Ah, spring. The sweet aromas of newly unearthed flowers and budding trees are everywhere. Unfortunately for seasonal allergy sufferers, those sweet smells can also be the source of serious irritation.
Enter the neti pot, a centuries-old Ayurvedic practice that helps clear out pollen and reduce nasal inflammation and congestion. "Neti is one of six cleansing measures that are very old yogic practices," says Sunny Rose, Ayurvedic practitioner at our Albuquerque store, who adds that jala neti means 'water cleansing.' "Yogis would do it as part of their daily measures to strengthen body and mind, and that's basically how we use it too."
According to a 2007 study in the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, nasal washing can be more effective than nasal sprays at clearing chronic congestion. Saline solution helps flush out excess mucous as well as pollen and other irritants. That's why, during high pollen season, experts recommend a daily wash, as follows:
1) Fill a clean neti pot or squeeze bottle with a saline solution, made from 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 cup of warm water. Pure sea salt works best, or pick up pre-mixed solutions from Pharmaca.
2) Tilt your head to one side, and place the spout in one nostril. Make clean up easy by leaning over the sink or standing in the shower.
3) Slowly pour the saline solution through one nostril, allowing it to flow through your nasal cavity and out the other nostril.
4) Repeat on the other side.
A few other helpful hints from Sunny: "If your allergies are so bad that you're totally blocked up, don't force it. You want to really gently let the water flow through and out the other side." She also doesn't recommend doing it more than once a day, since overuse can lead to dryness and irritation.
Try out the power of neti with Pharmaca's offerings, including products from Himalayan Institute, Baraka Red Hot Ceramics or Neilmed Sinus Rinse Kits.
If you want to learn more about proper neti pot use, come in and talk to a Pharmaca practitioner today.