# chameleon boogers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960 "2003-03-25T04:43:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960/1 "2003-03-25T04:43:20Z")
Lately I’ve been feeling run down…I’m catching something. ☹ I’ve noticed my nasal discharge is an indicator of how ill I am: clear, watery discharge; white, thick discharge; yellow, smelly discharge. What are the components in the creation of my ilness’s “mood snot”? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960/2 "2003-03-25T15:59:37Z")
I haven’t noticed any difference in the color of my boogers when I’m feeling a bit under the weather, but there sure is a big difference in the taste. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960/3 "2003-03-25T16:13:57Z")
The colour of phlegm _can_ be affected by residues of infection (dead bacteria and white blood cells mostly), but I think I recall **QtM** saying that it isn’t a terribly reliable indicator of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960/4 "2003-04-02T16:46:40Z")
Band name! ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chameleon-boogers/163960/5 "2003-04-02T17:42:12Z")
It is unlikely that you will have clear mucus without having all systems go in the nooks and crannies of your nasal passages. The reason for unclear mucus is, as Mangetout says, unclear. Actually, that’s not accurate. Unclear can, and very often does mean you are dealing with more than allergic snuffling, but it’s not 100% certain. By the way, Enola Straight, if you like spicy food, it’s a great way to clear out your head. Hot drinks, hot showers, mentholated lozenges - it’s all good.