Ecomemphis

Our path to consume less and cause less harm to our environment met head-on with spring in Memphis. Like many, many Memphians, we were suffering from sinus infections. If you’ve lived here more than 20 minutes, you know what I mean – swollen eyes, multi-colored mucus, and the ability to describe in detail the flow of your mucus between all six of your sinus cavities. The prospects of taking over the counter medicine were less than attractive, and those of seeking prescription medicine were a bit ugly.

There’s a lot of information online about the Neti Pot and nasal irrigation, and I’ve posted some video here – one purely instructional, the other a bit more entertaining. In-the-trenches observations follow.

The dry, boring demonstration:

Here’s what you should know:

What is it? Basically, you send non-isotonic sodium in your nasal cavity. As the water fills up one cavity, it pours out the other side. This eliminates mucus and irritants from your system, leading to both temporary and longer-lasting relief.

It’s not as bad as you might think. If you use WARM water – like the heat of the water while you’re taking a shower – and if you use the right ingredients, it’s really a soothing sensation.

At first some of the water may find its way down your throat – not most, not a lot, but some. With just a bit of practice, you’ll soon be over that hurdle.

Which kind to buy? I’ve used a few different types, and I can’t say that it really matters. I’ve settled on the plastic kind that doesn’t require me to twist my neck and torso so much, but there are some very pretty ceramic ones as well.

Where to buy? Geez, Wild Oats of course. Rite Aid, Walgreens, even WalMart has these puppies.

Why isn’t this more popular? Well, it is! Oprah even had Dr. Oz on her show in 2008 to discuss and demonstrate the Neti Pot. It’s gotten play in major newspapers,  radio/online media and on television. Even so, it’s not one of those things people tend to spend much time talking about – nor do people chat about teeth-brushing techniques or the proper application of antiperspirant.

Advise from the trenches? Start with a hypotonic solution, cleaning both nostrils with one pot-full. Once the need arises, and you’re more comfortable, you may want to increase to 1 pot per side. You may also want to increase to a hypertonic solution. It’s up to you. I’ve started using the NeilMed product which combines pharmacy grade sodium chloride with sodium bicarbonate. For me, that means more lasting effects.

The entertaining, not to be taken seriously version: