Whether you are suffering from asthma, bronchitis, chronic sinus, migraine, sleep apnea, functional cold and cough, allergy or any such respiratory problems, by regular practice of jala neti can bring about amazing results if it is done correctly. Cleansing and Nourishing is the Secret of a Healthy Body and Mind! The ancient yoga manuscripts, approach the human body from two different perspectives; cleansing and nourishing. Organs like kidneys, lungs, bowels, etc. are continuously involved in the cleansing process, thus ensuring it’s optimal functionality. Without this process, the body remains undernourished and sluggish. While working on a weak foundation, we can only have a weak outcome. Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, the ancient book on Yoga speaks about six kriyas with subdivisions in some of them; - Neti - Dhauti - Nauli - Basti & Chanka prakshalana - Kapalabhati - Trataka Each of these kriyas works on cleansing a particular system of the human body. In yoga, these kriyas (the cleansing process) are called “Shatkarmas or Shatkriyas”, and are designed to keep our systems rejuvenated, healthy and hearty. These are greatly valuable in healing internal disorders and are used widely as a part of Yoga Therapy. Neti, cleansing of the nasal passages using water or a string The first line of nasal defence are the tiny hairs called “cilia” which should trap larger particles entering the nose. These cilia are usually cleansed by the act of normal breathing and by blowing the nose, but sometimes, due to a gradual build up of dirt, they can become clogged and may require washing out. The whole of the nasal passages from nose tip to throat (and beyond) are covered with a layer of mucus. This mucus is secreted from within the mucous lining, and its' function is to trap smaller foreign particles and bacteria. The dirty mucus is normally blown out, snorted and coughed out or swallowed. The sinus passages are an even finer mechanism of filtering, which, if infected, secrete a runny mucus to evict the germs. This is generally called sinusitis and can be a short term symptom or a chronic condition. It is all about nasal hygiene just like brushing teeth is about dental hygiene. “Jala neti”, is one of the subdivisions of neti (i.e. jala neti, sutra neti, dugdha neti, vyutkrama kapalbhati and sheetkrama kapalbhati) “Jala” is water (as the medium) and “Neti” is nasal cleaning (means transportation or to conduct). “Jala neti” means to carry out the cleansing of surya (right nostril) and chandra (left nostril) nadis by using lukewarm saline/ salted water and a specially designed neti pot. Materials required 1. Neti pots are available in plastic, ceramic, brass, steel, etc. It can be of brass or any other material, which does not contaminate the water. Make sure to clean the pot with hot water to sterilize the equipment before using it. 2. Lukewarm saline water is when the water temperature is same as our body temperature (i.e. 98.4 oF or 37 oC). It is important to use saline/ salt-water instead plain water, as it does not get easily absorbed in the delicate blood vessels & membranes due to osmotic pressure.
Frequency of Practice You can do it safely almost every day and one round per a day is enough. The best time is to wash your nose is in the early morning on an empty stomach. However, it can be done at other times as well, but definitely do not perform this after a heavy meal. Drying up the Nasal Passage This is the most critical factor in practicing Jala Neti. It is very important to dry up the moisture in the nasal passage as otherwise you may end up with more problems than actually benefitting from it. Note:
Benefits The very simple result of performing jala neti on a regular basis is a cleansed nasal passage that ensures that the air reaching the lungs are pure especially in today’s world where pollution has become a part of our life. Respiratory System Improves the function of the respiratory system, thus it solves the problems associated with the system such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis etc. It helps to improve the breathing pattern.
Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT): It helps remove the ailment of eyes, nose and throat.
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AuthorCharita Lankage Archives
October 2017
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