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Your Mother’s Wisdom: Wash Your Nose
Do you remember how good it felt, having your mother take care of you when
you were sick? She’d let you stay home from school, and make you drink lots
of juice, soup, and tea. And she’d constantly remind you to cover your mouth
and wash your hands so everyone else in the family wouldn’t get sick too.
It turns out that our mother’s wisdom is still the best treatment for the
flu and the common cold. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and wash your hands
often. However, we have now improved on Mother’s counsel by adding one piece
of ancient wisdom: Wash the nose!
Sound strange? Actually this is a very old technique, and it’s only common
sense. The nose is the body’s air filter and it is responsible for
protecting the lungs from dust, pollen, pollutants, and viral particles.
Viral particles enter the body through the nose, the mouth, and the eyes -
in that order. So while Mother’s advice to wash your hands and protect your
mouth is important, washing the nose is truly essential to maintaining good
health. The nose actually filters the air we breathe by capturing debris and
particles in tiny hairs that line the inside of the nose. Washing keeps the
body’s filter clean and in good working order. Washing also removes trapped
particles, preventing invasion of the mucus membranes, thereby preventing
allergies and respiratory infections.
As with many new skills, using the proper equipment and learning the best
technique makes all the difference. There are many nose washing devices
available on the market, from the ancient ceramic ‘neti pot’ to high powered
irrigation machines. The best washing solutions contain salt and a buffering
agent - both for comfort and effectiveness. A hypertonic mixture (saltier
than the body’s own membranes) has been shown to work best, acting as a
natural decongestant and having antibacterial qualities.
So when you look for a nose washing system look for the following qualities:
A bottle easy to hold with wet hands, unbreakable in the shower and simple
to clean. The bottle should allow for good control of pressure and flow. A
system made to travel easily is important because you will want to rinse
after air travel and when you are away from home. The solution should be
labeled ‘hypertonic’, and it should be ‘buffered’ for your comfort. Some
systems are designed for optimal head position, thus getting the best result
for your efforts. Choose a system that gives you clear instructions and
support so you can learn the proper technique. The learning takes just a bit
of time, but once you get it you’ll actually enjoy the sensation of a clean
nose. For many of us it has become a morning habit right along with brushing
our teeth.
With so many available to choose from, my favorite system is Dr. Hana’s
Nasopure (yes, this is my baby). It has all the qualities I look for, with
the added benefit of being one of the most economical products on the
market.
With modern nose washing systems now readily available, we have in fact
improved on our mother’s wisdom. I’m certain she would agree that keeping
your nose clean is an essential part of staying healthy through the cold and
flu season. After all, mother always knew best!
By Hana R Solomon, MD
November 1, 2006
www.nasopure.com
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