Do you have a nebulizer at home? Many people do not, unless they have asthma or other lung issues. I am here to tell you that every household needs one and I will explain all the reasons why in this post.

Where to purchase one:

You can typically find them at your local pharmacy or amazon. We have had ours for four years and we spent around $140 on a very high quality one. I suggest you purchase one that is NOT battery operated as they typically are not strong enough to get the nebulized solution deep into the lungs. We purchased this one five years ago and you can order it HERE. 

What we personally nebulize and why:

The below is in no particular order of importance as they all serve different purposes.

We have nebulized the below three options for suspected pneumonia, bronchitis, excess mucus, to stop viral replication and as prevention when traveling or exposed to sick individuals. Please know, this is not considered medical advice and is for educational purposes only and my own personal experience with using the below methods. 

1. Colloidal Silver

2. NAC (N-Acetylcysteine)

3. Saline solution + Highly diluted food grade hydrogen peroxide + Iodine

Let's dive into each one.

Silver has been used to kill over 650 different illness-causing microorganisms, bacteria, viruses and fungi for centuries all over the world. Colloidal silver is a liquid derived from silver particles small enough to be measured in nanometers. Unlike silver that is a natural occurring element in nature, colloidal silver is produced using water, silver and a generator.

Some of the things to look out for when choosing colloidal silver are: 

• Particle Size: The smaller the size of the mineral particles, the safer, more effective and greatest in bio-activity. The smaller the particle, the better absorbed and easier for the body to excrete what it can’t use. Particles 0.8 nanometers in size is best. The solution should be clear to ensure smallest particle size as silver reflects light when left in larger pieces. 

• Positive Charge: The bioactive form of silver is the positively charged form, and in order for colloidal silver particles to be effective, they must be converted into a bioactive form. A higher ratio of positively charged silver (try to get as close to 100% as possible) creates an unwanted environment to unfriendly organisms. 

• Purity: True colloidal silver contains more than 50% silver in nanoparticle form. On the other hand, if it contains only 5-10% nanoparticles, it is considered ionic silver. Pharmaceutical based water ONLY is best, void of any proteins or gelatin additions. 

• PPM: PPM refers to the mass of a substance per unit volume of water. According to Sovereign Silver, when a silver product contains the most active species of silver, coupled with the smallest particle size and greatest amount of positively charged silver, then a safe low concentration of 10 to 23 ppm bioactive silver is sufficient.

Due to colloidal silvers antiviral and antibacterial properties, one of the most common uses is to nebulize it as a form of treatment for bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory infections. It is also shown to have profound oncolytic properties as an additional treatment against lung cancers (SOURCE)

Bronchitis is usually caused by a pathogen that inflames and irritates both the bronchial tubes, windpipes and the tiny hairs that line the passageways. This inflammation causes fits of coughing, mucous and a rattle in the chest when breathing. Other symptoms such as wheezing, chest pain and low grade fever may sometimes accompany bronchitis. The pathogens can be either viral or bacterial from a concurrent respiratory infection or other chemical pollutants. Colloidal silver has been shown to be affective against the pathogens that cause acute and chronic bronchitis after studies showing the ineffectiveness of the traditionally prescribed antibiotic medication. 

Although colloidal silver is effective when ingested as a treatment to disease, breathing it into the lungs delivers direct speedy respiratory support. Using a Nebulizer is the fastest way to get silver nanoparticles into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system, and straight to the lungs where they are absorbed. Not to be confused or used with humidifiers or essential oil vaporizers. 

My favorite brand is Sovereign Silver because it has been proven over and over again to be a very potent silver. 

How we personally use it:

For most respiratory infections, we typically nebulize one teaspoon, 2-3 times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. The first few days nebulizing colloidal silver may cause coughing and phlegm before treatment helps lungs feel better. Most holistic doctors recommend that treatment should be limited to no more than 30 days or as needed temporarily. Always check with your physician to be certain. They also make a nose spray that we use while traveling or when sick as well. If you have an active virus it will burn a little bit when you use the nose spray and I have personally experienced that several times. 

We have only had to use NAC (N-Acetylcysteine) two times in the past five years and we mainly used it to break up thick mucus, prevent bronchitis and pneumonia when there was mucus that wouldn't budge. The only downside to using NAC is that the liquid vials you use for the nebulizer are only obtained via a prescription by a medical professional and not all pharmacies keep them in stock. Oh and it smells like pure sulfur...which is also a slight downside. I make sure to always have some on hand and not wait until we "need" it. 

Why do I love it so much?

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor of the antioxidant glutathione, has been used to loosen thick mucus in the lungs and treat acetaminophen overdose for five decades. However, NAC can also boost the immune system, suppress viral replication, and reduce inflammation. SOURCE

• NAC has anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties and has been used in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and rhinosinusitis with variable results. The antioxidant effects of NAC are thought to be mediated by increased levels of intracellular reduced glutathione in the lungs and neutralizing oxidant species. Its mucolytic action is attributed to its effect of reducing sulfhydryl moieties, thereby leading to a disruption of disulfide bridges within the glycoprotein matrix of mucus. This causes a reduction in the viscoelasticity of mucus and brings the levels closer to the optimal level, thereby making it easier to transport along the airways. SOURCE

• My daughter has a weak point in her lungs, mine is usually my sinuses. Everytime she gets a virus it always represents with coughing and mucus. One time she had a cough that wouldn't budge no matter what we tried. Nebulized NAC broke it up within 24 hours and we could all sleep again. 

How we personally use it:

• Since liquid NAC is only available via prescription there will be instructions included with the vials. You will also need to ask for needles (my pharmacy doesn't automatically give them) to be able to pull the liquid out. You can get this in 10% or 20% strength, I requested 20% and this specific brand because it is preservative free. Below is a picture of my actual vile for you to show your doctor when requesting the prescription.

Ok, I know this one sounds a little out there and maybe even scary but I promise, we have nebulized hydrogen peroxide so many times I have lost count for over five years with ZERO side effects. BUT it's very important that you make sure you do it correctly, which is outlined below via an article I will link written by one of my favorite physicians. As always, check with your personal physician if you have concerns. 

Dr. David Brownstein, who has a clinic just outside of Detroit, Michigan, has successfully treated over 200 patients with what has become my favorite intervention for viruses and other upper respiratory infections, namely nebulized hydrogen peroxide. He has now published a book describing his approach, titled “A Holistic Approach to Viruses.” which I highly suggest you purchase and keep on your bookshelf.

A peer-reviewed consecutive case series of 107 COVID-19 patients treated with nebulized peroxide and other remedies, including oral vitamins A, C and D, iodine, intravenous hydrogen peroxide and iodine as well as intravenous (IV) vitamin C, along with intramuscular ozone, was published in the July 2020 issue of Science, Public Health Policy, and the Law.¹ All patients survived.

Nebulized Peroxide Basics

I’ve embraced nebulized peroxide since the pandemic broke out and have received many anecdotal reports from people who have successfully used it, even at more advanced stages. Based on Brownstein’s experience, I now also add iodine (2 drops to the .01% peroxide solution since I have the 2% iodine) when nebulizing, as it appears to make it even more effective.

You absolutely must use FOOD GRADE hydrogen peroxide. Do not use the brown bottle from the grocery store, that is not food grade nor is it meant to be used internally as it has additional stabilizers that you would never want to inhale. I order my food grade hydrogen peroxide from Modern Alchemy, I trust their quality 100%. I reached out to the owner to let her know how much I love her hydrogen peroxoide and that we have used it multiple times with great success. I also asked her if my customers could get 10% off her products and she happily agreed. Use code: rootsandleaves at checkout on her site HERE to get 10% off your order. 

Keep in mind that the peroxide needs to be diluted with saline. Some physicians recommend diluting it down to 0.1%. Brownstein recommends diluting it to 0.04%. If you pre-dilute to 0.04%, it will stay potent for about three months when kept refrigerated. If you do a 0.1% dilution, it may stay potent a bit longer. I personally chose to do a .1% solution as outlined in the chart below. Here is a link to the full article on how to nebulize hydrogen peroxide written by Dr. Mercola. 

If you don’t have access to saline, you can make your own by mixing one teaspoon of unprocessed salt (such as Himalayan salt, Celtic salt or Redmond’s real salt) into a pint of water. This will give you a 0.9% saline solution, which is about the concentration found in body fluids. Using that saline, you will then dilute the hydrogen peroxide as described in the below chart. Since the peroxide I purchase comes in the form of 17% I dilute that down to 3% first and Modern Alchemy includes easy instructions on how to do so with your order and then I dilute it down to .1% using the measurements from the below chart.

How we use it:

We personally nebulize it two-three times a day for 10 minutes at a time when traveling or around a lot of people to stop potential viral replication and/or at the VERY FIRST sign of illness. Dr. Brownstein talks about when he was treating multiple covid positive patients a day he would nebulize the solution two times a day and he and his staff stayed healthy.

If you want to dive deeper into unique immune support strategies, what to request if you end up in the hospital, step by step guides on staying immune strong and keeping inflammation low then consider joining The Crunchy Club. You can also download this free 27 page PDF e-book called "IMMUNE" HERE. It is packed full of immune system support tips. It is free for a limited time so grab it while you can. 

And there you have it friends! The three items we always keep on hand for our nebulizer. We even travel with our nebulizer, just in case. As always, this is not to substitute for medical advice this is just what we personally utilize and I have followed the science and doctors for over a year before I was comfortable sharing this valuable information with all of you. But remember that I am not a medical doctor, I am an herbalist and a dedicated researcher. I feel confident enough to administer these modalities to my family, including my child and have never had any issues but always check with your medical doctor.

I wish you all health and peace.

XOXO,

Haley