Suffering from sinusitis? Pineapple can help!

Why resort to medication when you can try this simple home remedy!

For those who are prone to sinusitis, winter can be a very difficult time. Here are the Dos and don ts to prevent sinus infections. Instead of staying indoors and dealing with the symptoms of sinusitis, here's a natural remedy you should try -- eat fresh pineapples. The fruit contains an enzyme called bromelain which has traditionally been used as a medicinal plant in many native cultures. While bromelain was known chemically since 1867, it was introduced as a therapeutic compound only in 1957 when it was found in high concentrations in pineapple stems.

A study conducted by German researchers found that bromelain is effective in accelerating recovery by significantly reducing symptoms among children suffering from chronic sinusitis [1]. Around 116 sinusitis patients from 19 centres across Germany were a part of the study and all of them were treated using this enzyme found in fresh pineapples. Doctors observed that the recovery was seen only 9 days after the children, who were under 11 years old, were given bromelain for their treatment.

The study, published in In Vivo, concluded that no side effects were observed in any of these patients other than a 10-year-old boy with a known pineapple allergy. However, he showed only a mild allergic reaction. This study was conducted by researchers from the University of Leipzig in 2005, following which the pineapple enzyme has been used widely in the treatment of chronic sinusitis among children in Germany. Here's how you can also treat sinusitis with ajwain or carom seeds.

Despite the health benefits of pineapples, make sure to consult your doctor before having them to treat sinusitis as bromelain could interact with some medications like blood thinners, among others. As mentioned in the study, pineapples should be consumed for not more than nine days. Avoid eating large quantities at a time as it could result in stomach aches. These are the top 6 Ayurvedic remedies to beat sinusitis

Reference:

[1] In Vivo. 2005 Mar-Apr;19(2):417-21. Therapeutic use, efficiency and safety of the proteolytic pineapple enzyme Bromelain-POS in children with acute sinusitis in Germany. Braun JM(1), Schneider B, Beuth HJ.

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