For years, SportsGeezer has heard complaints from distance swimmers who suffer from allergies after long swims in fresh water lakes. Now, from Zara Patel, a rhinologist at Stanford Health Care, comes a quick, easy and inexpensive way to rid your nose of allergens, possibly including the water-borne allergens that drive swimmers crazy.
Dr. Patel suggests rinsing your nose with a mixture of one teaspoon of non-iodized salt and baking soda (three parts salt; one part baking soda) and 8 ounces of distilled or boiled water. The mixture should be squirted into each nostril with a simple squeeze bottle–no fancy Neti Pot necessary. A thorough rinse will eliminate many of the allergens and other irritants that accumulate in your nose each day, every day, whether you swim or not, and the saline solution also acts as a natural decongestant, reducing painful inflammation. Also, says Patel, the squeeze bottle is very easy to keep clean, almost as easy as your nose. To learn how, exactly, watch the video below.