An update on possible helpful supplements
* DISCLAIMER* Well I figured i'd offer an update as to what I have been doing and researching, and how I am doing (seeing as how some people have spoken for me in my stead). I won't post here regularly seeing as how I don't get a long with a couple people here, and continuing to discuss things would just eventually result in negativity due to personality conflicts. Plus Bill banned my account and several of my IP's. To clarify, I wasn't the one who attacked the site, it was another member. I just happened to be posting/logged in around that time and I suppose it was viewed that I was in on it. While some of us don't get along, I would never harm the site. I felt I was banned for something I didn't do (the bad discussions aside), so I continued to post anyways using technology to get around the bans (my account and IP's are still banned btw). I came to the conclusion a while back this site isn't for me for various reasons. But I also came to the conclusion that I have the ability to help other CF's with my guinea pig like supplement useage and research. Now with that clarified (and I assure you it's a totally honest clarification), let's get on with the information as to the new supplements I have been using, with the hope that some of you might try them and feel as well as I am now.
As many of you know I was the one to start using oregano oil P73 sublingually, then in nebulized form. Then after two months or so I switched to the mycelized form for it's water solubility aspect, so there wouldn't be any issues with oil residue in the lungs. It has been nearly a year now that I have been using the OO in neb form, and occasional throat gargles/drops for and if I get the begining of a sore throat/cold, etc. I still feel amazing, and have had only one very minor beginings of a gout flareup, and two very minor lung bleeds (as compared to many bleeds before the OO). I have had several sputum cultures since then, complete blood work, and liver tests. My sputum showed that the serratia, pseudo, and staph that I have, are now "Very light", with regular bacteria "heavy". My blood work has shown very much lower levels of uric acid (the gout causing substance, which would attribute to me not having any more gout attacks, even with quite a bit of self abuse of a couple days of drinking a ton of beer and eating meat/steak). My liver test has come back more than fine also.
I used to have fairly bad bacteria based acne on my back, which is now totally gone. The most I ever cough up is maybe one or two lung oysters in the morning, and possibly one at night. Aside from that, i'm still clear as a bell (something my doc keeps saying is amazing everytime I go for a checkup). I have given him all the information on the OO and he has gone over it. He goes by the old adage "We don't know everything, but from the chemical breakdown of the substance and the data I went over, and your levels now, I can't say to stop taking it. You are doing amazing, who am I to say to stop". I have shared my information with quite a few people, and I will admit, the substance seems to not be for every CF. It seems CF's who are pretty bad off with much lower PFT's and varying lung bacteria, do alright for a month or two, then start to get a tad wheezy. Without any real CF patient trials in a controlled environment to monitor every aspect (including the patients personal habits, exercise, and diet), there is no way to get a true accurate analysis of just how good this substance is. So that is the update on the OO, i'm still doing it, and still feeling amazing.
At my last clinic, my PFT's were even higher, from 99% previously, to 105%. In case some of you don't know me, I'm 35 with two mutations (common delta, then a weird one).
Now regarding what else I have been doing. I felt there must be more out there to help supplement/herb wise, and there was. I looked at the main target of what I was trying to attack, as my bodies inflammation. So I looked into many different natural antiinflammatories. Most of us in the know, know that inflammation is basically our #1 culprit besides bacterial infection, and both of them go hand in hand for the most part.
I have nowhere near the time I used to have to do this research, so the research wasn't as indepth as what I put into researching OO, but it was still fairly thorough. I started looking into more plant based antiinflammatories and found many. I also looked into natural uric acid reducers, and also found several. In order to not be spending 100+ bucks a month of boatloads of supplements, I looked into the cheapest, strongest of the substances and narrowed it down. While doing that, I also started looking into Flavonoids/Flavonols. Again, my main aspect of our CF to attack was inflammation, oxidation, microbes, and general gout/arthritis, with inflammation being the primary bullseye.
There are many bioflavonoids out there, so you could take many different types. Here is some information regarding them in general. You could use this wiki link to further refine your research into particular ones for whatever purpose you are going for the most:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavonoid
">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavonoid
</a>
Here is one of the bioflavonoids I am currently taking. It is one of the most active, and extremely aggressive against inflammation. While I felt great on OO, these new supplements made me feel even better, and my general health, mental well being, and all aspects of CF symptoms greatly improved:
Quercetin
Quercetin is a flavonoid that forms the "backbone" for many other flavonoids, including the citrus flavonoids rutin, hesperidin, naringin and tangeritin. In studies, quercetin is found to be the most active of the flavonoids, and many medicinal plants owe much of their activity to their high quercetin content. Quercetin has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity because of direct inhibition of several initial processes of inflammation. For example, it inhibits both the manufacture and release of histamine and other allergic/inflammatory mediators. In addition, it exerts potent antioxidant activity and vitamin C-sparing action.
Here is a link to the product I am taking. There are many products out there, so whatever is from a reputable company and fits within your budget, and hopefully is pure and high doseage, go with that. BTW, remember a long time ago the discussion on here about how good apple skin is for CF's and people in general? Quercetin is why. Apples are loaded with it. But it's a pain to always eat 3 large apples a day. I get most of my stuff from vitacost.com because they make great pure stuff, and it's real cheap.
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.vitacost.com/NSIActivatedQuercetinComplex
">http://www.vitacost.com/NSIActivatedQuercetinComplex
</a>
Here is another bioflavonoid I am taking. Green Tea extract. I also drink green tea whenever I have the chance (The real stuff, not the crap out of vending machines loaded with high fructose corn syrup):
Green Tea
Green tea polyphenols are potent antioxidant compounds that have demonstrated greater antioxidant protection than vitamins C and E. Green tea may also increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Green tea polyphenols may inhibit cancer by blocking the formation of cancer-causing compounds and suppressing the activation of carcinogens. The major polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate,(EGCG), and proanthocyanidins).
Though both green tea and black tea are derived from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), they possess different antioxidants. In producing black tea the leaves are allowed to oxidize, during which enzymes present in the tea convert many polyphenols to larger molecules with different biological effects. However, green tea is produced by lightly steaming the fresh-cut leaf, which inactivates these enzymes, and oxidation does not occur.
Here is the product I take:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Green-Tea-Extract
">http://www.vitacost.com/NSI-Green-Tea-Extract
</a>
I also take a concentrated cherry fruit extract to help even more fight against inflammation and uric acid levels to keep gout at bay. I also drink pomegranite and cherry juice whenever I have acces to them, and eat any cherries I come across. Here is what I take:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.vitacost.com/NSICherryFruitExtract
">http://www.vitacost.com/NSICherryFruitExtract
</a>
I also take Thyme leaf at a very potent concentration. Thyme is a powerful herb with large antimicrobial properties, in particular, Thymol. The brand is Nature's Way Thyme Leaf. I take this in capsule form. You can find it in many health food stores, or possibly drug stores.
I have also been taking MSM, 2000mg daily. I feel it has greatly helped with my previous joint issues, and my joints now generally feel like I am in my teens again (i'm sure many of the other substances I take are contributing to this as well, but I have noticed a difference with the MSM) Here is the brand I take:
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.vitacost.com/NSIMSMMethylsulfonylmethane
">http://www.vitacost.com/NSIMSMMethylsulfonylmethane
</a>
For the most part, those are the newer supplements I am taking, and plan on also starting to take Cacao (a powerful flavonol that is found in pure dark chocolate, which I eat a good deal of when I can). I am pressed for time currently, so I don't have the time to link each older supplement I am taking as well, so I will just briefly mention each (If I mention the NSI brand, it's the primary brand from vitacost.com):
Megamen dietary supplement from GNC
Lyc-o-mato (lycopene 15mg from NSI. I also eat tons of watermelon whenever I can to get more lycopene)
Complete EFA (also from NSI)
Nature Made vitamin B-12 1000 mcg
N-Acetyl Cysteine (also from NSI) 1800 mg daily.
42 Fruits and Vegetables 1400mg (also from NSI)
And that is it right off the top of my head. I also walk about 18 miles a day, and do atleast 250+ pushups daily, and workout at the gym, and generally make physical exertion a large part of my life, whenever and however I can. My weight is down from 218lbs, to 196 lbs. I'm leaner, look better, have lower blood pressure, and basically i'm in remarkable health. I bed you to do your research and look into supplements, and especially bioflavonoids. They have helped me even more than just using OO has.
You guys take care. If and when I do some more supplements and have some feedback on them, I will let you know. I hope Bill or Immogene doesn't delete this, i'm just trying to help others. BTW Bill that Java error that prevented from posting via proxies previously is now gone, when posting from a banned IP while logged in. Anyways, take care all, and be proactive regarding your health. The grave sucks <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">
