FitSugar

Neti Pot Use Could Cause Sinus Problems?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:15:00 -0800

Pollen and cat fur are not my friends, and when I become so stuffed up I can't smell a thing, I turn to my neti pot. It looks like a little teapot. You fill it with warm salt water, place the spout in one nostril and as the water passes through your nasal passages and comes out the other nostril; it helps get rid of irritants and mucus so you can breathe easier. I know it sounds medieval, but it really works whether I'm stuffed up from smelling flowers or if I have a cold. Last Spring I was happy to hear that science backed up the use of a neti pot to relieve congestion, but I've got some bad news for my fellow neti pot lovers. A new study shows that long-term use of the neti pot can actually cause sinus problems. The study followed 68 people who used their neti for a year, and then took a break for a year. The rate of sinusitis actually dropped by 62 percent in the year that the participants stopped using the neti pot.

Researchers believe that the mucus in your nasal passages acts as a defense against infection, and flushing it away disrupts your body's immune function. They recommend that neti pots be used every once in a while to relieve congestion, but should not be used daily for an extended period of time. If you have issues with constantly being stuffed up, see your doctor so they can help figure out the cause of your congestion and how to treat it.

If you've never heard of a neti pot and want to see how it's used, check out a how-to video when you read more.

Source: Flickr User Thirteen Of Clubs

Cold and Flu Tip: Neti Pot Instead of Decongestants

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

It's cold and flu season and just about everyone I know is sniffling, sneezing, and all stuffed up. To deal with these nasal symptoms, you can pop decongestants like Sudafed, but they'll cause annoying side effects like dry mouth, sore throat, and headaches, and can lead to sinusitis. Plus if you think about it, your body creates all that mucus to help flush the germs out. So why would you want to turn off your body's natural response? It means the germs will just stay in your body.

You can help get rid of the germs and mucus by using a neti pot. It's a small container that you fill with warm salt water, and use to flush out your nasal passages. Think of it as a bath for your nose.

To see a video of the neti pot in action, read more.

Once you try it, you'll be hooked. It's not only great for colds, but also good if you suffer from congestion caused by allergies. For detailed instructions on how to use the neti pot click here.

Does anyone else think that gal in the photo looks an awful lot like Reese Witherspoon, or is it just me?

5 Things: To Fight Bad Breath

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Everyone suffers from the occasional bad breath, but it can be an embarrassing problem if you're dealing with it all the time. Of course brushing your teeth, using mouthwash and not smoking are well-known ways to prevent bad breath, but here are a few others.

Every time you eat, brush and floss your teeth. Food particles that remain in your mouth and in between your teeth collect bacteria. The bacteria emits hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse or desk so you can clean your mouth after your morning coffee, your lunch, and your mid-afternoon snack. Not only will brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean, but I know when my breath is minty fresh, I'm less likely to snack between meals.
Certain foods such as onions, garlic, and alcohol can cause bad breath. After they are consumed, they are absorbed into your bloodstream, carried to your lungs and given off in your breath until the food is eliminated from your body. Avoiding these foods can prevent this stinky problem.
If you have allergies, sinus infections, or post nasal drip, the nasal discharge in the back of your throat can cause bad breath (gross I know, but true). Try to figure out the cause of your symptoms. If you are allergic to something, like cats, try to avoid your triggers. Using a neti pot can also help to flush allergens out of your nose. If you have a sinus infection, be sure to take antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

Want to hear what else may help bad breath? Then read more

Dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath since saliva helps to cleanse and moisten your mouth. A dry mouth allows dead cells and bacteria to accumulate on your gums, tongue and teeth. When these cells decompose, they cause that foul smell. (Morning breath is caused by a dry mouth). It's important to note that certain medications such as decongestants and allergy meds can cause dry mouth too. If you have issues with dry mouth, try to drink more water. If you are taking allergy meds, and your bad breath annoys you more than your sneezing and runny nose, then you may want to consider ditching your meds.
Get yourself a tongue scraper. Use it twice a day to clean your tongue and get rid of excess bacteria.

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Allergies and Chronic Sinusitis

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Many people suffer from seasonal allergies this time of year, and many people may also suffer from perennial allergies all year round, to pet dander and dust mites.

Allergy symptoms may include itchy, watery eyes, an itchy throat or mouth, or a runny nose. Other people may experience severe sinus congestion. The sinuses are air-filled cavities found in the bones of the head and face. There are 4 pairs of sinuses (8 in all), located on either side of the nose in your cheeks, behind and between the eyes, in the forehead, and at the back of the nasal cavity.

Sinus congestion can be caused by excessive amounts of mucus clogging up your sinuses, or if the mucus is thick and sticky. It can also happen if the lining of your sinuses becomes irritated by allergens. This causes swelling, which narrows down the passages, and make it harder for mucus to get out.

When this happens, mucus gets trapped in your sinuses. Similar to standing water, trapped mucus makes an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and fungi to grow. This can cause sinusitis. Acute sinusitis happens if you've had a cold and you have symptoms for more than 2 weeks. Chronic sinusitis will be diagnosed if you're having symptoms that last more than 3 months.

Symptoms of both may include:

fever
persistent nasal congestion, and discharge that is often yellow or green
daytime cough due to post-nasal drip (may be worse at night or when you lie down)
puffy eyes or tenderness around them
headache or pain in the face or behind your eyes

What can you do if you have allergy-induced chronic sinusitis? To find out read more

Your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics, sometimes for several months. If those don't work (and they won't if you continue being exposed to the allergen that's causing your nasal congestion), your doctor may then suggest you get a CT scan so they can take a look at your sinuses. You may have a physical problem, such as nasal polyps (non-cancerous growths inside your nose), or a deviated septum causing mucus to get blocked. Your doctor may even recommend sinus surgery to remove all the mucus and widen your sinuses.

Many people who have allergies and have had this surgery, complain that their symptoms just come back. Well duh - you've got to get rid of what's causing the symptoms in the first place.

Fit's Tips: Talk to an allergist, get tested, and find out exactly what you are allergic to. Sometimes, those tests don't tell you much, so in that case, you can also try taking allergy pills like Zyrtec or Singulair, or nasal sprays like Flonase to alleviate your nasal congestion. Or use a neti pot to flush the allergens out of your nose. If your nose isn't stuffy, it can't clog your sinuses, right? That means you can say goodbye to chronic sinusitis.

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Milk, Mucus and You: The Congestion Connection

FitSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 08:45:00 -0700

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, and your symptoms involve nasal and sinus congestion 24-7, you may want to take a look at the dairy in your diet.

Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream may be making your allergy symptoms worse. Casein, the naturally occurring protein in dairy products, can promote the formation of mucus. It can also make existing mucus thicker in your nose and sinuses, leaving you completely congested. It may also cause a runny nose or the ever annoying post nasal drip.

Of course, conventional doctors may not agree with the notion that dairy promotes mucus (there's no scientific evidence, but maybe because there have been no studies - I don't know), but many people swear that ditching dairy has cured their sinus problems. So if you are curious, you'll have to test the theory yourself. Try eliminating all things dairy for at least 1 to 2 weeks and see how you feel. It's made a world of difference for me, my nose and my sinuses, so I definitely think it's worth a shot.

Here's a cool tidbit of info - casein is also used to make adhesives, like glue, beer bottle labels and wood glue used in furniture. Think about it - if casein can make two objects stick together, imagine what it can do to your sinuses.

Fit's Tips: To help relieve congestion in your nose and sinuses, try using a neti pot. Not only does it get rid of mucus, but it helps to flush dust and allergens out of your nose that can make you stuffy in the first place.

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Neti Pot in the Hands of the WRONG Guy

FitSugar — Sat, 12 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

You know what a HUGE fan I am of the neti pot (especially the Rhino Horn). It's great for cleaning out dust, pollen, and congestion from your nose and sinuses.

This guy has definitely got the WRONG idea.

Want to see the RIGHT way, then read more

Got Seasonal Allergies? Exercise Indoors

FitSugar — Thu, 10 May 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Allergies are a drag - no argument there. I don't like taking decongestants because they make me fuzzy headed. They also dry out my mouth and make my throat feel pasty dry. Plus decongestants don't just dry out your sinuses, they can affect your lady business too.

I do love using my Rhino Horn neti pot to flush dust and pollen out of my nose - it gets to the root of my symptoms. If I'm too stuffed up to use a neti pot, I've got to do something to get the congestion moving.

I told you that heat-building cardio exercise is great - when your body gets hot, you sweat, and the mucus and fluid gets thinner and it's easier to blow out or cough up. I forgot to tell you a very important thing though.

If you have seasonal allergies, and you're bothered by certain pollen or grasses, exercising outdoors can make you feel worse. That makes sense, right? Doing cardio makes you huff and puff, inhaling more of those allergens. Your body fights back by releasing more histamine, which causes itchier, watery eyes, runny and stuffy noses, and sneezing.

Fit's Tips: If you can figure out exactly what you're allergic to, you can determine what time of year to avoid it. During that time, you can work out on machines at the gym, try out a DVDs, or swim indoors.

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Fight Allergies With the Rhino Horn

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:30:00 -0700

For a lot of people, seasonal allergies are all about congestion, sneezing, and blowing your nose every 2 minutes. You are breathing in a ton of pollen and if you're allergic, your body creates all that mucus to try and flush it out.

To get rid of the pollen and dust in your nostrils, relieve some of the pressure in your face, and release some of that fluid from you nose and sinuses, you've got to try using a neti pot. Once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Need more specific instructions? Then read more

Here's what to do:

Fill the neti pot with (finely ground) sea salt - check the directions on your neti pot to find out how much.
Now fill halfway with warm water (not too hot or cold - that'll HURT) and cover both ends with your hands and squish around the water to dissolve the salt. You can also use a spoon to mix in the salt.
Fill up the rest, hold the neti pot in your right hand, and lean over the sink. Make sure you have the correct head position - you want your face parallel with the sink. Then gently place the spout in your right nostril, and tilt your face to the right so your left cheek is pointing down.
Keeping your mouth open, allow the warm water to gently flow through your right nostril, and out your left. If water is dripping down your throat, tilt your forehead down a little.
Stop when you've done half the water. Then take short, quick exhalations out your nose to get rid of the extra water, and then blow your nose with a tissue. Then do the other side.
If you are really congested, repeat the whole process again.

Fit's Tips: Once you get the hang of this, try doing it in the shower. It saves time, and the steam from the shower helps relieve nasal congestion even more.

There are many different kinds of neti pots, and most health food stores sell them. The Rhino Horn (12.95) is my absolute favorite neti pot because it's made of plastic, so you don't have to worry about it breaking (I've cracked two of the porcelain ones, and broken the spout off one metal one already).

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Neti Pot: A New Drug?

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 03:00:00 -0800

Nope the neti pot is not a new drug, but it does feel amazing. Trust me. It's great for allergies. I think of it like brushing my teeth. It's something to do everyday to clean out your nasal passages.

Basically you fill the neti pot with warm salt water. Place the spout in one nostril, lean over the sink, tilt your head, and let the liquid flow out the other nostril. Gently blow your nose to get any leftover salt water out and do the other side. Afterwards - you can actually breathe. My pick is the Rhino Horn.

It may look weird, but don't knock it til you try it. It's great for colds too.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If you want to see them read more

View 4 Photos ›

Science Backs Up the Neti Pot

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:00:00 -0700

I am firm believer in fighting my seasonal allergies with a neti pot. Rinsing with it the daily, which once seemed super hippie to me, flushes the irritating pollen away. Formally known as "nasal irrigation," neti pots have become an increasingly popular alternative for coping with seasonal allergies. That is because the neti pot works.

Unlike decongestants, which can lead to "rebound" congestion, using a neti pot does not irritate the nasal passages or dry them out. Plus, decongestants lead to dryness all over and disrupt the natural lubrication system of your lady business. A couple of studies found using a saline solution for nasal irrigation not only decreased allergy symptoms but also decreased the need for steroid nasal sprays. Plus, neti pots are inexpensive when compared to prescription nasal sprays. Three cheers for the neti pot! What I want to know now is, do you neti?

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