I think that most of us spent our childhood being told NOT to put things in our nose, but now as adults its time to learn the benefits when you find the right things! These are simple tricks that can be used on the tissue inside of your nose for times when you might be around things that aren’t good, or to support the epithelial skin there during seasonal changes. Get ready to stay well, breathe in the good, and take on the world!
I think that most of us spent our childhood being told NOT to put things in our nose, but now as adults its time to learn the benefits when you find the right things! To Mask or Not to Mask?
While this may be a way of life in certain workplaces such as the healthcare industry, or based on one's own health such as those who may be severely immunocompromised, it's now a popular topic for the general populace.
There are many concerns in making this shift, the top of which from what I have seen is a lack of knowledge leading to improper use. When a new mask wearer ends up touching their face more than before due to itches and irritations, wearing the mask over just the mouth or nose, but not both, pulling down to the neck or up onto their head, and removing to sneeze.
And like gloves, there becomes the concept of a false sense of security for people. They may, therefore, let their guard down on the most important protocols like hand washing and cross-contamination from gloves (wearing the same pair to touch your phone, drive in your car, touch items in the store, etc.)
In the casual use case, we are often focused on homemade cloth masks which introduce other factors of concern such as those found in this NIH study: “Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in an increased risk of infection.” They went on in that same study to find that: “Penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97%.”
In the alleged pandemic underway in 2020, the current research indicates: "There's been enough research done to be able to confidently say that masks wouldn't be able to stop the spread of infection, that they would only have a small effect on transmission," Cowling said. "We shouldn't be relying on masks to help us go back to normal." - Ben Cowling, head of the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at The Hong Kong University
When my employer required masks in order for me to maintain my medical freedom, I figured why not make it fun and give a nod to the sheeple around me lining up for their jabs with these cute little sheep! ;)
Read to the bottom for a simple way to build in your own protection right inside of your nose, mask or not!
Hydration for Keeping Sinuses Clear
Did you know the number one tip for keeping your sinuses clear from this Harvard Medical School publication is actually drinking lots of water! They state that good hydration helps our body keep mucus loose and avoid build-up that could lead to sinus blockages or sinusitis.Want to make drinking water more fun, sustainable, and top of mind? Check out my blog post here for tips and tricks!
Side note, the same good hydration tip applies for bowel health. If your body is dehydrated, water isn’t as readily available in the colon to help you pass stool and can result in constipation. So drink up and help keep all the right things moving on both ends! LOL
Honé Rings and Essential Oils
I think if we are talking about rings, this might just be the one to rule them all, well for your nose at least! The name is pronounced "ho-nay", these nose diffuser rings are your ultimate essential oil diffuser for living your#RealLife. Don't get me wrong, when I am home and have access to my water-based diffuser, I am all about it. But most often in our busy lives, we are on the move working, exercising, commuting, and more.
Made in the USA (bonus!) the Honé nose diffuser rings are small, comfortable, and re-useable. Pre-soak in 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils to add the wellness benefits or to mask odors that you may not be interested in partaking in. Get yours here to enjoy a 20% discount for using my referral link.*
* While I do use and recommend these rings, I would encourage you to only use with Seed to Seal quality essential oils. Message me if you have questions and I am happy to share more details.
Keep reading to the end for my super easy recipe for something you can make at home and use right away!
Nasal Balm
You've been patiently waiting to figure out what we were going to be putting up our noses, it's time friends! Haha
Whether you are a healthcare worker actively wearing masks or just a concerned citizen wanting to give your body as much protection as possible, you may have tried different things inside of your mask or under your nose. Men even use their beards for this purpose, my husband has essential oils in his beard balm for skin health and to give him an all-day built-in diffuser!
When we look at things on the skin around our sinuses, we want to be careful as those are sensitive and can be easily irritated. The nasal balm I am going to teach you how to make is just the thing for soothing dry skin and offers added protections in seasons of need. And as always with essential oils, we always want to start low and slow, try a small amount on the area and monitor. It's easy to add more as needed!
Fun fact! Did know that through our nose and sinuses is the only part of our brain that is exposed to the outside world via our olfactory system. So let’s protect what moves to those nerves while we are breathing, as well as send beneficial molecules!
Time to make some DIY nasal balm, are you ready?
When we look at things on the skin around our sinuses, we want to be careful as those are sensitive and can be easily irritated. The nasal balm I am going to teach you how to make is just the thing for soothing dry skin and offers added protections in seasons of need. And as always with essential oils, we always want to start low and slow, try a small amount on the area and monitor. It's easy to add more as needed!
Fun fact! Did know that through our nose and sinuses is the only part of our brain that is exposed to the outside world via our olfactory system. So let’s protect what moves to those nerves while we are breathing, as well as send beneficial molecules!
Time to make some DIY nasal balm, are you ready?
DIY Wellness Nasal Balm
Ingredients:
- New wooden chopstick or popsicle stick (or a wood or plastic utensil)
- Rose Ointment (or Animal Scents Ointment)
- Egyptian Gold essential blend* from YLEO
- Exodus II EO blend** from YLEO
* Why these specific blends? These are best for keeping your body above the wellness line through the winter seasons. There are also different oils that might be best for changes of the seasons. Message me for more!, you will love what you learn!
** Note, this is a spicy oil so if it gets too warm for your nose, you can add extra Rose Ointment or start with 1/2 the drops of the oil in your mixture.
Remember friends, this is #RealLife, if you don't have all of the exact ingredients do your best with what you have, it's okay! Hit me up if you need substitution ideas.
Directions:
On a warm day, no need to gently heat to mildly melt the ointment in order to mix the extra oils in it (Rose Ointment is very soft, Animal Scents Ointment is much firmer, so try some of each if you want). Put some ointment in a clean container and add 4-6 drops of each oil, depending on the size of the batch that you are making. Stir together with a chopstick. Test, and add more oils if necessary. Each person is going to want to find a stong, but safe strength for their use, so just experiment!
Suggested Use:
Take a new cotton swab, get a little (just a tiny bit goes a long way) from your container on it and gently swab on the inside of your nostril. NO DOUBLE DIPPING! There are two sides to a cotton swab so one per nostril, please. And remember, you are not digging for gold, just on the lower area, you are not trying to hit your brain!
Adapted from a recipe from Danette Goodyear.
Want more pictures of the how-tos and a printable version? Download and print this recipe to add your collection: DIY Wellness Nasal Balm_EO4RealLife.pdf
Did you enjoy this info? You'll LOVE my guide on simple ways to eliminate harmful fragrances from your home, it can be so simple! Check it out right HERE.
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Information courtesy of Echo Alexzander
