Don’t wait until you are feeling miserable! Prepare now for alleviation with these top herbal remedies for a sinus infection so you will be ready when those pesky sicknesses arrive. If we don’t prepare ahead of time, we might give into the use of over-the-counter medicine instead of the safer herbal remedies simply because of ease. Don’t make that kind of mistake. Read on to figure out what is the best way you can prepare your medicinal herb cabinet for relief of sinus infections!
Catching a cold is bad enough. But when it turns into a sinus infection, things become worse. If you’re anything like me, you try to find anything you can to find relief through herbs or herbal remedies. I avoid medication at all costs. Finding a more holistic way to not just mask my symptoms but to truly heal my body and make it healthier is what I strive to find. This post is full of helpful information for herbal remedies for a sinus infection.
This post is all about herbal remedies for a sinus infection.
Foods to Avoid
The first thing to learn is that there are certain foods to avoid when dealing with a sinus infection. These are the foods that produce more mucus…something you don’t need while sick. The foods to avoid are dairy, oats, barley, rye, wheat, and sugar. Once you make the decision to temporarily eliminate those from your diet, it’s time to look at the other herbal remedies for a sinus infection you can have on hand.
Neti Pot
One simplistic way to help clear your nasal passages is to use a Neti pot. They have been used to help colds and sinus infections for hundreds of years. It helps to loosen any dry substance in your nose, provide some moisture and clean out your sinuses.
To use, fill the pot up with hot (not boiling) water. You should try to get the temperature of this water similar to the temperature of the water when you take a shower.
Next, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of a healthy salt such as sea salt, rock salt, Celtic salt, or kosher salt.
For added benefit, you can add in any herbal tincture (20-60 drops of herb essential oil) or even some aloe vera juice (1 teaspoon for soothing irritated mucus membranes).
Once everything has been mixed well, tip the Neti pot into one of your nostrils. Empty the pot about half way before switching to your other nostril.
Repeat once or twice a day.
Here is a Neti pot that I recommend.
Some decongestant essential oils you can add to the water in your Neti pot at eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, and peppermint oil. Remember to add 20-60 drops of any combination of these essential oils.
Using Healing Herbs Through Teas
There are a few different ways to help relieve a sinus infection. The Neti pot information above helps to clear the passage way by getting rid of any dried debris as well as provide moisture to help prevent the dryness again.
But there are a few more measures you can take to help heal your body and help you to feel better.
One of those ways is to put the healing properties of medicinal herbal plants into your system. We can do this by making a tea. To make the tea, boil 1 cup of water. Add 2 teaspoons of dried herbs or 1/4 cup of fresh herbs to the hot water and steep for 20-30 minutes. Strain out the herbs and enjoy your tea! If you are wanting to make an iced tea, double the strength of the herbs, make the tea as instructed above, then pour over ice.
To add some additional flavors, consider adding in some dried fruit such as apples, apricots, black currants, cranberries, etc. Honey can be used as a sweetener if needed. Now, let’s look at an effective herbal tea recipe.
Herbal Tea for Sinus Infection
4 teaspoons Peppermint leaves
3 teaspoons Mullein leaves
3 teaspoons Elder Flowers
2 teaspoons raspberry leaves or sage leaves
1-2 teaspoons Ginger Root
1 teaspoon Yarrow
Mix all the herbs into a large bowl. When ready to make a tea, take 2 teaspoons of the mixture and steep in 1 cup boiling water for 20-30 minutes. Drink 2-3 times a day. The warmth from the tea will feel good on your throat as well. The warmth helps to calm down any inflammation in your throat.
Steaming
Another great way to find relief is by inhaling essential oils through steam. Place a bowl of very hot (steamy) water, not boiling on a table. Add in desired essential oils (see list below.) The hot water will evaporate into the air, taking the essential oils with them. Place a towel over your head and the bowl, and breath in the evaporated steam that’s coming from your bowl.
Do not do this with children. They could easily get burned by the hot water.
Repeat this multiple times during the day. Here are helpful essential oils to add to your steam:
Peppermint Oil
Eucalyptus Oil
Oregano Oil
Tea Tree Oil
Other Ways to Help Relieve Sinus Infection Discomfort
Humidifier
Using a humidifier seems like such a simple thing but it helps tremendously! If you haven’t tried one before, they don’t cost much and are very useful. You can use them with kids, during pregnancy, or any other time in your life as it is just putting water back into the air to eliminate dryness. It helps you to breathe and sleep much better! You could also use a few drops of essential oil, such as eucalyptus, to add to the healing of this little machine.
Elevate Your Head
When you elevate your head, especially while sleeping, it allows your sinuses to drain rather than just be stagnant. The movement helps to not have the congestion in your face. If a baby (young enough to not use a pillow yet) has a cold or sinus infection, simply put a barely folded towel underneath the mattress to elevate the head mildly. For everyone else, put an extra pillow under your normal pillow for elevation.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps to reduce the length of your sickness. It can be taken in many forms such as vitamins, orange juice, Emergen-C, just to name a few.
Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry Syrup has been one of the effective herbal remedies for a sinus infection as well as other sicknesses for hundreds of years! These amazing berries are filled with antioxidants, 40% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C, helps with digestion, skin conditions, and constipation. To learn more about Elderberry syrup, read here.
My family takes elderberry syrup on a daily basis to help keep sicknesses at bay. My exact organic elderberry syrup is sold here so you can take it knowing that it is packed with protection and healthiness for your body.
Conclusion
Getting a cold isn’t enjoyable, but especially if it turns into a sinus infection. Thankfully, there are a plethora of herbal remedies for a sinus infection that you can prepare/use for when you get sick. We know it is basically inevitable to get sick, so prepare as much as possible for when the day comes so you will be armed and ready.
This post is all about herbal remedies for a sinus infection.
