Alternative (herb) medications

Can understand how you feel. At bad point with bronchiectasis & MAC 3 1/2 years ago I refused "the cocktail" & with a naturopath began taking a very fine colloidal silver. Besides basic supplements have taken for years, began using NAC, olive leaf extract & black cumin seed oil caps, pau d'arco, osha or lung expectorant liquid extract, proteolytic enzymes. Given have had bronchiectasis 37 years, I"m doing quite well. Except for the chronic fatigue. - I nebulize with 7% sodium chloride + reduced l-glutathione early in the day & religiously do postural drainage with my Acapela late every day. While a pulmonologist said I must neb. 2x a day, that would kill my desire to live; so I neb once a day & about 4-5 days a week - best I can do & a good trade-off for ME. To some extent, each of us must find his or her own way. & this chat group is terrific to check in with. Hope U can locate & AFFORD a decent naturopath or other "alternative" practitioner as well as MDs. Industrial meds r not the only or exclusive way.
May you be much blessed going forward!

I admire the members in this group, especially your critical thinking and that you work with your health care teams, research information, and weigh risk and benefits for solutions that work for you. And while you share your experiences and what you learn, you do not tell others what to do. Thank you!

That said, I would like to post some thoughts and cautions.

When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical. Learn about the potential benefits and risks. Here is an article from Mayo Clinic that might interest you about evaluating claims made by the producers and/or sellers of supplements, natural products and other alternative medicines. http://mayocl.in/2tGC0Jp

Colloidal silver has come up several times in the MAC group. When it comes to supplements and complementary medicine, I always refer to NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine to better understand the proven evidence. See this information:

– Colloidal Silver https://nccih.nih.gov/health/silver

The first section of the page states: What’s the Bottom Line?
How much do we know about colloidal silver?
There are no high quality studies on the health effects of taking colloidal silver, but we do have good evidence of its dangers.

What do we know about the effectiveness of colloidal silver?
Claims made about the health benefits of taking colloidal silver aren’t backed up by studies.

What do we know about the safety of colloidal silver?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.

According to Dr. Brent Bauer from Mayo Clinic says "Colloidal silver isn't considered safe or effective for any of the health claims manufacturers make. Silver has no known purpose in the body. Nor is it an essential mineral, as some sellers of silver products claim."
You can read more in this article:
– Colloidal silver: is it safe? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061

MOST IMPORTANT
Keep this disclaimer in mind https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/disclaimer/
"All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect, such as messages, images, advice, URLs, and any other material, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community."

typo - "ve only had bronchiectasis 27 years! not 37