Natural Cold/Sinus Relief

Me and the little one have been battling one illness after another this month. We both started off with a stomach virus and we are ending the moth with sinus congestion and a cold. Not affording any downtime, and frustrated at feeling lousy for so long, I've brought out my Neti pot again. The Neti pot is a bit of an experiment with me. I want it to work but I usually end up setting it aside because my nasal passages burn too much when I use it. I have chronically inflamed sinuses and that could be the reason it has been too uncomfortable in the past.

If you are not familiar with the Neti pot, it is a nasal washing system originating from the Ayurvedic yoga tradition of India. A solution of clean water and salt is passed through one side of the nose and out the other, washing away pollen, dust, and other impurities. The temperature of the water and the amount of salt must be just right. You can purchase salt packets for use in the pots at most health food stores. Tap water should be avoided because it usually contains a whole host of chemicals and microorganisms you don't want invading your body. Use sterile lukewarm water.

This time around has brought more success so far. The first time there was some pain in one nostril, but I certainly cleared a lot of gunk. The instructions on the box of salt said you could mix in two pouches of salt, so I tried it the second time with more salt but felt buring in both sides. So this morning I went back to using one packet and got the water a touch warmer that before. There was absolutely no burning and my sinuses felt relief from the irritation for a bit.

Another thing I have been using is a capsicum nasal spray. When I first heard about this I though you gotta be nuts! And I have to admit for about two seconds it does seem nuts because right after you use this spray there will be an uncomfortable sting, which is what one would expect from shooting hot pepper juice up ones nose. But a couple mornings ago when I was so clogged up nothing was moving, this got things cleared and moving again and it is all natural.

After many days of blowing my nose, I am beginning to have that Rudolph reindeer look. I have discovered that coconut oil works great to sooth the inflamed skin. I love coconut oil. It has become a pantry staple. I just wish the good quality stuff wasn't so darn expensive.