Sinusitis and your kitchen cupboard ingredients
Plagued with acute, chronic, allergic or fungal sinusitis? Studies have shown that more than 60 percent of sinusitis cases are caused by bacterial infection or dental problems. Also of note, 50 percent of all sufferers have an immune system problem.
Allergies, bacteria, virus, colds, swimming in contaminated water -- all take a toll on our sinuses.
Can kitchen cupboards ingredients such as honey, ground turmeric, fresh ginger, ground cumin, and sesame seed oil be of help?
Ground turmeric/honey tea makes for a great natural decongestant.
A fresh ginger/cumin/honey tea clears the sinus passages, helps one breathe easier, and gives relief to sneezing and runny nose. If you are in a field of work that contains irritants affecting your sinuses, this is one tea that provides sinus relief throughout the day.
A Q-tip dipped in sesame seed oil and applied to each nostril will also help clear the nasal passages. Sesame seed oil has antibiotic properties and provides a protective coating that can decrease irritation of the mucous membranes.
Does diet play an important part in helping or preventing sinusitis? Sugars and refined carbohydrates can reduce your immunity to infection. While suffering with sinusitis, reduce your intake of dairy products as they tend to increase the production of mucus. During this time, avoid allergy-producing foods such as wheat, peanuts, corn, and eggs.
Eating foods that are rich in beta-carotene/vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc will strengthen your immune system, stimulate secretions and unclog sinuses. These antioxidant foods include winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, apricots, nectarines, Swiss chard, crab, whitefish, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit, cantaloupe, Brussel sprouts, peppers, strawberries, boysenberries, black currants, almonds, hazel nuts, cucumbers, asparagus, chicken, turkey, salmon, shrimp, oysters, tuna, garlic, onions, cottage cheese, mushrooms, beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, just to name a few.
Drinking eight glasses of water on a daily basis will flush toxins from your body and help your sinuses drain.
An antioxidant-rich diet coupled with a few on-hand kitchen ingredients and sprinkled with a good daily dose of water intake can go a long way for better sinus health.