Natural Healing: Sinus Congestion

From: With the onset of my 2nd pregnancy and a budding friendship with a lovely lady named Beth, I'm becoming more and more interested in natural healing alternatives for the common over-the-counter drug. Between my friend Sarah, her cousin Beth, and the good 'ol Wahlgreen's sinus wash ingredients list, I have discovered two great home remedies for sinus congestion.

Ingredients:

eucalyptus oil
rosemary oil
lemon oil
peppermint oil
thyme oil
tea tree oil
iodine free salt
baking soda

How to:  

Steam therapy: Boil water. Put drops of eucalyptus (2), lemon (1), rosemary (3) in a big bowl. You can also add peppermint, thyme, and tea tree oils. Pour boiling water over it. Quickly cover your head and bowl with a towel. Stay there and breathe the steam in until it stops steaming.

Sinus wash: Fill a netti pot with hot water. Netti pots can be purchased at a drug store.  They often come with a sinus wash packet, which has a combination of iodine free salt and baking soda in it.  When you run out of those packets, you can dissolve 1 tsp iodine free salt and 1/3 tsp baking soda in the netti pot. Over a sink or in the shower, lean over so your head is completely horizontal, with your right ear to the ceiling.  Slowly place the tip of the netti pot over your right nostril and allow the liquid to flow through your sinuses, out the left nostril.  Adjust your head position so the liquid does not flow out of your mouth or down your throat.  Breathe through your mouth.  Repeat on the other side.  You may practice using only lukewarm water ahead of time, to get the hang of it.  Sometimes the salt and baking soda mix burn, and you may need to stop and sneeze in the middle of it.  This means it's working! Repeat as often as desired, up to every couple of hours. As an added bonus, the solution flowing over your nostrils will help to cure the raw, dry skin that's irritated from blowing your nose so often!


***Neither Beth, Sarah, nor myself are licensed health care professionals.  Be sure to seek the medical advice of a health professional before starting any new therapy or if symptoms worsen.