Kind of a gross topic. Would really appreciate some help. page 3

[Wildrose]

The idea of using the neti pot has always sounded pretty unpleasant to me (basically, rinsing the sinuses)--but, a pharmacist I work with swears by it and several patients she has recommended it to have been VERY pleased with the results. It's nice to have non-pharmaceutical options....

I use a neti pot most nights, and I would highly recommend it. Once you get used to it, it's not unpleasant at all and it does work. I tend to have dried, um, bits and it softens them so I can blow everything out.

[Bushrat]

Avoid airconditioning, that really screws my sinuses up.

If you eat spicy/peppery food that can make your nose run and clear it out.

I also stopped sleeping with a pillow months ago and found it helped because my airway is more open.

[Betorq]

The idea of using the neti pot has always sounded pretty unpleasant to me (basically, rinsing the sinuses)--but, a pharmacist I work with swears by it and several patients she has recommended it to have been VERY pleased with the results. It's nice to have non-pharmaceutical options....

I use a neti pot most nights, and I would highly recommend it. Once you get used to it, it's not unpleasant at all and it does work. I tend to have dried, um, bits and it softens them so I can blow everything out.

Traditionally neti kriya, of which use of the neti pot is but one of 3 different parts, was not suggested but instructed to always be performed in the morning, as part of morning cleansing on an empty stomach. I practiced it that way, as I was taught and instructed to do by my yoga master in India since January 1997. Years later, I did try it @ night before bed, on my own whim as an experiment. What I found was that laying down for bed afterwards sometimes caused more post nasal drip & 'stuff' to flow & come out. I kept having to get up out of bed to blow my nose, & it was annoying me, interrupting my attempts to get to bed early & just sleep(these were back in the pre-injury days when I slept 6-7 hours a night & was up @ 5:30am to practice 2+ hours of yoga kriyas, asanas etc). Just relating my experiences.

Also the TCM's (Traditional Chinese Medicine) suggestion of not drinking cold drinks (even in summer), frozen foods or anything straight out of the fridge to mouth are big no-no's, actually parallels Ayurveda as the 2 systems have more in common that not.

[Betorq]

If you eat a lot of cold or raw food it could be that. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine phlegm may be caused my these, so the recommendation is eating only warm foods or drinking warm soup or tea with raw or cold foods or taking digestive enzymes.

REALLY? Where did you read or hear that? Would you mind sharing that source here? As I've used digestive enzymes in capsule or powder form, for many years & have never heard that... Of course now I get my enzymes the majority of the time from whole foods & drinks naturally fermented in my own kitchen. I still use serrapeptase tabs some & some enzyme capsules for when I'm on the go & "out there" in the wild & eating out...

The neti pot is awesome.[/QUOTE]Indeed it is!

[Primal123]

My traditional chinese medicine provider told me, so sorry no journal article as I took her as her word. My daughter prefers raw veggies and frozen fruit so she suggested warm soup or tea as an accompaniment to said raw/cold foods to prevent congestion. When that was turned down she recommended giving her digestive enzymes. She said basically it is harder for the body to digest the raw/cold foods and this can lead to excess phlegm build up. So warming the body with soup or tea, lightly cooking the vegetables, or if all else fails using digestive enzymes.