Pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs, is a common lung infection. Whether the infection is viral or bacterial, it causes cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms may include headache, excessive fatigue, loss of appetite, and confusion (especially in older adults).
Pneumonia is a major cause of death worldwide and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. If you have symptoms of pneumonia, consult your doctor, especially if you or the person you’re caring for is in a high‐risk category — a child under 2 years old, an adult over 65 years old, or a person with a compromised immune system. Pneumonia can progress quickly and become life‐threatening, so aggressive conventional treatment may be required.
If you’re diagnosed with pneumonia, rest as much as possible. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas (no sugary or diet drinks). Take antibiotics or antivirals as prescribed by your doctor. Because your diet can profoundly affect the speed of your recovery, change to the anti‐inflammatory diet and eliminate animal protein. The protein you get from vegetables such as artichokes, spinach, peas (fresh or frozen), eggplant, beets, and cauliflower is fine.
If you take antibiotics, take probiotics during and after treatment to maintain healthy bacteria in your gut, but be sure to take your antibiotics and probiotics at least four hours apart so that they don’t interfere with one another. The exception is Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, which you can take at any time, preferably with meals.
Supplement your diet with one or more of the following:
| Supplement | Dosage |
|---|---|
| N‐acetyl cysteine | 600 mg twice daily, on an empty stomach |
| Pleurisy root | 20 drops of tincture two to three times daily |
| Garlic | 300 mg in capsule form, or 5 ml garlic extract diluted in water or juice, twice daily |
| Turmeric | 400 mg daily in capsule form; added as a spice to meals; or 5 ml turmeric extract diluted in a small amount of water or juice twice daily |
| Ginger | 2.5 ml diluted in water or juice, or 300 mg in capsule form, two to three times daily |
| Vitamin C (mineral ascorbates) | 1,000 mg two to three times daily |
| Oil of oregano | 5 ml oregano oil mixed with coconut oil and dissolved in mouth several times daily |
| Astragalus | 500 mg in capsule form two to four times daily, or 5 ml diluted in water or juice two to three times daily |
| Echinacea root | 150 mg in capsule form or 5 ml diluted in water or juice, two to three times daily |
| Eucalyptus and tea tree oil | Inhale as steam or rub a preparation made from these oils on your chest and back |