If you’ve lived in the Tennessee Valley for any length of time you’ve heard about how the American Indians used to call this the Valley of Bad Air. I’ve seen descriptions of how only certain molds grow here that are highly allergenic and how the air doesn’t move in the bowl of land we live in. I don’t know the answer, but I do know that a lot of people are suffering right now with allergies.
Spring has sprung and so has the trees and some of the flowers and the pollen is thickening. Thus, here’s a helpful little website where you can punch in your location and get some information on the pollen level and your area’s biggest current offenders.
My area currently lists juniper as one of its top three offenders. I have several of those in my yard so I am counting myself lucky that I’m not sick. Usually spring is tough on my allergies. Why not this year?
Some of it may be luck, but I think my neti pot has a lot to do with it. I started using one last November after I had my Fall allergy attack and sinus infection and I have been sinus healthy ever since. In fact, I’ve been able to cut way back on my allergy meds since I started using it. If you haven’t already tried one, now may be the time. I used to run scared every time the seasons changed hoping I wouldn’t get sick and barricading myself inside. This spring though, I’ve spent more time than ever outside and I’ve been able to enjoy driving with the windows down.
A lot of people I talk to are apprehensive about using a neti pot. The thought of pouring water up one’s nose is a scary prospect, but I’m here to tell you, it’s really not bad. I bought my pot at Walgreen’s (they also carry them at Wal-Mart now) and it came stocked with the pre-measured buffered salts you need. I would highly recommend those, they don’t burn like some of the bulk salts can. The neti “pot” comes in two different styles, one you can pour in and another you can “squirt” in. I use the pouring option as it seemed a bit more controllable, but I have friends who use the squirt bottle and swear by it.
Of course, I find that once I get sick enough and desperate enough, I’ll try anything which is how I came to the neti pot. Perhaps you’re there now. Try it. It’s a small price to pay if it works. If it doesn’t, you’re only out around fifteen bucks.