Q. Dear Terry, “My husband has been snoring for years. I wake up several times a night due to his snoring. He tried the snoring adhesive strips and they didn’t make a difference. Are there any herbs or natural things that can help?”– Elaine K., Midland, TX

A. Dear Elaine, Over half of the adult population is affected by snoring. Snoring is generally caused by a narrowing of the airways while we sleep. This narrowing can be from a variety of factors, but inflammation and excess weight are often involved.

To help your sinuses eliminate excess mucus, which can cause snoring, I recommend a combination of plant oils from eucalyptus and myrtle. Eucalyptus is one of the most well-known plant oils for clearing the sinuses. The essential oil of eucalyptus helps to thin mucus so it can drain more easily. I prefer eucalyptus that is standardized to at least 50% 1,8 cineole, 2-15% alpha terpineol, and less than 10% alpha pinene. Myrtle is also a great anti-inflammatory and mucus eliminator. Myrtle helps stimulate the tiny, fluttering projections in our sinus cavities, called cilia, which help move mucus along more quickly. I prefer myrtle standardized to 20-60% alpha pinene, 15-35% 1,8 cineole, and less than 20% limonene. I would take 320 mg of these ingredients twice per day.

Make sure to choose concentrated plant oils that are approved for internal use. Unlike essential oils used for massage and aromatherapy, these plant oils are tested using techniques that verify the specific molecular makeup, species, marker compounds, purity, and safety for internal medicinal use. The extraordinary potency of these tested plant oils allows for relatively low doses, but very powerful health benefits.

I highly recommend boswellia because it helps to decrease respiratory inflammation resulting from the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) pathway. When choosing a boswellia extract, I believe an extract standardized for AKBA content is essential. This is one of boswellia’s most powerful components, which is why it is so often the focus of research. However, there is another compound in boswellia that is actually pro-inflammatory, which is called beta-boswellic acid (BBA). The boswellia extract I recommend is standardized to high levels of AKBA and virtually free of BBA. I would take 500 mg of boswellia twice per day.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally