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Herbal Wisdom:  Natural help for allergies/mouth breathing  |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 06:51:07 AM
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My whole family has allergies, we don't sleep well at night because of mouth breathing. Has anyone been able to remedy this naturally? I'm interested in any insights.
thanks,
Rebecca
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 07:12:14 AM
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Rebecca...I'm a respiratory therapist and I have allergies. A good defense against them is nasal washing. You can find info about that on my blog. I used to take Zyrtec followed by Benadryl along with a steroid shot to get through my allergies. Now I do the nasal washing and I take stinging nettle (it also goes by just nettle). You can take that up to every four hours. That is all I took last fall and it was like a miracle. No allergy symptoms and no feeling worn out and zapped from all the chemical drugs.
One good way of prevention is to narrow down just exactly what you are allegic to and try to avoid it. I believe that we know our own bodies well enough to be able to find that out without having to go thru testing at a doctors office, that is just my opinion. Just be very aware of your surroundings, the air quality etc.
Another thing you could try is an air purifier. They can be a bit expensive but if they help it's worth it. Also possibly running a cool mist humidifier at night in bedrooms if the air in your house is really dry.
Sometimes eliminating dairy and or wheat products from your diet helps. Dairy products make mucous thicker and stickier.
Hope that some of these ideas helped.
Blessings....
Sarah
"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." -From The Great Law Of The Iroquois Confederacy.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!!!!
http://mustangsuzie.wordpress.com
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 2:47:24 PM
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Okay, yes I have heard of the nasal washing and I think it's at Walgreens. I will try out the stinging nettle. In Oklahoma allergies are just a given, so staying away from it would be impossible probably.
I don't know if I could eliminate the wheat, but I guess I could try. I just don't want to get bad sleep every night because of mouth breathing. I have to get good rest to keep up with my family and life!
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 2:54:06 PM
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If it is outdoor allergies you are battling then I would do the nasal washing 2-3 times a day and especially after you come back inside for the evening.
Blessings....
Sarah
"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." -From The Great Law Of The Iroquois Confederacy.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!!!!
http://mustangsuzie.wordpress.com
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Vintage Redhead
True Blue Farmgirl
233 Posts
Kaylyn
Saint Charles
IL
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 2:58:28 PM
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Rebecca:
I do my nasal washing via a Neti pot. It is an ancient yogic practice involving a pot with a long-stemmed spout. It holds approximately 1 cup of comforably water, to which 1/4 tsp of salt should be added (each user should play around with their choice of "salt" since there are many different varieties available.) Tipping the head sharply to each side to be able to view the drain from the corner of the bottom eye, warm salted water is slowly poured from the Neti pot into the top nostril and allowed to drain through the bottom nostril into the sink. Once a Neti user becomes proficient, there are ways to cleanse out the tonsillary passages and even the frontal sinuses.
It is a *huge* leap of faith to do it the first time - but the feeling is *WONDERFUL*! It's like the spray called "Ocean" - except in a mega-dose - and for the first time, I actually felt the ear/nose/throat connection.
I have been doing Neti for 18 months. I went from *CHRONIC* sinus infections (7 requiring antibiotics in a year) and snoring to only minor sinus infections (self-treated adding iodine to Neti) in 12 months and snoring only when I am excruciatingly exhausted. I don't miss a day now. I love it - it's the *best* $20 I ever spent on myself! ~ Kaylyn
~ Kaylyn
(Living in Suburbia with a FARMGIRL Heart!)
My Current Cause: http://nickspavilion.blogspot.com/ |
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2007 : 3:07:32 PM
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That is awesome Kaylyn! I'm glad you have gotten such dramatic relief with the Neti pot.
Blessings....
Sarah
"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." -From The Great Law Of The Iroquois Confederacy.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!!!!
http://mustangsuzie.wordpress.com
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
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Vintage Redhead
True Blue Farmgirl
233 Posts
Kaylyn
Saint Charles
IL
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2007 : 10:36:48 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by MustangSuzie
That is awesome Kaylyn! I'm glad you have gotten such dramatic relief with the Neti pot.
Thanks! And I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one advocating the benefits of nasal cleansing, too!
I tout the benefits of Neti to anyone who will listen. My DH - possibly the biggest holdout on the planet - *FINALLY* tried it a few weeks ago when he got a sinus infection. He couldn't believe how much relief he felt - said it even cleared an area that he didn't realize was seriously congested. He won't use it daily like I do - but he will at least use it when necessary.
I like not only that it is inexpensive, but it is drug-free and it *works*. And if I'm having a particularly sensitive day, I can do it more than once.
~ Kaylyn
(Living in Suburbia with a FARMGIRL Heart!)
My Current Cause: http://nickspavilion.blogspot.com/ |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2007 : 7:13:44 PM
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My husband is so miserable tonight. I went tonight and got the neti pot and a cool mist humidifier for him. He opened the box and read the instructions and is in the bathroom right now using it, that's how desperate he is. I put the saline gel up my nose last night, but I still breathed through my mouth. I don't have sinus issues, but I just can't quit breathing through my mouth at night.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 05:47:29 AM
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Woke up stuffy this morning. I guess I need to get something to head off stuffiness. I have also heard that Marshmallow root is good.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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MustangSuzie
True Blue Farmgirl
634 Posts
Sarah
New London
Missouri
USA
634 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 05:59:02 AM
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One other thing. I would recommend that each person have their own Neti pot and not share.
How did using the Neti pot work for your husband Rebecca?
Blessings....
Sarah
"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." -From The Great Law Of The Iroquois Confederacy.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!!!!
http://mustangsuzie.wordpress.com
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Edited by - MustangSuzie on Mar 09 2007 05:59:41 AM |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 06:11:11 AM
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He said it completely cleared one side. He got the water a bit too warm when he did the other side and it burned and it didn't work as well. He was so congested, he had taken Claritan, benedryl & a decongestant. He slept all night with the cool mist humidifier.
He was just fine until last week and we had a wind storm. I think maybe if we had taken preventative measures with the humidifier and nasal wash last week he wouldn't be so messed up this week.
Oh and then we had tunderstorms last night and our daughter woke him up and kept him awake for quite awhile. Just what he needed.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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Vintage Redhead
True Blue Farmgirl
233 Posts
Kaylyn
Saint Charles
IL
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 07:19:24 AM
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Rebecca:
I *absolutely* second what Sarah said: Every family member should have their own Neti pot. That's because the nasal and sinus passages are prime targets for bacteria and infection. (I also have a personal philosophy: of an infection so close to the brain can't be a good thing!)
Please tell him to not get discouraged with the one side "burning" sensation. Playing with the "salt balance" because of our individual system, illness, medications, etc., is not uncommon. Here is an *awesome* links about Neti.
http://www.falconblanco.com/health/neti.htm
http://www.jalanetipot.com/
It's a strange thing to admit: but after you get going for a few days - it's actually *addictive* because you clear out so much and feel so much better and sleep so much more soundly. Best of luck to both of you! ~ K
~ Kaylyn
(Living in Suburbia with a FARMGIRL Heart!)
My Current Cause: http://nickspavilion.blogspot.com/ |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 10:21:00 AM
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Im afraid of chocking! Is that possible. I have used an old turkey baster that I kept JUST FOR MY NOSE ONLY (just wanted that clear) & it worked a bit but not like I wanted but the netti pot sounds great & I've seen them but a bit nervous, I guess.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Vintage Redhead
True Blue Farmgirl
233 Posts
Kaylyn
Saint Charles
IL
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2007 : 11:30:30 AM
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Michele - I hear you on being nervous! Trust me, I was too the first time. It is a *huge* leap of faith...how is it possible I not going to drown? The entire idea seems to go against all rational thought when it comes to thinking about noses and water.
To be perfectly honest: I guess that anything *is possible.* So I don't want to be one saying that choking can't happen. But I've assisted my 6-year old DS in doing Neti (over the toilet so he can straddle it) and he loves the feeling. When he feels he needs it, he comes to me to request it.
I think the biggest difference between the actual Neti pot and a baster would be gravity...but I'm thinking you could eliminate that by simply removing the baster bulb. The second issue would be flow control, but again, I think that could be controlled by angle/tilt of the baster.
I am a *huge* advocate of Neti for anyone with chronic nasal/sinus issues. I'm not exaggerating when I say it has changed my life.
~ Kaylyn
(Living in Suburbia with a FARMGIRL Heart!)
My Current Cause: http://nickspavilion.blogspot.com/ |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2007 : 10:17:08 AM
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Well, I will encourage him to keep it up. The tree pollen here was outrageous. Normal is 90 and we had 2,040!!!!
Oh, and a dear friend offered us her Ion air purifier from the Sharper Image store as she is getting a new air system for her home that they are remodeling. Happy day!!!
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 08:38:57 AM
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Another champion of the Neti pot here. Whenever I let myself slide, I notice a drop-off in my sense of taste, inevitably followed by clogged snoot and snoring.
We have humidifiers on both floors of our old farmhouse. If the one upstairs goes dry while we're sleeping, we both feel the effects immediately in the form of stuffy noses, dry mouths from mouth breathing, and generally lousy sleep. Obviously, the humidity helps.
Oh, and keeping dust scrupulously under control is vital. You've got to keep after dust in your home or it'll make your life miserable!
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 08:52:46 AM
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Speaking of Neti pots, and nasal irrigation in general, I just use saline solution that I make myself, with non-iodized table salt and very warm water. I don't know what this "saline gel" is that Rebecca said she put up her nose, but that sure doesn't sound lilke nasal irrigation (Neti-pot style) to me!
My "recipe" for Neti pot saline solution is 1/2 teaspoon non-iodized (essential that it be non-iodized) salt to one cup of comfortably warm water. What do is fill a 1-cup measuring cup to the halfway mark with our bathroom tap's hottest water (our water heater is set at 120 degrees, so it can't be hotter than that), stir in the salt (which dissolves fast in the hot water), then turn on the cold tap to fill the cup the rest of the way up, resulting in just the right temperature for me to use right away, a half-cup per nostril. If the salt and temperature are just right for you, you shouldn't feel any sting or other discomfort at all.
You have to be careful to blow gently afterwards in all the ways recommended in the instructions that come with the Neti pot.
I've seen larger-than-Neti stainless steel pots that I'd like to try. (I've had to throw away Neti pots that got chipped, and sometimes I wish they held more solution.) They're unbreakable and can be sterilized in the dishwaher. Sarah, what do you think of those? |
Edited by - Rosemary on Mar 25 2007 08:54:11 AM |
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mommom
True Blue Farmgirl
854 Posts
Susan
Lancaster
Pennsylvania
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2007 : 3:32:15 PM
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| Where would I get a netti pot? Susan |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2007 : 12:20:19 AM
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Thanks, gals, for the Neti pot information. I just about lose my ability to think my allergies to actual alfalfa hay are so bad (or at least they were last year). I'm definitely going to find one of these and "practice" with it so when the allergies hit, I'll know what to do! In the past, I've occasionally taken a Benadryl - but WOW, to those knock me out - all I want to do is to sit down and "rest my eyes" a little bit...
XOXO, Libbie
"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar..." - Helen Hayes |
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Herbal Wisdom: Natural help for allergies/mouth breathing |
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Natural help for allergies/mouth breathing
