I have struggled for years with sinusitis, one of the lovely complications you can get from flu, colds & allergies. What does this mean? I’ve got one hell of an irritated schnoz. But the best way to treat an irritated nose is to not get one in the first place, so I pass on the most underrated and effective method of stopping an infection from taking hold.

Guaifenesin. What is it? It’s the active ingredient in that old standby Robitussin®. It’s an expectorant which means it thins the mucus, which means it keeps the junk flowing, which means it won’t get stuck up there and start breeding a bacterial culture. Guaifenesin started out as a cough remedy but it also works wonders for sinuses.

In fact, it used to be prescription but over the last five years, it has been sold over the counter using the brand name Mucinex®. You might have seen the horrendous commercials that humanize the mucus into slightly obnoxious, stereotypical, animated monsterish Ralph Kramdens. Not sure what the company has against Jackie Gleason, but if those greenish cartoon blobs are creating pressure and pain in your head and lungs, then take this stuff until it clears.

So, who’s this remedy good for personality wise? Taking a pill is the easiest way to fight a cold so we’d say Organic Freedoms and Smart Freedoms. Classics don’t be stoic, swallow the pills and then take a nap. And Organic Structures and Smart Structures, we know, you’ve already been dutifully taking your zinc lozenges the moment you started to feel run down, but this will help if you actually do get sick. Funs? We know you do your own thing (some exotic remedy you’ve discovered during one of your adventures) but trust us. This remedy might be old school, but it works. Even your medicine man could respect that.

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