Tis the Season for Sneezin'

Tis the season for sneezin. I have awful allergies, and the pollen in our area will leave anyone and everyone with a stuffy nose, sore throat, and swollen eyes. Not to worry though, the Neti solves it all. People think that I'm crazy when I describe it to them, but the ear-nose-and throat are all connected, and a daily flushing with the Neti leaves your system pollen, pollution and sickness free! Shawn swore to me that he would never, NEVER use the Neti...it was gross and weird and not for him - but after suffering sinus-congestion and headaches for a while he broke down and tried it one day. Need I finish the story? He took my Neti and now uses it daily. It's just too good for me to keep to myself, I figured that it's time to let the masses know...well,atleast my dozen or so readers... I started doing some research on the web for you all, and guess what - the Neti pot was and still is a huge part of Yoga in India...prepping the body for yoga practice!! Here's what I found via the World Wide Web:

In the U.S., sinus problems is the #1 reason people see a doctor. With increasing pollution and chemicals in our environment, there is an enormous rise in the number of people who suffer various forms of nasal congestion and respiratory illnesses. Alternative health practitioners throughout the world recommend the regular practice of nasal cleansing using a saline solution as part of a regular regimen of health and wellness, a basic health-maintenance activity equal to flossing your teeth. Neti is a gentle, safe, efficient way to deliver a good cleansing dose of saline to the nose.

Although the practice of nasal irrigation originated in India, today there are numerous people in Europe and the United States who use this simple technique as part of their daily routine. People practice Neti on a daily basis to help keep their sinuses clean and to make their breathing easier and more free

The practice of nasal cleansing - known as Neti - has been used by practitioners of Ayurvedaand Yoga in India for thousands of years. Neti is one of the 6 purification techniques performed prior to practicing yoga as a way of preparing the body for the yoga practice.

While there exist advanced techniques using various herbal oils and herbs, the simplest Neti technique uses water for the irrigation process. Lukewarm water is used to gently cleanse the nasal passages. A soothing, gentle stream of salt water, the same concentration as tears, flows through your nose, washing away pollens, mucus, viruses and bacteria. Use of a neti pot is recommended to ease this process.

Many health practitioners consider the nasal passages to be the doorway for most diseases. The nasal passage, with its finely-tuned mechanism of hairs and mucus membranes, which are intended to catch and restrain foreign entities from entering our bodies, actually is one of the ways nature protects us from diseases. Unfortunately, this filtering mechanism can become overloaded through high exposure to pollution, chemicals, fragrances, pollen and dust. Cleansing this filter regularly allows it to operate more efficiently.

HOW TO NETI:

NETI is SANSKRIT for "Nasal Cleansing"

1. Prepare the saline solution (*) with lukewarm water and fill the neti pot. Hot water is irritating and dangerous. Cool water is not soothing.
2. Tilt your head to the side as shown in the picture at the beginning of this article..
3. Insert spout of neti pot gently into the raised nostril creating a seal between the neti pot and the nostril. If it drains out of your mouth, lower your forehead in relation to your chin. Relax. If you are calm, the water flows right through. But if you aren't, it just won't flow. If you keep breathing through your mouth, relaxed, the water should gently flow through the nose on its own. There's no forcing it.
4. Raise the neti pot slowly to develop a steady flow of saline solution through the upper nostril and out the lower nostril.
5. During the process breathe through your mouth.
6. When you're done, exhale firmly several times to clear the nasal passages.
7. Reverse the tilt of your head and repeat the process on the other side.

*** Mix a heaping ¼ tsp of finely ground non-iodized salt or a slightly rounded ½ tsp of coarsly ground salt in the neti pot with 8oz of warm water until the salt is completely dissolved.

OPRAH

endorses the Neti Pot.

And she's the Queen.