10 Foods To Avoid For Clearing Your Stuffy Nose

A stuffy nose can be unpleasant and frustrating. It means that you can’t breathe easily through your nose, causing you to feel weak and tired all day. It can also make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep, making you feel even more tired. Your throat may also feel blocked or sore which can make swallowing difficult.

Most people blame these symptoms on allergies or the common cold, but if it happens all of the time it could be caused by your diet. Some substances can irritate the body, causing your body to produce extra mucus to keep the irritant at bay.

Everyone reacts differently to food, but certain foods have been found to affect more people than other foods. Here are 10 food that you should avoid if you have a stuffy nose.

1. Spicy Food

Eating spicy foods like curry and tacos can cause your nose to run as they create more histamine in your body. Histamine is an inflammatory compound that is created by cells in your body when you are having an allergic reaction.

2. Red Meat

Red meat can cause a stuffy nose as it contains lots of protein. This can cause an excessive mucus build-up in your nose which irritates your sinuses.

3. Bananas

Bananas are great for the body, but for some people they can also cause a stuffy nose. This is because eating the fruit can prompt your body to release histamine, which causes your nose to run in an effort to protect your body from unwanted visitors.

4. Milk

Milk can temporarily thicken the mucus in your nose, which means that it takes longer for the mucus to travel through your body. This means that any allergens present will stay in your system for longer, causing a stuffy nose. Research has also found that milk increases the production of mucus, so you should definitely avoid milk if you have a blocked nose!

5. Cheese

Cheese causes a stuffy nose as it contains milk which thickens the mucus in your nose.

6. Refined Sugars

Refined sugars are bad for us in a few different ways, and one of those ways is that it is pro-inflammatory. This means the body makes more mucus to help reduce the irritation caused by inflammation.

7. Chocolate

As chocolate contains sugar it can increase yeast levels in your body, causing bacteria overgrowth and nasal congestion. Chocolate also contains dairy which can cause even more irritation for your nasal tissue, resulting in a swollen and runny nose.

8. Tuna

Tuna is filled with histamines that cause inflammation in some people, causing their nasal passages to swell. This can make breathing difficult.

9. Pizza

Pizza is filled with ingredients that can make your body produce extra histamine, including cheese, gluten, and tomatoes. Tomatoes are known to have anti-inflammatory properties but they can still trigger an increase in histamine levels, causing your body to produce more mucus. The high acidity level of tomatoes can also cause problems for people who have problems with acid reflux, as the acid travelling to their throat can irritate the throat.

Most people are fine after a slice, but if you get a stuffy nose and feel tired this could be why.

10. Wine And Beer

Wine is filled with sugar and natural histamines which cause your nasal tissue to swell and run. Beer can also contain gluten which can result in a stuffy nose and a flushed face. This is normally referred to as an alcohol allergy, but in reality it is an alcohol intolerance. This is a genetic condition where your body is unable to break down alcohol, causing complications like a stuffy nose.

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Source: Lifehack.org