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

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

Linda Esposito, MPH
Yale-educated BRONCHIECTASIS Patient Advocate & Author
đź’—Compassionate coach w/ 25 yrs exp 1:1 ZOOM consultations
🎥 Free videos youtube.com/
❎ 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.

‼️‼️Sharing with you a message I received from Dr. Doreen Addrizzo-Harris and her team‼️‼️Good Afternoon, On July 2nd fr...
06/19/2026

‼️‼️Sharing with you a message I received from Dr. Doreen Addrizzo-Harris and her team‼️‼️

Good Afternoon,

On July 2nd from 11:30am to 1pm EST, the NYU Langone Health Bronchiectasis & NTM Clinical and Research Team will be hosting a webinar in celebration of World Bronchiectasis Day.

This 90 minute webinar will highlight all of the different aspects of patient care and research being done by our program at NYU Langone, including introductions to all members of our team with a dedicated question and answer session at the end of the webinar.

To register for the event, please visit: https://nyumc.webex.com/weblink/register/rba74fe20cc43948c2f4526e7244312b4

In addition to our event, the Bronchiectasis & NTM Association and its centers will be hosting a variety of virtual programs on July 1st to celebrate World Bronchiectasis Day. The list of programs and other information can be found at: www.WorldBronchiectasisDay.org

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

All the Best,
NYULH Bronchiectasis & NTM Clinical and Research Team

06/18/2026

Our Dr Aksamit is taking a walk on the wild side with his tie-dye world bronchiectasis day T-shirt!!! The kindest man you’ll ever meet 🩵💚💙

I’ve been working on a project for more than a year. It was about 70% complete when I hired someone to help me bring it ...
06/18/2026

I’ve been working on a project for more than a year. It was about 70% complete when I hired someone to help me bring it across the finish line.

She was kind, talented, and incredibly capable. But she had one significant flaw: she consistently overcomplicated things and took on too much.

Whenever I offered to help with tasks I knew I could handle, she would say, “No, let me do that. If I need you, I’ll let you know.”

Even when I offered to pay her more because I felt she was going above and beyond, she declined and again assured me she had everything under control.

The last message I received from her said something like, “I’m working on our list, and as soon as I have something for you to review, I’ll send it over.”

Then… nothing.

Silence.

I reached out a few times. No response. No explanation.

Of course, it was upsetting. When you spend months working closely with someone, you develop trust and expectations. But after the disappointment faded, I realized there was a lesson hidden in the experience.

For those of us living with chronic illness, one of the most important skills we can develop is learning not to overextend ourselves.

The bottom line is not how much we hope to do. The bottom line is whether we can realistically do what we’ve committed to doing.

Maybe that means inviting family over for Sunday dinner and serving a salad while askingothers to contribute.

Maybe it means hosting a pool party for your granddaughter but letting someone else handle the decorations and games.

Maybe it means simplifying your airway clearance routine so you can consistently complete it rather than creating an elaborate program that feels overwhelming.

There is tremendous wisdom in being honest with ourselves about our limits.

When we create expectations that are impossible to meet, we set ourselves up for frustration and disappointment. But when we build our lives around what is sustainable, we create confidence. We create consistency. We create success.

As I’ve often said, consistency beats perfection every single time.



While helping my family through a difficult time, I ate an Almond Joy— for breakfast.Not exactly what most people would ...
06/17/2026

While helping my family through a difficult time, I ate an Almond Joy— for breakfast.

Not exactly what most people would expect from a health coach who believes in walking her walk.

As many of you know, our family has been navigating an extremely difficult situation. During those first days, my focus was simply on being present, available, and supportive. And during that time, I wasn’t craving vegetables, fruit, yogurt, or protein.

I wanted pasta. Cookies. Candy. Comfort food.
So I listened to my body and gave myself some grace.

Now that things have settled down a bit, I’ve naturally found my way back to the foods that make me feel my best. Not perfectly, mind you. There may still be a few more cookies than usual. But that’s okay.

The lesson is the importance of building a strong foundation during the good times. The exercise, nutritious meals, airway clearance, sleep, and healthy habits we practice day after day are not just for today. They help carry us through life’s inevitable challenges.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting that when stress hits, we should switch to a steady diet of candy bars and pasta. I’m simply sharing what happened to me.

Sometimes resilience doesn’t look like perfection. Sometimes it looks like doing the best you can in a difficult moment, trusting that the habits you’ve built over months and years will help guide you back when you’re ready.

And for the record, that Almond Joy was so satisfying.





The definition of a bronchiectasis pulmonary exacerbation:A person with bronchietasis with a deterioration in three or m...
06/16/2026

The definition of a bronchiectasis pulmonary exacerbation:

A person with bronchietasis with a deterioration in three or more of the following key symptoms for at least 48 hours:

1) Cough
2) Sputum volume and/or consistency
3) Sputum purulence
4) Breathlessness and/or exercise tolerance
5) Fatigue and/or malaise
6) Haemoptysis

AND a clinician determines that a change in bronchiectasis treatment is required

The goal is to prevent exacerbations because they can lead to hospitalization, accelerated lung damage, reduced quality of life, and a poorer long-term prognosis.

When you get a chance, pour yourself a cup of something delicious and spend some time looking over these slides from the Bronchiectasis and NTM Patient Conference held last month in Orlando. They accompanied top expert, Dr. Anne O’Donnell’s presentation.

This is one reason why some people with bronchiectasis who do not have NTM are prescribed azithromycin three times per week. Research presented by Dr. Mark Metersky of the University of Connecticut suggests that long-term macrolide therapy may not only reduce exacerbations but may also be associated with a lower risk of developing NTM disease.

That said, regular sputum cultures remain important while taking azithromycin. If NTM, such as MAC, is detected, azithromycin is often discontinued, although not always.
One reason is that using azithromycin alone when MAC is present may increase the risk of the bacteria developing resistance to the medication.

Physicians often want to preserve MAC’s susceptibility to azithromycin because it is one of the cornerstone drugs that may be used, when appropriate, as part of treatment for MAC and other NTM infections.

This also helps explain the excitement surrounding newer nonantibiotic therapies such as Brinsupri (brensocatib), which was recently approved, along with similar drugs currently in development. These medications target the excessive inflammation that contributes to exacerbations.

Treatment decisions are individualized. The best approach depends on a person’s symptoms, sputum culture results, exacerbation history, and overall clinical picture.



🎥 NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Reflux, Bronchiectasis, and Protecting Our LungsYears ago, reflux was not something I paid much att...
06/15/2026

🎥 NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Reflux, Bronchiectasis, and Protecting Our Lungs

Years ago, reflux was not something I paid much attention to. That changed as I learned more about bronchiectasis, GERD, LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux), and the possibility that aspiration may contribute to airway irritation and lung symptoms.

In this video, I discuss:

✔️ Why reflux became a bigger focus in my own health journey
✔️ The possible connection between reflux, aspiration, and airway irritation
✔️ Why hydration may be more nuanced than simply “drink more water”
✔️ Some of the alginate products I personally use
✔️ Why protecting our lungs involves more than airway clearance alone
When we think about lung health, it’s important to consider all the factors that may be contributing to symptoms, inflammation, or ongoing irritation.

Please remember: This video is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always discuss diagnosis and treatment decisions with your healthcare team.

👉 Watch the full video on YouTube.https://youtu.be/_XkqgHfppBs?is=OouG3YDbgsKBo4MA

Reflux Gourmet
Reflux Guard
RefluxRaft Community

Most of us remember the story of The Three Little Pigs.One pig built his house out of straw. Another built with sticks. ...
06/14/2026

Most of us remember the story of The Three Little Pigs.

One pig built his house out of straw. Another built with sticks. The third took the time and effort to build a house of bricks.

When the wolf arrived, the straw house couldn’t withstand the challenge. The stick house didn’t fare much better. But the brick house remained standing.

I often think about that story when it comes to health.

None of us can prevent the “wolves” of life from showing up. Sometimes they come in the form of viruses, infections, environmental exposures, poor air quality, stress, grief, lack of sleep, family crises, financial worries, or unexpected medical problems.

The goal is not to build a body that never gets sick or never struggles. That’s not realistic. The goal is to build as many bricks as possible so that when challenges come, we are better able to weather them.

Each healthy habit may seem small on its own. One brick doesn’t look like much. But over weeks, months, and years, those bricks begin to form a foundation.

I recently experienced a family crisis that turned life upside down overnight. My routines were disrupted. Sleep was limited. Stress levels were high. Yet I found myself grateful for all the years spent building those health bricks. They didn’t make me invincible, but they helped me remain standing during a difficult time.

For those of us living with bronchiectasis or other chronic conditions, building our brick house is an ongoing process. We don’t do it because we expect perfection. We do it because we know life will eventually test our walls.

And when it does, the stronger the foundation we’ve built, the better our chances of weathering the storm.

To build your own individual house of bricks, schedule a talk with me. You will always be the general contractor of your own health, but I can guide you and be a lifelong resource for you.

Schedule consultation today and let’s get started!

https://www.letsbecleartoday.com/store/p15/75_minute_consultation.html

Did you know that acid may not be the whole story when it comes to reflux, chronic cough, throat clearing, and hoarsenes...
06/12/2026

Did you know that acid may not be the whole story when it comes to reflux, chronic cough, throat clearing, and hoarseness?

Researchers are paying increasing attention to pepsin, a digestive enzyme from the stomach that can travel into the throat and airways during reflux.

What’s especially interesting is that pepsin may linger in tissues long after the reflux event is over and potentially become active again later.

For those of us living with bronchiectasis, chronic cough, or LPR (silent reflux), understanding pepsin may help explain why symptoms sometimes persist even when we don’t feel obvious reflux.

I just published a new blog that breaks down what pepsin is, why it matters, and what researchers are learning about its possible role in airway irritation and inflammation.

Read my recent blog here:

https://www.letsbecleartoday.com/be-clear-blog/understanding-pepsins-role-in-laryngopharyngeal-reflux-lpr

Have you ever been told that reflux might be contributing to your respiratory symptoms?


“Aunt Linda, why are you eating cauliflower and spinach at 8 o’clock in the morning? Do you actually like that?”“No, swe...
06/11/2026

“Aunt Linda, why are you eating cauliflower and spinach at 8 o’clock in the morning? Do you actually like that?”

“No, sweetheart. I can’t say I love it this early in the day. But I think of food as medicine. And during difficult times, it’s especially important for me to stay healthy.”

It’s unusual for me to spend days on end with my Connecticut family and for them to see how I eat. They get a front-row seat to the fact that I truly think of food as medicine. Just as I wouldn’t skip taking an important medication, I don’t skip doing my best to nourish my body.

Recently, my family and I have been going through some very challenging circumstances involving a loved one. For four days in a row, I didn’t do any airway clearance. I sat in a hospital room. I didn’t wear a mask because I wanted my loved one to see my face. In that moment, being fully present was more important to me.

I also realized something. We work very hard to build strong, resilient bodies. Sometimes life puts that resilience to the test. Thankfully, I seem to be doing okay.

This experience has also given me a deeper appreciation for what so many people in our community face when they become caregivers. It can be incredibly difficult to care for yourself while caring for someone else. It can feel much harder when life becomes overwhelming.

So this is a reminder for all of us: when times get tough, don’t abandon the things that help keep you strong. They matter more than ever.

And thank you for all of your kind messages and well wishes. I carry this community with me every day. When I choose the healthy food, do my airway clearance, go for a walk, or simply try to stay positive, I think of you.

I am also continuing to take on new clients and work with my current coaching clients. The work gives me purpose, keeps me focused, and, in many ways, is my therapy.

You are with me every step of the way. đź’™

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