Month: May 2014

Sinus challenges! Part Two

Posted on by joy

In Sinus challenges! (Part One) – I left you without saying what really changed my runny nose.  The things I did mention (more antioxidant, enough sleep, no sugar and white flour), I think were instrumental in my not dealing with any pollen allergies this Spring, but there are two more really important additions I wanted to share.

Since I did not have a comment box at the time of part one, most people responded to my asking about what was helping them combat allergies over on my Facebook page.  Let me share those with you as I received them: Zyrtec and other pills each morning, Neti Pot and Zyrtec, Melaleuca Activate, Mucinex, Melaleuca Provex Plus (that is the antioxidant I added), Benadryl and a decongestant, Melaleuca Oil under the nose at bedtime and couple times the day, and Flonase.  I love having people share remedies – so if you read this and have others, please post below.

My helpful additions: There was some talk that because I was in Costa Rica, when the dreadful pollen onslaught happened, that my body did not have a chance to build up a immunity to the pollen.That makes sense to me – it’s the idea behind vaccinations, right?  That got me to thinking – sure I was in Costa Rica that month, however, due to foot surgery the August before and then cooler weather, I had not walked in Memphis Metro pollen for over nine months!  If your body does need to get gradual exposure, well mine had none!  So I began walking outside again last June.  I wonder how many allergy sufferers are not outside on a regular basis except to go to and from work and errands?  I had more foot surgery this March, but I sat outside for a bit each day – pollen exposure and vitamin D.  I just sense that this is important.

And the runny nostril – that the ENT and Dermatologist had no clue about?

Enter: nasal rinse. 

Doesn’t it make sense that washing that pollen, dust, dirt, fungus, etc. out of the nostrils each day would be a great step to mellowing sinus problems?  If you can picture me having to plug my right nostril with tissue (ear plug did not work – yes, grin) in order to cook, do laundry, etc. – you will know how desperate I was.  That runny nostril went from 95% distraction and stress to less than 25% the first few days of nasal rinsing.

Not being a drug person, I was looking for some more natural solutions, and it starts with building your immune system.  So right now, My Sinus Help List looks like this:

  • Eat healthier: more fresh foods, almost no white flour or sugar.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Exercise and make part of that outside so your body can build its resistance to the yuk that aggravates your sinuses.
  • Take a quality multi-mineral/vitamin supplement (they are not easy to find, don’t even look on a store shelf)  Get your vitamin D from a little sun each day – can you take your work break outside?
  • Add an antioxidant – grapeseed/grapeskin extract (like Melaleuca’s Provex Plus mentioned above) is a powerful help for allergies and a bunch of other things we are trying to prevent
  • Water!  I put lemon essential oil in mine – more antioxidants and cleansing.
  • Daily nasal rinse, especially during the spring and fall seasons.  I have not used a Neti Pot, but this bottle works great – warm, clean water, gentle squeeze – no discomfort:

Sinus Rinse

I also add (this is self doctoring) a drop of Melaleuca Oil for its germ/bacteria/anti-fungal killing properties.This essential oil comment reminds me that their are more helpful options that I am confident people should consider:

  •  Many people testify that quality essential oils like Lavender are their solution for sinus trouble.  Here is a trustworthy site: www.oilygurus.com – look under Ailments.
  •  And read what these people have done in RmBarry’s Wellness Guide Tips Newsletter on the subject here.

 

Choices Matter!

 

 

Sinus challenges!

Posted on by joy

During a six week period the spring of 2013, if you would have asked me what was wrong with me, I would have told you that I had Strep Throat and Bronchitis. Three doctors disagreed and said it was pollen allergies. My GP said that he has had several northerners move to Memphis Metro and evenly have a serious allergy problem.  I still have no clue how pollen allergies can cause a severe sore throat and deep bronchial cough. It had been 13 years since I had had that same ordeal – after compromising my lungs in below zero weather one Chicago winter night. A few days before this all started in April 2013, I compromised my lungs again (burning sensation) on a mountain in already high San Jose, Costa Rica. So – I am still a little skeptical of the diagnosis. Whatever the reason, the sickness prompted hours and hours and hours of reading on the web. I have always felt that allergies were an poor immune system response, so I was determined to build my immune system to combat the people that were saying: Once you have had it, you will deal with it every spring and fall. I was not going to give in without trying. A higher dosage of a quality antioxidant that I had heard was great for allergies was my first my step. Enough sleep was easy to add because a new fatigue followed the attack. But by the end of the year – I felt like the bar had to be raised even higher, and I removed sugar and white flour  from my diet right after the holiday travel was over. It is almost the end of May – and the pollen has not been an issue (consider that success), however, I have a new issue. My right nostril was running 24/7 after a kind of traumatic basal cell surgery the end of December. More hours of reading – how to stop rhinitis!  Surgeon and ENT did their thing and said it was not related to the surgery that actually involved detaching that nostril.  My smart sister-in-law Sharon asked how can something be so traumatic on the outside and not affect the inside as well.  I think she has a point. The answers I have found, along with taking an anti-inflammatory antioxidant, getting enough sleep and eating a better diet, I believe kept me from having pollen trouble this year – in case they were right. I am convinced they would help a lot of people from having pollen trouble. But first – tell me what you have found to help your seasonal allergy attacks.  And, my sinuses are definitely different, more sensitive, burn a little, after that six week ordeal and all I have tried – the right one more so.  Can you relate to that?