Nasal Polyps and Dairy Products

Eliminating them worked — for a couple of weeks

Photo by Azzedine Rouichi on Unsplash

Ever since moving to the USA in late 2005, I’ve had no sense of smell or taste (other than the basics, such as salty or sweet).

Over the years, I noticed a growth in my nostrils (although primarily in my right nostril).

At first, it was barely noticeable, but then it grew so large you could almost see it poking out from the end of my nose.

I know, it’s gross!

And my girlfriend finds it so too, although she has been very kind and forgiving about it. But I can’t ask her to lie in bed and stare at it forever.

Eventually, I knew I should do something about it.

Nasal polyps?

I’d long suspected it was a nasal polyp, and based on further research, I was confident that’s what it was.

I know surgery is an option, but from what I’ve read, these polyps frequently grow back. Not to mention the fact that I have no interest in going under the knife — especially not under the American “health care” system.

So, what about their causes?

The dairy factor

Well, unfortunately, dairy products are known to be one contributory factor to polyps.

And I say “unfortunately” because I love dairy products — butter, cheese, ice cream, even yoghourt.

A few weeks ago, I went cold turkey, giving what dairy products I had in the fridge to someone else in the house to use so I couldn’t easily change my mind.

It was challenging, but I felt the results would be worth it — if, indeed, dairy was the source of my problem.

Good news!

By the end of the first week, the growth had all but disappeared!

For the first time in years, I could breathe normally, through my nose.

I hadn’t regained my senses of smell and taste, but there were vague hints of something, rather than the nothingness I’d lived with for two decades.

Bad news!

And then, a week ago, I felt the growth returning.

Now, it’s back to the same size as it was, and I am back to mouth breathing.

I’m disheartened, to say the least.

What next?

I’m still not eating dairy products, and am at a bit of a loss as to what to try eliminating next.

My first thought is bread — which I love.

I’ve already swapped to whole grain only, and organic whenever possible.

I do eat a variety of different forms of bread, including regular loaves, sourdough loaves, raisin loaves, English muffins, and others.

I might, therefore, eliminate the above one by one to see if anything helps.

Because if the cause isn’t bread, I’m not left with much. I mainly eat eggs, potatoes, sausage, turkey, and various types of beans, seeds, and quinoa.

And supposing I eliminate all of those, and I still have the “blob” inhabiting my right nostril?

What then?

I’ll just have to experiment and see.

I hope to be able to report back in another few weeks to say I’ve found the (permanent) solution. But it would be unwise of me to hold my breath, as they say.