Beware of "brain-eating amoebas."

I am a big fan of those nasal irrigation devices called Neti Pots. If you suffer from sinus issues, the neti-pot, (or what I refer to as "the nasal douche") is one way to clear your nostrils without the use of medication. I've even blogged about them. I've found that it's the best way to flush out a cold, an allergy or something up there that you can't reach with your finger.

But now, I'm completely freaked out.

Yesterday, Louisiana's state health department issued a warning about the dangers of improperly using neti pots, responding to two recent deaths in their state that are thought to have resulted from "brain-eating amoebas" entering people's brains through their sinuses while they were using the devices.

WTF!

Apparently, these two used regular tap water that was infected with a deadly amoeba, called Naegleria fowleri. The amoeba worked its way from their sinuses into their brains. It infected them with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAME), which killed them in a matter of days.

I've always used tap water! If it's safe to drink, shouldn't it be safe to go up your nose? Now I have to bench my Neti Pot until further notice...unless of course, I spring for a case of Fuji water. At those prices, that stuff has got to be safe to go up your schnoz, don't you think?