Sinus problems are widespread this time of year in the US. Your sinuses may be dripping or clogged, you may feel sick, and this may be due to allergies or food intolerances, or both. What is the purpose of sinuses anyway?
The sinuses have a number of purposes. For starters, there are four sets of paired sinuses. Two of the four paired sinuses, the ethmoid bone And maxillary sinuses, are present at birth and continue to grow. The third, the frontal sinusdevelops around age seven and the fourth sinus, the sphenoiddevelops during adolescence.
They are air-filled, open cavities in our heads that help lighten the weight of our heads (which is about 11 pounds). Sinuses also warm and add moisture to the air we breathe through our noses. According to David Hoffman, sinuses “act as a sound box to add resonance to the voice.” And finally, our sinuses are lined with mucous membranes that provide the first line of defense to prevent bacteria and pathogens from entering our respiratory tract.
Now that we understand the basics of sinus sinuses, we can explore why our sinuses become clogged or liquefied. To answer this we need to determine whether our sinus problem is acute, chronic, or the result of environmental exposure.
- Chronic sinus problems occur all the time and can be caused by allergies, food allergies/intolerances, and environmental exposures such as mold, pets, or smoking, etc.
- Environmental exposure includes exposure to things like passive cigarette smoke, fragrances and chemicals.
Once you identify the cause of your sinus problems, you can be proactive by eating foods that help nourish the sinuses and thin the mucus. These include:
Garlic
Add garlic to soups, stews and salad dressings. You can also make a garlic-honey syrup by placing a bulb of chopped garlic in a mason jar and covering it with honey. Take a teaspoon if necessary. Trust me, it tastes better than you think!
Horseradish
Fire cider made with horseradish helps clear the sinuses. Adding horseradish to foods, such as spreads and dressings, will also help thin mucus.
Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Anise Hyssop is an herb from the mint family. It’s one mucolytic and helps thin the mucus. If you are not already growing it in your garden, it is readily available in health food stores in the tea section. Celebration Herbals of Buddha tea contains a hyssop tea.
Elimination diet
In case of food allergies. Gluten and dairy products can both be triggers for sinus congestion. Try a six week elimination of gluten and dairy products and after the six weeks try a little bit of gluten and notice how your body feels. Then try a little bit of dairy and pay attention again to how your body feels. You can determine if this is the cause of your sinus problems.
Elderberry
According to Rosalee de la Forêt, the flavonoids have been shown to support a healthy microbial balance in the sinuses.
Use remedies that contain lymphatic herbs
Lymphatic herbs are used to remove the invaders from our system. The lymphatic system depends on exercise, such as walking, exercising or dry brushing, to promote lymphatic drainage and movement. The use of herbs that help the lymphatic system helps remove the pathogens from the body by draining to the lymph nodes and being excreted from the body. Try our Kick-Ass Sinus for a formula that dries out the sinuses while supporting healthy lymphatic function.
There are many mechanisms for sinus congestion and drainage. I hope some of these suggestions will help reduce the discomfort caused by the irritants and allergens we experience.
References
- de la Forêt, Rosalee (2013). Ultimate elderberry ebook. WA: Learning Herbs LLC.com.
- Easley, Thomas (2017). Notes for the higher breathing class. Eclectic school of herbal medicine.
- Gallagher, John and Rosalee de la Foret (2016). Learn herbs. Cold care class.
- Hoffman, David (2003). Medical herbalism, the science and practice of herbal medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
- Horne, Steven and Thomas Easley (2014). Modern herbal medicine. St. George, UT: The School of Modern Herbal Medicine.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/sinusitis-in-children. Accessed 02/10/2020.
- Materia Medica Monthly, Part 6: Plantain (Plantago major). School of Evolutionary Herbal Medicine.
- Mills, Simon and Kerry Bone (2000). Principles and practice of herbal medicine: modern herbal medicine. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone.
- Wickes Felter, MD, Harvey and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph.D. King’s American Pharmacy, 1898.
Sandy Morehouse is a functional herbalist and teacher at WishGarden Herbs. Based in Northwest Arkansas, she is spreading the spice love to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. She received her functional herbalist certification from the Eclectic School of Herbal Medicine; certificate from Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine in Medicine Making; and continues her training with Aviva Romm’s Herbal Medicine for Women course.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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