Neti Pot and Sea Salt

     I will be singing the neti pot’s praises for a long time! I used it again this morning in and out of the shower. Let me say, I was very nervous, being a bit of a chicken when it comes to nose/sinus stuff. Yeah, so I had done it once before, but I was still nervous. Maybe it was because I had been in so much pain last night. Not from the neti pot experiment, but just from feeling like poop, forgetting to take my fish oil pills, sitting in a chair all day, not being able to nap properly, having a monstrous sinus and tension headache AT THE SAME TIME! It was so pathetic and bad that I cried four times, over silly things like dropping the chicken sausages on the floor and not being able to see where one rolled. Yup, that’s how ridiculous I am when I’m sick. But that’s not the point. The point is, today I feel much better. And today, I was able to get the water to come out the OTHER nostril! And I got to see it happen!

     I tried it in the shower, still made the back of my eyes feel cool and tear. And I coughed a lot. Today though, I was brave and curious enough to try it in the sink – while watching myself in the mirror. Sorry, no photos, I still have some self respect, or is it self consciousness?

     Per request of a friend and occasional reader, Yosh (hope you don’t mind the mention), of the modern hippy, I will be giving instructions and other information about using the neti pot.

     First, what you’ll need is a neti pot. Funny I know. Can you tell I’m feeling better? Please wash your neti pot out and thoroughly rinse. You don’t want soap behind your delicate eyeballs – imagine that headache! Then decide where you are going to do it. Over the sink? In the shower? I suppose you could do it outside if you’d like. Where ever it won’t matter if you splatter. (Hahaha, rhyming too!) Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Unrefined is okay, I used it. I wouldn’t recommend any of the colored sea salt. No need to dye your sinuses, plus that might cause problems I don’t know about. I DO NOT recommend using iodized table salt, as brands like Morton’s actually contain dextrose, an artificial sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are not meant for sinuses! Let alone eating, but once again I digress.
Fill the neti pot with warm water. I used warm tap water, though when I get a filter I’ll probably use that. Mix until the salt is completely dissolved.

     Now comes the fun or scary part. Remember, you will be breathing through your mouth through this, your nose will be busy. Lean forward, tip your head to about a 45 degree angle. If you aren’t leaning forward enough the gunk will flow down the back of your throat and make you sputter and probably gross you out a little. Stick the spout of the neti pot in one nostril. Make sure there is a good seal and the water won’t sneak out. Steady your hand if you are shaking. Very slowly tip the pot. Can you feel the water enter the bottom of your nose? Good. Keep pouring slowly and wait unti for a funny feeling behind your eyes. It’s almost out! Try to remember to breathe, but breath holding is acceptable if you don’t hold it too long. It’s a very strange sensation to be breathing while water is running through part of your breathing apparatus.

     Something to remember is that you are in control of how much water flow there is. The more you tip the pot, the faster the water will flow. I’m a fan of slow flowing.
Also, the more you do it the better you will get, the easier everything will be.
Rinse through both nostrils. I didn’t use the whole saline solution that time. I was still getting used to it. I think I used about a third of it. Do what is comfortable for you, and what gets you the best results. I’ve read that some people use a whole pot for each side of the nose.
When you stop rinsing exhale gently through your nose to help the gunk out. Use a tissue or do this over the sink. I’ll say this again: Do blow gently to avoid hurting yourself. Also, don’t plug either side of your nostrils. Allow things to come out on their own, without the closing of one side.
Then wash your neti pot!

After you are done see how you feel. Can you breath better? I could. It felt strange, but good.

Some considerations:

     I read that if you can’t blow your nose (though I’m not sure if this means “don’t have the ability” or “it hurts too much”) consult a health care professional first. If you are sensitive like me, go slowly, don’t rush it. Children should be closely supervised! Don’t share!

Where to get a neti pot?

     I got mine from our local co-op. If you don’t have a natural food store, or supplement store, try a pharmacy. You can of course check online! Etsy has some cute stuff, if you’d like something handmade and unique! If I hadn’t been so desperate, and hadn’t put buying one off until the last minute I would have gotten one there.

One last note.
Why use a neti pot?

     It’s a great way to clean out your sinuses. If you are like me and have sinus trouble, use it. If you have allergies, use it. If you live in a polluted area, use it. If you live in a dusty area, use it. If you have a cold, use it. If you have pets, live in an old house, or live in a small place, or work in a poorly ventilated place, smoke, go camping, have kids, use it. “Have kids?”, you ask? Why not? You could win the gross out competition and show them that there are natural ways to deal with your sinuses. Just don’t let them play with it unsupervised. Maybe wait until they are older to show them, just in case.