Stuffy nose, stuffy head, sinus…This winter with its freezing weather and lots of snow resulted in serious sinus conditions for many people, and now that spring is here, allergies are rearing their heads, and stuffing up yours. When your sinus is bothering you, here are a few tips to help you recover more quickly:
drink only warm drinks;
prepare chicken soup or vegetable broth and eat it slowly allowing the vapors to reach your nose;
use neti pot to wash your sinuses;
keep your feet, belly and lungs warm; use a hot water bottle;
do inhalations with a towel over your head over a pot of special brew (email me if you are interested);
keep your hot humidifier going while you sleep;
and don’t wait — come for an acupuncture, colorpuncture or essential oil treatment.
Here is another suggestion from one of my happy patients: Had a bad head cold last week that made my forehead ache. I assumed sinus-related. I took three drops of Eucalyptus oil and mixed it with a little oil (I used almond oil since that was what I had) and rubbed it on my forehead near my eyebrows, nose, cheeks, chest and upper back. I did it a few times a day, definitely upon rising and before bed. My head barely bothered me the first day I used it and each day thereafter I was fine. I used it for a few days until my nose cleared up completely. Just thought I’d pass it on.
Some Foods That Are Good To Eat in the Spring
Here is a sample of the Liver Cleanse diet that we have been following for years at the Shining Mountain. The cleanse comes from Jane Cicchetti (homeopath) and uses Amazon Herbs products. The diet can be done with any good combination of products. The cleanse is done for two weeks and should not go past April 30th, when we get into 60 degree weather. We want to do it just in time to cleanse our bodies of accumulated toxins to prevent issues with spring allergies and to get rid of few winter pounds.
Breakfast: Any grain except wheat. You can add soaked with raisins, or dried apricots if desired, or eggs or fish with greens and Miso soup
Lunch: one big meal—Large salad of Bitter greens—arugula, watercress, dandelion, parsley, endive etc. and grilled or baked fish (only if not taken at breakfast) or beans and cooked vegetables—any vegetable except potatoes (greens are best, you may cook them in soup with beans or fish).
Dinner: No dinner at all if you want to lose weight or a plate of steamed green vegetables or light soup (Miso broth) If very hungry, headachy or dizzy, you may indulge in baked squash or sweet potato.
Drinks: Pure unchlorinated water, dandelion root tea, nettles, red clover. Drink at least 4 cups of tea and lemon with water. Drink before or after, not during your meal.
Snacks: one or two fruits if needed-preferably baked—no bananas.
All food should be organic as far as is possible. If you can’t find a good source of clean fish, eliminate it from the diet.
Avoid: All dairy products, meat and fowl, nuts, fried foods, soy products (except miso), wheat, processed foods, sugar, coffee, alcohol of any kind, eating late at night. Avoid large fish such as tuna and swordfish and farm raised fish unless it is organic. When going off the cleanse—add foods one at a time and avoid eating heavy meals at night for first few weeks.
Exercise
Walk outdoors in a natural environment. Walk at least 1/2 hour every day during the cleanse. Other beneficial exercise—yoga or stretches that stretch the thighs (both inner and outer) and legs (the location of the gall bladder and liver meridians).
Quiet time
Take some quiet time every day for meditation and relaxation. It is especially important to relax before going to bed at night. Skin brushing followed by a warm bath with lavender essential oil is helpful.
peace, mariola
Mariola Strahlberg, a Monsey resident, is a licensed acupuncturist who founded Shining Mountain Children’s Center in March 2004. Subsequently, she opened Shining Mountain Center for Peaceful Childhood, Inc., a non- profit to provide scholarships to children who could otherwise not attend the program. She is also President of the Janusz Korczak Association of the USA.
By Mariola Strahlberg
