Your sinuses are air-filled cavities situated in your skull above and below your eyes. These delicate chambers are lined with mucous-secreting membranes that warm and humidify the air you breathe and defend against respiratory infection. Their warm and moist environment is also a potential breeding ground for chronic infections and allergies in susceptible individuals. If you experience sinus problems, you may be able to use certain foods to turn the tables in your favor and gain a healthy advantage.
Antioxidants
Foods high in carotenoids -- antioxidant compounds found in yellow and orange vegetables -- should be included in your diet for improving your sinus health, says Debra Fulghum Bruce, Ph.D., author of the book "The Sinus Cure: 7 Simple Steps to Relieve Sinusitis and Other Ear, Nose, and Throat Conditions." Similarly, quercetin, a bioflavonoid antioxidant, found in many foods, notably citrus fruits, apples and onions blocks inflammation and mucus production. Flax and fish oil also reduce inflammation that typically occurs in chronic sinus conditions.
Chicken Soup
Cook up a pot of old-fashioned chicken soup to help cure a sinus infection. Chicken contains cysteine, an amino acid that forms part of a drug used to treat respiratory infections. Cysteine in chicken soup, combined with the steamy goodness of the broth, can help thin out clogged mucous. Add lots of garlic to your soup to boost its antibacterial effects. A study published in the September 2010 issue of the "Journal of Medical Microbiology" reported that garlic inhibited some forms of Streptococci bacteria, a common cause of respiratory infections.
Vegetable Soup
It doesn't have to be chicken soup for the sinuses, says Jordan S. Josephson, M.D., author of the book "Sinus Relief Now: the Groundbreaking 5-step Program for Sinus, Allergy, and Asthma Sufferers." If you are a strict vegetarian, you may find similar sinus relief in vegetable soup, as the vegetables convey many of the same healing qualities as chicken.
Vitamin A
Foods rich in vitamin A play a part in sinus health by assisting with repair the epithelial cells that makes up the mucous membranes of your sinuses, says Victor H. Lindlahr, in his book "How to Win and Keep Health with Foods." When your vitamin A levels are low, epithelial cells become distorted and unable to form an effective barrier to infections. Load up on green leafy vegetables to keep you vitamin A levels up to par. Many sinus problems stem from chronic allergies. If you are allergic to certain foods, such as wheat or dairy products, and they trigger sinus infections, the best foods for your sinuses may be the ones you avoid.
References
- "The Sinus Cure: 7 Simple Steps to Relieve Sinusitis and Other Ear, Nose, and ... "; Debra Fulghum Bruce; 2007
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Quercetin
- "Journal of Medical Microbiology"; Inhibition of Streptolysin O by Allicin - an Active Component of Garlic; M. Arzanlou, et al.; Septemeber 2010
- "How to Win and Keep Health with Foods"; Victor H. Lindlahr; 2006
- "Sinus Relief Now: the Groundbreaking 5-step Program for Sinus, Allergy, and ... "; Jordan S. Josephson; 2006
- University of Texas Medical Branch; Paranasal Sinus Anatomy and Function; January 10, 2002
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