wellness wednesday - neti pot
Jul 30th, 2008 by indigo-daisy
Last year just before the onset of the American winter, I discovered the Neti Pot. It looks like a little tea pot, or sometimes a little genie lamp and is made from either ceramic or plastic. The one I have is plastic and looks like the pot shown in the picture.
The Neti pot is used to rinse your nasal cavaty and clear it from allergens, pollutants, mucus and other contaminants. It is actually an ancient Ayurvedic technique that has been used for years in the east and practiced daily, just like brushing ones teeth.
To use, you fill the pot with warm water. (Never use cold or hot as both will burn.) Then add about a half a teaspoon of fine sea salt. Personally I like the pre-measured packets they sell in the drug store as they are the exact amount you need and never burn. (Also, never use water without the salt or it will burn.)
Once the saline solution is mixed, tilt your head and put the spout in one of your nostrils. Start pouring the saline solution in your nose and it will go through your nasal cavity coming out the other nostril. I use about half the solution and then turn my head to the other side and repeat with the other nostril.
It may seem like a strange thing to do, but I have found that it really helps keep the nasal passages clear.
Nasal irrigation has been clinically tested in the west to be a safe practice. If you suffer from allergies, colds, congestion, or sinusitus, this may be a drug free way to treat your symptoms.
Hmm, interesting. But somehow I can’t get past the notion that I’d have the sinsation of drowning or gagging. I think I’d be afraid it would run down my throat instead of out the other side.
Pita, no, really, you don’t feel like you are drowning. I’ve tried it and it works very well. Just don’t do it in front of anyone that might regard you in a romantic way, as it isn’t very appealing sight.
I had seen those in the store and kinda grossed out, but the man said his mom uses one and it’s just like you said it is.
I’m still not brave enough to try it out. What if it makes me feel worse?? You use it every day?
I too thought it was weird at first , but my allergies were bothering me so badly, I thought what the heck.
Once I tried it, it actually felt really good and it really seemed to work for me and without any drugs.
During allergy, cold or flu season I will do it every day. Now I do it about once a week. I Don’t think it could make you feel worse unless you used cold water or the wrong kind of salt. You don’t want to use table salt, it really needs to be a fine sea salt, and it doesn’t feel like drowning at all but you do need to breath through your mouth during the process.
If you have allergies, hay fever or even asthma, it is really worth a try.
Sounds like the perfewct solution for sinus but I’m about to try limes first. Not putting them up my nostrils hehhee
Mmmmm Limes, like with rum?
HAHHAA NOOOOO, pure and natural juice of limes
I will have to try some limes then.
As gross as this sounds (I’ll take your word for it that its not Indigo) but it reminds me of Australian surfers. They always blow ’snot’ in the ocean or as they leave. The salt water clears out everything…so as the mother of a surfer it makes perfect sense to me