What Is Mucus, and Why Do I Always Have Too Much? - #15594

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a mucus problem. Every morning, I wake up with a blocked nose and have to clear my throat constantly. Even when I’m not sick, I feel like my throat is coated with thick mucus that just won’t go away. So I started wondering—what is mucus really, and why does my body produce so much of it? I always thought mucus was just something that happened when you had a cold, but now I realize I have it all the time. And when I do get sick, it gets 10 times worse—thick, sticky, and sometimes even yellow or green. Does the color of mucus mean something? Does it show how sick I am, or is that a myth? Another thing—I’ve heard that mucus is connected to digestion. I eat a lot of dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt), and someone told me that dairy increases mucus production. Is that true? Should I cut out dairy to see if it helps? I also eat a lot of processed food and sugar, so I’m wondering if that’s affecting my body’s ability to clear mucus properly. I came across Ayurveda and the concept of Kapha imbalance. Apparently, too much Kapha can cause excessive mucus production. Does that mean my body is out of balance? Are there specific Ayurvedic herbs or remedies that can help reduce mucus naturally? I’ve tried drinking ginger tea, and it helps a little, but not enough. What else can I do to clear my system of all this unnecessary mucus? One last thing—should I be worried? I don’t have asthma, but I do feel short of breath sometimes, especially when my nose is really blocked. Can too much mucus cause breathing problems? I don’t want to keep using nasal sprays or over-the-counter meds forever. If anyone else has dealt with this and found natural solutions, please share. I’m really tired of feeling congested all the time.