I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, where the high altitude produces very dry air. While living there, the worst I experienced was week of having a stuffy nose and dry, red eyes; nothing that around-the-clock Claritin couldn't help.
However, within weeks of moving to Illinois for college, I found myself in the Emergency Room being treated for a throat infection. The doctors didn't know what was going on. They gave me Vicodin, which was totally ineffective and contributed to a killer migraine, and sent me on my way.
It wasn't until moving to the Gulf Coast and suffering full-blown infections, getting misdiagnosed as having Strep Throat, and writhing in agony year after year, that I learned what was really going on.
When I was 5 years old, I had my adenoids removed. The adenoids are a patch of tissue that are located in the back of the nasal cavity. They are there to trap germs and fight off infections. Adenoid removal is common practice for children who experience recurring ear infections; the tissue swells while the adenoids fight infection, which produces heavy snoring and choking during sleep. My daughter had her adenoids removed at the same age, for the same reasons.
Removal solved the snoring problem, and got rid of the frequent ear infections, but it left my nasal cavity wide open to all of the icky germs with no defense mechanism! Duh.
I figured out that during allergy season, I was developing sinus infections left and right because my body's natural defenses were incapacitated. The sinus infections produced painful pressure around my eyes and nose, leading to severe headaches; swollen glands under my jaw and behind my ears; and the worst throat pain known to man.
I took Benadryl, a well-known antihistamine, for awhile, in an attempt to block the intolerable histamine and reduce the amount of mucus produced by the allergens. It was slightly effective, but the drowsiness associated with its use made it impossible to work or function normally. Even taking it at night began to bother me once I looked into the side effects. I determined that I didn't want to keep ingesting medicines to combat the sinus infections. There had to be a better way! When I developed a sinus infection during the second trimester of pregnancy, I was motivated to find a solution by any means necessary. Ingestion of popular over-the-counter medications can be harmful during pregnancy, leaving many expectant mothers to suffer through cold and flu season in agony.After a lot of painful trial and error, I am proud (and relieved) to present:
"Ruby's Sinus Remedies"
- At the first sign of allergy symptoms, gargle with a hot water/sea salt blend. Continue to gargle throughout the duration of your symptoms. Morning, noon, night, and anytime in between. Do not swallow the salt water intentionally, small amounts of incidental ingestion are nothing to freak out about.
- Directions: Make 6 to 8 ounces of water as hot as you can tolerate without scorching the inside of your mouth (obviously do not use boiling water), and add about a tablespoon of sea salt. Stir briefly and then gargle; try to reach the back of your throat without gagging...which is easier said than done.
- Why it Works: The salt acts as a magnet for water, so you're pulling the fluid out of the tissues in the throat area, effectively washing the virus out. If you do this before it spreads, your chances of beating the infection are much better than starting a few days after feeling sick. You're also creating a high-salt barrier, which can prevent the invasion of germs.
- Boost your Zinc, Vitamin E & Vitamin C.
- Directions:
- Eat Your Way Healthy:
- Citrus - Grapefruit, Oranges, Lemon, Lime, Tangerines, Clementines.
- Red Bell Peppers.
- Broccoli.
- Garlic - Eating raw garlic is great, but it can be hard on your stomach. Crush garlic before adding it to other foods, or swallow half a clove raw occasionally, not daily.
- Red Cabbage.
- Beets.
- Sweet Potatoes.
- Kale.
- Ginger - Eating ginger raw is fine, but you can also cut it into pieces and let it steep in boiled water for about an hour. Reheat the water to boiling and drink as tea.
- Spinach.
- Yogurt - Plain, unsweetened or vanilla; try to avoid sugar. Yogurt with live cultures can boost immunity by keeping your intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Yogurt also increases Vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of Vitamin C.
- Almonds.
- Tumeric.
- Green Tea - Cold brewed green tea is the healthiest option, but all green tea is a wonderful source of antioxidants.
- Papaya - Grind or roast the seeds and eat those too!
- Kiwi.
- Sunflower Seeds - Not the heavily salted or flavored ones.
- Supplements:
- Zinc - Recommended daily intake is 11mg for adult males, 8mg for adult females.
- Vitamin E - Recommended daily intake is 1,000mg for adults.
- Vitamin C - Recommended daily intake is 90mg for adult males, 75 for adult females.
- Multivitamin - An easy way to get all of the vitamins you need throughout the day is to supplement healthy eating with a good multivitamin. However, you'll need to make sure that use of additional supplements don't result to overdoses; pay attention to the recommended daily intake.
- Unleash The Power of Lemon.
- Directions: Prepare Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea as directed. Squeeze 1 lemon into the tea, and add honey (raw honey is best, but regular honey is just fine) and grated ginger. Sip throughout the day. I recommend that you invest in the only travel mug I will ever use again, the Contigo SnapSeal Travel Mug, which will keep this tea HOT for a full 6 hours!
- Why it Works: The lemon will help to rid your body of excess mucus. This is especially important when you are fighting a sinus infection. If you don't eliminate the mucus, it can cause an upper respiratory infection, and you don't want that. The tea itself is all natural, made with Hibiscus, Rosehips, Roasted Chicory, Orange Peel, Lemongrass, Lemon Peel, and Whole Dried Lemons. The fresh squeezed lemon will metabolize when ingested, providing an electric alkalinity. The honey will soothe your sore throat. The ginger supports immunity, eliminating toxins from your body.
- Expectorate! Expectorate! Expectorate!
- Get that gunk out of your system. I literally carry around a box of tissues (who am I kidding? I use toilet paper...more for your money), and a trash bag around with me so that I can expectorate as needed. Clear your nose and throat. Swallowing the mucus you cough up will keep you sick for sure. Getting rid of it will help your body heal much faster. Also...wash your hands often, but especially after you expectorate.
- Sleep Smart. Using Vicks VapoRub on the bottom of your feet at night will clear up your cough and help you get a good night's sleep. A bit of elevation helps too!
- Directions: Before you go to bed at night, slather Vicks VapoRub on the soles of your feet, then put on socks. Elevate the head of your bed approximately 6 inches; using an additional pillow doesn't always help, since your nasal passages can become blocked by the angle created by a soft pillow, or if you slide down.
- Why It Works: I don't know. It just does! This old wives tale will interrupt even the roughest cough and help you sleep soundly. While there are no solid medical reasons why this works, it is more effective than any over-the-counter cough syrup. While you sleep, you are aiding in the drainage of those germy, irritating fluids from your sinus cavity.
This list is not comprehensive, but these tips have helped me beat sinus infections within 1 to 2 days of feeling that annoying warning itch in the back of my throat. I have managed to avoid antibiotic prescriptions for over a year!
I will continue to add tips and tricks that work for me, so if you have any suggestions make sure to comment below and I will give them a try!
Happy Healing!
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