Do you suffer from sinus infections all too often? If so, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with frequent sinus infections that can be very annoying and disruptive to their normal day-to-day activities. When you have a stuffy nose, it is hard to go about your day normally.
You can’t taste your food properly; you struggle to breathe through your nose; and it hurts when you blow your nose. All of this can make going out or doing anything with other people challenging at the best of times.
With that being said, the key to preventing these infections is understanding how they happen in the first place and finding ways to help reduce the risk of getting them again.
Stay Clean
This may sound obvious, but it is worth repeating. Keeping your hands clean can help prevent a lot of infections. So, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly before eating, before and after touching your face, and before and after going to the bathroom.
If you have a stuffy nose, it might be a challenge to do this properly, but you’ll just have to do your best. If possible, avoid sharing cups and glasses with others since you don’t know how many hands have been on those items.
You might even consider bringing your own coffee mug with you to work if you often have trouble with your sinuses. You might also consider using hand sanitizer before eating or touching your nose if you have a sinus infection and are having trouble keeping your hands clean.
Get Plenty of Rest
When you’re tired, your immune system is less effective at fighting infections. When your body is tired and not at full strength, it is easier to get sick. When you are sick, it is harder to get better. When you’re tired, you also often find it harder to deal with stress.
Stress is one of the main triggers for sinus infections. When you’re tired, dealing with stress is much more challenging. If you are feeling stressed and tired, it is much easier for you to get sick.
In addition to making you more susceptible to infections, lack of sleep also makes it harder for you to recover from a sinus infection when you get one. With that being said, try to get at least 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Eat Healthy Foods
There is no one single food that can cure your sinus infections. But, eating a healthy diet can help reduce the amount of times you get sick. Your immune system is largely based on your diet.
Eating foods that help boost your immune system can help reduce the amount of times you get sick. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables can be very helpful in this regard.
It is important to note that eating a healthy diet and eating fruits and vegetables are not the same thing. Fruits and vegetables can be very healthy but they also contain fructose and other sugars that can feed bacteria and make it harder for your body to fight infections. Therefore, if you are prone to sinus infections, try to avoid consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Don’t Tempt Fate
This might sound silly, but it is an important tip to remember. When you’re sick, it is tempting to try to push through and do things you normally do.
However, this is a bad idea. You should rest when you have a sinus infection. There is no point in pushing yourself to do things when your body and mind are already feeling miserable. Rest is actually good for you because it gives your body time to get better.
If you try to push through being sick and do the things you normally do, you are likely to just end up prolonging the infection and making it harder for your body to fight back against the infection.
Try Natural Therapies
Some natural therapies may help reduce the risk of you getting sinus infections. Some of these can also help reduce the symptoms of a sinus infection once you have it.
These include things like drinking herbal teas, getting more sunlight, and sleeping better. Getting more exercise can also be helpful since it can help reduce the amount of stress you are under.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can also consider supplementing your diet with probiotics. Probiotics can help reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in your gut and reduce the risk of you getting sick, including from a sinus infection.
Conclusion
Sinus infections can be very annoying and disruptive to your normal day-to-day activities. If you have a stuffy nose, it is hard to go about your day normally.
You can’t taste your food properly; you struggle to breathe through your nose; and it hurts when you blow your nose. All of this can make going out or doing anything with other people challenging at the best of times.
With that being said, the key to preventing these infections is understanding how they happen in the first place and finding ways to help reduce the risk of getting them again.