Seven Holistic Ways to Deal with Nasal Congestion

It’s the middle of winter and in the northeastern United States it is COLD! The air is dry too, especially if you live in a home or work in building with dry, forced air heating. These conditions can cause the nasal passages to become dried out and inflamed, which actually causes them to overproduce mucus to compensate for the dryness. Many people think mucus is a bad thing, but truthfully it is necessary to keep the delicate tissue in the nasal passages, as well as other similar tissues within the body, lubricated and protected.


However, mucus can become a problem in the body if there is an over-abundance of it. This can occur from eating too many mucus-producing foods (which, unfortunately, the Standard American Diet contains a lot of), or if the body over-produces mucus to compensate for dried out sinuses or lungs as mentioned above. During cold and allergy season, however, the body produces more mucus as an immune system response when foreign bodies enter due to allergens (pollen, dust, mold) or pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The purpose of the excess mucus in this case is to help the body expel the invader, which often results in stuffy noses, coughs, sinus infections, and even more serious bronchial infections.

The conventional approach:

In our society, when we experience an inconvenient or uncomfortable symptom like a runny nose or a cough we want it gone immediately. We go to the doctor or to the drug store to get an antihistamine or expectorant or other type of decongestant to dry up the mucus so we can go about our day. These drugs often cause side effects that have had cases serious enough that many are now kept behind the pharmacy counter and are no longer on the regular shelves. They are also no longer indicated as safe for small children.


And this doesn’t seem to concern anyone, since the majority of people still go to the drug store without thinking twice at the first sign of excess mucus. Since drying up the mucus doesn’t allow the body to do its job in getting rid of the debris or germ, the body will just continue to over-produce the mucus, therefore sending people back to the doctor or drug store over and over again to demand a diagnosis and get more pills; and thus spend an entire season or more on drugs that never actually solve the problem.


What would happen if we stopped doing this? What if we stopped and realized that our bodies were designed to produce mucus for a reason and are simply reacting to an invader and trying to force it out? What if we actually let this natural and intelligent process occur. Better yet, what if we actually took steps in our lifestyle choices to help the body do its job?

The holistic approach:

Here are seven simple choices we can make to avoid over-production of mucus in the body and help keep the nasal passages clean, lubricated, and protected.

• Make sure the body is adequately hydrated by drinking enough water for your body type and consuming water-containing foods (raw fruits and veggies, tea, soup, etc.). This is important all year-round, not just in the hot summer.
• Use an indoor air filtration system and change/clean filters often. If you have forced air heating and central air conditioning, it is especially important to not only change the filters often but also to have your ducts cleaned regularly.
• Make sure the air quality in your home is not too dry or too wet. If you have a moisture problem it is important to use a dehumidifier to prevent mold growth. If you have very dry air, use a humidifier while you sleep. Again, change filters/clean the unit often.
• Use a neti pot with warm mineral-rich salt water regularly to irrigate and clean out the nasal passages. This will flush out any organisms or particles that may have accumulated. However, make sure you ONLY use warm DISTILLED water. We don’t want any amoebas attacking your brain from contaminated water. It is important to follow the neti pot with nasya oil.



• Nasya oil. I learned about the importance of this from Dr. John Douillard, DC. Nasya is an Ayurvedic practice that uses a blend of sesame oil and Ayurvedic herbs to soothe, lubricate, and protect the now clean nasal passages. If you do neti without nasya, your nasal passages may become dehydrated and cause the body to produce excess “reactive” mucus.



• Reduce your consumption of mucus-forming foods, namely dairy and other animal products. The mucus produced by these foods is not the clean, protective mucus that our own bodies produce. It is a toxic mucus that builds up and can make us sick. I am not saying that you have to become a vegan, but during cold/flu/allergy season it is a good idea to consume less of these foods if you are a person who typically suffers from sinus, bronchial, or ear infections. Chef Joe gets allergies and has had significantly less symptoms since we switched to almond and coconut milk, yogurt, and ice cream. Just sayin’. Some fermented dairy products like Greek yogurt or milk kefir might be tolerable to some people prone to allergies/congestion in small amounts.
• Finally keep your hands and house clean! Use natural soaps and cleaning products (the chemical ones can cause allergic, irritant, and toxic reactions in the body) to clean your body and home. I am now obsessed with the cleaning products from Chartreuse. Change your linens often, keep your carpets vacuumed, and your surfaces dust-free. Even when it is cold, it is a good idea to open the windows for a little while every day to aerate and cross-ventilate your home. Then you can close them up again and hunker down with your Snuggie (I couldn't resist ;)

Please use common sense:

If you have mucus that is not clear, or is accompanied by a fever or any other symptom of illness, please see your healthcare practitioner.