Categories
News on Health & Science

Nasal Irrigation: Spring Cleaning for Your Nose

Before you reach for expensive over-the-counter or prescription allergy remedies, you might want to try an inexpensive alternative treatment that really seems to work: nasal irrigation, or washing out your nose once or twice daily with warm salt water. Most medical studies on nasal irrigation for allergies are rather positive, and there’s little risk and little expense in trying.

………………………….

Spring marks the beginning of pollen season, and the same yellowish dust that coats your car also fills your nasal passages, causing enough irritation to trigger an allergic reaction. Nasal irrigation simply washes away the irritants causing the allergy symptoms.

Many medical institutions, such as the Mayo Clinic, advocate the use of nasal irrigation. The most recent study appeared in January 2009, with the 200 patients in the study reporting some relief of symptoms from twice daily irrigations.

To try it, you can invest two dollars in a bulb syringe. or you can buy a neti pot, which looks like a little oil lamp, often used by yoga devotees. Nasal irrigation is known as jala neti in the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda.

Sources:

Live Science April 16, 2009

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Categories
Featured

Natural Cures for Allergies

[amazon_link asins=’B005TM1YIG,B008Y42WJG,B00I5PB54W,B01MR0PE3O,B015STM9QU,B01N6JP6VH,B01IGKS5KW,B000RWERZ0′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’91f2c66f-173d-11e7-b98f-b9564c7ab2b6′]

4 Drug-free options for seasonal allergies:-….CLICK & SEE

Drug-free antidotes are nothing to sneeze at, especially if you’re susceptible to side effects such as drowsiness and dry mouth from popular OTC allergy pills. Below, some promising alternatives that can help get you through the remaining weeks of hay-fever season symptom free.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
Like many OTC meds, this perennial shrub is believed to block histamines. Studies show it can work as well as Zyrtec or Allegra at relieving allergy symptoms—with less drowsiness. A common brand is Petadolex; take as directed. Make sure the label specifies that pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been removed; they’ve been linked to side effects.

Nasal irrigation
The sinus cavities are rinsed with lukewarm saline water. Decades’ worth of clinical tests have found that washing allergens out of the nose is safe, effective, inexpensive, and free of side effects. Ceramic Neti pots, a plastic squeeze bottle such as SinuCleanse ($11), or sprays like ENTsol ($18) all work well. Use warm, distilled water and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt per 1 cup for the Neti pot.

Spirulina….CLICK & SEE
A type of blue-green algae supplement, it’s rich in beta-carotene, protein, and chlorophyll. A University of California, Davis, study found that 2 g of spirulina daily for 12 weeks eased allergies better than did a placebo. Earthrise Farms (earthrise.com) grows much of the spirulina in the United States; recommended daily doses cost less than $1.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
This flowering plant isn’t soft to the touch, but the powdered form has been helpful for centuries. A handful of promising studies since 1990 show it eases allergies, though results vary. Try up to 9 g of pills daily, suggests Roberta Lee, M.D., medical director at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York City.

You may also click to  learn more

Sources:msn.health & fitness

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
css.php