Mucus and phlegm production is a normal health state. Your body normally produces about an ounce of clear mucus in a day, but if mucus production exceeds this, there may be a problem.

We all have experienced that when we eat any hot spicy and pungent food our nose starts running because these foods stimulate the flow of mucus. Such foods and spices were used in traditional Indian medicine to counter the affects of virus induced respiratory tract congestion. 

Many medicines called "expectorants" have a substance called "bromine" which is a muco-kinetic (i.e it loosens the mucus and moves it out of the lungs). The same function is done very effectively by essential oils like eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil which can be inhaled. There are many foods that can help you with same:

• Aniseed (Saunf): Popularly used as a flavoring agent, it has significant mucus dissolving properties.
• Asafoetida (hing): Used a lot in the Kashmiri cuisine, it is a plant gum which has heating properties. It is also a stimulant which aids in the movement of small cilia which are fine projections in the airways which moves phlegm plugs up to the tract to aid in the expulsion of the mucus.
• Bishops weed (Ajwain): Usually a part of many Ayurvedic powders and churans, this is given in combination with salt and dried ginger. This is especially effective for dry cough.
• Chilly/Pepper: The effect of hot spicy foods have been observed and used since ages, the chief ones being mustard, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), hot chilly or pepper. 

Read the entire article at Foods to Stop Running Nose

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