Hi, I was dx'd with that disease in 2000--pizz, so I have had a lot of time to research the underlying causes of the disease and possible treatments/cures.

First, it is an INHERITED disease, which means you have taken on the physical and spiritual'karma' (e.g., 'bad choices' of previous generations to try and deal with and clear up. Of the greatest importance in dealing with this disease is supporting your own, your family's and that of others close to you's spiritual health. In order to prevent or minimize its physical manifestations, the most important thing is to stay as consciously focussed on right behavior and correcting wrongs as well as you can. Since it is ignorance that is behind all the bad choices, you must spiritually educate yourself and support the education of those close to you. The Bible is of tremendous help, as is the Torah and much of the Buddhist teachings. Strong control of your thoughts and your words: keeping them positive, loving and supportive of yourself and others is absolutely essential. Eliminate any thoughts of resentment, hatred, shame blame and regret from your mind, even when your mind is absolutely convinced you are 'justified' in feeling so. Apply forgiveness--even to those who 'don't deserve it'. If you feel you just 'can't' do this, READ books on how to forgive and come to understand why it is so important.

On the physical level, there are some treatments I've found most helpful, but first I'd like to mention some treatments typically prescribed in America that I recommend Alpha's gradually wean themself off of, then avoid altogether:

Drugs I recommend you try to wean off of/avoid as much as possible: all the steroid and cortico-steroid based drugs. Advair was particularly
destructive in my case, mostly due to the Serevent component. Severe weight gain, short term memory loss and near complete inability to respond to life-damaging situations were almost completely reversed when I got off the stuff. Prednisone is a standard treatment, and I've had to resort to it in cases of severe asthma attacks. It acts as an adrenalin replacement, so you will really feel 'better' after taking it. However, it will reduce your body's ability to produce natural adrenalin, so should be avoided---and a diet that supports your adrenalin glands should definitely be adopted. But when I did have to use it, I used it only until the attack subsided).

My research indicates dubious support for the enzyme replacement therapy. For being so extremely costly and invasive, it really doesn't give quantifiable results (kind of like the 'elephant repellant': if you aren't attacked by an elephant, it must be working' is pretty much all it has to recommend it--there is no documentation whatsoever of it improving your physical state. Like most drug related therapies, it's purpose is to maintain your current level of disease, not help or cure it. I actually started improving when I focussed on mental-spiritual fitness, good diet and lifestyle, far more than when I was focussed on drugs). I quit the Alpha support group when I noticed the only support was given to drug therapies, rather than focussing on alternative treatments and actions or remedies that actually created improvement. The support group became a mourning a persistent list of sufferers dropping like flies from the typical Western treatments. I never regretted leaving it.

Now to the truly helpful treatments:

Re: lungs, breath: I have found that acupuncture by a Chinese trained specialist is very helpful in restoring breath. The Chinese are the most successful at treating ailments of the lungs, and related disorders, asthma and emphysema. They don't view the disease the same way Westerners do. Westerners are great at diagnosing and pinpointing the problem, but not as great with cures. Yoga is helpful for learning proper breathing techniques, which is important in dealing with the asthma-emphysema components of this disorder. But if that is too foreign for you, "Breathing Free", by Teresa Hale has some excellent breathing exercises. With the help of this book, I have avoided asthma attacks almost completely. It teaches you how to get your breath back under control when you are having a bad asthma attack.

Diet: Vitamins A, Calcium-Magnesium-D, E, B complex are extremely important--especially where the skin and scalp are concerned. Best to get them whole from foods: cold-pressed Flax,Borage oils are excellent. Spirulina (Blue-Green Algae)has pretty much the whole array of nutrients. You can take it in easily consumed capsules, but it is also available in protein drink mixes called 'Spirutein'. 'Dr. Bronner's' vegetable-mineral broth is an EXCELLENT food supplement. Emergen-C is a readily available fizzy drink that will help stave off bronchitis and flu when exposed to allergens and the flu virus, and give you the potassium you need that is leached out by cortico-steroid drugs.

Re, scalp condition: Is due to two factors: diet; and hair products. First, I switched to a shampoo that is lowest in alcohol and other standard shelf-brand irritants called "Aura" with Chamomile. You can also try some of the health food store's natural chamomile shampoos, but Aura is readily available at many grocers and beauty supply stores. It is pretty much the only shampoo I've found that doesn't immediately cause my scalp to turn to a white, flaky, itchy--then red and bleeding skullcap. I do not use hairs prays or other products containing alcohol--period.

The skin is the body's second biggest toxin eliminator after the liver. Skin surface and lung surface. So it is absolutely essential to avoid any substances that are even remotely toxic to the body, ingested or breathed in.

I have actually managed to improve my Alpha condition and only use albuterol for lung inflamation. I'm working on becoming medication free.