Experts estimate that 80% of health problems are preventable, yet only 5% of healthcare dollars are spent on prevention.  As an ENT and Sleep Medicine specialist, my goal is to empower my patients to keep their airways healthy before they need to take medications or undergo surgery.

The most effective prevention for sinus inflammation is by far saline nasal rinses.  Regular rinsing of the sinuses with clean salt water has been scientifically proven to improve the health of the microscopic cilia that line the sinuses and keep the mucous flowing in the right direction.  Patients who regularly rinse at home report fewer problems with sinus congestion, drainage and facial pain.

One easy remedy that most allergy patients can benefit from is to put dust mite covers on their pillows and mattress and a HEPA filter in their bedroom.  Dust mite allergy is very common amongst allergy sufferers, especially in high-humidity environments.  If you wake up every morning needing to blow your nose and feeling congested, try treating your bedroom for dust mites before seeing a doctor.

Sugar addiction is a real problem in the US, and many people don’t realize how it affects the immune system.  Bacteria and viruses feed off sugar, and infections are significantly more common in people with diabetes and with high-sugar diets.  Cutting out sodas and sweets is one of the most important steps to take if you suffer from recurrent sinus infections or colds.

Stress and lack of sleep also have a detrimental effect on the immune system, and I advise patients to schedule daily self-care to improve sleep and lower stress.  Our Sleep & Wellness Center is equipped with many ways to do this… we hold yoga, pilates and meditation classes in our Pink Himalayan Salt Cave, have infrared saunas with guided mediation, a massage therapist who specializes in lymphatic drainage, and Dr. Bowden counsels patients on coping mechanisms for insomnia.  These modalities have an added benefit of lowering inflammation throughout the body.

Finally, managing allergies through immunotherapy and food sensitivities through diet are two important ways to lower total body inflammation.  At BreatheMD, our allergy test process takes 20 minutes and our patients can begin sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops) within a few days.  We offer a blood test for food sensitivities called the Mediator Release Test (MRT) that provides a detailed report of 170 different foods and substances that your body is sensitive to.