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Snoring - alternatives to surgery
My husband snores, whether he sleeps on his back or side. He has tried some alternative products which worked for a while, but nothing has really worked. He has been told he could have a painful operation for his sinusitis but there would be no guarantee this would stop the snoring. My alternative is to sleep in the spare room or cut off his head! Is there nothing that will work?
We may tend to treat snoring as a joke but since it is linked to increased risks of heart disease, hypertension and strokes and since it affects an estimated 4 million Britons (and their partners) it makes sense to try and treat the problem. That said, while sufferers will spend a small fortune on gimmicks and even surgical procedures to try and stop it, the answer, for some, could be as simple as changing their diet.
Nutritionists now report that meat-eaters are more likely to snore than vegetarians and that dairy products can make the problem worse. Both foods are high in protein, which increases the amount of mucous the body makes. This can then accumulate to narrow the airways making it more difficult to breathe at night.
One solution is to cut out these mucous-forming foods and then take antioxidants. The most important one for snorers is vitamin E (15mg a day) which helps keep the airways free of pollution. It also enhances the action of vitamin A which works to protect surfaces, including the linings of the airways and lungs. (If you have heart problems or Parkinson’s disease, check with your doctor before taking vitamin E.)
Obesity is linked with an increased tendency to snore - men with a collar size bigger than 17in are most at risk - and alcohol, like smoking, always makes it worse. Laser surgery is an option but only works in 50% of cases. Instead, try Higher Nature’s aptly-named Never Snore, a herbal remedy that outperformed doctors’ expectations in clinical trials.
In a long term trial involving 220 snoring patients, aged from 18 to 76 and carried out by doctors at the Southwest Physical Medicine & Pain Treatment Center in Arizona, 86% of participants and their families reported good to excellent improvements. Never Snore contains the enzymes protease, lipase, amylase and cellulase and is formulated with the herbs, yellow dock and acerola. The purpose of the enzymes is to breakdown and digest the protein mucous. The role of these two herbs is to decongest the airways.
*Higher Nature’s Never Snore costs £10.90 for 30 tablets. To mail order, call 01435-882880. Solgar’s Antioxidant Nutrients provides vitamins A, C and E, plus zinc and a version of the body’s most powerful antioxidant, glutathione. It also contains silica, which can help restore elasticity to the body’s tissues. 100 capsules cost £27.19. Take one a day and call 01442-890355 to find a local stockist.