Pure salt... kosher salt is a good choice as it is just natural salt with no additives and finely ground salt is better as it dissolves more quickly.

I use kosher salt for cooking so do not spend $$$ on neti specific salts that cost more and just add packaging waste.

It is topical as it something you can do on a regular basis to stay healthier and it is really important when you ride in dry cold climates like we have here... another plus is that I no longer get nosebleeds because of dry sinuses.

Should warn you that the first time you use a neti pot it may be a little disturbing.

Also known as water boarding and declared to be torture by our current justice department and president.

Knock, knock, that is the FBI at your door.

I am preparing for the future police state so when they try and waterboard me to get info they will get nothing.

Another rider here in Hong Kong (who had previously lived in Singapore) was asked at a check up by his doctor "so, how many cigarettes do you smoke a day?"

Guy doesn't smoke...

What is plan b, drive your car all day and become steadily more obese and poor?

When being water boarded ask for warm water, it will open your pours and help exfoliate.

About that neti pot, it's not the viruses in the air but the issue of having lots of dirt and etc in there that will probably up your risk of infection.

I have one, but it came with little packets of salt and I'm almost out

So.... wouldn't a pollution mask help alleviate this for cyclists?

Surely the same for most of us. I was a smoker and a rabid cager for most of my adult life, so I think I'll take my chances out there on a bike.

Chances are, if you live in or close to a large city, or possibly even close to some industrial plant, or energy plant, you're accumulating carcinogenic tars within your lungs anyway.

If you just sit in the house as a couch potato all day, or you sit at work and drive to commute, instead of cycle, you'll never give your lungs a chance to clear themselves.

Let's all just face it!

What we're doing is healthy! There's no other way to assess it!

- Slim :)

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-r...7#air_rankings

Ya, I live in Tulare County, which is worse than Fresno. I'm not sure it's as bad as Kern County, but it's still usually rated the worst air-quality in the nation. Plus I just picked up smoking due to a lot of stress and social situations. And I ride my bike at least 10 miles.. I'm on a sinking ship that's for sure!

At least when I smoke I have a filter.. ha

I drink beer everyday to cleanse all the junk out of my system.

Herd theory... the alcohol kills the slow brain cells and leaves the faster ones.

:)

As a cleansing agent, I prefer Scotch.

I knew when I moved to the DFW area in 1990 that the air pollution was bad here. I also knew that the south wind in this part of the country is so predominant that most of our trees lean north. For that reason, I've always lived in the south suburbs since I've been here. The north half of the metroplex gets the worst of the air pollution, by a wide margin.

Of course, while I was doing that, I failed to quit cigar smoking soon enough to keep me from getting lung cancer, so I guess no plan is perfect...

It is worth to put this in perspective: even if exposure to traffic fumes increases the risk of various heart problems for some hours after exposure or similar, the benefits of cycling vastly supersedes any negative effects of pollution exposure. Bicycle commuters simply lives longer and have far fewer lifestyle diseases like diabetes, or heart problems etc., than their more sedate peer groups. In other words, not cycling is much more dangerous than cycling in a polluted city.

Another example; cyclist have a risk of breaking bones if they have an accident on their bicycle. But despite that, commuter cyclists actually break far fewer bones than their non-cycling peer groups. The main reason is simply that cycling strengthen bones so that they better resist fractures and breaking. One could probably make some twisted statistic that showed an increased risk of breaking bones while cycling, but without the context of a much lower overall risk of bone fractures because of cycling, such statistics would be misleading.

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Regards

I dunno how you figured that one out, but there is a documented positive connection between osteoporosis and cycling. Perhaps not strong with a sedated cycle through the city. Walking allover will give help you keep strong bones.

I do agree that cycling is better than a sedentary car lifestyle.

There is solid scientific evidence showing that commuter cyclist have stronger bones and therefore break far fewer bones than their sedate non-cycling peer groups. The research projects have included thousands of cyclists, and even better, have been replicated in other geographic areas. The result is hardly controversial since it is totally in line with other research on physically active people.

The research you are referring to was for a small group of elite cyclist (AFAIK some pro, some amateurs) who spend an extreme amount of time on the bike. It is also worth noting, that doping may cause bone damage, and doping is extremely common, if not the norm, among pro cyclists. Their problems stems from overdoing it, (doping may be a factor too) and doesn't have implications for normal bicycle commuters.

Exercise is unbelievable healthy, but taking it to the extreme like doing professional sport may not be.

So bicycle commuters, even the fast ones, can reap huge health benefits by their daily exercise, including stronger bones. Pollution may reduce the benefit a little, but it is nothing compared to how dangerous it is, not to be physically active.


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Regards

So no one answered my question: Wouldn't a cyclist pollution mask make this a moot point?

Hey there Ricky!

The answer to your question is yes!

To a certain degree, a mask will filter out the carbonaceous particulates associated with "blackened" lungs. However, it will still allow for most toxic gases resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, due to the mask's inability to filter gases.

- Slim :)

Try exercising and interacting with people with a mask on and walking around with lines allover your face for the morning because the mask must be sealed tightly.

I read an excellent discussion on this forum about pollution masks, unfortunately I don't recall the link. The poster who provided information works at a lab for air quality. He/she explained that pollution masks can work, with an adequate seal (no facial hair). Perspiration, breath vapor and rain can also cause issues with the mask slipping. Any break in seal makes the mask ineffective. The mask doesn't seem to really hinder your breathing unless you're are laboring for breath heavily. In the case of non-disposable masks, you have to keep it very clean to prevent microbial growth, which can be worse than any pollution you may be preventing.

Overall it's very tricky to use one, but if you use a pollution mask right, it can be effective. I'm reciting what I remember from memory, so some information may not be correct. Any mask advertised without the correct standards (sorry can't recall, HEPA maybe) can't be trusted.

a doctor once assured me, I will be better than motorbikers standing still in traffic (or a person standing doing nothing) where the air is polluted.

because I (and other fellow bikecommuters) are moving, exercising, so less pollutants inhaled, blocked by antibodi...