[Gene53]

Hi,

I'm a 55 year-old male who suffers from Chronic Anxiety Disorder (which can lead to mild Petit Mal attacks when highly stressed) and other CNS issues resulting from having Meningitis as a baby. I also have a peptic ulcer which flares up every once in a while plus bowel problems (intermittent diarhea and/or constipation).

As most of you know, anxiety leads to depression when stressed thus compromising the immune system and making us prone to flus, colds, infections, etc.

For the past 6 weeks, I've been trying to shake a flu (no fever, fatigue, dry cough, terrible sore throat, sinus problems, frequent headaches, etc.) and not being keen on traditional antibiotics (which in my opinion, cause more damage than good), I've been searching the Net for alternative treatments to boost my immune system in order to fight this bug.

So, to make a long story short, here is my dilemma. Every time I find something on the Net that might help boost my immune system, I also find contradictions, drug interactions and warnings thus leaving me more confused than anything else.

So far, I've tried a "flu and sore throat remedy" found on another site which was a concoction made from cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar, sodium bicarb and water. This relieved the flu and sore throat symptoms but also made my ulcer and GERD flare up even though they also claimed that this recipe also cured ulcers (yeah, right).

I went to a Natural Products store and after talking to a "consultant", she recommended I take Probiotics and after taking them 3 times/day for 3 days, I got the infamous "kicking in and cleansing side-effects" such as acidic diarhea (twice only) and minor bloating. I was starting to feel better but I read the following on a few sites: "People who are immunocompromised or have an underlying disease or gut condition should take probiotics only under the care of a doctor, and even then, should only take well defined and characterized products produced by reputable companies."

So, I am quite confused on what I should take, any feedback would be appreciated. As far as drug interactions I have to be careful of, I take Clonazepam (Klonopin) 2mg/day for the Anxiety and Petit Mal and Nexium 40mg/day for the peptic ulcer.

In conclusion, I now only take my prescribed meds and gargle with Listerine 4 times/day for the sore throat (which is getting better) and nothing else. I've also noticed that I do get more anxiety episodes probably due to the fact that I'm severely depressed and exhausted and occasionaly have to take a little extra clonazepam.

Any help would be appreciated,
Gene

[Gene53]

Sorry, reread my post and I guess I didn't make myself clear, what I would like to know is what could I safely take to boost my immune system? The flu symptoms are slowly disappearing but with a weak immune system, I tend to catch every bug out there.

Thanks,
Gene

[BetterOffDead]

Take a look at http://www.ldninfo.org/. It isn't strictly "alternative", but it is very interesting nonetheless. I've started taking it three days ago, so I can't give personal feedback yet.

[Gene53]

Originally Posted by BetterOffDead

Take a look at http://www.ldninfo.org/. It isn't strictly "alternative", but it is very interesting nonetheless. I've started taking it three days ago, so I can't give personal feedback yet.

Thanks for the link, looks quite promising and I sure as heck will investigate this further. Would you mind giving me the occasional update?

Thanks again and good luck!
Gene

BTW, I'll join the Yahoo group, might "see" you there.

[siamacupuncture]

I suggest visiting an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is helpful in boosting the immune system, and preventing frequent colds.

Here are two articles from altMD.com discussing more detail on these subjects:
Traditional Chinese Medicine for Immune Deficiency
Traditional Chinese Medicine for Common Colds

One of the most common Chinese herbal formulas used is called Yu Ping Feng San (Wan) and is discussed in the second article on common colds.

The extra benefit of going this route is that it can also help to manage your anxiety and depression, improving your overall health.
Acupuncture for Anxiety and Depression

[cess06]

These info could help:
How to eat when your immune system is weak

If your immune system is weak, you want to stay away from bacteria and other organisms that could make you sick. For important steps you can take when buying and preparing food, read about Food Production and Food Safety.
Foods to avoid

Certain foods can have high levels of bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems avoid the following foods:

* raw vegetable sprouts (alfalfa, radish, broccoli, mung bean, etc.) because of a high risk of Salmonella and E. coli contamination
* raw eggs, including unpasteurized eggnog, uncooked Caesar salad dressing, and unbaked meringues because of possible Salmonella contamination
* unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juice, including cider, unless you prepare it at home with thoroughly washed produce
* raw or undercooked ground meat and poultry
* tofu packed in water

As a general rule, most registered dietitians recommend avoiding the following foods during chemotherapy because they can have levels of bacteria high enough to make a person with a weakened immune system sick:

* foods that are raw or undercooked, which can include meat, fish, shellfish, lox, sushi, sashimi, poultry, eggs, hot dogs, deli meats, tofu, sausage, and bacon
* foods containing raw eggs, such as hollandaise sauce, raw cookie dough, or homemade mayonnaise
* unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products made from unpasteurized milk
* soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined (Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and blue) and Mexican-style cheeses, such as those used to make queso sauce
* unwashed raw fruits and vegetables and those with mold on them
* raw honey
* sun tea
* unpasteurized beer
* uncooked brewer's yeast