Emphysema
Research
Diet & Lifestyle
Vitamin Therapy
& Emphysema
Apart from the importance of diet in our general health and
well-being, research is now confirming that specific nutrients and dietary practices are
very much associated with Emphysema. For instance, the alveoli cannot function properly
without sufficient vitamin A, C, folic acid or protein. (1)
In 1952, a London doctor, Max
Odens, began a long term
study into chronic brochitis and emphysema with 17 of his patients aged between 48 and 67.
In addition to their medical treatment, Dr Odens gave his patients vitamin A supplements
and found that, as a result, they improved (2) A lack of vitamin A in babies has also been
shown to be related to increased susceptibility to bronchial infections(3).
There have been reports of Russian researchers using
vitamin B15 to help treat emphysema (4). Vitamin E has also been used in America by Dr
Carl Pfeiffer to help treat emphysema() and in one study conducted at John Hopkins
Hospital patients suffering from emphysema were actually seen to improve with
supplementation of vitamin E. (5)
All mucous-forming foods such as dairy foods, chocolates,
refined white flour bread , cakes, and white sugar are considered by naturopaths to be
best avoided for all respiratory conditions and especially emphysema. This is because
excess mucous only serves to further aggravate the condition.
There is no doubt that diet is closely associated with the
functioning of the immune system and it would therefore be important for all patients
suffering with emphysema to seek nutritional counselling to help prevent bronchial
infections. There are, of course, other lifestyle factors such as posture (see
chiropractic) and exercise which should be reviewed.
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Exercise
& Emphysema
Dr Harry Bass, former head of the Pulmonary Division of the
Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, USA conducted studies with daily exercise using a
stationary bicycle and found that this not only largely arrested the progress of emphysema
and chronic bronchitis but it also brought about "enormous improvement in these
chronic conditions. Dr Bass detailed the progress of one group of his patients for five
years and found that, not only could they walk and enjoy physical pursuits and hobbies
when they had originally not even been able to walk from one end of the house to the
other, but that they were all using oxygen more efficiently. (6)
NB. Please note that it is particularly important to seek
the advice of your physician before attempting any exercise regime.
(1) Adelle Davis Let's Get Well
(Unwin) 1975
(2) Vitalsoffe (1967)
(3) Janet Pleshette - Health on Your Plate (Hamlyn) p. 254
(4) Dr Carl Pfeiffer Prevention magazine 1981
(5) H M Nitowsky et al Bulletin of John Hopkins Hospital 98, 361, 1956
(6) Reported in The Practical Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Mark Bricklin p166
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