The Neti Pot

Getting to Know the Nose

Before we go into the details of the nasal wash, let’s begin with a science lesson. The nostrils are the interface between your body and the atmosphere—they filter, clean, heat, and moisten the air you inhale. This is why yogis advocate breathing through the nose instead of the mouth.

The sensitive lining of the nostrils secretes mucus, which effectively traps dust, dirt, and other particles when it is moist. The mucus also contains antibodies, which help protect the body from infection or irritation by foreign materials or organisms. This is important because you inhale 18,000 to 20,000 times daily. All day the moist, sticky mucus collects dirty particles from the air you breathe and keeps it from entering the lungs. If you don’t clean this matter out of the nostrils, it will end up in your stomach, because the mucus lining of the nostrils slowly moves everything backwards until it is swallowed. What’s more, when the mucus becomes dry or laden with dust, it loses its protective function. The nasal wash dissolves and clears away dried mucus and stimulates the nasal linings to secrete fresh, moist mucus, which will help keep your nose—and the rest of your system—healthy.

How It Works

You can use the neti pot to rinse away pollen, dust, germs, and other airborne contaminants; to remove excess mucus when you’re congested; to moisturize the nasal membrane after spending time in planes or in heated or air-conditioned rooms; and to open the nostrils as you prepare for meditation.

The anatomy is simple. As holistic expert Carrie Demers, MD, explains: “Your nose is divided into two passages, and there’s a septum in between. You pour the water in one nostril, it goes around the back of the septum, and gravity helps it flow out the other side.”

The nasal wash, she says, can also prevent or treat sinus infections. “Your sinuses drain into your nasal passages through little openings called meatuses. It’s when these openings get blocked that mucus accumulates and causes pressure and infection. The neti water washes over the meatuses, keeping them open and the mucus inside the sinus cavities flowing out—the water doesn’t actually go into your sinuses.”

The Practice

If you’re wincing at the memory of getting water up your nose while swimming as a kid, don’t worry—jala neti uses a warm saline solution that’s the same temperature and salt concentration as your bodily fluids and is soothing to the sinuses. Neti pots vary in shape and size, so here’s a basic recipe: Mix one-half heaping teaspoon of pure noniodized salt with two cups of warm water until the salt dissolves completely. Adjust the mixture to your own salinity—it should taste like warm tears.

Fill your neti pot and lean over a sink, face downward. Keeping your nose slightly higher than your lips, twist your head to the left. As you breathe through the mouth, insert the spout into the upper nostril until it forms a tight (but comfortable) seal. Raise the handle of the neti pot and let the water flow through the nose and out the lower nostril. When you’ve emptied the pot, exhale through both nostrils into the sink or a tissue. (Do not close off one nostril while blowing, because this could force the water back into the ear.) Then repeat on the other side.

To clear loose mucus and water from the nose after the practice, exhale forcefully into the sink 5 to 10 times with both nostrils open and the face relaxed. Next, do a simple forward bend, turning the head from side to side as you do another round of vigorous exhalations. Remember, one of the goals of the nasal wash is to reduce excess mucus—so don’t be squeamish about blowing it out. You’ll feel better if you do.

The yogis have numerous variations of jala neti. In addition to the beginner’s nostril-to-nostril version described above, you can also learn how to pull water from your nose into your mouth, or push it from your mouth to your nose—which is especially useful if you’re away from home without your neti pot. To try the mouth-to-nose practice, fill your mouth three-quarters full with warm saline solution. Lean over the sink, facedown. To expel the water, tuck your chin toward your neck and press your entire tongue against the roof of the mouth, forcefully exhaling the saline into the sink. Keep the throat relaxed through the entire process. Repeat several times. This nasal wash reverses the natural motion of the cilia and cleans them in a different way. It also reduces postnasal drip.

The Neti Pot Challenge

For those of you who are new to the nasal wash, try spending three to six days learning how to do it. Then use the neti pot every morning for a month to observe its overall effect.

Next, figure out how often you need to do it and what time of day works best for you. To check whether you would benefit from the nasal wash at any given moment, breathe deeply through both nostrils together, then through each nostril separately; if you feel any blockage, you will find the nasal wash helpful and soothing.

Here are a few more suggestions: Use the neti pot before your asana or meditation practice. Try rinsing your nose after exposure to dusty, smoky, or sooty environments and notice the relief you get from it. Anticipate allergy seasons by getting started on a regular schedule of two or more daily washes. Generally, use the pot before meals, instead of afterward, to stay in harmony with the body’s natural mucus-producing schedule.

Meet You at the Sink?

So there it is: nasal irrigation is both comical and practical. It cleanses and protects the nasal passages, counteracting the effects of environmental pollution and treating colds, allergies, and sinus problems naturally and effectively. It improves the quality of your breathing, and hence, your yoga and meditation practices. Now, that’s a pretty convincing argument, isn’t it?

Written by Shannon Sexton, Yoga+’s Editor-at-Large

Originally published in Natural Health Magazine.

Originally published on September 4, 2009.

Seven Ways to Beat Allergies Naturally

Aaa-choo! ‘Tis the season for Kleenex, eye drops and decongestants. Allergy season is upon us. Its symphony can be heard in the refrains of sniffles, sneezes and nose blowing. If you suffer from the wide array of seasonal allergy symptoms such as fatigue; sinus congestion; itchy eyes, nose or throat; or watery eyes, don’t let a high pollen count get you down this summer. Here are seven natural ways to beat allergies from my latest book, “Allergy-Proof.”

Drink More Water

Drink at least eight to 10 cups of pure water daily to support the natural cleansing systems in your body. Research even shows that staying well hydrated helps 38 percent of women relieve allergy symptoms. (For references, see my book “Allergy-Proof.”) And, I’m sure the same is true for men. So, drink up.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea is packed with a powerful antioxidant phytonutrient called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that blocks histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE). Both of these naturally produced chemicals are linked with uncomfortable allergy-symptoms. Because EGCG blocks their production, allergy symptoms are reduced. Don’t like the taste of green tea, add matcha powder to your dairy-free fruit smoothies. (Dairy products are mucus-forming and can aggravate allergies.) Matcha is simply powdered green tea. Drink two to three cups of green tea daily for the best results.

Take Quercetin to Quell Allergy Symptoms

Quercetin is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihistamine phytonutrient. Quercetin has an excellent ability to reduce allergy symptoms and to improve lung function. Apples and onions are excellent sources of quercetin. Some studies show that people who eat a lot of apples have improved lung function and reduced risk of lung conditions. Other good sources include: berries, cabbage, cauliflower, nuts, and black, green or white tea.

Choose Nettles for Allergies

Native Americans used stinging nettle for thousands of years to treat many health conditions, including allergies. Now, science has proven what these wise people knew from experience: that nettles are an effective allergy treatment. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which cause heart problems or drowsiness, stinging nettle does neither. Nettles are conveniently available in the dried form for making tea, liquid tinctures to take as drops, or in capsule form.

Pick Pineapple Enzyme for Allergy Relief

Extracted from pineapple, when taken on an empty stomach, the enzyme bromelain treats sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory disorders; acts as an anti-inflammatory; and reduces lung swelling. I usually suggest one or two capsules containing 5000 mcu each on an empty stomach, three times daily.

Select Homeopathic Allium Cepa

If you have allergy symptoms that are worse indoors, at night or in warm rooms, along with red and burning eyes, and a clear, burning nasal discharge, the homeopathic remedy Allium Cepa may be best for you. Start with a 6X or 30X remedy if you can find it. Let three pellets dissolve under the tongue every 15 minutes for the first hour or two. Then take three pellets, three times daily.

Flush Your Nasal Passages

Using a neti pot, which is a small ceramic dish shaped a bit like a gravy boat, you can flush your sinuses with a salt-water solution. Most health food stores sell neti pots and saline packets ready to mix with water. You can either follow the package directions or you can purchase sea salt and mix it with pure warm water. Start with one-quarter teaspoon of sea salt to one cup of water. Simply lean over a sink and tilt your head to the side to pour the water into one nostril and allow it to run out the other nostril. It may take some practice, but it is an excellent way to cleanse and eliminate mucous and microbes. Over time, you can increase to one-half a teaspoon of sea salt per cup of water and cool down the temperature of water you use.

Adapted with permission from “Allergy-Proof: Over 60 All-Natural, Drug-Free Ways to Beat Allergies” from Michelle Schoffro Cook, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Photo credit: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies: What’s Going on With Our Kids?

I want to begin my first post here by talking about something that is very basic to the perpetuation of our society: our children. The specific question I want to ask is simple but key: What the heck is happening to our kids? Why am I starting with this question? Let me give you some background information.

In the United States and other industrialized, developed nations, epidemics of malnutrition and common childhood infectious illnesses are almost a thing of the past due primarily to the technological advances of our industrial era. However, we are in the midst of a group of new childhood epidemics that are directly related to this same industrialism and its associated pollution, environmental degradation and toxicity. One set of epidemics has, unfortunately, been replaced by another.

I have termed the new childhood epidemics “the 4-A disorders,” and they include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), asthma and allergies. Over the past quarter of a century, autism has increased a staggering 1500 percent, while ADHD, asthma and allergies have also skyrocketed. I find these meteoric increases staggering, and they beg the question: Why?

This simultaneous rise is not coincidental. All of these disorders appear to be linked together by a similar mechanism: an underlying genetic vulnerability, triggered by environmental insults. The primary underlying genetic vulnerability appears to be, in many children, an impaired ability to detoxify, which has left them unable to cope with the ever increasing number and level of toxins to which they are exposed. These toxins include numerous chemicals, plasticizers, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, flame retardants such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides such as organophosphates and organochlorines. They also include heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and aluminum. Added concerns arise from the phenomenon of synergistic toxicity among heavy metals and toxic chemicals. This means that even when threshold levels of individual toxins have not been exceeded, their combined effect can be quite significant and harmful.

To effectively overcome the inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, immune dysfunction and other disparate factors that often result in a diagnosis of one of the 4-A disorders, a comprehensive treatment program must be initiated. I call this the 4-A Healing Program, and it consists of five primary elements: avoiding toxicants, dietary modification, nutritional supplementation, detoxification and administration of medication (as appropriate).

Avoidance of toxicants is essential to nutritional and detoxification strategies, as they are obviously hampered by continued toxic environmental exposures. To explain this a bit further, let’s take the classic example of two people in a rowboat that has sprung a leak. One approach to the problem is to use a pail to bale the water out, working feverishly just to keep up with the water still coming in from the leak. On the other hand, they could plug the leak and prevent more water from coming in and thereby lessen the demand for corrective measures downstream. The second approach, plugging the leak, is what we’re doing by avoiding further exposures to environmental toxins.

Dietary modification is extremely important. Many children with 4-A disorders have gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including constipation, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, gas and pain. Most of those with GI symptoms (and even some without obvious GI symptoms) have underlying gut issues including malabsorption, maldigestion, dysbiosis (or unbalanced intestinal flora) and/or increased intestinal permeability – the so-called “leaky gut.” Main contributors to these gastrointestinal abnormalities are dietary factors, including food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances. The most common offending foods seem to be gluten (the protein in grains including wheat, barley, rye and some oats) and casein (a protein in dairy foods, including milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream). Some of these foods may even promote an addictive-type effect due to the endogenous morphines they produce. Avoiding these foods, especially gluten and casein, may initially produce withdrawal symptoms but often ultimately results in significant positive changes.

Nutritional supplementation is virtually always needed to support healing. Most children with 4-A disorders suffer from significant nutritional deficiencies, which not only contribute to neurological dysfunction, but also to other metabolic processes, such as proper function of the body and brain. At times there are frank deficiencies, but in other instances there are nutrient insufficiencies and/or imbalances that can cause adverse effects. Because there is a significant overlap in the factors that cause the 4-A disorders, there is also often a significant overlap in the nutritional supplement programs that benefit the children suffering from these new childhood epidemics. Many of these children, regardless of their diagnoses, benefit from minerals (such as magnesium, zinc, selenium, chromium and iron), antioxidant vitamins (including vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E), the B vitamins, vitamin B-6 and methylcobalamin, vitamin D, targeted amino acids, essential fatty acids and probiotics.

Detoxification, the essential process of eliminating toxins from the body, can be significantly improved in many children, particularly those who suffer from impaired detoxification abilities. Methods for improving detoxification include the use of nutritional and herbal substances, including glutathione, taurine and curcumin, and in some cases the careful and judicious use of pharmaceutical chelators.

Medication, the fifth and final element of the program, is an integral part of treatment for many children who suffer from these disorders, and it is obviously an important factor in controlling asthma. In all of the 4-A disorders, a wide variety of medications may be of value, depending upon the individual needs of the child. These can include antifungals, immune modulators and anti-inflammatories to name just a few.

This comprehensive program, when applied cautiously, patiently, scientifically and systematically, has been clinically shown to trigger recoveries in children with each of the 4-A disorders. It appears as if this approach may represent one of the most promising avenues of treatment for autism, ADHD, asthma and allergies. Healing the environment and decreasing toxic exposures may ultimately be even more effective than medical treatment at stopping the proliferation of these new childhood epidemics. That task, though, will take time, and involve the cooperation of not only physicians, researchers and parents, but government and corporations as well.

For now, our focus must be on healing our children, one at a time. Our grave responsibility, as physicians and as parents, is to allow our children – born of love, and nurtured by those who love them most – to have the healthy, happy lives that all children deserve.

Photo Credit: Symic

Survival Guide to Being a Gluten-Free Vegan

So you’re vegan and gluten-free? No wheat? No meat? What to eat? Well, a lot actually.

Instead of Bread
-Starchy vegetables can take the edge off of bread cravings. Try a baked sweet potato with a drizzle of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes.
-Most gluten-free breads actually contain eggs. I recommend making your own. I’ve tried a few gluten-free flours on the market, and I like Perfectly Elizabeth’s muffin mixes. To replace eggs, use a few tablespoons of well-soaked flax seeds.
-Ethiopian restaurants are known for delicious spongy bread called “injera,” which is made out of teff (and no dairy). I recommend that you call ahead to confirm the ingredients used, as some restaurants will combine teff and wheat flour to appease American tastes.
-Try your own panini (grilled sandwich) with two big slices of grilled eggplant.
-There are many good tasting gluten-free tortillas. Even mainstream markets have authentic corn flour based ones, but I also like to use big lettuce or red cabbage leaves to make nutrient dense wraps.

Pasta Schmasta
-Of course there are lots of non-wheat pastas in any shape imaginable. Many Asian marts carry noodles made of out of sea vegetables like kelp; Sea Tangle Noodle Company is one brand. Shirataki makes noodles out of tofu; talk about high protein!
-If you have a Saladacco spiral slicer you can make lovely raw noodles out of zucchini and if you don’t, just slice your zucchini very, very thin.
-Nature’s own “bisgetti” is from the autumnal spaghetti squash; just roast and top with your favorite marina sauce.

Ugh, the Protein Question!
Where do you get your protein? You will have to avoid seitan (wheat gluten), which does have a lot of protein, but you have a plethora of foods to chose from: tofu, tempeh, sea vegetables, quinoa, nuts, seeds, lentils and dark green veggies. Athletes can add soy, hemp or pea protein powders to smoothies and shakes.

Don’t Forget Dessert
-Raw food desserts are perfect for gluten-free vegans. If you don’t have a raw food restaurant near you, I highly recommend Jenny Cornbleet’s book, “Raw for Dessert.” Cornbleet is a master at making raw food easy for everyone.
-Turtle Mountain’s So Delicious coconut milk based products are some of the best tasting vegan and gluten-free ice creams and treats on the market.
-Sorbet is a vegan, frozen fruit dessert that is often made with a sweetener and fruit puree. Sorbet should not be confused with sherbet, which actually contains dairy.
-Mochi is a macrobiotic treat made from whole grain brown rice and can usually be bought in perforated sheets, so you can just tear, bake and eat. It’s kind of like an edible craft project. Mochi is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. These work for breakfast too with jelly or tahini smeared on them.

When shopping it is important to know what to avoid:

Ingredients that indicate the presence of wheat: modified food starch, gelatinized starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soy sauce, vegetable gum, vegetable starch and my personal favorite “natural” flavorings.

I hate to repeat the obvious, but some are not obvious. Foods that often contain wheat are: most breads, cakes, pastries, cookies, bread crumbs, pasta, couscous, cereals, kamut, crackers, enriched flour, bran, bran germ, malt, starch, gluten, semolina, bulgur, vital gluten, durum, graham flour, whole wheat flour, spelt, cracker meal and farina.

Foods and terms that indicate the presence of milk: artificial butter flavor, butter, butter fat, buttermilk, casein, cottage cheese, cheese cream, ghee, caseinates, curds, custard, half and half, rennet casein, lactose, lactulose, lactoferrin, lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, nougat, pudding, yogurt, whey, sour cream, caramel candies, chocolate, high protein flour, non-dairy products, lactic acid starter culture and flavorings (artificial or natural).

Foods and terms that indicate the presence of eggs: albumin (also spelled albumen), mayonnaise, eggnog, lysozyme, surimi, meringue, lecithin, macaroni, marzipan, nougat, marshmallows, flavorings (artificial or natural) and many types of pasta.

Also, avoid shopping out of bins. Even though buying nuts, seeds, legumes and spices from bins are an economical choice, you do increase the risk of cross contamination.

The Food Allergy Research and Resource Program recommends avoiding both Dairy- Free and Non-Dairy products since it is unclear what percentage of lactose is legally allowed in these products. Changing these regulations would apparently be a tedious process. If you are allergic to dairy, the safest bet is to go on a package-free whole foods diet.

Lastly, a few words about eating out and being social: I would avoid Italian unless you really like plain salads with oil and vinegar dressings. Indian food might also seem like a great option, but even most Indian vegetarian restaurants use lots of dairy. Diners are another no-no. There is just too much you can’t eat, so why torture yourself? You might get away with a meat- and cheese-free bowl of chili, but also consider that the risk of cross-contamination is pretty great.

It’s also important to be social. Invite your fellow gluten-free vegans to a potluck. Hosting dinners is another way to not only “eat safe,” but also educate others on how delicious your diet truly is. I’m afraid if they don’t like raw vegan chocolate cheesecake, they may be beyond our help!

Patricia Biesen is a blogger for ChicagoNow. She writes Eclectic Eating Chicago, which is a blog that helps readers with food allergies or specialty diets find delicious alternatives. She is also a Protect Allergic Children consultant with the Eat, Live, Learn Foundation. She is currently enrolled in the distance-learning program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Photo Credit: Alexis O’Toole

Diabetes, meet my green juice.

Michelle Sorensen & Family

I am a vegan mom to two daughters (aged 1 and 3). In addition I am self-employed as a therapist. I have another identity that is invisible to many people: I am a Type 1 diabetic with a couple of other autoimmune problems thrown into the mix. In the 11 years I have been diabetic, I have learned not to fight this disease but to live more peacefully with it.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body turns against itself and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells on your pancreas. It is often confused with the more common Type 2 diabetes, which can be managed with diet, exercise, or oral medications. Type 1 (previously known as juvenile diabetes) usually strikes children or young adults who seem otherwise healthy. Without synthetic insulin injected into the body, Type 1 diabetes would be a terminal disease.

I was diagnosed when I was about to turn 25. I was in the middle of graduate school and when I look back, I had been running on adrenaline for some time. The previous year I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, which is an autoimmune problem with the thyroid gland. It never occurred to me that my body was warning me to slow down. I continued to take care of others and to juggle school, work and social commitments. I felt tired all the time, and sometimes would get weak and shaky. I was hungry and thirsty, no matter how much I ate or drank. And still I pushed myself to accomplish more. When I felt exhausted I thought I was being lazy. Finally, I ended up at the emergency room. My sugar was too high to register a reading on a glucometer. I was told they had never seen a sugar so high outside of someone in a coma and I was put on an insulin drip right away. I remember asking a resident the question that I had been pushing out of my mind for months: Am I a diabetic? Of course, the answer was obvious, but for a few weeks I honestly believed it would all turn out to be a mistake.

It surprised me what a juggling act diabetes management was. I spent my first year trying to be the perfect diabetic and I struggled with feelings of guilt and shame. I was convinced that somehow this was my fault and now I could never fix it. My days were filled with insulin injections and sugar checks… suffering from blood sugar lows that left me guzzling juice, shaking, sweating and confused or highs that made me dehydrated and fuzzy-headed. I could never take a day off from diabetes without substantial risk to my safety and well-being.

It became difficult to maintain the people-pleasing life I had lived for so long. I started to realize this was a problem at the first anniversary of my diagnosis, but it took me much longer to actually change my behavior. So my body kept saying NO. No, I will not let you destroy me. No, you deserve better than this. Since the first few diagnoses didn’t slow me down, my body sent out more signals. My digestive system began to crumble. The specialists stuck tubes down my throat and scanned me but had no answers. So I gave up on them and it took me another four years of feeling sick and fatigued before I discovered my path to health.

To heal I had to take responsibility for the fact that my health problems were my responsibility. I had to face up to the fears I buried deep down that something I did caused me, in the prime of my life, to develop all this disease. When I fell in love with my husband (6 years ago) he was able to help me see how little I nurtured myself. He made me feel happy and helped me to slow down. My body recognized its window of opportunity and increased my digestive distress, finally sending me to a naturopath. I discovered the food allergies related to my leaky gut (destroyed by stress and lack of nutrition) and quickly devoted myself to adopting an allergen free diet. During my twenties I did not take time to prepare the vegetables and fruit I had always eaten growing up. I consumed way more wheat and dairy than I had in my parents’ home. Now, with my body failing, I needed to spend more time on me.

When I discovered a wonderful raw food restaurant during my first pregnancy four years ago, I began to realize the importance of adding in even more plant-based foods (versus just cutting out the food I couldn’t tolerate), and had an ah-ha moment: food itself is truly medicine! Two years ago my husband and I started making green smoothies every morning and then craved plant-based foods all day. Last spring, I decided I did not enjoy meat anymore, and thought I may as well cut it out altogether for a trial period. The ACT cleanse was starting here on CSL and I decided to follow along. Everyone’s tips and ideas were so helpful. I started using the juicer that had been sitting in my cupboard, did a little dry brushing, got back to hot yoga, and shook the last few gastrointestinal symptoms I had! I completed my transition to veganism.

There is nothing more empowering than taking control of your health. I may still need my insulin pump and thyroid medication but I believe I have halted the autoimmune cyclone hitting my body and I will continue to eat a plant-based, vegan and gluten-free diet for the rest of my life! I know these changes could help many people… in fact, my husband’s asthma of 25 years vastly improved from eating a less rigid version of my diet at home. I hope someone reading this is helped a little on their own path to good health.

Michelle Sorensen is a clinical psychological associate in Ottawa, Ontario. She practices cognitive behavioral therapy, teaching her patients to change the way they feel physically and emotionally by changing the way they think.