Stuffy Noses: Remedies that work

I seem to have a stuffy nose the problem is I'm not sure of the cause. Is it an allergy or simply a cold of some type. In any event what is the best remedy for a cold? Some strange ideas I've seen:

Ingredients: 1/3 Cup Jalepeno Pepper Juice
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
A big glob of Horse raddish
A pich of Salt
Butter **USED SEPERATLEY**
Instructions: Add all the Ingredients (EXCEPT THE BUTTER) in a small to medium sized sauce pan and Fill the rest with water. Let it come to a rolling boil. Put the pan on the table make a tent over your face with a Towel and inhale deeply untill the steam is gone. The smear Butter inbetween your eyes and let it sit for 5 minutes. It smells absolutley wretched but it not only clears out your sinuses at that time but it will keep them clear for a few hours to come. Trust me on this one people. I have been a certified hippie for 31 years.

I just tried inhaling steam and that seemed to do the trick. If it that doesn't work I can always try squirting salt water up my nose but I'm not looking forward to it.

What have you used that works?

Cold and Flu Remedies: Neti Pot and More

As the winter starts to get into full swing, more and more of us will start coming down with the usual suspects: Cold and flu. The question then becomes what to do about the various symptoms and how to prevent the likelihood of catching them. I always thought that the best offense is a good defense. One good start might be to wash your hands well throughout the day. The actual suggested time by experts is about 20 seconds which most people don't bother with. You could purchase hand sanitizer there are some that even claim to kill germs for up to 3 hrs. Drinking plenty of fluids and exercise and eating right are just some of the things that can be quite helpful in warding off those nasty sicknesses. What do you do if it's too late? You already have a cold or flu? Lets talk symptoms: Sinus issues, stuffy or runny noses etc.. You could try an old remedy the Neti Pot. It may sound kind of gross but supposedly effective. For something less intrusive you could try a saline spray. If you have a cough that you can't seem to shake with cough drops, I find this works well for both children and adults. When it comes to the flu or fever I find that ibuprofen works better than Acetaminophen but it's probably best to just use whatever works best for you and your child. When is comes to cold some swear by echinacea but many think it helps little if at all.