost 2,000 peopl...
10/07/2026

It’s exciting to hit “Send” and know that the BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis newsletter is going out to almost 2,000 people!

I’ve been doing this for years, but I still get butterflies every time. I put so much time and effort into each issue, and I always hope readers will find it helpful.

This month’s newsletter focuses on airway clearance. We’re covering the “why” and the “how”.

Didn’t receive it? Check your spam folder.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, visit www.letsbecleartoday.com and sign up through the pop-up or at the bottom of any page. The newsletter arrives once a month.💙

BECLEARwithBronchiectasis

The October BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis newsletter, our Airway Clearance edition, will explore the “why” and “how” of a...
10/05/2026

The October BE CLEAR with Bronchiectasis newsletter, our Airway Clearance edition, will explore the “why” and “how” of airway clearance.💨💨💨

Already subscribed? Great! Sit back and watch your inbox.

Not subscribed yet? No problem.

Visit www.letsbecleartoday.com and sign up through the pop-up or the footer on any page.

It’s that easy. We’re busy people, and when something matters, it helps to make it easy.

With much love and excitement for all I have planned as we head toward my favorite holiday, Halloween🦇

🎃🎃🎃Linda

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