Fighting a sinus infection without antibiotics

Situation
With the Kincade fire raging in Northern California’s wine country, the air quality has been poor in most of the Bay Area this past week. However, the air in the Pleasanton/Livermore area, where I live, has thankfully not been as bad as other places. So this past Sunday (October 27th) I pressed on with my weekly Sunday pickup soccer game. Now, for me, there is nothing quite like the high of running around all morning kicking a ball, and I enjoyed that feeling of post-game contentment all afternoon. But come Sunday night, whether it was due to the poor air, the 60mph winds that had kicked up that morning, or the lower temperatures as the season changes, I was definitely coming down with something.
By Monday morning, there was painful pressure in the sinuses below my eyes, and my left ear, left nostril, and the left side of my throat had inflammation. Graphic detail alert — I was also blowing out nasty green/brown mucus from my nose. Self-diagnosis: Sinus infection
Action
I have a healthy aversion to pharmaceuticals and antibiotics. I rely on essential oils and homemade recipes instead. This is an account of the steps I took to address my sinus infection without resorting to pharmaceuticals.
Note: This is simply a description of my experience using what I believe are natural remedies. This is not a recommendation. This is not advice. I am not a medical professional. Consult a medical professional for any condition you may have.
- The Trifecta: I used topical application of Young Living’s Lemon, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oils: 1 drop each on one wrist, then rub against the other wrist and rub wrists behind ears (where the skin is thin for faster absorption into the bloodstream). Note: using a carrier oil, like coconut oil, on the skin first is generally recommended. I also deeply inhale these oils from my wrists for about a minute. I did this every 3 hours or so.
- Warm water with lemon: I drank lots of water to help flush out germs from the body. I made sure to only drink warm or even hot water and I added a drop of Lemon essential oil to every glass.
- For respiratory relief: My wife used her knowledge and our pocket reference for essential oils to make a balm for respiratory relief. This contained a base of coconut oil and 2–3 drops each of Young Living’s Tea Tree, Fennel, Myrrh, Eucalyptus Globulus, Peppermint, and Blue Cypress oils. I applied this to the chest to cover the lungs area 3–4 times a day.
- Turmeric milk: A trusted remedy from my childhood — Heat up a bit of coconut milk (avoid dairy) in a coffee mug. Get it as hot as a starbucks coffee so the ingredients will mix well. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a dash of salt and some black pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and a couple of drops of honey. Mix well. Add a splash of water to cool it a bit if needed, or make it less thick and creamy. I drank this 3 times a day.
- Diffuser: I had the diffuser running in the mornings and at night. I used 2–3 drops each of Young Living’s Lemongrass and Exodus 2, or Thieves and Lemon.
- Rest: I tried to get at least 10 hours of sleep at night. I took Young Living’s Thieves brand cough drop before sleep to soothe any scratchiness in the throat or coughing that typically ensues when you lay down in bed while fighting a cold.
- Food: I ate my usual eggs and veggie smoothie (baby spinach, baby kale, banana, avocado, coconut milk, dash of cardamom powder) for breakfast; mostly copious amounts of plain rice and dal for lunch; and soups for dinner — the highlight being the awesome Phở my wife brought home Tuesday night.
- Avoid: I steered clear of dairy, oily food, sweet food, loud noises, bright screens, outside time, and generally expending unnecessary energy.
Result
By Wednesday my sinuses were relieved. The amount of mucus I was expelling had mercifully reduced to minimal and I felt like the cold had moved down to my throat. On Thursday I had a mostly normal day, even going into work in the afternoon for a half day. That night my body was very achy and tired, so clearly I had rushed my return to work, especially given the 1 hour train commute. Luckily Friday was a pre-planned day off from work to spend time with the kids, and I was able to rest while they napped in the afternoon. By Friday night, 5 days after the first symptoms of a cold that turned out to be a sinus infection, I felt as good as new. No pharmaceuticals, no antibiotics.
To learn more about essential oils, check out: https://sway.office.com/M2A9w0Dz2Sn2tCR2?ref=Link https://www.facebook.com/groups/2192824751001896/

Why Young Living essential oils
Not surprisingly, not all essential oils are created equal. Many mass-marketed oils (sold in grocery stores or big-box retailers) include a combination of lesser and/or synthetic oils. Don’t be fooled by false marketing. Simply put, after years of use, in my humble opinion, Young Living essential oils are the best when it comes to purity and effectiveness.
