Keep Your Nose Clean!
When I was a kid my Mom often used the expression, “keep your nose clean.” That of course meant to stay out of trouble. However, for the past five years that phrase has taken on a whole new meaning for me.
At the end of 2004 I had much-needed sinus surgery which made it possible for me to finally breath through my nose. Due to a terrible fall, teamed with years of sports injuries, I had been breathing through my mouth from the time I was 8 years old! That may not seem like such a big deal, but take it from me, breathing through your nose is highly underrated.
The nose serves a greater purpose than keeping glasses on your face 
It actually acts as one of the body’s first lines of defense by trapping irritants, viruses, and bacteria and potentially keeping them from making their way to your lungs. It also warms the air your breath, and the simple act of breathing deeply through the nose has a very calming and centering effect on the entire body.
So, that gets me back to my main point – keeping your nose clean is an important component of overall health. It could even be the factor that keeps you from getting the flu virus or a nasty cold. If you are able to wash viruses away, they can’t ever take hold. In addition, it washes away dust and allergens.
The key is to simply treat cleaning your nasal passages as a crucial piece of daily hygiene. I know it seems a whole lot ickier than the act of washing your face or brushing your teeth, but it is no less important. And, once you get the hang of it, you will grow to like the clear headed feeling you get when your nose is nice and clean. The process for doing this is often referred to as “nasal irrigation”. Here are my tips for easing your way in.
NASAL IRRIGATION TIPS
- Try cleaning your nasal cavities in the shower. While you can also do this with your head tilted over the bathroom sink, I find that doing it in the shower is much easier.
- Neti pots are often recommended for this purpose. The premise is to use gravity to let a saline solution drain from one side of the nose out the other.
- I prefer to use a squeeze bottle to actually force the warm saline solution gently through my sinus passages. I carefully prep the squeeze bottle by cleaning it, filling it with the recommended amount of warm water and a packet of salt. For an added cooling effect, I add a drop of eucalyptus oil to the mixture. Once in the shower, I tilt my head forward, insert the bottle into my left nostril, give a gentle squeeze, exhale through my nose and swallow slightly (to relieve any built up pressure). Then I repeat in the right nostril, always going slowly.
- Remember that the sinus tissue is very delicate, so don’t rush the process. Nasal irrigation can cause pressure to build up in your ear canals. After you have finished the process, blow your nose gently
Nasal Cleaning
If this all sounds to complicated, you can use a prepackaged saline mist. My favorite is Simply Saline Nasal Mist in “Cold Formula” with Menthol. It has an easy to use applicator that sprays a fine mist into the nasal passage. After a quick spritz, I just blow my nose to keep the area clean.
February 10, 2010
Tags: allergens, dust, flu prevention, nasal irrigation, preventing cold, simply saline, sinus cleaning, sinus surgery Posted in: General Health, Tips 
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Vegetable Dip or Hummus – You decide!
Sometimes I happen upon products in the grocery store by what seems like divine chance. Today was one of those times! After I tossed a bag of salad into my cart I spied a container that looked like one of my favorite foods – Hummus. But, alas, this was not the hummus section. And, this familiar looking plastic container was not called hummus, instead it was labeled Roasted Garlic Vegetable Dip by Mythos Farms.
Upon further investigation it appeared to indeed be hummus-like with soybeans and tahini as the main ingredients with very little else aside from garlic, olive and sunflower oils, spices and a small amount of preservative. The nutritional stats were in some ways even more impressive than hummus – just 1.5 grams of fat (0 grams of saturated or trans fats). And a nice little dose of fiber, 1 g per 2 Tbsp. And, when you consider some of the most popular hummus brands actually contain corn syrup and partially-hydrogenated oils, this new vegetable dip is a healthier alternative. And, it was nearly half the price of hummus. Only $2.99 for 16 ounces.
The best part is that this veggie dip is very good – nice and thick and able to handle anything that I would normally dip in hummus with ease.
December 8, 2009
Tags: bean dip, hummus, Mythos Farms, vegetable dip Posted in: Gluten Free, Natural Health No Comments
Dr. David Katz – Connecticut’s Health Expert
Last month I praised Dr. Oz and his excellent new TV show for providing helpful, practical health advice. I’d be remiss if I didn’t follow up that praise with some accolades for a local Connecticut health expert – Dr. David Katz.
I was lucky enough to meet Dr. Katz years ago (2003?) when I interviewed for a part time position analyzing nutrition data for studies he was conducting at the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center. In meeting him, one of the things that really struck me was how incredibly down-to-earth he was. As a renowned researcher and educator at one of the nation’s most prestigious schools (Yale University) I never expected he would give me the time of day. Since I possess an RD but not a Master’s degree I worried that I didn’t stand a chance of working with the PRC, but Dr. Katz allayed my fears by saying “we have more than enough titles around here.”
Since then, I have seen Dr. Katz over and over – just not in person. Instead I have followed his sage nutrition and health advice on TV (VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club), in magazines, and on blogs. I feel especially lucky to have access to his weekly column via The New Haven Register. His articles are always a pleasure to read because they take the latest health issues and provide the most no-nonsense approach to their application.
Dr. Katz has also been lending his expertise to a new food rating system that will help take the guess work out of choosing healthy foods. This system, NuVal, is based on a sophisticated algorithm that analyzes a foods health benefits and negatives to provide an overall score. It has the power to make grocery shopping a breeze. Since it takes me over an hour to complete a shopping trip with all my label reading I hope to see it in grocery stores soon!
October 29, 2009
Tags: CT, doctors, Dr. Katz, health expert, healthcare, new haven, Nutrition Posted in: General Health No Comments