Thank you for your post. It was so helpful to me as I struggle with hemoptsis and progressive ntm (according to my latest CTscan) after being stable for almost 10 yrs. I am trying to regulate my diet differently and I’ve come to many of the decisions you’ve made. I do worry about my mineral intake though, as I drink, almost entirely, reverse osmosis water that has been filtered with Lifestraw. Would you mind sharing the name of the liquid mineral supplement you take? Many thanks, Therese

Paxmundi, so you do not have MAC but you do have bronchiectasis. I also understand that you do not need to cough because of you diet. So the soups are just liquid, no veggies? How do you manage, I am sorry to ask, the bowel movement. It’s just interesting and strange but if it works for you, it’s what you do yes?

TO: paxmundi and all who wish to read the posts in our Mayo Clinic Connect to explain our experiences.

paxmundi: Much of what you have said I found my way to it in the last year since finding out I have BE (Bronchiectasis) and MAC/MAI bacteria.
DIET: I was not able to put weight on until I realized my decision to eat more of a vegan diet was not helping me to put weight on and increase my BMI (Body Mass Index). Since going back to a moderate amount of typical protein intake etc. I have gone from 94lbs to 105lbs. so far. I also think it might be related to the possibility of my having less MAI showing up in my sputum sent in, hope so.
I also, early on, decided upon soups and salad for evening meal with the broth being a homemade chicken broth. I will just use either avocado oil or olive oil as the dressing.
I also feel that when I eat a dense meal etc. it causes much mucus is develop and I find myself needing to clear out what appears to come up to my throat. For me most of the time I suck it up and out rather than huff cough during these times.
WATER/SODIUM: With drinking as much water as I feel is best for me I make sure I have nuts and seeds with sea salt to make up for the loss of sodium with drinking much water and liquids. If I don't do that I begin to have leg cramps. I have been wanting to introduce myself to the white miso, need to make a special trip to a grocery store that would have it.
MY PERSONAL THERAPY: Now what I am going to divulge is going to be something that today's medical professionals would probably question and be concerned with...yet it was a "tool" for many in previous years to the saline. Some people do better with the saline and I believe some do better doing as I do, steam. I boil COLD tap water for long enough. approximately fifteen minutes after it comes to a boil, to reach 200 degrees or better. I then carefully breath in the steam just as one would do with the saline solution or the Aerobika by breathing in, holding the breath and then releasing the breath. I do this repeatedly. Previously to breathing in the steam of the boiled water I am walking and doing clapping percussion on my front and back. I then do postural drainage and clear whatever is ready to be cleared out after this. I then begin the breathing in the steam again, then doing again the clapping percussion and postural drainage before doing the autogenic/air way clearance of active cycle breathing.....breathing in/holding/release and finally the huff coughing. The moisture and warmth of the warm steam, I believe, helps release much of what needs to come up and out. AGAIN, this is NOT what the medical professionals have gone to today in this day and age but it has worked for me. When I did the saline I became extremely cold with doing the 7% saline and felt pressure in my eyes. I may have been working too hard or doing it wrong??? I also had the vest and developed pain on my left side, so the reason I went to doing my own clapping percussion. I also have a hammer message tool (manual tool) that I use to help with doing percussion on the lung areas. I often also do the clapping percussion during the day if I find myself in a place and time that I can. P.S. I bought pink Himalayan salt and a couple of times a week, or more, I put it in the boiling water. Now that I have learned much in my year of knowing I have MAI I may use the 7% saline/Aerobika once a week.
SUPPLEMENTS: I also take supplements to help keep my immune system up. I for sure take Vitamin D every day, zinc, garlic and C. All appear to be good for helping with infections.
I do other supplements but I alternate and do not necessarily take them every day, I prefer to alternate. One has to be careful, as they say with medications.... or as I feel...even with supplements etc.
RESULTS: With all the above said the results are that I am able to release mucus plugs, clear mucus bubbly foamy moisture, light colored loose sputum during the day and mostly in the late afternoon early evening after my normal activity during the day is when the most mucus plugs come up and out and as well.
MY GENERAL HEALTH: I am very fortunate because I feel well and am reasonably strong and my PFT (Pulmonary Functions Tests) are all good. My last CScan showed less inflammation and less plugging in an area, however, I did have new showings in the lower lobes. I am now making sure I do my clapping percussion in the lower side areas of my torso in the back area above the wait and hope this will help more so. I haven't had a cold, flu, pneumonia, RSV etc. since having had Legionella/Mycoplasma Pneumonias in 1986. Yes to Covid this past February which I believe was caused by non required masking in the Pulmonary Rehab Department of Mercy Hospital. It was the one thing I had done differently since Covid was known. I went for three days and by the third day....COVID.

Please, please remember that we are all different and what I do is my choice at age 82. We must only do what we are comfortable doing in all aspects of this journey with BE and MAC/MAI.

Wanting all of us, you, to find our, your, way to what is working for us, you, and what is best for you!
Barbara