sensitivesoul
07-11-2009, 03:03 AM
Hi everyone, reason why I am starting this thread is for a relatively good reason. My sister is taking pills for her ulcerative colitis and the drugs she is taking supress her immune system. Any health advice? I don't want her in the hospital again this winter, I really don't. Anything that isn't hard to digest is fine, any foods that she could eat that might help? I know vitamin C and D help but not sure what else... Any help is welcome :D
lizzy
07-11-2009, 03:11 AM
some good peeps here , know alot.....but this is a good site for info......
http://www.naturalnews.com/
Pharmacists know more than a lot of doctors about taking meds, vitamins and minerals included. Always check with your pharmacist before starting any vitamin regimen. In fact, talk to your pharmacist about suggestions for your sister. Second, don't mega-dose on Vitamin C - it can damage your kidneys. Echinacea is another one that people like to take to boost their immune systems. But taking Echinacea for any extended period of time can render the immune system 'lazy', and this is irreversible. Take Echinacea only for short periods of time, and usually when you're sick, like with a cold or the flu. Elderberry is supposed to be good for boosting the immune system. I've taken the tablets when feeling like I was getting a cold or the flu, and it seemed to work. I'm pretty sure you can take Elderberry on a regular basis, but again, check with your pharmacist first.
Sorry, I know this isn't very helpful. There are a lot of ideas out there about how to boost your immune system, but these are the only things I have personal experience with.
There is one other thing that might be worth trying. Find a good online forum for patients with cancer, and talk to some of the patients about what they're doing to help their immune systems. Many cancer patients learn to self-advocate, and they research these sorts of things into the ground, looking for answers. A person going through chemo-therapy has their immune system pounded into the ground. They might have some good suggestions for your sister.