The Healing Power Of NETI - Nasal Cleansing

 by Susan Smith Jones

When I was almost 18, I learned about the healing power of neti – nasal cleansing – from my grandmother, Fritzie. At that time in my life, my diet was deplorable. Meat, sweets and white refined-flour breads were my quotidian pleasures and my health sorely suffered as a result. I was rarely without allergies and I carried copious amounts of tissues with me everywhere to wipe my runny nose, deal with my sneezing and to take care of all the extra mucus that I was coughing up. It was not a pretty picture and my physician apprised me that I would have to live with this condition the rest of my life.

One day when I was visiting with my grandmother, telling her what I learned from my doctor, Fritzie told me that if I followed her healthful guidance and suggestions 100 percent, she guaranteed that not only would my allergies and sinus problems clear up within 30 days, my entire life would also profoundly change for the better: my acne could clear up, my energy would soar, the extra weight I was carrying would fall away and my attitude would change from negative to positive. Needless to say, she had my attention and for the next several hours and days, I learned a variety of health practices that – although they sounded weird and strange at that time – still touched a responsive cord in my heart. That well-known adage, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear,” was definitely true for me with my grandmother’s loving support. I was ready and, little did I know at the time, my entire life would change for the better because of that memorable day with Fritzie.

Along with a new diet of whole foods, deep breathing, visualization and meditation, she introduced me to neti. Fritzie called it her “easy breathing” practice. She didn’t have a neti pot; she used a small teapot with a spout. In less than four weeks of practicing nasal cleaning two times a day (and meditating, visualizing and eschewing mucus-forming foods), I was free from excess mucus, allergies, sneezing, constant throat clearing, extra weight and a pessimistic attitude. And my grandmother went from being someone who was strange and weird to me with her “health nut” approach to life, to my greatest mentor and the person who changed my life for the better. Everything that she taught me in those few years before her passing are some of the greatest blessings and life lessons that I still embrace and teach to this day. From her loving guidance, I chose my life career; my passion for alternative and holistic heath was born.

TIME-TESTED PRACTICE

This simple practice of nasal irrigation, known as Neti, has been used by practitioners of Yoga and Ayurveda in India for over 5,000 years. The term neti, which originally meant “to guide,” refers to the water that moves our energy through the nasal passages, opening them up along the way. Nasal cleansing is simply not an ancient health secret; doctors, naturopaths and other health professionals recommend it today. This salutary, time-tested practice of personal hygiene can benefit almost everyone and neti pots are now available in natural food stores and herbal shops around the country and worldwide.

Some yogic teachers consider neti valuable in cleansing the energy channels and balancing the right and left hemispheres to create radiant, energetic health and wellness. Dr. Andrew Weil, among others, is a strong proponent of nasal cleansing on a regular basis. Research and articles have appeared in a number of professional journals such as the Academy of Otolaryngology. Research conducted at the Harvard Medical School shows that nasal cleansing can aid in various chronic and acute conditions, including allergic rhinitis and acute sinusitis. Doctors and alternative health practitioners around the world recommend the regular practice of nasal cleansing using a saline solution as part of a regular regimen of health and well being. Put simply: while the practice of nasal irrigation may have originated in India, today there are large numbers of people in Europe and North America who have added this simple technique to their daily hygiene. Many people practice neti on a daily basis to keep their sinuses clean and improve their ability to breathe freely. Most find it a soothing and pleasant practice once they try it.

HOW'S YOUR BREATHING?

Have you ever suffered from not being able to breathe fully from both nostrils even when you haven’t had a cold? Have you ever wished there was a way to just pour some soothing warm water through your nose to remove all of the extra mucus? Even if you rarely suffer from sinus or nasal problems, you’ve probably experienced a dry or clogged nose in environments with low humidity such as in the cabin of a plane or during Santa Ana winds common in the southwest. Or maybe you live in an environment where the air is not clean – where there are chemicals, smog and diesel residues or even second-hand cigarette smoke. Some people are even extra sensitive to household products, fragrances and other synthetic odors, as well as dust and pollen that increase the nasal mucus as a natural process to help cleanse – nasal passages.

Besides external sources of discomfort, the nose and nasal passages are equally sensitive to mucus-forming foods. The standard American diet (SAD) is fraught with foods that increase mucus in the body and one of the primary places that excess mucus will accumulate is in the head. Foods that cause an increase in mucus include dairy products, pastries, breads, sweets, unhealthy fats (i.e. trans and hydrogenated) and fried foods of all types. Foods that are too greasy, sweet or highly salted also tend to increase mucus and so does a diet of mostly or all cooked food. When we have excess mucus in our sinuses and throughout the head from our diet, it impairs our breathing process just as notoriously as any external pollutants. Excess mucus also increases as a result of a sedentary lifestyle because lack of movement contributes to poor circulation. When our circulation is impeded, due to lack of exercise or sitting too many hours at one’s desk, this leads to stagnation in the body and the mind that allows toxins and mucus to build-up. And if we combine a diet of high mucus-forming foods with an exposure to polluted air, this problem of mucus in our head will be exacerbated.

If you are one of the many people who find that your nasal passages are blocked as a result of the effects of your diet, pollution, dust, pollen and other irritants, you may find this simple cleansing technique of invaluable benefit to you. While there are advanced techniques using various herbs and herbal oils, the simplest technique and the one I practice often, uses water for the cleansing process. Lukewarm water is used to gently open up the nasal passages.

A NATURAL, EASY PRACTICE

It just seems so natural to me to practice nasal cleansing daily and I even take my small neti pot with me when I travel. While I practice neti twice a day, the morning is my favorite time and it’s part of my diurnal, personal hygiene ritual: I brush and floss my teeth, scrape my tongue and cleanse out my nasal passages. I prefer the morning for nasal cleansing because during the night, mucus accumulates in the head and congestion often develops as a result. It is important to clear this congestion out first thing so that one has a proper flow of energy for the rest of the day. But it’s also beneficial to use the neti pot before sleep to ensure that the nasal passages are open for optimal breathing during sleep. This can help prevent snoring and mouth breathing and aid in a deeper and more relaxing sleep, as Fritzie taught me many years ago. So, not only have I been doing nasal irrigation for decades, I also highly recommend it in my private practice; I especially recommend it for anyone with sinus problems and environmental allergies. Within 30-90 days of practicing neti one to two times a day, I’ve seen many clients and friends heal their sinusitis and no longer need allergy medications after a lifetime of use.

THE PROCESS OF NASAL CLEANSING

Here’s my daily nasal cleansing process. Mix approximately 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt into about 1 cup (8 oz.) of warm water until it is fully dissolved. The water should be warm, but not hot. It should feel pleasantly warm to the touch so as to not irritate your nasal passages with either too hot or too cold water. You may prefer to use bottled water if your local water supply is too hard or has chemicals or an unappealing taste. Next, pour your saline solution into the nasal cleansing pot. Tilt your head to the side. Insert the spout of the nasal cleansing pot gently into the raised (upper) nostril and create a seal between the pot and your nostril. Don’t be afraid to adjust your head slightly to get the most comfortable angle for your own personal practice. You’ll probably discover that having your forehead at an angle about the same level as your chin will be just right.

Raise the nasal cleaning pot slowly to develop a steady flow of saline solution through the upper nostril and out the lower nostril. You are in total control of the flow of the saline water by the way you hold the pot. The higher you hold it, the faster the flow. During the process, you breathe through your mouth. The angle of your head is important to allow you to breath easily through your mouth during the process. Upon completion of the process, exhale gently several times to clear the nasal passages. You may want to use a tissue to catch any excess mucus. Reverse the tilt of your head and repeat the process on the other side. I can usually clear both sides with one pot full of saline solution, but some people prefer using an entire potful for each nostril. Once you get into practice, the entire process only takes a couple minutes.

It is beneficial to do some simple, gentle exhalation blowing though both of your nostrils after completion. Either do this over a sink or into a tissue. Be sure to not close off your nostrils as you blow because you want to expel the excess solution and any residual mucus. After use, simply wash out the pot with warm water and dish soap and rinse away all soap and other residues. The nasal pot that I recommend is made out of sturdy food-grade porcelain so that it is dishwasher safe, if you prefer.

Some of the many benefits of using the nasal cleansing pot include the following: clears the nostrils to free the breathing; removes excess mucus; reduces pollen or allergens in the nasal passages; relieves nasal dryness. If you are interested in reading about nasal cleansing, refer to the informative book, Neti: Healing Secrets of Yoga and Ayurveda, by Dr. David Frawley (Lotus Press, 2005).

While many companies offer nasal cleansing pots, the only one that I use and recommend, because it’s the best, is the Ancient Secrets® Nasal Cleansing Pot by Lotus Brands, Inc. Their pot is crafted from sturdy, lead-free ceramic (not plastic) and coated with food-grade sealant glaze; it’s a heavy-duty construction that’s dishwasher safe. It makes nasal irrigation easy and enjoyable. I’ve included more information on nasal cleansing and my favorite Ancient Secrets Nasal Cleansing Pot by Lotus Brands on my website; simply click on Susan’s Favorite Products. While it’s available in many better natural food stores and herb shops (if you can’t find it, ask the manager to order it for you), you can also order it easily through one of the two following two ways: Please visit: www.ancient-secrets.com/neti.cfm or call (877) 263-9456.

Wishing you peaceful, healthy days and clear breathing.

© Susan Smith Jones, MS, PhD

Susan Smith Jones, MS, PhD is an internationally renowned motivational speaker, frequent radio/TV talk show guest, culinary instructor, holistic lifestyle coach and author of 17 books, including “Be Healthy~Stay Balanced: 21 Simple Choices to Create More Joy & Less Stress” and “The Healing Power of NatureFoods: 50 Revitalizing SuperFoods & Lifestyle Choices to Promote Vibrant Health” (Hay House, 2-book series). To order NatureFoods, please call Hay House (800) 654-5126. To learn more about Susan and her work or to order her other books and audio programs, visit: www.SusanSmithJones.com. or more information please visit: www.E3Live.com or (888)800-7070, (541) 273-2212.