You Can Avoid Sinusitis!

 by: Carla Ballatan

Imagine yourself not being able to appreciate the beauty of a new day…and being cranky enough not to get on well with your workmates’ good-natured conversations…or not being able to join a special friend in a date --- All because of sinusitis!

But, it may only take proper understanding of what sinusitis is and how it is caused to chart up the right nourishment and other healthy exercises for you to end your misery.

There are different degrees of sinusitis, with different causes – acute sinusitis is often caused by viral or bacterial infections of the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract, or from an underlying dental infection. Chronic sinusitis may be caused by growth inside the nose, injuries to nasal bones, smoking and other irritating fumes and smells. Meanwhile, allergic sinusitis can be caused by hay fever, food allergies or poor eating habits.

By knowing this types of sinusitis, we would also know what medicines we need to take, watch out our food intake and other activities that we could do in order to avoid getting sinusitis.

First and foremost, we need to remember what foods may cause or aggravate our sinus problems. Milk and other dairy products, sugars, fatty foods, lack of green vegetables are mucus-forming foods. You must learn to control intake of these food groups if you are already at the onset of serious sinus infections. Common food allergies like wheat, eggs, citrus, corn, and peanut butter may also cause sinus problems.

Natural nutritional approaches are also entailed. It’s about time to drink plenty of liquids, especially water. A glass of lemon juice and water first thing in the morning may also help thin mucus.

Try Linda Rector Page’s 3-day mucus cleansing liquid diet in Healthy Living. A short water fast or a very light diet – involving fruit and vegetable broth may also apply to you, as per recommendation of Burton Golberg Group in Alternative Medicine.

If you are more used on vitamin/mineral supplements, here are several recommendations for immune system support: Vitamin C: 500 mg every two hours; Bioflavonoids: 1000 mg per day ; Vitamin A: 5,000 IU per day; Beta-carotene: 25,000 IU per day; Vitamin E: 400 IU per day ; Zinc: 30-50mg per day.

Botanical medicines for sinus problems may also be taken like bromelain (250-500mg between meals). Effective herbs to clear sinuses include: comfrey/fenugreek compresses; fenugreek/thyme tea; ephedra tea as bronchodilator; lobelia extract, and horseradish. You may also try purple coneflower, elder flowers and poke root.

For overall immune function Echinacea, goldenseal, germanium and garlic can be helpful, Check out some health food stores that sell these pre-made herbal sinus preparations.

There are other enjoyable ways on relieving sinus problems, like taking a hot sauna for 20 minutes a day. Hot liquids and steaming face and head with eucalyptus may relieve congestion and sinus pressure.