SearchExclusive.com

5 Foods That Soothe Nasal Congestion

Be it allergies, cold, or flu, nasal congestion is one of the most common symptoms of many illnesses. Despite the exact cause, nasal congestion is often unpleasant and annoying. But the good news is that you may not need medication to treat your stuffy nose. Simply eating certain foods can help clear your nasal passage and make breathing easier. Following are some of the best foods that can help relieve nasal congestion at home.

Chicken soup
Drinking hot liquids is one of the most effective ways to clear mucus in the nasal passage. And multiple studies have shown that chicken soup does the job better than any other liquid food. The steam from the hot soup makes the mucus thin and helps it drain from the nose. Also, chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine that helps in the breakdown of mucus. So, ensure that you have at least a bowl of chicken soup every day. If the congestion is severe, you can have the soup multiple times in a day.
Garlic
When you crush or cut a clove of garlic, it releases a sulfur compound called allicin. This compound is antibacterial, antifungal, and can even kill some viruses. Also, garlic has long been known to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It can not only soothe your nasal congestion but also help fight the common cold. It’s most effective when eaten raw, but you’ll temporarily develop an unpleasant garlic breath. A great thing about garlic is that it is extremely versatile and goes well with salads, sauces, and sauteed vegetables.
Ginger
Ginger is very popular across Asia, both as a spice and for its various health benefits. Researchers have also stated that ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It also contains natural antihistamines. This combination is very effective in relieving nasal congestion, easing sinus pain, and reducing swelling throughout the body. An excellent way to benefit from ginger is through a soothing cup of ginger tea. Adding a few drops of honey and lemon juice can make the drink more effective.
Pepper
You might have experienced the icky mucus dripping from your while eating spicy foods. This happens because capsaicin, a compound present in the hot, spicy peppers like jalapenos, habaneros, and cayennes binds with your TRPV1 receptors placed on the surface of the taste buds. The same compound also helps break down mucus in the nostrils and encourages nasal discharge. Plus, it eases pain, reduces inflammation, and stimulates your immune system. Interestingly, some nasal sprays that help ease symptoms related to non-allergic sinus inflammation contain capsaicin obtained from peppers.
Pineapple
Let’s end this list with a sweet and sour fruit. Pineapple is not only packed with vitamin C but it also contains bromelain in large amounts. Bromelain is an enzyme that has strong anti-inflammatory properties and helps break up excess mucus in your nasal passage. It may also help reduce mucus production. You can enjoy a pineapple alone or add it to your salad. You can even make a no-sugar pineapple juice to help reduce congestion.

Related Reading

Tips for Buying the Best Dog Food

Most of the dogs do not have a food fuss and may eat almost anything that you feed them. Dogs are not choosy at all when it comes to food and nutrition. Hence, it is important to make sure that the food that you are purchasing for your dog is healthy. The landscape of dog food has been developing by leaps and bounds in recent times. There is a wide variety of options to choose from in the online and offline market. Given the wide range of options that are available today, buying the best dog food might seem to be a confusing task indeed. All the commercial pet food that is available in the market today is regulated by the FDA. Therefore, most of the products do contain nutritious, healthy, and safe ingredients. But it does help to know certain basic factors you should look for while buying food for your dog. Prioritize on the nutritional guarantee The best dog food, which meets the dog’s needs adequately has a statement written on the label of the product, from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Buy from some of the best dog food brands, such as Fromm Family Foods, Earthborn Holistic, Nature’s Variety Instinct, and The Honest Kitchen.

Different Types of Kitchen Cabinets Available for Your Home

The most important aspect when designing your kitchen is deciding on the type of cabinets. In addition to functionality, kitchen cabinets score on aesthetics as well. Once the layout is planned, you can go ahead with choosing the cabinets. If you’re remodeling your home or just the kitchen, what you need to consider are the types of cabinets that furnish your kitchen. Here are a few types of kitchen cabinets that you can choose from. Base cabinets These kitchen cabinets are mounted on the floor and they are placed after checking out the floor plan. A major part of your job in the kitchen is on these base cabinets, which hold and support the countertops. These base cabinets are combined to carve out kitchen islands. A number of base cabinets are fused/set against one another and installed on site. The base cabinets, in addition to supporting the countertops, serve as drawers to hold your cutlery and appliances. Wall cabinets Mounted on the walls, these cabinets can store everything, right from your cookware to cookbooks. In terms of design, they offer utmost flexibility. Wall cabinet kitchen is available in varying heights, multiple widths, and custom depth options. This customization helps you to fit in your stuff of varying shapes and sizes into the wall cabinets.

How to Pick the Right Dog Food for a Sensitive Stomach

In today’s world, where you are presented with over a dozen choices for every item you would purchase for your own kitchen, it is not surprising that you have an equal number of options for your dog’s food. However, choosing the perfect brand and formula for your dog out of a range of options in the market is not an easy job. Your pet depends on you and trusts you to make the right choice for them. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your research about the products available in the market, understand what your dog needs, know what might be your pet’s problems, and then make a sound decision. What is a sensitive stomach? Dogs are known to have voracious and large appetites. Keeping that in mind, it is normal to assume that they have strong stomachs. They can eat close to anything be it sweets, bakes, chewy gum, hard leather or even woolen socks for that matter! It always so happens that the strongest of them are prone to allergies and can develop a disorder which is medically translated as a sensitive stomach. This might be due to a sudden change in the food habits or even due an infection picked up from somewhere.

All You Need to Know about Cat Food

For cat owners, cat food is a hot topic. You need to think about it in different aspects. The best thing is to know which ingredients are good for cat food and which are harmful. If you are aware of this, you can get an idea about the quality of the cat food just by going through the label. It is always sensible to stick to one brand of cat food. However, you may also want to try and prepare cat food yourself. There are also various options for wet cat food as well. Cat’s love for fish is universal, so you can do without going for expensive cat food. Nevertheless, whether you buy it or prepare cat food at home, you need to ensure that the food contains enough nutrition and calories. You would need to have some idea about the ingredients that must be present in cat food and make a worthy selection for your cat. Basic ingredients present in good cat foods Cats need a variety of nutrients to stay healthy and active; they need various vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and oils. The following is a brief explanation of the basic ingredients that should be present in cat foods.