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Orthodox medicine often considers infection by bacteria or viruses to be the cause of a congestive state of the lungs, the ears, nose or throat. It may be more appropriate, however, to regard the infection as the result of a congested condition of the lung tissue. Organisms can only thrive within the body if the ‘soil’ is right. In the case of the lungs, congestion provides the right soil for infection, but this is not a healthy and normal state of affairs. Removing only the infection does nothing for the underlying problem; instead the congestion has also to be treated to prevent a recurrence of the symptoms.

One factor that is most often related to congestion is the mucus content of the diet. If the body’s need for mucus-forming foods is exceeded, it will get rid of it by increasing secretion, for instance into the lungs.

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If this natural cleansing process is inhibited by antibiotics the seeds are sown for chronic and perhaps degenerative diseases as the result of congestion.

Therefore, in any respiratory condition where there is excessive mucus, it is essential that a diet low in mucus-forming foods be embarked upon. Whenever there is a build-up of catarrh such as sinus congestion, a diet that limits the intake of food that feeds the catarrh-forming metabolic paths would help. Even in normal conditions, some people think that accumulations of catarrh, or mucus, are sites in which metabolic waste and toxic material build up, which may eventually overload the body and lead to degenerative disease. There is nothing inherently wrong with mucus; it is a natural body carbohydrate acting as a lubricant and a waste disposal medium. It is only the excess that we need to watch, and the dietary sources of mucus which are:

—Dairy products, including goat’s milk and yoghurt

—Eggs

—Grains, especially gluten-rich ones such as wheat, oats, rye and barley

—Sugar

—Potatoes and other starchy root vegetables like swedes and turnips.

Replace these foods with fresh fruit and juices when following a mucus-free diet.