Pollen meets Neti Pot

I love this time of year in Raleigh, North Carolina. The dogwoods and azaleas are blooming, and the trees have this freshness of new green.

And then there is the YELLOW! It turns all cars into a uniform color of yellowish-green and covers the entire city. I drove down the highway at dusk and suspected that there must be a fire somewhere. And then I realized that the haze was created by pollen.

Personally, I am fortunate. I sneeze a few times and am done with it. My poor dog Mr. Darcy has a more intimate relationship with the pollen because he does what dogs do – sniff. I am sure he’ll be glad when it’s over.

For those suffering from allergies, the beauty is lost when you try to view it through watery eyes.

I know that there are enough medications available but I want to talk about a device that I have personally used for years: a Neti Pot. It is a little porcelain pot, looking like a mini watering can, and it is used for nasal irrigation. I started using it upon the recommendation of a friend. I had had a very bad cold and was completely stuffed up. Well, that cleared it out like nothing ever did.

Neti Pots are not new inventions. They come from ayurvedic medicine and are centuries old. If you google ‘Neti Pot’, you’ll easily find recommendations from WebMD to the Mayo Clinic. You can also find Youtube videos that show you how to use one.

I want to add my own endorsement as a regular user: ever since I began using one, I rarely had a cold, and I always have the great sensation of freedom of breathing because my nasal passages are clear. It may seem a little strange at first, but I believe it is worth giving it a try.