Homemade Nasal Spray

Congestion sucks, whether it's colds or allergies, dealing with it is never a fun task.

Saline nasal spray can provide relief for congestion. However, saline nasal spray solution is one thing you don't have to buy at a store. With a few ingredients, you can make it at home in a matter of minutes. This was definitely a tip I was hesitant to try when I first heard of it, but it’s something I swear by now. Salt-water rinsing, also known as nasal irrigation, helps break nasal congestion while also removing virus particles and bacteria from your nose.

HOW TO USE

Ingredients:

• Salt (kosher, canning, or pickling salt)
• Baking soda
• Nasal irrigation pot (available at most pharmacies), or just a standard bulb syringe.
• Measuring spoons
• Container with lid

In case you were wondering what a bulb syringe looks like, here is a photo. I've added in a link that takes you to Amazon in case you wanted to know the price :D

Making the Nasal Spray

1)       Prepare the solution by putting 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp baking soda into the container. Add half a cup of lukewarm tap water and mix the contents.

2)       Fill the nasal pot or bulb syringe with the liquid.

How to Use the Spray

1)    Position your head! Lean over the sink; rotate your head to one side.

2)    Insert the spout of the irrigation device into the uppermost nostril. Breathe through your mouth.

3)    Raise the handle of the nasal pot so the solution flows into the upper nostril; in a few moments, the solution will begin to drain from the lower nostril. You should start feeling some relief from your blocked nose but do it slowly.

4)    Continue until the pot is empty or until you feel relieved of your congestion, then exhale gently through both nostrils and gently blow your nose.

5)    Repeat with the other nostril.

6)    Do this twice a day or as directed.

You can store and reuse the unused saline solution in the sealed container at room temperature for up to two days. But don’t fret there’s plenty more where that came from if you need to make it again!

Now why is this tip so effective? Because it really can help with sinusitis and congestion.

MEDICAL RESEARCH/STUDY FINDINGS:

Although nasal sprays have been determined to be effective at helping with congestion I will outline just how effective this natural spray in helping with sinus problems, improving the quality of life for sufferers.

Sinusitis

For all serious allergy sufferers, sinusitis (or rhinosinusitis) is defined as an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the para-nasal sinuses. A comprehensive test conducted by the University of Chicago recommended nasal irrigation to patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, where they concluded that large-volume, low-pressure saline irrigation decreases the severity and frequency of symptoms. In other words, if you irrigate your nasal system with a sizable amount of the liquid and do it gently, the symptoms of your congestion will reduce in seriousness (please see here for the full article )

For chronic sufferers you can rejoice: There is evidence, too, that patients who successfully use large-volume, low-pressure saline irrigation gain more than symptom relief. In a study conducted David Rabago MD, published by the Ann Fam Medical Journal also found that effective use of this technique was associated with a sense of empowerment, and led to improved self-management skills, as well as a rapid, and long-term, improvement in quality of life (please see here for the full article)

This is pretty comprehensive evidence that it is effective. The fact that it is safe and gentle, non-toxic and cheap to make has got to make it a winning combination!

Do you use nasal sprays? Have you tried this before? I would love to know your experiences!

Drinking Salt For Your Benefit: Baking Soda

Now this tip is a source of controversy but it is such a heavily discussed remedy that I decided to try it out myself and have personally felt the benefits from it.

Whilst this is definitely NOT one of my favourite remedies, it does work and if you can get over the fairly unpleasant taste (it took me a while but now I’m totally used to it) this will bring you loads of benefits.

The concoction is something that you won’t even need to jot down here it is:

Directions
Mix either a ½ teaspoon or 1 single teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water that is no more than 8 ounces. Give it a good stir and drink all of the mixture. You can repeat this as needed but should not exceed seven ½ teaspoon doses in a 24 hour period. Also, avoid using this as a remedy for more than a week straight, as it is high in salt and can have side effects such as swelling or nausea.

If you really cannot drink it on its own, I tend to add juice or cordial concentrate to sweeten it up.

Now before you go and dismiss drinking this salty brine water, let me tell you just why it is so good for you. Whilst there have been numerous touted benefits of drinking baking soda, I will discuss two benefits that have been scientifically proven.

Heartburn

Heartburn is awful and unfortunately most adults will experience it during their lifetime. It is characterized by an uncomfortable burning sensation right behind the breastbone that often times creeps up the throat, and is a symptom more so than a disease. It is caused by acid reflux, which occurs when the ring of muscle that allows food into your stomach (the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) relaxes when it shouldn’t. The result is acid from your stomach goes back up your esophagus, which then causes the sensation of heartburn. 

Think about it…its acid burning your throat…ouch! A spoonful of sodium bicarbonate, or teaspoon-full to be exact, can help put an end to the gnawing, burning, sensation of heartburn caused by acid reflux. Baking soda can help your reflux and in turn help your heartburn because it is a base substance: it has a pH higher than 7.0, and therefore neutralizes stomach acid. Neutralizing the stomach acid means that if/when your LES decides to be lazy and acid comes up your throat, you don’t get “burned.” (see here for the article)

Athletic performance

For all you athletes or fitness fanatics, baking soda is found to increase how long you can train for. In a study with well-trained cyclists, there was a statistically significant increase in performance both with acute ‘loading’ of baking soda, as well as chronic use in 3 daily doses. Both acute and chronic consumption increased average power output in a 4-minute performance test on a cycling ergometer.

In the same study, Baking soda doesn’t just act as an ergogenic agent in short duration exertion either – it also enhances performance when engaging in exercise for longer periods of time. 80 males ran 14 second sprints with 16 seconds of rest for a period of 30 minutes, followed by a period of rest, only to start sprinting again. Many studies have used approximately 300mg/kg prior to exercise or testing to increase performance. This has been a dose that is consistently reliable in increasing peak and average power, time to exhaustion, and so on. Many studies use a 60 minute ‘absorption period’ where baking soda is delivered in one serving. Some have used baking soda taken throughout a time period ranging from 30-90 minutes prior to testing, but based on all the studies conducted, dosage 60 to 90 minutes prior to exercise seems to be the most recommended timeframe. (see here for the full article) 

This really does work: I take the drink about 30 minutes to an hour before a workout and it helps SO much. Try it next time and see the difference for yourself.

WARNING

You can always have too much of a good thing and that phrase especially applies to baking soda: please use it sparingly. Whilst it can provide such benefits you need to be aware it is high in sodium as well.

Have you tried this tip? What do you think of it’s effectiveness? I would love to hear your stories in the comments below :)

The Sweetest Cough/Sore Throat Cure

It’s never a fun situation when you have a persistent cough, in fact I dare to name me a situation when it is fun to have a cough (just kidding!) 

Whether you are at work, on the train or bus, at a restaurant, in a classroom they are plain annoying! 

The worst thing about coughs is that they seem to drag on longer than other common ailments. So your cold's long gone, but have you now been left with a lingering cough that is keeping everyone awake and annoying colleagues?

New US research shows the average time for a cough to last after a virus is an exhausting 18 days - with many coughs sticking around even longer. (see here for the full article). So don't be too surprised when you have an annoying persistent cough even a week after your cold is gone. 

Whilst almost everyone must have experienced coughing sometime in their life, did you know that there are two primary types of coughs, dry and productive?

A productive cough is one in which you are coughing up phlegm or mucous-this is not a cough that should be suppressed, as your body needs to rid itself of the gunk that’s in your chest/lungs. While it shouldn’t be suppressed, some of these remedies will address a productive cough by including an expectorant, or something that loosens mucous and makes it easier for the body to get rid of.

A dry, hacking, cough is another story. This is one we do want to stop. It can be caused by allergies, dry air, a random tickle at the back of your throat that won’t go away, the aftermath of a cold, being in a dusty environment, etc. etc. For these we turn to demulcents, ingredients that soothe irritated mucous membranes and remove the irritant triggering the cough. Studies conducted in 2004 found that the main ingredients in cough syrup (dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine) have the same effectiveness in treating coughs as a placebo ingredient. Instead of turning to chemical solutions for every minor ailment, try some home remedies instead. They are not only better for you, but they taste a whole lot better than most cough syrup too!

Insert picture of honey, link to manuka honey on Amazon

Studies, such as one conducted at Penn State College of Medicine, have found that honey can work more efficiently to calm a cough than over-the-counter drugs. It is a rich demulcent, with a high viscosity and stickiness that does an incredible job of coating and soothing those irritated mucous membranes. Thanks to an enzyme added by bees when they harvest honey, it also has antibacterial properties as well, which may help shorten how long you have the cough if it is due to bacterial illness. The Mayo Clinic have also confirmed that honey is an effective cough medicine (see here for the full article)

Note: This is an excellent alternative remedy for both kids and adults, but should never be given to children under the age of 2 years due to the risk of botulism.

You will need…

-1 tablespoon of honey

As for what type of honey, whatever you have at home is fine. Because I love my honey and have tried the different types, I personally stick to raw and organic honey. It might not be your thing but I prefer the taste more. 

Directions

Take 1 tablespoon of honey 1-3 times daily as needed to control coughing. For best results take the honey slowly and let it coat your throat.

Take immediately before bed if cough is disrupting your sleep. For children, you can adjust the dosing to 1 teaspoon up to one tablespoon.

And that is all there is to it! What’s not to love about this? It’s delicious, good for you and effective! It also works just as well for sore throats too so it is versatile as well :)

This always works for me, and one of friends inadvertently discovered for himself how great it is too. He had a bottle of honey at work for himself and happened to get a terrible cough and was considering taking some time off.  He loved the taste of honey and couldn't stop eating it, and he said that after a few days of going through the bottle, his cough was completely gone! Real story. 

So there you have it: any hesitation you have had to try this tried but true method should be gone now with all the studies conducted confirming its effectiveness. Instead of packing some lozenges make sure you get a good dosage of honey before you go out the door and take it regularly and in no time it will go away :)

Is this a tip you use regularly? Or is there another remedy that you think is even better than honey for coughs?