Case Study: Lung Infection

Last May I saw a middle aged man with chronic asthma and a fungal infection in his lungs; he had booked in to see me because before commencing a newly prescribed anti-fungal drug, he had wisely read the product warning section, where he learned that the proposed drug could cause severe liver damage!

He had been on a steroid puffer for many years and he inhaled two puffs of steroid spray twice daily in an effort to control his asthma. A recently prescribed antibiotic drug had caused an allergic cough and red eyes and also stimulated the fungal infection to get worse. Fungal infections are very common, and are often hidden, in those who use steroid puffers and/or inhalers into their nose and/or lungs on a long term basis. Fungi can grow rapidly in an environment which is high in steroids and antibiotics.

This man did not bring his chest X-ray and had left it with the specialist so I had to rely on what I could hear in his lungs with my stethoscope. Well it became quite obvious – the man had widespread wheezing throughout his bronchial tubes and there was not much air getting into his lower lungs.

I prescribed the following

• Twice weekly physiotherapy for postural drainage and deep breathing and coughing exercises.
• Twice daily use of a nebuliser machine to deliver a bronchodilator drug to his airways.
• Dairy Free and gluten free diet, as his blood test showed his genotype was positive for gluten intolerant genes. I recommended he use other types of milks such as coconut, rice, almond or hemp milk.
• Natural anti allergic herbs and nutrients in Allergy Relief tablets.
• Natural antibiotic and anti-fungal foods – garlic, onions, leeks, radishes, chives and kale.
• Selenium and vitamin D supplements to improve the ability of his immune system to kill the unfriendly bugs.

Three months after starting this program, this man had a chest X-ray, which showed clear lung fields and a culture of his sputum was clear of fungal elements. His lung function tests were normal, his allergic cough had resolved and his exercise capacity had increased.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any diseases.