Natural supplements to help COPD

Sounds like a fairytale but who know knows ? I can identify with you about clutching at straws or trying anything. On the other hand, I would not be prepared to take any medication, natural or otherwise, without knowing a lot more about it.

Hi Sokrackers,

Thank you for noticing my thread and especially for the link about Serrapeptase, I had not heard about this before but it sounds wonderful, I shall look more into it and make sure it is safe.

(I am replying here as well and made a spelling correction below to Arachidonic acid).

My doctor prescribes N-acetyl cysteine ( you can buy this as a supplement) to loosen the mucous but will only prescribe a 10 day course occasionally, he said not to take it all the time because it can stop the body from producing it's own and other side effects.

In the end I found several comments that Curcumin was a very good antioxidant and anti inflammatory specifically for COPD.

Also to eat lots of ripe cherries as they are a Cox 11 inhibitor and that is what we need apparently. Otherwise the usual things like take antioxidants, fish oil (omega 3) and B vitamins and minerals.

I have also read that we should avoid dairy products as they cause more and thicker mucous, I find this to be true for me but still have the odd goats milk yoghurt and butter! Other things regarding food was to avoid Arachidonic acid foods as it causes inflammation, here is a link, complicated and so best also to look up yourself as there is a lot about the connection between COPD and Arachidonic acid. It is in red meat for a starters.

After all that I still have a chronic cough but not so much mucous as before, it is difficult to say if the diet is helping because I also started chest/breathing excercises given to me by a physio.

I commend any one who tries to find out for themselves how to halt the progression of COPD and so best of luck with it and let us know how you get on.

itmonline.org/arts/lox.htm

A simple blood test at your GPs can tell you if you need boosting. As i am having skin cancer treatment and not allowed any sunlight on my body for three years, my GP, along with the help of the blood test, decided I needed vit D and Calcium....you can't obsorb one without the other. I'm a pensioner so free prescription but to buy the correct Vit D from a shop meant Holland and Barrett as they are the only ones that do the correct vit D, megga bucks. I've been on steroids for over 20 years and so also have a touch of brittle bones so it will help that too.

Thanks guys for your posts. I will take calcium/magnesium supplements to help prevent brittle bones. I asked to be tested for B12 deficiency - blood tests due today. I work in an office with little natural daylight so do take a Vit D supplement (also from Holland & Barratt).

I hope I live to be a pensioner! LOL

There was a post on supplements, I don't know where it's gone. So I've put the question about this in the suggestions (the lamp in the green circle bottom right. This question periodically comes back. I'll try to know how to read past posts about a particular subject.

I found some posts here, but not on magnesium: healthunlocked.com/herbal-r...