Salt Water and Sinuses

 Last night I went to a festive Christmas sweater party. It was great! Friends having a great time, green and red decorations everywhere, a huge colorful Christmas tree and about 30 penguins throughout the apartment. (My friend loves penguins... even gave her two more as a gift... she can't get enough.) Everything was Christmas themed except the music. Some scrooges voted for regular music, so we had the tv on, and turned it to the Hits station.

As songs came on, a picture of the artist and a random fact about about him or her would pop up. After about a minute, the picture and fact would change. So of course, when Taylor Swift came on, the guys were mesmerized. And every once in a while I caught myself waiting for the next random fact to pop up as well.

At one point, Drake, or T.I. or some rapper, I can't remember who came on; maybe it was just a band and the fact was about the lead singer... I'm not sure. Anyway, the random fact at the bottom of the screen said that that whoever it was clears his sinuses with salt water before going on stage to sing. I started laughing!

Several neti pots can be found through out my house. When my family gets a cold, our sinuses get extremely clogged. When we get allergies, our sinuses just keep running. About a year ago, when I got my annual Christmas cold, my mom suggested I get a neti pot. My sister already had one, along with both my parents. My brother even bought one after he called my mom for sinus advice.

Google images. This is not me!

We all of course have our own, since we don't want to share something we use to pour water in and out our nose.... Yes. It is a teapot-like devise that we stick it up one nostril and pour water through our sinuses. That water comes out the other nostril.

At first I thought this was kind of weird... I mean most people just take some drug. But after a while I began to think it was normal. I've heard of several people (outside my own house) using the pot. Either the artist was just another person to prove it was normal, or else it was just a random fact worthy enough to list on the tv Hits station because it was just that strange...

Either way, it works. The concept is somewhat strange, but it makes sense. Pouring salt water through the sinuses not only washes them out, but the salt helps cleanse them as well. On days when my sinuses are completely clogged, I can hardly get the water through. But on days when my sinuses only feel uncomfortable, the salt water gives a fresh feel. Sometimes it's uncomfortable and my eyes start watering, but in the end, when I'm finished, I feel better.

My mom uses her neti pot daily. My sister might do the same. I, however, only use it when I have a cold, allergies or can feel something coming on. Try it before you laugh at us!

To read more about the neti pot, visit the following link. I personally love the first paragraph!
http://www.howtodothings.com/health-and-fitness/a3532-how-to-use-a-neti-pot.html

Also, the NY Times suggests the neti pot! Check out the following link:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/the-alternative-medicine-cabinet-the-neti-pot/