Dorothy H. Andersen – first to correlate cystic fibrosis and celiac disease, and to utilize digestive enzymes in CF treatment.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects (also known as CF or mucoviscidosis is a common recessive genetic disease which affects the entire body, causing progressive disability and often early death. Approximately 30,000 Americans have CF, making it one of the most common life-shortening inherited diseases in the United States.
Lung disease results from clogging of the airways due to mucus build-up, decreased mucociliary clearance, infection and resulting inflammation. Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the three most common bad actors. As a result of the infection by one of these three bacteria, a pronounced antibody (immune) response develops, leading to immune complex-mediated chronic inflammation, dominated by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Chronic inflammation is the major cause of the lung tissue damage in CF.
Both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus have been proven to form biofilm, making them extremely dangerous and hard to control. As of now, there is no concrete evidence to prove that H. influenza, also produces biofilm. Logic stands that it should, at least, in CF patients.
The medical establishment feels that biofilm can be prevented by early aggressive antibiotic prophylaxis or therapy, or they can be treated by chronic suppressive therapy. Both of these treatments can create their own long and short term problems. A holistic approach may prove more effective, with less side-effects.
By applying a biofilm protocol; including N-acetyl-cysteine, pancreatic enzymes, and a gluten-free/dairy-free diet, concurrently with a proper antibiotic regime, the lung infections and resultant inflammation a CF patient faces may be a thing of the past.
I’m searching for more data, which is almost non-existant, on the benefits of adding guaifenesin to a CF’ers daily protocol, or to the biofilm protocol. Check back for additions to this post as I discover more helpful data.
Please comment about your experience with diet, enzymes, guaifenesin or other holistic treatments.
1. Flume PA, Mogayzel Jr PJ, Robinson KA, et al. (March 2010). “Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Guidelines: Pulmonary Complications: Hemoptysis and Pneumothorax”. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 182 (3): 298. doi:10.1164/rccm.201002-0157OC. PMID 20299528.
2. Mitchell, Richard Sheppard; Kumar, Vinay; Robbins, Stanley L.; Abbas, Abul K.; Fausto, Nelson (2007). Robbins basic pathology. Saunders/Elsevier. ISBN 1-4160-2973-7.
3. Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement – Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
4. Andersen DH (1938). “Cystic fibrosis of the pancreas and its relation to celiac disease: a clinical and pathological study“. Am J Dis Child 56: 344–399.