Tracy's Sinus Protocol

Tracy’s Sinus Protocol

for Mold and MARCoNS

Developed by Tracy Gosch, M.S.

Updated December 14, 2021

I developed this protocol to treat my chronic sinusitis from mold and MARCoNS after trying a number of other nasal protocols that didn’t work for me, including the use of nasal Amphotericin B and Xlear nasal spray. It involves adding the following things to saline nasal rinses:

• Baby shampoo – The use of baby shampoo in sinus irrigation is based on the work of Dr. Mas Takashima.

• Grapefruit seed extract – The use of grapefruit seed extract is based on homemade rinse recipes I’ve found online that were created by others who have chronic sinusitis.

• Juniper berry essential oil – The use of Juniper berry essential oil comes from the book Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Buhner, in which he recommends that it be diluted with water and used in a nasal spray bottle for Aspergillus in the sinuses.

• Alkalol – This nasal rinse contains several plant compounds and is used by many people to help treat sinus infections.

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Equipment:

• Tissues

• 8-ounce nasal rinse bottle (use the NeilMed brand)

• Small plastic funner (mine is about 3 inches across at its widest point)

• Saline nasal rinse packets (I use the NeilMed brand)

• Distilled or boiled-and-cooled water (I buy one-gallon bottles of distilled water)

• Baby shampoo (I use California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Body Wash; others typically use Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo)

• Grapefruit seed extract, also called GSE (I use the NutriBiotic brand)

• Juniper berry essential oil (I used the Now Foods brand, which I’ve found on iHerb)

• Alkalol Nasal Wash (Amazon carries this)

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Morning Routine

You’re going to do two rinses in the morning, a Baby Shampoo Rinse and an Herbal Rinse. Once you get used to it, this takes less than 10 minutes.

Baby Shampoo Rinse

1. Put two saline packets on the counter so you have them ready. You’ll use one for the Baby Shampoo Rinse and one for the Herbal Rinse that follows.

2. While leaning forward, blow your nose gently into a tissue. Discard the tissue and wash your hands with soap and water.

3. Add one saline packet to the empty bottle.

4. Set the empty saline packet on the counter so you’ll know you’ve added it. If you forget to add it, you’ll get a painful sinus-and-head rush when you irrigate (I’ve done this many times and it’s not fun).

5. Using a small funnel, fill the bottle to the line with distilled water.

6. Remove the funnel and add ¼ to ½ teaspoon baby shampoo. I normally eyeball it rather than measure.

7. Screw on the bottle lid, put your finger over the hole and shake a few times to mix.

8. Lean forward over the sink and gently irrigate one nostril using about half the solution in the bottle.

9. While still leaning over the sink, gently blow any remaining fluid from your nose into the sink. Then place an index finger over one of your nostrils and gently blow the other nostril’s contents (snot) into the sink. Repeat the blowing process with the other nostril.

10. Irrigate the other nostril, using most of the remaining liquid.

11. Repeat the blowing process in Step 9 for both nostrils.

12. Wipe excess liquid off your nostrils with your fingers and rinse your fingers.

13. Rinse the water bottle and cap about three times or until it seems you’ve gotten the baby shampoo out.

Herbal Rinse

1. Add one saline packet to the empty bottle.

2. Set the empty saline packet on the counter so you’ll know you’ve added it. If you forget to add it, you’ll get a painful sinus and head rush when you irrigate.

3. Add 3 drops of grapefruit seed extract, 1 to 2 drops of Juniper berry essential oil (I say 1 to 2 because I try to add 1 but sometimes 2 come out), and 1/2 to 1 cap-full of Alkalol (using the cap from the Alkalol bottle to measure).

4. Using a small funnel, fill the bottle to the line with distilled water.

5. Screw on the bottle lid, put your finger over the hole and shake a few times to mix.

6. Lean forward over the sink and gently irrigate one nostril using about half the solution in the bottle.

7. While still leaning over the sink, gently blow any remaining fluid from your nose into the sink. Then place an index finger over one of your nostrils and gently blow the other nostril’s contents into the sink. Repeat the blowing process with the other nostril.

8. You should have about half the liquid remaining in the bottle. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the other nostril, using the remaining liquid in the bottle. (It's okay if a little liquid remains in the bottle when you're finished.)

9. Wipe excess liquid off your nostrils with your fingers and rinse your fingers.

10. Rinse the water bottle and cap about twice. It’s okay if it still smells like Juniper oil. That will just keep bacteria from growing in the bottle.

11. Place the open bottle, the lid and the funnel somewhere where they can air-dry.

12. Discard the empty saline packets.

13. While leaning forward, blow your nose gently into a tissue. Discard the tissue and wash your hands with soap and water.

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Mid-Day Routine

If you have time, do the Herbal Rinse an additional 1 to 3 times during the day. You’ll only need 1 saline packet each time you do it because you’re not doing the Baby Shampoo Rinse.

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Nighttime Routine

Repeat what you did in the Morning Routine – the Baby Shampoo Rinse followed by the Herbal Rinse.