Have you ever
heard the expression,
“I need that like I
need a hole in the
head?” Well, it turns
out that we really
do need holes in our
heads. Our “holes”
are four pairs of hollow, air-filled sacs called
sinuses. They are located over the eyes in the
forehead, between the eyes, below the eyes
behind the cheekbones, and near the center
of the head.
In some ways, sinuses are a mystery.
Scientists still haven’t unlocked the secrets
of all they do. We know that the sinuses may
help to insulate the skull, allow our voices
to resonate, humidify and warm the air we
breathe, and help to reduce the weight of
the skull. Whatever their purpose is, they
sometimes can be a pain – especially when
you end up with a sinus infection or sinus-
itis (inflammation of the sinuses and nasal
passages).
What we do know is that when your
sinuses are inflamed, you want relief fast. The
concentrated plant oils from two amazing
botanicals can do just that. And they are the
focus of this Terry Talks Nutrition®.
HOW SINUSES SHOULD WORK
Healthy sinuses are lined with tiny,
hair-like projections called cilia. The cilia
wave back and forth, pushing mucus out of
the sinus cavities into the throat where it is
swallowed or into the nose where it can be
blown out. But, when the process doesn’t
work correctly, you
can be in for some real
problems.
ACUTE SINUSITIS
If thick mucus
plugs up the sinuses
so they can’t drain,
or bacteria or viruses harm the cilia so they
don’t efficiently push the mucus out, the
lining of the sinus cavity becomes inflamed,
the sinuses fill up, pressure builds, and the
pain becomes intense. Worse still, the warm,
moist, mucus-filled sinus cavity is a perfect
breeding ground for bacteria, leading to a
sinus infection, or sinusitis.
Pain and pressure in the face is one of
the most common symptoms of sinusitis.
Which sinus cavity is involved determines
where the pain is felt. Other common symp-
toms include headache, yellow or green
mucus discharge from the nose, stuffy nose,
bad breath, fever, cough that produces
mucus, and a reduced sense of taste and
smell.
CHRONIC SINUSITIS
Acute sinusitis is a short-term event
that resolves and goes away. However, when
sinusitis lasts for weeks, or returns again
and again, you have chronic sinusitis. It
frequently occurs in people with asthma,
and many people with chronic sinusitis have
allergies. Experts believe there is a possi-
bility that constant exposure to inhaled
allergens that are present year round, such
as house dust mites, pets, mold and cock-
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