If a bottle of hand sanitizer is your favorite accessory, you may be one of the two out of three people who admit they’ve turned into a “germaphobe” since COVID-19 made us intensely aware of hygiene. A poll of 2,000 adults found that 69% of Americans say they’ve adopted new sanitary practices since lockdowns began in March 2020. But experts say we may be overlooking one very important body part that should be sanitized regularly — your nose.
According to Study Finds, 40% of those surveyed say they wear masks when feeling ill, 49% wash their hands more often, and 41% wear gloves to avoid getting COVID-19. The recent study carried out by Xlear and OnePoll, found that 68% of respondents said they have prioritized their hygiene, and over 62% felt that their sanitary efforts have “permanently changed for the better,” thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey also revealed that that a full 88% of American adults said that hygiene is important to them, while 57% admit they don’t do enough to keep their bodies healthy. Over half of those polled said they don’t wash their hands enough and 55% said they’ve become ill because of poor hygienic practices.
Dr. Lon Jones, the inventor of Xlear, a unique nasal spray containing xylitol that cleans the airways to restore the body’s natural defenses, says that “keeping the nose clean is important because essentially all respiratory problems begin there. With its connections to the ears, sinuses, eyes, and lungs, it acts as a nidus, a nest from which bacteria and viruses spread to other parts of the body.
“All of these interconnected areas can get irritated by allergens or infected by viruses or bacteria that live in the back of the nose. By nose washing daily with xylitol, we support our nasal defenses in their attempts to flush away threats, resulting in reduced problems and a proactive approach to nasal health and hygiene,” he explained.
The survey found that although Americans are willing to do anything to reduce their risk of illness, 54% said they never considered the role their nose may play in overall health, says Study Finds, and eight percent admitted they never clean their nostrils.
“It’s our mission to shed light on the importance of proactively caring for the upper airway and how nose washing can significantly improve your over all health,” said Xlear CEO Nathan Jones, the son of Dr. Lon Jones. “As an avid nose washer, I’m hopeful others will begin to reap the benefits in the new year.”