Hmm... holistic healing, in my mind, means we must "help" as much as we can - healthy diet, good rest, airway clearance, 7% saline (proven inhospitable to MAC), exercise, etc. And the need to sometimes resort to stronger measures - antibiotics, surgery, etc.

A little story about the saline - my first "aha" moment as for reducing frequency came over a year after I stopped antibiotics. I was busy, exhausted one evening, and did not have my nebulizer charged. I was too tired to get the "backup" one out of the closet, so I just grabbed my Aerobika and started airway clearance. Wow -the mucus I was bringing up was just as salty as the stuff in the morning when I nebbed! So I tried again without nebbing the next morning - just used my inhaler first - still salty. From then on I nebbed only once a day, but still did Airway clearance twice. Last summer, 3 1/2 years post-antibiotics, with my asthma and reactive airways completely controlled for the first time in 30 years, I got bolder and lowered the frequency to every other day - where I stay now, without exacerbation or illness for a year.

So, I am not suggesting this is good for everyone, but it works for me and is one way to make the long-term need for maintenance with bronchiectasis a little more manageable. Caveat - at the first sniffle or congestion - I jump right back to daily.

Sue

I wouldn't be in the shape I'm in if my body could heal itself.

My thoughts.
This has been a long standing belief for my family with most common minor illnesses "Let the body heal itself. " Realistically, I don't believe in this case, with a chronic illness such as this, Bronchiectasis, we can operate fully in the same belief. This to me is totally different and agree with Sue's reply. For me I will do the best I can with nebulizing, a good diet, needed supplements (D,C,Zinc, probiotic, multi vitamin etc.) exercise, airway clearance techiniques (ACT), at least 7 hours of good sleep. If I have to get up through the night for the bathroom or clearing my throat I will stay in bed longer and try to get that 7 hours of rest. I have the luxury of being able to do that (staying in bed longer to rest) that at my age and retired. True, however, it does become difficult to do all the things one needs to do or would like to do. Sue's road with all that she has gone through/down and accomplised is encouraging to me. Just hope I can be as diligent as Sue has shown with her care for herself. Wishing all of us the courage, strength, fortitude and encouraging pep talks. I find I have to give myself a pep talk every once in a while during the week.