Best Diet For Nasal Polyps Prevention – Tips And Advice

If you are inclined to think there is no such thing as a diet for nasal polyps, you are wrong. What we eat influences directly how we feel and how healthy we are. Nasal polyps, these little outgrows of the mucous membrane lining our nose, make no exception.

The most popular treatments for nasal polyps are steroid sprays and surgery. If you want to avoid them, you can choose to make some changes to your diet in order to eat more of those foods that prevent these polyps from developing.

1. Drink More Water

When you drink enough water, your mucous membranes are moistened, thus becoming more resistant to various allergens that may cause nasal polyps among other symptoms. If you don’t know how much water you drink every day, you can monitor it by drinking from bottles. If you set your goal to drink two liters per day, you need to empty four half-liter bottles.

2. Eat More Beta-Carotene Rich Foods

Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant which actively fights chronic inflammation. This makes it very effective in your fight against nasal polyps. You can find beta-carotene in spinach, carrots, apricots, melon and sweet potatoes. It’s best to eat the carrots raw, if you like.

3. Increase your Omega-3 Fatty Acids Intake

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for the proper functioning of the body. However, there needs to be a proper balance between the two. If your Omega-6 intake is higher than the Omega-3, they work in favor of inflammation, and that’s not a good thing. You need to increase the Omega-3 intake and decrease the Omega-6 in order to benefit from the anti inflammatory effects of Omega-3 fatty acids to the full. You can find Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, halibut and cod, as well as in flax-seeds, soybeans and walnuts.

4. Eat Foods With High Flavonoids Content

Quercetin is one of the most powerful flavonoids. It helps fighting free radicals, thus having an active contribution in preventing nasal polyps.

In fact, all flavonoids are good, therefore you need to make them part of your meals if you want to enjoy the benefits of a diet for nasal polyps prevention. You can find quercetin and other flavonoids in capers, onions, cherries, read wine, broccoli, red grapes and many berries.

5. Eat More Spicy Foods

Foods like chili peppers, ginger, garlic and onions are very good because they help clearing out the sinuses. Their action helps preventing the creation of polyps, so you should consider adding them to your diet.

6. Increase Your Selenium Intake

Selenium is a good anti-allergen and antioxidant. It can help you alleviate allergies, thus reducing inflammation and the risk of nasal polyps. Selenium can be found in crimini mushrooms, Brazil nuts and shrimps. It’s best to combine it with vitamin E, so consider also eating more foods that contain this vitamin as well.

7. Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol has the effect of swelling the mucous membranes. If you want to alleviate the symptoms caused by nasal polyps, eliminating alcohol will help you a great deal.

8. Stay Away from Allergens

Polyps are usually caused by an allergic reaction. You need to identify all those foods you are allergic to and eliminate them from your diet. You need to get tested for other allergens such as dust, pollen or pet dander and stay away from them if your tests come out positive.

The best diet for nasal polyps is the one that works best for you. This is why you have to try various foods and combinations, and then to stick to those that gave you the best results.