Sinus condition
For the last year or so, I have been troubled by an apparent sinus condition. The symptoms include itchy red eyes, swelling below and above the eyes and a runny nose. One doctor diagnosed an allergy. Another prescribed a nose spray which provides temporary relief but which contains steroids. Can you suggest an alternative?
The doctor who diagnosed an allergic reaction to something is quite correct since this is commonly the underlying cause of a sinus infection. Of course, the problem you now have is identifying what you are having an adverse reaction to.
Cigarette smoke is an obvious irritant but so, for many sufferers, are sugar and dairy in the diet. Try cutting these out for a fortnight and monitor your symptoms, especially when you then re-introduce these foods.
Vitamin C is a natural anti-histamine and so will help reduce the severity of the reaction. You need to take 1g a day but remember, this is a water-soluble vitamin that the body cannot store. In fact, it takes less than two hours to excrete an excess of this nutrient. The way around this problem is to decide on your daily dose and then split it into three equal dosages to take throughout the day.
One of the best-selling supplements for this condition is Nutrition Now’s SinU Support which also provides the flavanoid quercetin. This agent is not only an anti-histamine in its own right and so will thus work to reduce the body’s inflammatory response to allergens, but it is also synergistic with vitamin C which means it boosts its action in the body too. The formulation also contains zinc to bolster the immune system and scopoletin, one of the active anti-inflammatory agents present in stinging nettles.
*Mail order Nutrition Now’s SinU Support from Victoria Health on 0800-413596 and take as directed on the bottle.