Nose picking and nose hair clipping are the main causes of colds and the flu during the winter. Sick adults and youngsters have been flooding the clinic where I work. When questioned they all say their symptoms began with a dry nose. Then a funny "tingy prickly" feeling up in the nasal area starts. Next the throat stars feeling sore, then the cold or flu symptoms set in.
"Before you got sick, were you picking your nose?" I asked the child or adult. They all admitted they did. The adults went further. They clipped their nose hairs. Some even plucked hair out their nostrils. "Well, there's your problem," I told them.
People fail to understand the importance of nose hair and nasal mucus. The nasal mucus- aka boogers- and nose hair work together to keep germs from entering the body. Nasal mucus is formed in the nasal cavity and slowing seeps into the nostril. The mucus gets on the walls of the nostrils and covers the thick nose hairs. As you breath the fine particles and airborne germs get caught in the sticky net of nasal mucus and nose hair. As a result airborne germs is kept from entering the body. Quite naturally when the nose feels "full" one "picks" the nose, removing the dried boogers to make room for fresh new nasal mucus. This is basic knowledge that we have all experience.
During the winter season, people have a strong urge to nose pick. This is because a majority of our time is spent indoors, and to keep warm the indoor heat is kept on constantly. Indoor heat dries and dehumidifies the air. Also in the winter season the indoors, such as homes, schools, stores, and buses, are kept closed up to keep heat in and cold air out. The indoor air due to poor air ventilation and circulation, is a breading ground for germs. The dry indoor air also dries out the nasal mucus, causing a slight prickly scratchy feeling in the nostrils.
Then comes the urge to pick, thus removing the dried mucus from the nose hair, nostril walls, and from deep in the back of the nose where the nasal cavity and nasal passage meet. As dry air is breath and without the mucus protection, the mucus membrane dries up and does not produce mucus to block the nasal passage. The dry, germ infested, indoor air thus has a clear pathway into the lungs. From there germs are carried through the body as oxygen is distributed.
When adults pluck and clip their nose hairs, even if nasal mucus is produced, the mucus can do nothing to protect the body because there are no long cris-crossing hairs for the mucus to stick on to catch the germs. So get rid of those nose hair trimmers.
Having dry nose, which we know results from a lack of nasal mucus, can be very uncomfortable. To cure dry nose the mucus membrane need to be revitalized. This can be naturally done by doing the following:
The Onion
Cut a piece of onion. Scrape it with a fork to get its juice going. Rub the piece of onion on your cheeks beneath your eyes. Next rub the onion over your upper lip right under your nose. Inhale the onion smell. It opens up the mucus membrane and get the eyes running and nose dripping.
Chocolate Ice Cream
Ice Cream is the best mucus maker for two reasons. The first reason is ice cream is a milk based dairy product. Milk products make mucus in the mucus membranes when consumed. The second reason is that ice cream is recommended because as a frozen dairy product, it makes more mucus than plain milk. If you are not an ice cream eater, just drinking milk can cause mucus to form.
When suffering with a cold or the flu the nose has over a surplus of mucus ranging from watery and runny to thick and blobby. As one recovers from a cold or the flu the mucus membrane becomes dry again. I recommend eating chocolate ice cream at this point because chocolate itself has antioxidants. Consume ice cream made with dark chocolate because it is rich with antioxidants. The body gets nourishment to help fight the cold and flu as well as recover nasal mucus.
A humidifier is good to use in the winter. It puts moisture back into dry air, making air comfortable to breath. If you do not have a humidifier, you can add moisture to the air simply by turning on a stove burner and placing a pot of water on it. The boiling water gives off vapor which adds moisture to the air. When sleeping at night, sleep with the heat off to avoid dry nose and throat. These are some other tips to avoiding dry nose and promoting the production of nasal mucus.
Take my advice. refrain from picking your nose and grooming your nose hairs. To ensure good health you need boogers to ensure good health you need boogers and long busy nose hairs.
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