As spring quickly approaches and allergies ramp up — thanks to the premature pollen bomb that dropped this week, leaving the susceptible more congested than usual — here comes more bad news:
Your diet could be making everything worse.
That’s because certain foods can aggravate nasal congestion, which could potentially lead to a sinus infection, experts say.
“When mucus gets trapped, it gets thicker and stickier,” Dr. Sam Huh, an assistant professor in the Otolaryngology department at Mount Sinai told HuffPost. “That mucus is then going to just sit there and become like a spa for bacteria.”
He added: “In order to avoid congestion and sinusitis, you want a good flow of mucus, good airflow and a good immune system.”
But sinusitis isn’t always triggered by environmental irritants — sometimes, what’s on your plate could be to blame, such as fried foods, added sugars and, for some, dairy products.
While clinical studies have not shown that dairy aggravates everyone’s allergies, Huh explained that some people may feel “phlegmy” after consuming milk probably due to an allergy to casein, which is a protein found in certain dairy products.
Some vegetable oils used for frying finger-licking good food can cause inflammation due to the high levels of omega-6 fatty acids they contain, according to HuffPost.
If you’re already congested in your sinus pathways, “you don’t want to add insult to injury by eating it,” said registered dietitian Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, the founder of 360Girls&Women and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Similarly, some research has claimed refined sugars — in soda, candy, juice, cereal and more — can increase inflammation due to the release of cytokines, or inflammatory molecules, and, therefore, lead to sinusitis.
“Research in this is limited, however … reducing added sugars is beneficial to health overall, and in doing so if this helps to improve your symptoms, this can only be of benefit,” said registered dietitian Amy Kimberlain, who is also a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Refined sugars are typically found in ultra-processed foods, which have been linked to an increased risk of numerous diseases, including mental disorders, heart disease and death.
Experts also say that congestion in some people could be triggered by salicylates, which are chemicals made by plants such as legumes, cereals, vegetables, fruits and certain spices.
Foods containing histamines — a chemical produced by the immune system when it is threatened by an allergen — can also aggravate allergies if people have an intolerance.
Certain foods, such as processed meat, fermented drinks like alcohol, aged cheese and fermented food, contain high levels of histamines, which can cause sinus congestion as well as gastrointestinal distress or itchy skin.
Consuming high histamine foods when you are histamine intolerant can further the symptoms of sinusitis, said Kimberlain.
“When histamine builds up and you don’t have enough of the enzyme … that breaks it down, you’ll have an intolerance to histamine,” said Anderson-Haynes.
However, just like certain foods trigger inflammation, other eats can calm symptoms, like capsaicin, the key ingredient in hot peppers like cayenne that is responsible for the runny nose experienced while downing hot wings. As a response to the heat, the body attempts to flush out the spice with fluids, dialates blood vessels and increases the body’s temperature, according to Time.
“Sinusitis restricts our blood vessels and blood flow … Cayenne opens up those sinuses and it reduces the inflammation,” noted Anderson-Haynes.
Garlic and ginger could also have anti-inflammatory properties due to certain compounds they contain, although, per HuffPost, they’re more effective when they’re raw, as cooking reduces the beneficial compounds.
Because a good immune system is vital for warding off inflammation, maintaining a well-rounded diet packed with fruits and vegetables is key, as is staying hydrated to thin the mucus stuck in the sinuses, experts say.
If all else fails, Huh recommends steam. Although there isn’t much scientific data to back it up, he said eating hot soup might help.
“Steam will mix with the thick mucus and make it more watery so everything can flow better,” he added.
