All Stuffed Up this Spring? Clear Up with Neti Pot

All Stuffed Up this Spring? Clear Up with Neti Pot

Spring is beginning bloom with blossoms beginning to open, leaves growing on trees, birds chirping, and with it, possibly allergies and congestion. If seasonal allergies are something that create discomfort and prevent you from stopping to smell the roses, the Neti pot (or nasal rinse) is here to help!

What Is It?

A Neti pot (pronounced naytee) is a small, usually, porcelain vessel resembling a small watering can. The pot is filled with a saline solution which is poured in one nostril and flows out the other using gravity. Rinsing the nasal passages has become a widely used practice and it is now possible to buy saline rinses at your local drug or grocery store if using a Neti pot is cumbersome.

What Does It Do?

A saline rinse for the nose helps clear mucous from the nasal passage and keeps the cilia (the little hairs in your nose) flexible to keep catching allergens and other irritants from entering the respiratory tract. When mucous builds up in the nose and nasal cavity, the cilia get bogged down and stuck to the skin in the nose preventing them from moving freely and collecting irritants. The Neti pot gives theses little hairs in the nose a bath so they stay flexible and free to catch all the pesky stuff floating around that create allergies, colds, and congestion.

Benefits

• Helps clear congestion due to allergies and oncoming colds
• Improves speed and coordination of the cilia
• Thins mucous to flush nasal passage
• Keeps the head clear, when we can breathe it allows for movement of energy
• Balances nervous system
• Supports upper respiratory health

When to Use It

• Daily/weekly for prevention and maintenance
• Seasonal shifts, especially winter to spring and summer to fall
• When allergy or cold symptoms begin to present
• Before and after traveling, during if you’re able to bring it with you

What You Need

• Neti Pot
• 1/4 tsp non-iodized salt (sea salt or prepared nasal rinse salt)
• 1 cup water (distilled or boiled and cooled to room temperature
• Tissues

Technique

1. Dissolve the salt in the Neti pot. If using boiling water, make sure it has cooled to a comfortable temperature. Never use hot water.
2. Place the opening of the Neti pot against one nostril to form a seal.
3. Begin to breathe out of your mouth, do not breathe through your nose.
4. Over a sink or water basin, tilt your head to the direction of the open nostril and slightly forward
5. Water will begin to drain through the nasal passage and out of the open nostril. Do not tilt your head back to prevent the saline solution from draining down your throat.
6. If the water gets stuck, you may need to adjust the tilt of the head slightly forward or more to the side to help the water flow more easily.
7. Use half of the mixture on on side and repeat the process on the other side.
8. When the Neti pot is empty, tilt your head forward over the sink or basin to let the remaining water drain from the nostrils. Do not blow your nose.
9. Using a tissue, gently wipe your nose and exhale through the nostrils into the tissue. You may need to do this more than once. Do not blow your nose.
10. Clean your Neti pot. Wash after each use with mild soap and dry well. It is is critical to keep your Neti pot clean and dry. If you have a plastic one, it may be dishwasher safe.

Check out my “how to” video on Facebook – www.facebook.com/YogaWithAngelina.

How to Use It

Use the Neti pot 2 to 4 times each week for maintenance throughout the year. This is different for everyone and you may choose to use it every day or once a week. Ideally, use the Neti pot in the morning before you start your day. However, it can be done any time during the day on and empty stomach. When pollen or allergens are high, as when seasons change, it is a good practice to use the Neti pot once per day. If you feel allergies or a cold coming on, use the Neti pot once per day to help ease symptoms or possibly prevent a cold, and for at least two weeks after symptoms have subsided. Return to maintenance schedule once major triggers and symptoms have subsided. Do not use the Neti pot while you are experiencing a cold.

You may discover one side is more congested than the other, and this may also change day to day. Experiment with which nostril it is most beneficial for you to start with. You may find the water flows more freely if you start with the Neti pot on the nostril that is more open. If you are experiencing severe allergy symptoms, you may want to use a full Neti pot in each nostril.

There are lots of Neti pots out there. I recommend porcelein, especially if you plan to use boiled water. You can allow the water to cool in the Neti pot or in whatever you used to boil the water. I don’t recommend microwaving the water, or putting the water in a plastic Neti pot and then micrwaving. A tea kettle is a quick way to boil water. Always use clean water suitable for drinking.

It is also possible to buy salt specifically for nasal rinsing. These usually come with a measuring spoon. Generally, 1/4 tsp in 1 cup water is a good ratio. Experiment with the ratio that works best for you and your nose.

Precautions

Use the Neti pot on an empty stomach. We all know what it is like to drink salt water, so you don’t want food in your stomach if you accidentally get some saline down your throat and start to gag.

Always pay attention to the way practices effect your body. If you get nose bleeds regularly, don’t use the Neti pot every day and always be aware of the way it effects your nose. For some people it may help to use Nasya Oil for the nostrils after using the Neti pot to help with the dryness.

Use clean water suitable for drinking. The water must be boiled or distilled. Boiled water must be cooled before using. If you forget about the Neti pot and it sits for too long, make a new one. Distilled water should not be used for more than one day. Once a water bottle has been opened, use what you need for the Neti pot and drink the rest.

DO NOT use the Neti pot if you are already sick or have a cold. It may aid with mild congestion and allergies, but has potential to make colds worse.