You know how we brush our teeth every day to make them clean and hygienic. We take baths every day to make our bodies clean, right? But have you ever heard of something like cleaning the inner part of the nose from nostrils to the throat? No? Well, here is everything you need to know about nasal hygiene and Jal Neti.
In simple words, Jal Neti Yoga is a nasal hygienic technique in which you make the nasal passage clean and sterile from your nostrils to your throat just by using a Jal neti pot. Isn’t it interesting? It is! Let’s have some more information.
What is Jal Neti Yoga?
India is known for its Yoga Culture. Jal Neti Yoga is a breathing technique used for a long time by Indian yogis. Jal neti is a type of nasal hygiene practice mentioned in Hatha yoga.
Nasal hygiene is associated with many conditions such as sinusitis, headaches, migraine, allergy, and asthma.
After the emergence of covid, this technique came to the limelight to stay disease-free and breathe well without any blockages.
Neti is one of the six purification systems of yoga, such as shatkarma (Shat– Six ; Karma – action)
1. Neti – It cleans the nasal passage
2. Trataka – It clear the mind
3. Kapalbhati pranayama – it cleans the respiratory organs
4. Nauli kriya – It cleans the abdominal organs
5. Basti kriya – It cleans the colon
6. Dauti kriya – It cleans the stomach
What are the Major Scientific Benefits of Jal Neti?
There are so many scientifically proven benefits from performing Jal Neti Kriya few are
- It prevents and manages upper respiratory tract diseases.
- It helps to cure sinusitis and remove mucus from nasal passages.
- It clears the ear, nose, and throat disorders
- It removes the impurities in the sinus cavities
- It helps to relieve headaches in migraine
- It improves the eyesight
- It decreases the stress and anxiety
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How does Jal Neti alleviate Migraine Pain?
Jal Neti benefits you in so many possible ways, and it can also be an excellent preference if you’re going through migraine pain. The congested sinuses are the reason behind headaches, migraine, anxiety, and stress. Jal neti removes and clears sinus congestion.
Why Should You Go For Jal Neti Yoga?
There are several good reasons that you should always go for Jal Neti Yoga. Some specific incorrect management of sinusitis and respiratory tract-associated conditions leads to asthma. Jal Neti Yoga is a small cure for asthma.
According to WHO, 235 million people currently have asthma around the globe, and in India, 15-20 million people are suffering from asthma.
Generally, upper respiratory tract infections are treated with antihistamines and antibiotics, sometimes steroids. Improper or irrational use of antibiotics leads to antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure.
Upper respiratory tract infections are easily prevented and managed by some healthy practices such as Jal neti since ancient times.
What are the things required for practicing Jal neti?
- A Neti pot
- Salt required
- Water
- Hand towel
What is Neti pot?
Neti pot is a tool for doing the Jal neti yoga. This pot is available in steel, ceramic, copper, and also in plastic.
Step by Step Guide to Perform Jal Neti Yoga?
The Jal Neti Yoga is performed with the help of a specific instrument named Neti pot or Neti lota filled with lukewarm saline water.
The temperature of the water should be equal to body temperature.
The right amount of salt concentration is necessary for Jal neti practice, and the salt proportion should be two spoonfuls per liter.
Follow these 8 steps!
Step 1: Fill the pot with salted water and stand in a straight position.
Step 2: Lean forward.
Step 3: Tilt your head on one side.
Step 4: Breath through your mouth (never breath through the nose on practice)
Step 5: Put the nozzle of the pot into the nose gently to avoid water leakage.
Step 6: Your mouth should be open during the neti process.
Step 7– Tilt the neti pot to let the saltwater flow in through one nostril and out through another nostril
Note: Kapalbhati Is something you must do after completing the Jal neti process. That is to blow your nose to remove mucus and all water from the nasal passage.
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What is The Science Behind Jal Neti?
We have learned so many things about Jal Neti. Now, let’s jump on to some science behind this remarkable yoga for nasal hygiene.
Respiratory Tract
This process helps to reduce respiratory tract diseases like pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis.
Allergy, Cough & Rhinitis
Nowadays, people are easily affected by allergies due to heavy air pollution, it can be rid of this amazing natural method.
Jal neti uses hypertonic saline (salt content) which reduces nasal secretion and cough.
Characteristics of rhinitis are watery nasal discharge, sneezing, stuffy nose, nasal blocking, itching on the eyes and palate. This watery nasal discharge contains histamine and leukotrienes, and both the culprits are the main reason for the further development of nasal secretion.
Neti reduces the histamine and leukotrienes concentration.
Nervous system
It works as calming the nervous system, improves the quality of sleep, and relieves tiredness. This ancient technique can reduce headaches and Kapha-related ailments.
Chronic Sinusitis
In the Jal neti technique, the saltwater helps to rinse the sinus, which leads to removing pollen, dust, and thick mucus.
According to studies, regular practice of Jal neti reduces the chance of getting sinusitis.
Nasal congestion
Jal neti increases the blood circulation and functional efficiency of the nasal mucosa. It helps to breathe over nasal congestion.
Jal neti works on Eyes.
Jal neti stimulates the tear duct and glands which helps to improve the eyesight.
It is effective in alleviating symptoms such as eye pain, eye strain, watery eyes, and Jal neti therapy gives a significant improvement in myopia (near-sightedness)
Jal neti for Snoring
Well, that’s funny how you snore every night while sleeping! Isn’t it? But you can get rid of your bad snoring habits by Jal neti practice which controls severe snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Jal neti for Post-cancer treatment
After radiotherapy, patients frequently get nasal sinusitis. Surprisingly Jal neti works better on nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
How Jal Neti is Beneficial in Covid-19?
The pandemic has taken over the world. Still, we don’t have a permanent solution for covid, which is scary if you think of it yourself.
However, Jal neti as a diagnostic tool for covid-19 has its advantages and disadvantages.
- It is suitable for adult patients
- Not suitable for child and unstable patients.
- Safe method, no viral transmission occurs.
What are The Major Side Effects of Jal Neti?
Fortunate elements always come with some exceptions and price. Hence, you can observe Jal Neti side effects if you ignore the points listed below!
- Sometimes after Jal neti practice, people forget to dry well; it may cause nasal passage infection.
- People should clean the neti pot before and after usage; otherwise, it carries some fatal illness.
Precautions to keep in mind while doing Jal neti?
- Learn from trained yoga practitioners.
- Use only warm water
- Don’t use cold water
- Salt and water proportions should be rational.
- Too much salt irritates your nostrils because the mucus membrane is susceptible.
- After completion of Jal neti, do not expose yourself to cold air.
- Keep your nasal passage warm
- Immunocompromised patients consult the doctor before any nasal irrigation
Who Should Not Perform Jal Neti
- A person who’s suffering from Epistaxis or Nosebleed should not perform the Yoga of Jal Neti.
- People with Middle ear infection
- A person who has undergone recent ENT surgery
1. Jal Neti Sample for COVID Detection: A Novel Hypothesis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7450481/
2 . Yogic Neti-Kriya Using Povidone Iodine: Can it have a Preventive
Role Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection Gateway?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34692450/
3 . A review on the therapeutic effects of Neti Kriya with special reference to Jala Neti
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0975947617306216
