Neti Pot

I am a 9-5 worker so I never get a chance to see Oprah, but my mom is a die hard fan intrigue so she always fills me in on the must haves. She turned me on to Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and all of Oprah's favorite things. This summer, the big fad was the neti pot. This is a small plastic genie lamp looking device that is supposed to solve all the problems in the world. Well, maybe not the world, but at least the sinuses (if my sinuses are clear, I can solve the problems of the world...).




What you do with this fancy device is fill it with a saline solution and pour it into on nostril while your head is tipped over the sink and it seamlessly flows out of the other nostril clearing all the junk out and making your allergies/cold/sinus infection... instantly disappear.

I have horrible allergies so I was intrigued, but certainly not enough to think I would pour water in one nostril and let it come out another. That is just not normal, I might as will blow milk out my nose.

Then the cold hit. At first I brushed it off as allergies. Then I faced the reality that I have the swine flu, seasonal flu, sinus infection and allergies rolled into one. I left work early to rest my weary body and started thinking again about the Neti Pot. Finally, I could not take the pressure anymore. I took my sick, yucky self to Walgreens and purchased one (coupon on line + $2.00 off at the store, total $10.00!) I instantly went to the sink to give it a go knowing if I thought about it I would chicken out. Really, how bad could a little warm salt water actually be?

I shoved that baby up my nostril and tilted... With in seconds I was spurting water everywhere... Out of my nose, out of my lungs, coughing like a maniac, sneezing, spitting salt water from my mouth like it was poison. Once I finished my fit, cried a little at my failure, I realized it worked! My sinuses were clear! I could breathe! Now I face the challenge of my second nostril. I decide to charge forward. This time with a little more instruction... I re-read the directions and am reminded to breathe through my mouth. So I do this, I am ready for the bizarre, uncomfortable sensation and make it abut 2 oz through the 4 oz total before I freak out and pour the rest out. Now I can breathe, my body still aches, my head is pounding, my muscles still, buy my sinuses?....Lets just say I can smell the roses.