Mucus and inflammation are conditions that are frequently treated at Zen Penguin Wellness. These two issues go hand in hand and are often the combination that makes so many people feel sick or tired. Everybody deals with mucus and inflammation, but when they become excessive or chronic, then illness and fatigue often follow.
Mucus is produced in the body as a defense mechanism against toxins, viruses, bacteria, yeast, fungus and parasites. It is produced as a way to cushion and protect the cells of all the bodily systems, including the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urogenital, visual and auditory systems.
Not all mucus is bad. In fact, mucus is naturally produced by the body to help protect the delicate linings of our internal system like the nasal cavity and other airways. When air flows through these wind pipes, the mucus prevents them from drying out by moistening the air itself before entering the lungs. Mucus also helps prevent debris from entering the lungs. Any foreign particles that we might accidentally be breathing in sticks to the mucus and then you swallow it, so that it doesn’t get into your lungs.
When our mucus cells become chronically irritated, however, they start to over-produce mucus. Let’s say you work as a laboratory technician all day and you’re subjected to hundreds of different chemicals in a day. Your body is going to be constantly secreting mucus to protect itself from harm. Excessive mucus congests the body and presents itself as varying health conditions.
When viruses, toxins, bacteria, yeast, fungus, parasites and other undigested food particles enter the body, the body releases its own natural inflammatory mediators, like histamine. When histamine is released, inflammatory mediators cause the blood vessels to dilate and leak and the mucus glands secrete fluid. Under normal immune circumstances (like getting over a cold), beneficial mucus is produced to trap pathogens and carry them out of the body. This isn’t the case if we’re consistently producing mucus all the time. When our mucus becomes chronic, the immune system is constantly under attack.
As a result, the immune system goes into over-drive and the white blood cells and cytokines mobilize to protect you. When presented with chronic irritants like eggs, dairy, gluten, processed foods or chemicals in everyday products, which leads to undigested particles in the digestive tract, fungal growth in the body, toxin over-load or more, then you get chronic inflammation.
When our bodies get chronically inflamed, the mucus membranes secrete more mucus to protect the delicate membranes lining our organs. Therefore, the less inflamed you are and the less viruses, toxins, bacteria, yeast, fungus, parasites and undigested food particles you have in your body, then the less mucus you’ll be producing as a result.
If we’re constantly producing excessive mucus, like post nasal drip, a constant runny nose, persistent mucus from the nose or eyes, mucus in the throat, cystic white acne or chronic loose stools, we need to think about what we are eating, drinking or encountering that may be triggering this reaction.
So obviously by reducing exposure to inflammation, we should also be able to decrease chronic mucus production. Here are some things you can do to help.
1. Limit Overeating – It’s no secret that here in the U.S., we consume far too many unhealthy foods. A vast majority of our foods are over processed, full of unhealthy fats and loaded with excess sugars, all of which are highly inflammatory. On top of that, our portion sizes are much larger than they need to be. Overeating creates a situation where undigested food particles can also trigger issues like leaky gut syndrome, which can then cause chronic inflammation. This is where intermittent fasting can be beneficial. By decreasing the amounts we eat, as well as the window of time in which we eat all of our meals, we can help to fight off inflammation and mucus buildup.
2. Eat More Real Food – This should be quite obvious, but it you’re unable to read or know what the ingredients are, then it might not be worth eating. In other words, whole fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and limited quantities of unprocessed, organic meats should be the staples of your everyday diet. Processed foods need to be consumed sparingly. Overly cold and overly spiced foods should also be consumed sparingly, as the thermodynamics of the food can be as much a problem as the quality and quantity. There are also specific foods that can be consumed almost daily that specifically break up mucus and help eliminate inflammation, like ginger and citrus fruits.
3. Consume Pre & Probiotic Foods – There are specific foods that help the good bacteria in the gut to multiply and stay strong. When the good bacteria are plentiful and maintaining a stronghold in the gut, the body can fight off inflammation and excess mucus production. Prebiotics are foods that feed the healthy bacteria in the gut. These foods include onions, garlic, asparagus, beans, lentils, oats, apples, berries, bananas, dandelion greens and broccoli. When coupled with probiotic foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and kefir, the gut becomes a happy playground that can easily handle inflammatory invaders and help prevent excess mucus generation.
4. Limit Inflammatory Foods – Reducing your consumption of inflammation triggering foods will greatly help reduce the levels of inflammation in the body. Bacteria, yeast, fungi and parasites love foods that lower oxygen content in the body and raise acidity levels. An increase in bacteria, yeast, fungus and parasites in the body means the body has to work harder to eliminate them and as a result, produces more mucus to aid in the process. Inflammatory foods include red meat, all dairy products, deli meat, alcohol, deep fried foods, soda and most cakes, cookies and pastries.
5. Get Regular Acupuncture Treatments – Acupuncture has been scientifically proven to reduce inflammation by influencing the autonomic nervous system, neurotransmitters and immune cell activity. By carefully selecting acupuncture points, cytokine release can be regulated, which promotes tissue repair. Acupuncture boosts vagal nerve activity, stopping excessive immune responses through acetylcholine receptors on immune cells. It also modulates the HPA axis, lowering harmful stress hormones and preventing runaway inflammation. In addition, sympathetic stimulation can be fine tuned depending on the frequency of needling, either prompting widespread anti-inflammatory effects via catecholamines or targeting localized tissue swelling. Through these pathways, along with direct impacts on immune cells and protective barriers, acupuncture supports healthier inflammatory responses and safeguards tissues from further damage.
By incorporating the aforementioned practices, you can help your body decrease inflammation and mucus buildup. If you’re constantly feeling “phlegmy” or your body is frequently inflamed, feel free to contact us for an appointment. It could completely change your health outlook.