Neti Pots

The weather is turning and we're heading into cold and flu season. Many drugstores, pharmacies and grocery stores have already begun offering flu vaccines to the public. There are many nutritional strategies you can use to reduce the potential for getting sick. We'll talk about some of those in the coming weeks. But there is one tool that can be used safely by most people; the Neti Pot. Dr. Oz demonstrated use of the Neti Pot on Oprah's show last year. Following that episode, neti pots flew off the shelves of health stores.

Neti pots are great tools for nasal irrigation. The concept is simple. You pour warm water into one nostril and it comes out the other nostril. On its way through the nasal passageways, it clears the 'gunk' out of your nose. The first time you see it, it's weird. The first time you try it, it's even more weird. But other than looking and feeling funny, is there any merit to it? Absolutely.

You've probably heard that the best way to ward off cold and flu viruses is through regular hand-washing. Those viruses are easily passed from person to person and object to person. Those viruses often work their way into our nasal mucosa before we have a chance to wash them off. Nasal irrigation is our opportunity to wash the inside of our nose.

Start your day with nasal irrigation and you'll breathe easier as well. Neti pots are very affordable and will last for years. They are effective during allergy season as they wash away the irritants on the mucosa. But with cold viruses ramping up for the fall/winter, now's the time to get in the habit.