Everything you ever wanted to know about Neti Pots but were afraid to ask
” The Sanskrit term Jala neti refers to an ancient yogic cleansing technique, meaning literally “water cleansing,” where the practitioner rinses out the nasal cavity with water (typically mixed with salt to form a saline solution for comfort) using a neti pot. The irrigation-specific elements of Jala neti are starting to be recognized by Western medicine under the term nasal irrigation to treat a variety of conditions.”
“Jala neti, though relatively less known in Western culture, is a common practice in parts of India and other areas in South East Asia, performed as routinely as brushing one’s teeth using a toothbrush. It is performed daily, usually as the first thing in the morning with other cleansing practices. It may also be performed at the end of the day if one works or lives in a dusty or polluted environment. When dealing with problems of congestion it can be performed up to four times a day.”
The benefits:
reduction of allergy problems
improvement to breathing
elimination of post-nasal drip
elimination of sinusitis or chronic sinus infections
moistening of dry nasal passages
temporarily reduces symptoms of phantosmia
common colds are either avoided or the duration greatly shortened
general improvement to sinus health.
Yogic breathing practices known as pranayama are greatly enhanced by the practice of jala neti since many of them involve deep breathing through the nostrils.
Other benefits:
vision is clearer. Jala neti will clean the tear ducts, enabling better cleaning and moistening of the eyes.
improved sense of smell
improved sense of taste
deeper more relaxed breathing
jala neti may also help some people with sleep apnea.
Ali’s comments and instructions:
It’s very light and compact too if you are touring. And if you ever see the copper ones in Little India, grab them… those are my absolute faves( and they’re cheap) but they’re harder to come by. The copper has antiseptic properties. The porcelain ones which Oprah recently advocated cost me $19 +tax…about $23.
The recipe I use to great success is:
Wash well between uses, so that germs don’t get trapped in there.
Make a jar or sandwich bag of half baking soda and half sea salt(find both in bulk at the Health Food Store).
Then put a teaspoon(or whatever amount you prefer) in the cup and fill with warm (not hot or cold) water.
Take the neti cup into the shower(it’s the easiest way to use it, I find) and alternately use in each nostril, letting it wash through the entire naso-pharynx-you don’t need to sniff at all. Then spit and blow…rather a messy business, but it works! I often gargle in between to get the oro pharynx as well.
Repeat as desired.
I do the neti cup often – through the fall, winter and spring especially. Whenever I take a shower or feel the first signs of a cold.
Let me know if there are problems or questions! (Do you think I should become their International Spokesperson, or what! I’ve probably sold fifty of these! Watch out Oprah!)
Ali
P.S. I usually keep a few of the great little copper ones from India to sell from my studio -$10.