While I don’t drink or smoke, I haven’t felt the healthiest that I have been in the last few years. In part it is due to a stem cell transplant that saved my life which reset my immune system. Ever since, I had been more prone to coughs and colds. Any illness after interactions with others and I would be chesty and coughing.
For months this year I was quite wheezy and coughing first thing in the morning.
Sleeping on my back helped but I noticed when sleeping on my side, coughing was more likely to start. My chest would also be more wheezy.
While I have also always been prone to catarrh with a build up of mucus, I became convinced that certain life style changes may help. If I could clear the catarrh it would likely help reduce the coughing and make me feel better.
Online I saw certain tablets and medications that could help and improve lung health. Often these tablets being quite expensive despite good results.
Further googling and I discovered some day to day changes that may help. I have always drank a lot of coffee and soft drinks. The advice was to reduce caffeine and increase water consumption. Three weeks today I gave up coffee and increased drinking water. My first week without a daily 2 or 3 coffees resulted in quite the migraine. That was to be expected but an increase of drinking water has resulted in less soft drinks consumption as an extra benefit.
Other advice to help includes humidifiers, certain juices, steam, sleeping position, saline sprays, tea and other ideas. I have therefore also started drinking the odd tea.
The good news is that drinking water and eliminating coffee really has helped. Within a few days I was breathing so much better, mucus reduced and wheezing stopped. I have been feeling so much better and have almost totally stopped coughing. While possibly too early to tell, but with the vitamins I have taken for a long time I now feel as if my bodies defence and immune system has improved thanks to the water. Hopefully when exposed to any cold or other germs, my body should more easily overcome any lurgies. Hoping that is the case and I certainly feel more hydrated!
I will of course update you on how I get on and so far don’t miss the black coffee.
Lastly, my doctors had always said I should drink more water so hopefully I can keep this up.
