Not just for clogged sinuses – improve skin tone, reduce tension and anxiety

Written by: Ernesta Stripeikaite 
Health & Wellbeing writer

 

Neti pots have been used for centuries in Indian medicine called Ayurveda. Luckily the practice of nasal irrigation is becoming increasingly popular in the West. More and more people are experiencing the benefits of Neti pots.

 

 

 

 

Who would benefit from using the Neti pot regularly?

People that suffer with:

  • post-nasal drip
  • sinusitis
  • catarrh
  • coughs
  • tonsilitis
  • flus
  • respiratory issues
  • migraines
  • tension headache
  • ear infections
  • allergies
  • hayfever
  • those living in urban polluted areas
  • muscular tension of the face
  • tics in the face
  • mental fog
  • anxiety

 

How does it work?

  • Improving cilia

Neti pot works by thinning the mucous in the nasal passages to help flush it out. The tiny, hair-like structures called cilia that line the inside of the nasal and sinus cavities wave back and forth to push mucous either to the back of the throat where it can be swallowed, or to the nose to be blown out. Chronic sinus problems may cause the cilia to beat in a slow and uncoordinated way.
Irrigation with a saline solution can help increase the speed and improve coordination of the cilia. In turn they become more efficient at removing bacteria, allergens, and other irritants that cause sinus problems.

 

  • Efficient drainage

Using the Neti pot stimulates the tear ducts and glands which exerts a relaxing and irrigating effect upon the eyes. Regular practise of nasal irrigation maintains healthy secretory and drainage mechanisms of the entire ear, nose and throat area.

 

  • Anti-ageing, de-stressing, balancing

You probably would not have thought that regular practice of Neti can help relieve muscular tension of the face which helps to keep the face looking young and wrinkle-free. Relieving muscular tension also has a soothing, relaxing effect on the mind and can help reduce emotional tension and the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and also improve mental clarity.

Nasal irrigation promotes a balance between the left and right nostrils, and in turn - the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This induces a state of harmony and balance throughout the entire central nervous system which essentially regulates the rest of the body. Interestingly, the frontal lobes of the brain, responsible for the higher mental abilities, begin to function optimally.

How to use the Neti pot?

  1. Boil some water and let it cool down to body temperature
  2. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of good quality salt (sea salt or Himalayan)
  3. Tilt your head over the sink to about 45-degree angle. Put the tip of the nozzle into your top nostril and gently pour the water into that nostril.
  4. Keep your mouth open and breathe through your mouth. The water will flow through your nasal cavity and out through the other nostril.
  5. Blow your nose to get rid of any remaining liquid
  6. Refill the Neti pot and repeat the process on the other side