The Neti Pot and Your Sinuses

I’ve been MIA these past days since I have been dealing with a horrendous cold for the past 8 days or so. I have not had a cold/flu dilemma since 2007, so I can’t complain. I’m not invincible and I was due for one considering how long since the last time I have been sick like this. So no hair washing, nail painting or researching for the old blog….but today I feel 90% better so hopefully back to normal finally, I have so many backed up posts it’s not even funny. But I’ll get to them in no time.

So in this post I will mention something I have been using to help me get better.

Although my sinus has not been the problem with this darn cold I have been fighting, for some however the pollen/allergy season is soon approaching and if you’re like me who has suffered greatly with seasonal allergies you must be dreading the coming season.

Pictured above is a neti pot. I used this for many years to help treat my chronic and very annoying sinus problems. It wasn’t until I turned 25 years old (last year) that I noticed my health and sinus problems improve drastically. I also gave up milk and most dairy products completely around that time too, helping significantly improve my sinus issues. I was constantly dealing with itchy eyes and a stuffy, runny nose, even at the beach in the middle of July I was sneezing and dealing with a runny and itchy nose. It was truly the worst stages of my life.

So in my desperation and hesitation to meds, I researched everything I could about treating sinusitis naturally and came across not only information on eliminating dairy products but also the neti pot. The neti pot has been traditionally used for ages by those who practice yoga and the Indian concept of medicine known as Ayurveda. It’s mainly used by yogi’s to help clear not only their nasal passages, throat and even eyes of any debris, polyps and mucus but to also help clear their minds to help them meditate more efficiently. The neti pot is just one of the many cleansing and purifying techniques used by yogi’s to achieve a balanced physical and spiritual existence.

Using a Neti Pot can be very simple once you get the hang of it. All you need is a neti pot of course, water and salt to make your saline solution. The idea is to get the saline solution from one nostril to the other. Depending on how stuffed up with mucus your nasal passages may be the first few tries may not be too simple. For me it took several tries to finally get a flowing stream from one nostril to the other that’s how bad my sinuses were. But once I got the hang of it, the technique seemed like second nature and it was truly amazing and liberating how it made me feel. I had less headaches and had a heightened sense of smell. And for once I was able to breathe out of both nostrils which was not a very common feeling. It was either both or one nostril stuffed with mucus, bacteria and who knows what else.

Kosher Salt

I haven’t used the neti pot since last spring which usually around this time of the year with the change of weather and all I tend to deal with a stuffy head and runny nose. You don’t necessarily have to deal with sinus issues to use a neti pot. If you simply want to give yourself a thorough cleansing be it your throat or to clear your mind the neti pot can help with that.

It’s very simple but it takes several tries in order for you to master the technique of cleansing out your nasal passages. When I first started I began with several YouTube videos. At first it was kind of weird and hard to wrap the technique around my head but for the sake of finally feeling normal and not sounding so nasally I went ahead and tried it. I always use it in the shower it’s much easier for me and since I typically take very warm showers, the steam helps get things loosened up.

Here are some benefits to using a neti pot:

Helps with sinus headaches

Clears nasal passages of excess mucus

Minimizes cold and flu symptoms

Helps treat sinus infections

Minimizes snoring and soothes dried out nasal passages

You can purchase your neti pot at most natural health stores. I got mine at whole foods almost 5 years ago and there are many different kinds. You can get the porcelain type like the one I have as well as plastic, copper and stainless steel types. I typically use bottled distilled water. I warm the water in my tea pot and let the water sit until I find it to be perfect. You can purchase the saline solution that is made specifically for the neti pot or like I use, Kosher salt. DO NOT use regular table salt since you don’t want to irritate your nasal passages and make sure the water is at an adequate temperature as well. Recently I have been using it every other day but it’s safe enough to use daily if desired. Below is the video I watched over and over because it was just incredible to watch. But in truth it’s really not all that bad……

Please make sure you consult with your medical doctor before attempting to use this method.

Check the video out below or the link here