Benefits of
Jala-Neti Jala neti
is an ancient Indian yoga technique, meaning literally "water cleansing", where
the practitioner rinses out the nasal cavity with salted water using a neti
pot. The technique is starting to be recognized by science under the term
nasal irrigation. Jala neti, though
relatively unknown to western culture, is a common practice in parts of India
and other areas in south east asia, performed as routinely as using a toothbrush.
It is performed daily usually the first thing in the morning with other cleansing
practices. Sometimes it is done more often
such as at the end of the day if you work or live in a dusty or polluted environment.
When dealing with problems of congestion it can be performed up to 4 times a day
and has been shown to speed up the healing process for common colds. The
benefits Proponents claim that jala
neti has numerous benefits including:
Though no research has been done,
jala neti may help some people with sleep apnea. The
technique has three stages though usually only stage one is performed. Though
a summary is presented here of each stage, it is best to find someone to teach
you as there are many subtle aspects that are difficult to describe (such as the
exact angles someone's head should be held, which also varies based on which type
of neti pot used). Yoga instructors are usually able to do this and if they don't
do it themselves they will most likely know someone who does. Most people who
have a bad experience did not seek personal instruction. Stage
one This stage should always be performed
whether it is the only stage you do or if you plan to do any of the more advanced
stages. Each stage should eventually use about 1/4 litre (8 US fluid ounces) per
nostril though a person may have to work up to this.
-
Over a sink, bathtub, or outdoors on the ground, the head
is held with the forehead and chin at roughly the same level facing downward.
- The spout is then placed in one nostril and then
that same nostril is tilted upward and along with the neti pot to begin pouring
the water into that nostril.
- Breathing is continued
through the mouth. The water flows down and out the lower nostril (not back towards
the throat).
- Half of the solution is used for
each side. If the water flows freely then it can be done in two passes, one for
each side. If the water seems to be blocked, switching back and forth several
times may be needed. The first time is always a little tricky situation.
Stage
two Stage two should only be performed
after a round of stage one. Since stage two washes the deepest parts of the nasal
passage, if infections or large obstructions are present in the outer nasal cavity
and not cleared by stage one then they could be driven deeper. Beginners
should use stage one only for the first few weeks to make sure they are comfortable
with the process and to make sure that major blockages are clear. This
stage involves lightly sniffing the water through each nostril and spitting it
out the mouth. It is important not to swallow the water which is why personal
guidance is best when learning to do this. Though
this stage is more difficult, it has a much deeper effect. People with chronic
sinus infections may not see major improvement until this method is used. Stage
three Before this stage, a round of
both stage one and two is performed. It involves actually taking the water in
the mouth and directing it out the nose. Very few yoga instructors know how to
do this as it is not seen as necessary as it only has a marginal improvement over
the benefits of stage two. At this stage, remember to blow your nose. After
stages are completed Once jala neti
has been performed, it is crucial to eliminate any remaining water from the nose.
The techniques may vary but usually involve bending over and breathing quick breaths
out the nose in quick repetition. It is important not to close off one nostril
or squeeze the nose in any way as this may cause water to be forced into areas
that do not dry easily and may cause infection such as in the ear canal. A tissue
may be used but is just held lightly surrounding the nose. Courtesy
of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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