strengthening your immune system

[Rob123]

I am a 28 year male. I was diagnosed with ashtma about 8 years ago. Since then I have taken a few different types of medicines but primarily Combivent fast acting inhalor and recently the longer lasting Symbicort corticosteroid/bronchodilator. I know that lots of asthma medication can impair your immune system, especially the steroid ones I have been taking. I was just wondering what can be taken to help strengthen/offset the negative impacts of such medications on your immune system. Can traditional vitamin/mineral supplements help (like milk thistle, zinc, etc)?

[jp3892]

Milk thistle will strengthen your liver against the medication (u don't seem to be on a lot though) so might indirectly benefit ur immunse system. Im not sure if any of those immune things work however! I think a well balanced diet with fruit is you best bet.

p.s. Do u find ur getting a lot of infections on the steroid?

[Rickhard]

i think taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement is important if you're 100 percent healthy and absolutely critical if you have any problems. i am getting a real mental and physical boost from eating ground flax seed. i boil 1 cup rolled oats with 1/4 cup ground flax seed and 2 cups water for five minutes. i had been eating ground flax seed raw for about three weeks and not noticing anything. i started boiling it with the oats six days ago and the improvement in mental and physical stamina has been significant. i've read it is good for your immune system. i noticed i felt better after only two days after boiling the ground flax seed. after 4 days i stopped taking flovent[was on 2 puffs of 110mcg daily] i have my albuterol rescue inhaler with me at all times. i'm not an idiot. my asthma are incapacitating so i can't take any chances. i would like to get off flovent if i can. to find out if i can get off flovent watch for posts regarding ground flax seed in future on this message board. please do some research on ground flax seed. i'm really starting to believe in it. good luck

[reader1]

If you have allergic asthma, you need to be careful not to take any alternative/natural therapies without talking to your doctor. Some of these have hidden ingredients that may set you off or may be derived from something like ragweed.

You are not really on a lot of meds (unless you are taking some that you did not mention), and if you are really only on inhalers they do not impact the immune system nearly as badly as oral prednisone, for example. If you are not taking a multivitamin, that would be a good start. As always, ask your doctor.