Nifty Neti

I'm not one for jumping on bandwagons; especially not brand spanking new theories on what's good for us these days (yes, avocados have fat in them. Mother Nature put it there, and it's good for you. Put down your damn chips and go get an avocado!).

But I digress.

 

I prefer those wonderful bits of ancient wisdom that resurface (more accurately they make their way West) because of their tried and true record. It's important of course to always approach these ideas with an open mind (a dash of optimism and a smidge of skepticism), but here's one I tried, and yes, it's true.

 

Jala neti means 'nasal cleansing' in Sanskrit. More commonly the practice is just called neti, or nasal irrigation. You probably think your nose is all neat and tidy thanks to blowing, and a dedicated gold digging practice, but you probably still feel sniffly and have a variety of sinus related symptoms. Jala neti is done by pouring lukewarm lightly salted water up your nose.

Don't panic. I don't like swimming without a nose plug, and I can assure you this isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. The first time isn't super fun, but after that it goes like butter. Within the first couple of days I noticed that my sense of smell was heightened, and I could breathe through my nose all day and not feel like I was missing out on the little things...like oxygen. My nose isn't getting all boogery in the cold now either, as neti clears out excess mucus, and scrubs down your scilia (those abfab l'il hairs that catch the germs) so they can work more efficiently. This is great for people with allergy symptoms or chronic sinus problems. I've also heard it said that it's a great practice fort those trying to quit smoking as it makes even smokers more sensitive to the smell of smoke, and reminds them how good it is to breathe.

They do sell neti pots, little teapots really, but that sounds like an unnecessary expense. Really, all you need is a small container with an opening small enough that you can pour into your nostril. Don't forget to do both sides.

I'm loving it so far, as you can tell. The long term benefits...well, I'll have to keep it up and see how it goes. I can say that I decided early on in the season that I wouldn't get sick this winter, and so far so good. It's going so well, I don't even feel jinxed by saying it. That's unrelated really, but it deserved to be said. I do however have a new cavity, which tells me 2 things:

1) no one is perfect

2) when concentrating on health, well-being, success etc., try to be as specific as possible, while covering all your bases.

Anyhoo, my review would be that jala neti is a must try as the results speak for themselves, and quickly. Please post if you give this a whirl, or if you already have a healthy, sparkly nose.