Last year I blogged about Neti pot, the cure for my allergy to hay fever. Since hay fever allergy season began two days ago, I thought I’d send out a reminder to those of you who have problems or friends/relatives with hay fever problems. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being ineffective and 10 being 100% effective, Neti pot gets a rating of 9.95.

In March, 1976 I moved to Frankfort, Illinois. On August 15th that year I acquired the hay fever allergy. Prior to that I was allergy-free. I went through boxes and boxes of Kleenex before I found the problem. I started taking a Dristan allergy product. It affected my ability to do simple things. I had to double check my own work, even around the house.

Over the years my wife, Marilyn, found another, better medication. It slowed me down mentally, but not as bad as Dristan. Officially, hay fever season doesn’t end until the first frost. Usually I could quit taking it in late September, early October. But by then I acquired a depressed feeling. I used to joke that if I ever committed suicide, it would be a Monday in allergy season.

Last year I began using Neti pot. It’s a small, teapot shaped container. Following the directions, you dissolve a pre-measured packet of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate into distilled water. You shake the pot to dissolve it. Place the spout of the pot in one nostril and lower your head over the sink. Tilt your head to let the water run in one nostril and out the other. Halfway through switch to the other nostril.

This sounds messy, but once you do it a few times it’s a simple procedure. The solution rinses out your sinuses. In my case I perform this in the morning and I am allergy free all day. The product has made a world of difference. How many things can you say that about?

The best part is that you avoid using a pharmaceutical drug. I’m a great believer in natural remedies for our bodies. For hay fever, Neti pot is the answer, available at all drug stores. If you decide to try this, let me know how it works for you. Here’s to your health!