Pollen Allergies - help!

[Miss Critter]

Mr. C and I use the neti. Jr. Critter prefers the Neil Med squeeze bottle. Both work. Flushing the gunk out prevents it from growing a nasty infection. And yes, evening hair washing helps.

Lynnie, Environmental Working Group has a cosmetics database that ranks products by toxic load. It's not 100% inclusive, but they do have a fair number of products in there. You can search by name or by type: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php.

My favorite online store for supplements and health-related products is Buy Discount Vitamins, Supplements, Low Carb and More at www.Vitacost.com. Kiss My Face olive and aloe soap bar is huge and long-lasting. Working on finding a shampoo that I like. As Susan said, many of the products that purport to be "green" are less so than they advertise. The datebase really helps to differentiate.

 

[Carol G]

Lynnie,

Well, I'm still working on the recipes for the spray cleaners. I followed recipes I found in this whole book about green cleaning, but they don't seem to be quite right yet. Maybe they never will be, without the evil chemicals, or maye our water is too hard, I don't know. For now, it's 2 teaspoons of borax and 1/8 tsp liquid castile soap to a quart of water for an all purpose spray cleaner. (add a few drops of essential oil of your choice for happy smells) Okay for very light cleaning, but the powders work better for heftier grime.

I've been using a mix of borax, Dr. Bronner's lavender castille soap and water as a body scrub and shampoo, my skin LOVES it!

 

[Miss Critter]

I should've added that my nose cannot tolerate the chlorine in tap water. I use distilled or filtered water for the neti pot. Also, it's best to use non-iodized salt like kosher or sea salt, and either too much or too little may cause a burning sensation. If that's the case the first time you try using a neti pot, don't give up on it. I use about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt to a cup of water, plus a pinch of baking soda. Also, heat the water to warm- about 40 seconds in the microwave seems to be about right. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but the fact the Mr. C and Jr. C - both of whom had to be dragged kicking and screaming into a more holistic lifestyle - actually voluntarily use the neti and recommend it to others, is proof that it works.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I should've added that my nose cannot tolerate the chlorine in tap water. I use distilled or filtered water for the neti pot. Also, it's best to use non-iodized salt like kosher or sea salt, and either too much or too little may cause a burning sensation. If that's the case the first time you try using a neti pot, don't give up on it. I use about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt to a cup of water, plus a pinch of baking soda. Also, heat the water to warm- about 40 seconds in the microwave seems to be about right. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but the fact the Mr. C and Jr. C - both of whom had to be dragged kicking and screaming into a more holistic lifestyle - actually voluntarily use the neti and recommend it to others, is proof that it works.

Do you find the salt packets that Neil Med sells produce a good rinse when combined with distilled water? They purport a 'no burn' experience.

 

[Miss Critter]

Do you find the salt packets that Neil Med sells produce a good rinse when combined with distilled water? They purport a 'no burn' experience.

I haven't tried them, skunky, but Mr. C and Jr. C both use them with no complaints, so I'm guessing their "no burn" claim is accurate.

 

[NoHall]

I shoot the saline up my nose (about a buck for a bottle at the corner store) for sinus headaches and it's great. I prefer drugs and shots and a really good vacuum cleaner for allergies.

 

[bluemtnrunner]

I use nasalcrom when the pollen starts getting really bad. My pulmonologist advised me to "put on my storm windows" to prevent a bad asthma season. Nasalcrom is a non-steroid nasal spray. If I am vigilent with Nasalcrom and asthma meds, I can have a relativley attack free season as long as I put up the windows BEFORE the storm!!!