Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that is caused by a defect in a gene that controls the amount of salt and water that line the airways of the lungs. Without sufficient lubrication, mucus builds up and blocks the airways, providing a fertile home for bacteria.
CF patients who surf, say they feel better and can breathe easier after being in the salt water.
Researchers found that inhaling an intensely salty solution — almost twice as salty as the Atlantic Ocean — improved patients’ lung function and slowed the progression of the disease, according to articles published in 2006 in New England Journal of Medicine. Australian doctors found that 41% of those who received the treatment avoided serious complications — such as weight loss, coughing up blood or a dangerous infection — compared with 16% of the other patients. The solutions helped remove mucus from the lung for at least eight hours, according to the UNC study of 24 patients, also published in the journal.
I’m starting Val early on exposure to salt water…with a vacation to Costa Rica. So, here we are taking daily walks on the beach and playing in the sand and surf.
Hasta luego! I’ll keep you posted on his lung function and digestion as our trip progresses.
Great article from USA today: Â www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-01-18-cystic-fibrosis_x.htm
Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Arlington, Virginia
