Elle is a 28 year old lady who came to see me for help with frequent colds, blocked sinuses and a blocked nose. Because she was always so congested, she regularly experienced upper respiratory infections. A simple cold often lingered for two weeks and caused throbbing pain in her sinuses.

Elle also experienced bad menstrual cramps each month. Day one and two of her menstrual cycle were very difficult to get through. Elle always checked the date to see if she had anything important on the dates she would be menstruating, because she dreaded those days. She needed pain killers frequently for the first two days, and always felt extremely exhausted then.

I asked about her gut and Elle had problems in that department as well. She was regularly bloated and had gas. By the afternoon her abdomen had usually expanded and the waist band of her trousers was digging into her. Gut problems are extremely common in people with sinus conditions and menstrual issues.

Bowel problems and sinus congestion go hand in hand because the majority of the immune cells in our body are found in the intestines. If the health of the bowel is poor and there is too much bad bacteria, yeast or parasites growing there, the immune system will suffer. The disturbed gut health causes the body to produce excess mucus. Mucus is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, thus encouraging repeated sinus infections.

My recommendations for my patient

Elle nibbled throughout the day rather than eating proper meals. She is a busy person, and regularly snacked on cheese on toast, as well as sweet yoghurt. The type of yoghurt she ate was dessert yoghurt. It did nothing to improve her health. The sugar in it increased the inflammation in her body.

Elle didn’t eat a lot of vegetables or protein. She ate two boiled eggs for breakfast and cheese crackers for lunch. Her evening meal was usually meat or chicken with vegetables, but the portion of protein was very small and she didn’t eat much fat. Hence she was hungry again before bed time and snacked on sugary treats.

I asked Elle to base her diet on vegetables, salads, animal protein and healthy fats. I told her she could eat gluten free crackers occasionally if she was particularly busy. It would be best for her to cook extra at dinner time and bring some leftovers to eat the next day for lunch.

Avoiding gluten and dairy products would help to reduce the abdominal bloating and gas, but in order to help Elle feel better faster, I asked her to take 2 BactoClear capsules twice daily with meals. This would help get rid of the bugs that produced the gases that made Elle bloated. BactoClear capsules contain thyme, oregano and clove essential oils. They have an amazing natural antimicrobial effect in the body. They help to kill bad gut bugs and also the bacteria creating recurrent sinus infections. To improve her digestion further, I asked her to take 1 Super Digestive Enzymes capsule with lunch and 1 with dinner. This would improve digestion and have antimicrobial actions in the gut, helping to prevent bad bugs from growing back.

Magnesium is wonderful for helping to relieve muscle cramps, aches and pains. I asked Elle to take 1 teaspoon of Magnesium Ultra Potent powder each day with dinner. This should reduce the amount of period pain she suffers with when she menstruates next. Magnesium is also calming to the nervous system and improves sleep quality.

Vitamin D has anti inflammatory properties. It helps to reduce pain. It is also needed for a strong immune system and reduces the risk of infections. I asked Elle to take 5000 IU of vitamin D3 daily with a meal.

I plan to see my patient again in 5 weeks.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.