Astragalus:
Here is what one open minded Physician has to say about Astragalus: " Try astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous): This is one of my favorite immune-boosting tonics. It is the root of a plant in the pea family long used in China to prevent illness and strengthen sick people. You can get slices of dried astragalus root at Chinese groceries and some health-food stores. Simmer the slices in tea or soups. (They'll add a pleasant sweet taste.) Or buy extracts of astragalus in liquid, capsule or tablet form. Follow the dosing directions on the package. This herb is non-toxic and can be used long-term to increase resistance." I heed his advice, come flue season I add that to my Vitamin C plus Garlic regimen.

Exercise:
Yes, you red correct, the right kind of exercise is the most important natural remedy we have at our disposal. It can be the difference between just surviving or doing exceptionally well. The best way to illustrate this is to introduce you to a very dear friend who is also my inspiration when it comes to staying fit.  So join that Pulmonary Rehabilitation program or start your own at home. Here is a good link to some very easy starter yoga for those who are to weak for a regular workout, it's called Sitting Yoga. Everyone can find some form of exercise to suit, even if they have to start with three steps. Here is what experts have to say about it:

Glutathione:
This is one of the first natural remedies I stumbled on. I read everything I could possibly find on the subject. Glutathione is a tripeptide consisting of residues of glutamic acid, cystine and glycine. It appears that this significant tripeptide is a little miracle substance on many levels. It is an outstanding immune system booster, a very effective free radical scavenger and it also plays a role in protecting the lungs against damage from germs and pollutants  But it soon became clear, that the only version that is really well absorbed, is the nebulized version. Well, that posed the first problem, in order to get your hands on the Glutathione for nebulizing you need a prescription which can only be filled by a compounding pharmacy. One day I ran across an easier version and I am adding the link to the site here for anyone who is interested to explore. Just a little hint: I now use the version advocated by Valerie Hudson it is described under Nebulizer application in paragraph 8, paragraph 2. 

Update to the Glutathione information above:
Recently a new version of Glutathione has been introduced to the market which pretty much makes nebulizing unnecessary. Preliminary studies seem to indicate that this so called "Liposomal Glutathione" is actually absorbed rather well in simple spray application. So far there is only one product of that kind on the market under the name of ReadiSorb (still a bit pricey but much more convenient than nebulizing)

Mucolyxir:
Tried this one, expecting it to be just so much snake oil. Came with too much hype which always makes me suspicious. So you might say I really set out to prove that it didn't work. I am on my fourth month with it now and low and behold, I do believe it truly makes a difference. The overproductions of mucus most of us are only too familiar with, seems to have simply stopped. Here is a link to where I first found it, check it out!

Vitamin C plus Garlic Oil:
I am sure most of us are adding some vitamins to our daily regimen, since we are always in search of more energy. I found one particular Vitamin mix of great value in keeping the number of colds and respiratory infections down. On the advice of a doctor who did show a preference for simple remedies, I started using a combination of 1000mg Vitamin C (the two stage version) plus 2 500mg Garlic oil capsules, once in the morning and once at night. Well, I have not had a serious bronchitis (used to have several each year) for a couple of years.

Vitamin D:
It has only lately received the credit it deserves as a real workhorse vitamin. There seem to be just all kinds of reasons for someone with impaired lung function to be sure and have an adequate supply of Vitamin D.
Our Expert on this subject is Laura and she will be finishing this paragraph

Laura's Vitamin D essay:
There was a time when humans worshipped the sun as the giver of life.  We don’t do that anymore and yet today they are finding out just how important the sun is to our health.  Sunshine touching unprotected skin [no sunscreen] creates a Hormone erroneously known as Vitamin D.  There is some speculation that this Vitamin may indeed be the Master Hormone in the body as it touches so many systems, chemical reactions, and tissue repair. 

 Tissue repair is especially important in the lungs where there are plenty of Vitamin D receptors.  My own experience has been improved lung function and for the first winter in a few years, I actually had a cold and the flu with only minor effects in my lungs and the illnesses themselves were very light.  No pneumonia or bronchitis meant no doctor’s visits or antibiotics.  And I didn’t have either a pneumonia or flu vaccine.  But this was my choice and I don’t recommend it to anyone who is not me. 

The first thing you want to do is to convince your Doctor to give you a 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D test. There is another one known as 1,25 hydroxy and you don’t want that one.  You want the 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D test. 

IF your Doctor uses LabCorp you will be given a number and the range is 20-100 ng/ml.  Now I don’t know about you, but if Vitamin D is as important has the studies are saying then I would rather be closer to 100 than to 20. 

If you are deficient, and some are saying less than 35 ng/ml is deficient, your doctor may want to give you a prescription for D2.. You don’t want that.  What you want is a good brand of D3 and www.vitamindcouncil.org can give you some suggestions for reliable brands.  They also have a lot more information than I am giving you here because there are too many things that Vitamin D effects.

Right now, most recommendation for Vitamin D are on the low side.  Some places claim that 400IU a day is enough for everyone.  Other sites claim 2,000IU for the elderly, the infirm, and those that get no sun.  The only way you are going to know how much you need is to get tested and then start taking 2,000IU or more a day and get retested in 1 to 3 months. 

If I told you how much I was taking, you might choke, so get ready to choke because I have been on 10,000 IU per day for 8 months and the last test showed me at 76ng/ml.  I must really need it.

Now I have to tell you, I just started taking the Vitamin D for back pain/spasm that was disabling.  I could barely walk 50 feet without having to sit down.  Now, I am walking over a mile a day, barely, if any, shortness of breath, and my route is up and down hills.
And there have been so many other improvements to my health I cannot begin to tell you. 

PS, If you haven’t been getting any sun and are deficient, you can’t make it up by sitting in the sun, you need to take supplements.  Still, get some sun between April and September and continue to take your supplements, especially if you have chronic illnesses.

Good Luck, 

Laura