| By :
Bessie Jo Tillman
Is your head throbbing from sinus problems? Have all of the solutions you've tried so far failed? Don't give up. Look for other answers to this problem. Expand your search into the holistic, natural approaches that relieve sinus problems. After all your sinuses connect to the rest of your body via the blood stream, immune and glandular systems. If you have neglected your health in general you're due for a tune up. That gives the sinus problems a much better chance to heal. Evaluate your current health in light of these four steps: Daily living habits Condition of your environment Nutritional support of your body, including food and supplements Hidden allergies Let's take a look at each of these areas of health and see if there's room for improvement. Step 1 Healthy Living Habits To prevent sinus problems be sure to sleep 7-9 hours per night. Most of us think it's impossible to sleep that long. How will we ever get everything done? Give it a try. You may be surprised at how much better you feel and how much more efficient you are just from getting a few more hours sleep each night. Also learn to prioritize so you do the most important tasks each day. Make getting enough sleep a high priority and don't feel guilty about it. Our society tends to value "getting a lot of things done" without regard to the state of our health. Perhaps you could find a way to be more organized that would free up some time to sleep. That may include engaging all family members in the family chores. Many hands make quick work and everyone gets more sleep and feels happier. If you have a sinus infection, then you need even more sleep, like 8-10 hours or more per night. Fit some exercise into your lifestyle. Choose an aerobic exercise that you enjoy and engage in it a minimum of 3 to 5 times per week. If outdoor pollution is high, then exercise indoors. However, if you have a sinus infection, don't push yourself. Moderate walking may be ok until that sinus infection clears. Drink plenty of purified water, at least ½ ounce per pound of body weight. That will probably work out to 8 ounces of water 8 times per day for adults. With exercise increase your water intake. Step 2 Improve Your Environment A negative ion generator helps precipitate particles out of the air and thus takes a lot of the filtering burden off of your sinuses. Run it all the time. A warm mist humidifier moisturizes the air and your sinuses. It's an important addition to your healthy sinus program whenever the air is dry, as in the winter when the heat is on or in the summer when the air conditioner runs. Step 3 Nutrition for Healthy Sinuses If you rely too much on fast food, consider upgrading your nutrient intake by eating meals that emphasize more vegetables and about two small servings of fruit per day along with some protein and whole grains. With stress your body requires some concentrated nutrients to deal with the stress and heal the tissues. Anyone with sinus problems has some kind of bodily stress. Holistic ear, nose and throat specialists recommend these supplements for sinus problems: Multivitamin Vitamin C Beta carotene Grape seed extract Vitamin B6 Selenium Zinc picolinate Magnesium citrate, aspartate of glycinate Calcium citrate or hydroxyapatite Chromium picolinate Garlic Consider seeing a holistic practitioner to help you determine the amount of each supplement that you need. Step 4 Hidden allergies Your sinus problems may stem from allergic sources that you are completely unaware of. Hidden allergies are classified as "airborne" or food. Airborne allergens include tree, grass, weed pollens, animal dander, dust mites and mold. Using a negative ion generator and an air purifier will help decrease this allergenic load. Any food that your body reacts to or cannot digest well may act as an allergen for your sinuses. When considering food allergies, dairy products are the foods that most frequently react in the sinuses. If dairy sensitivity is the culprit in your chronic sinus problems, you may be happily surprised at how great you feel after eliminating all dairy products for at least 2 weeks. Take some time to implement these four steps in resolving sinus problems. Help yourself back to clear sinuses and vibrant health.
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