Have you woken up one morning with terrible pain in your forehead or between your eyes? To add to this agony, you experience a swelling face, stuffy nose and congestion. Your upper teeth hurt and it feels like your head is about to explode! If you have these symptoms, it is an indication of Sinusitis!
What is Sinusitis?
Sinus points are basically air spaces in your skull lined with mucous membranes. Most people have four sets of nasal sinuses.
- Two in the forehead above the eyes
- One inside each cheekbone
- A group of them, called the Ethmoid Sinuses, behind the bridge of the nose
- Another group behind the nose and underneath the brain called the Sphenoid Sinuses
These sinus points are like fingerprints. If there is an infection in these points, it leads to a condition called Sinusitis. Basically, it is an inflammation of the sinus cavity due to a virus, bacteria or fungus. Tiny hair-like structures called Cilia move mucus across Sinus Membranes, towards an exit.
All of your sinus cavities connect to your nose to allow a free exchange of air and mucus. Infections or allergies affect the sinus tissues, making them inflamed, red and swollen. But don’t worry, nature is loaded with remedies for most conditions!
Foods That Help Cure Sinusitis
- Spicy Foods: Hot spices like pepper, chillis (capsicum), jalapenos, relieve sinus congestion as they help release the mucus that causes a stuffed nose. Spicy foods help in opening the sinus cavity and promote the restoration of normal breathing.
- Garlic: contains an enzyme called Allicin that destroys bacteria and viruses that cause Sinusitis.
- Vitamin E: found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils helps you get rid of a sinus congestion.
- Zinc: in Lean Meat, Poultry, Licorice and Seafood helps in relieving a congestion.
- Warm Herbal Teas: like Peppermint, Ginger, Licorice and Holy Basil (Tulsi) teas are some of the best for your sinuses and throat during a bout of Sinusitis. Tea moistens mucus membrane, helping to clear the sinus network.
- Chicken Soup: contains an amino acid called cysteine that causes a runny nose and clears out the nasal congestion.
- Leafy Green Veggies, tomatoes, oranges, yellow fruits and veggies contain Vitamin A that helps build a healthy mucus membrane.
- Grapefruits, Oranges and Lemon are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. Thus, they help clear a sinus congestion. Oxidation damage can contribute to Chronic Sinusitis. Antioxidants protect the mucus membranes from free radical damage.
- Pineapple is rich in antioxidants which protect the delicate mucus membranes from damage. Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, breaks down the junk that builds up in sinuses and reduces inflammation.
- Coconut Oil is very good at reducing inflammation and also in killing many bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Try oil pulling with a spoonful of coconut oil and you’ll notice your sinuses clear up. Simply swish around a spoonful of it for five to ten minutes and spit it out.
- Turmeric/Ginger Root: Turmeric root is wonderful, fragrant and contains natural anti-inflammatory Curcumin. This spice is also an antioxidant. When combined with spicy ginger root and brewed for hot tea, this combination can help loosen mucus from clogged nasal passages, alleviate sinus pressure, and make you feel better all around. Ginger root also has the added bonus of calming an upset stomach – a frequent side-effect of excessive night time sinus drainage.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: acts as a boon for sinus infections. Firstly, it is a natural antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory that can kill the destructive microorganisms which cause the infection. Secondly, it helps the body maintain a healthy alkaline pH level, which helps breaking up mucus and discourage the proliferation of the condition.
Worst Foods For a Sinus Infection
- Caffeine weakens your adrenal glands and causes sinus congestion
- Fried foods/Processed foods containing additives are best avoided during a sinus infection
- Foods with high sugar content, especially ice cream, worsen a sinus infection
- Refined carbs like bread, pasta, and rice do not help during sinus congestions
- Fermented foods like cheese worsen sinus
- Starchy heavy foods like noodles are not for people with a sinus problem
- Milk is known to worsen a sinus congestion as it thickens mucus and promotes microbial growth
- Foods high in saturated fats like egg yolk and meat are to be avoided during a sinus infection
Keep your sinus clean and relax, breathe refresh and stay healthy! We hope this article helped you. Please do leave your thoughts in the comments below!
#BeTheForce
Nice informative blog
Sinusitis &Migraine same thing or different?
Hi Ajay.. Sinusitis n migraine are slightly different
I dont know
Very nice article with useful tips
Excellent data. Very clear to understand. Very helpful. Thanks a lot. I suffer from sinus.
Thankyou. Hope your sinus problem is no more now.
Thank you so much
Thankyou Anu
Hi!! Nice article, can you clarify the amount to be taken and how many times. Eg., Apple cider vinegar!
Hey Solomon
You can take one tbsp of apple vinegar with warm water.
Very Useful for me as I am prone to Sinus problems
Great. So I hope these tips worked for you.
Very nice article with useful tips for All
Thanks.
Thanks for the information.
Real , & proper information..Thanks
Very very good information Thanks
Hai, I will take regular c happathi?
I couldnt inhale properly and my both nasal randomly gets blocked… Is this happening by sinusitis?? I experience pain in the middle point of my both eyes. So most of the times I get irritated bcoZ of this forehead pain and yellow thik mucus ????
Thanks I suffer from chronic sinuses I going to follow. What you said
Great article! Simple and clear presentation of information. Very useful info. Thanks!
Hey Solomon..
Take about 1tbsp of apple vinegar in one glass of water
Hi I found your blog useful but I have a problem with hot and spicy herbs here that are great for Chronic Sinusitis. I was born with Hypothyroidism (No Thyroid gland ). I have Gastritis and Gerd how do I get relief. I have had Bi Maxillary Oesteotomy surgery. Nerve damage is underbearable some days. Need pain relief and would like foods gentle as possible. I use a Niell Med Bottle and the ready made rinse. Sometimes no relief. Could it be the ordinary tea I enjoy and the pasta. Thanks for your blog.
Thank you so much for this information I am a chronic sufferer of sinusitis and this article helped me realize I am doing it to myself. When my food budget is tight I tend to go for comfort items over health items like bacon and sugary and greasy stuff. I figure I can survive without veggies for a little bit but my health totally suffers. Now I understand I should at least keep some oranges and cucumbers and maybe some pineapple juice and consume regularly to prevent this. Thank you
What should I eat if I have sinus.
PS: sorry for bad english
Its avery useful article i liked it i just want to know is that i also have same kind of problem but mine is like continusosly snezzing in the early at 3am or 5am
.eaching in upperteeth and eye also any suggestion regarding this problem
Thank you so much this kinda helped me
Me know what a sinus infection.
Thanks. My pleasure.
Thank you for your article. My problem is post nasal dripping that causes a very bad cough. Just got over a sinus infection. It was a bad one- it took 3 rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it. And now I think it might be back! Do you have any advice for me?
What foods can I eat???I’m a 16 year old with acid reflux slight nasal congestion.It’s hard to eat without promoting nasal congestion..I don’t want to be malnourished.
hi what is the treatment for sinus now a days I am having problem and some times I feel really bad and intolerable
Thanks so much for this information. I shall take all this on board.
How many days it will take to recover?
Hi, I have a high blood pressure along with left maxillary sinusitis.
So should I eat spicy food?
Hello, i am wondering, i had like tension pressure headaches or something like that, turned out to be acute sinusitis, after pills and everything i got better but i did notice that certain foods would trigger the pressure feeling i had.before, any tips on this!? I will see my ENT on tuesday and will tell him this as well.
I’ve go to see a doctor and she said not to eat pineapple but here in your blog it is okay. How come?
Milk and curd provide Vitamin B12 and calcium to vegetarians like me. If I avoid them, I will face deficiency of these and I have chronic sinus infection always.Pl.suggest.
I suffer with chronic sinus and allergies. My problem is post nasal drip. And thick mucus with in the sinus. What can I do to help relieve being sick on the stomach.
I have sinus infection my voice always gets change continuiosly. What i do?
I can’t sleep well at night before due to sinus. After following your cure, now i see an improvement. Thanks….
I sincerely appreciate it this post as I have been struggling with extreme sinus pressure pain and bursting of my ear drum due to my sinusitis during the descent of every plane ride I have been on for the last year(literally felt like my head was going to explode, in tears, flight attendants not knowing how to help me and I couldn’t hear anything they were saying to me, it was/is a horrible experience. I am now scheduled to see and ENT Doctor to hopefully help with drainage or sinuplasty procedure but it is extremely helpful knowing the tips on your blog especially regarding the types of foods to eat and avoid, so thank you so much!!!