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Breathe Better

It's becoming known in the west what those in the east have touted for centures: Clean out your nose and you'll improve your health. Nasal irrigation is a tenet of ayurveda, a holistic system of medicine that originated in India thousands of years ago. Ayurveda is based on cleaning and detoxifying the body to attain balance.

"Mucus is what carries the toxins and deposits them in different parts of the body… so you really want to get that mucus out," said Dr. Aruna Bakhru of Poughkeepsie.

That's where "neti" comes in. Neti posts are ceramic vessels used to channel saline water into, and out of, the nasal passages - carrying away bacteria, pollen and other allergens that can make you feel lousy and even sick. Bakhru, who specializes in energy medicine, recommends nasal irrigation to her patients to help allergies and chronic sinusitis and is glad mainstream medicine is starting to see the wisdom in the ancient method - as evidenced by a recent study from the University of Michigan Health System.

The study found flushing the nose with salt water was effective in providing relief of chronic nasal and sinus symptoms. It was more effective, researchers found, than using a saline spray.

Mira Formisano, owner of The Yoga Way in Wappingers Falls, started using a neti pot more than five years ago to treat chronic sinus infections - and hasn't had an infection since, she said. As a yoga instructor, she learned to use neti at The Himalayan Institute, a center in Pennsylvania that teaches yoga, meditation and other holistic health practices.

Clearing her nasal passages helped her feel more alert and prepared for yogic breathing. She recommends using a neti pot in the morning. "It wakes you up in a way.. it's really invigorating, different than a cup of coffee," she said.

However, it's important to do it correctly, Bakhru and Formisano advised. Use non-iodized salt free of additives, warm water and expect a little trial and error in learning the right way to tilt your head as you pour the solution into your nose.

Done right, the process feels good - with lasting effects. "It facilitates a more heightened state of awareness," Formisano said.

Mira Formisano, owner of The Yoga Way in Wappingers Falls, offers these tips on using a neti pot:

• Choose a pot that feels comfortable in your hand. Some are designed with a handle, some sit comfortably in the palm. Almost all are ceramic, although a non-breakable version is available from The Himalayan Institute at www.himalayaninstitute.org.
• Use warm, clean water. I heat filtered water and let it cool to body temperature
• Fill the neti pot with warm water and dissolve about a quarter teaspoon of pure salt into it. Make sure the salt completely dissolves.
• Blow the nose clear into a tissue and see which nostril is more open. (This varies throughout the day.)
• Tilt the head face down over the sink, then turn your head to one side, open nostril facing up.
• Pour the saline solution into the open nostril and allow it to flow through the sinuses and out the other nostril. You can close off the throat so the solution doesn't drip into the mouth. If it does, just spit it out. Flushing through the back of the throat is, in fact, another variation of cleansing.
• Blow the nose without blocking either nostril, as this may drive the solution further into the sinuses. Blow the nose with the head forward, to one side, then to the other side, to make sure all the solution is flushed out of the sinuses. Repeat on the other side.
• Do not use table salt, as it may not be pure; it sometimes contains up to 90 percent anti-clumping agents. Find pure salt, or, even better, neti pot salt.
• It may be a good idea to avoid neti washing if you have polyps or blockages in the nasal passages. Consult with your doctor if you're unsure.
• Neti wash is a great way to wake up in the morning and is a helpful practice before yoga and meditation to help keep the breathways clear.

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