Published November 20,
2004 in the North Island Weekender
Paul, age 55, came into my
office with recurring bronchitis. He told me that twice per year in the spring
and fall, like clockwork, he would come down with a chest infection. He would
have to take antibiotics every time for it as he also has asthma, which made it
very difficult for him to get over it. He also had irritable bowel syndrome and
it seemed that whenever his bowels acted up so did his chest.
Paul was suffering from a
chest infection at the time, and wanting to avoid antibiotics if at all
possible as they worsened his bowel condition. I gave him an in office
inhalation treatment of glutathione and an intramuscular homeopathic injection
to treat the infection. Glutathione is an excellent antioxidant and one of the
main fuels for the mitochondria of the cell. It breaks up mucous and helps to
clear the infection very quickly. The inhalation treatment lasts about 8
minutes and the effect is immediate.
The homeopathic injection also gives immediate results at helping the
patient fight viral and bacterial infections.
I then sent him home with a
few remedies with the understanding that if he wasn’t better in 24 hours to
contact his MD for antibiotics. If this happened to be the case we would work
on his immune system over the next year so that by the time spring rolled
around he would be much better. He would also take the formulas I recommended
at the same time as the antibiotics along with HMF forte a good probiotic to re-colonize
the intestines with healthy bacteria.
One of the best formulas for
the chest is what I call “upper respiratory formula”. The herbs in this liquid
herbal tincture break up mucous and fight infection. I use this in healthy
doses along with a natural antibiotic called Optibiostim. This formula is a
mixture of garlic, Echinacea, vitamin C, myrrh, and other vitamins that provide
a synergistic antibiotic and antiviral effect. Again the doses need to be
therapeutic to get effect. I recommend the diet to be free from sugar and dairy
during these infections as the white blood cells that make up the immune system
become very sluggish for 4 hours after the ingestion of sugar and the diary
contributes to mucous formation! In Paul’s case this is what brought it on. He
had had a few beers while eating out the night before and had a decadent
dessert. It hit him hard!
I also recommend a few old
“nature cures” in a case like this where the patient is very close to requiring
antibiotics. I tell them that if they really want to avoid antibiotics they
need to do everything I say and then nine times out of ten it will work. The
first one is called “the wet sheet wrap”. I instruct the patient to prepare a
cotton sheet by wetting it with cold water and wringing out well. This is laid
out on a 100% wool blanket. Take a 20-minute hot bath (make sure you don’t get
faint) and while in the bath keep a bowl of ice water near by to keep your head
cool with a facecloth. This is especially important if the patient is running a
fever. (Don’t do this with children). Dry off and then wrap yourself in the wet
sheet. It will be cold at first but will warm in about 30 seconds. It is
important to wrap the sheet around each extremity then completely wrap yourself
with the wool blanket snug around your feet and your neck so that you don’t get
a chill. You may need a spouse or friend to help you. Lay in the sheet for 30
minutes until the sheet is completely warmed up. You can do this while watching
TV if you like. These treatments are what we call “hydrotherapy” treatments
using the effect of water temperature to increase the circulation of blood and
therefore the immune factors that will get you well! Finish off with a mustard
plaster to your chest. This is done using equal parts of dried mustard and
flour made into a paste that is then applied to the top of four layers of
flannel. If you don’t put enough layers of flannel between your skin and the
mustard you will end up with a severe burn! This plaster provides a deep heat
effect that is more anti-inflammatory than just heat. You will be amazed what
can come through four layers of flannel. Leave this on for 30 minutes.
Paul did all of these as soon as he got home and called me the next day. He was
significantly better and didn’t need the antibiotics. I recommended that he
stay on the medicines until all his symptoms had been cleared for one week and
to repeat the “nature cure” treatments as needed. I explained that if he
slacked off on their protocol the infection might recur. He also came into the
office for two more inhalation treatments to help him get rid of the mucous
that the upper respiratory formula loosened and another injection.
Paul came back a month later to work on improving his irritable bowel syndrome
and to get on a treatment program for his asthma. Getting to the cause of the
bronchitis will help prevent these infections from recurring every spring and
fall.
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com