One of the best and most natural ways to clear a stuffy or runny nose is to use a neti pot for nasal irrigation. Nasal irrigation originated in India and is a gentle, safe way to deliver a saline solution to your nasal cavity. Tilt your head and pour the solution into one nostril and allow it to drain from the other nostril. Nasal cleansing is one of the six purification techniques practiced by people who do yoga and follow ayurvedic principles. Because the nose is the entryway for many diseases, cleansing it helps to maintain natural health.
The Traditional Neti Pot Recipe
Fill your neti pot with warm salted water. Be sure the water is warm---neither hot nor cold, because either extreme will be irritating instead of soothing. Use either sterilized or purified water for the best cleansing effect. Combine one cup of warm water, ½ teaspoon of non-iodized salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Fill the pot and stir so the ingredients dissolve before you use it.
Clean one nostril, then the other. Blow your nose well after you use your neti pot to ensure toxins and mucus leaves the body. Repeat this ritual every day after you brush your teeth for optimum health benefits.
This rinse removes any bacteria inside your nostrils and the salt reduces inflammation. Once the nose is cleared your nose hairs can function normally and help to keep infection from entering your body through the nose.
Glycerin Salt Rinse
Add glycerin to your usual warm salt neti pot bath to keep your nostrils from getting too dry during the nasal irrigation process. Try this recipe at least once a week to keep your nose healthy and soft.
Mix one cup of warm, sterile water with ¼ teaspoon of non-iodized salt. Add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon of glycerin. Use this recipe for only one nostril, then make the same concoction for the next. You can purchase glycerin at your local health food store.
Infection-Fighter Rinse
If you are already sick and need to begin purging toxins, try this infection-fighting sinus rinse. Add grapefruit seed extract to your usual salt water mixture for some infection fighting energy. Administer this mixture three times a day for up to 10 days to clear the infection from your sinuses and body.
Combine 1 teaspoon of non-iodized salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, two cups of warm, sterile water and 5 drops of grapefruit seed extract, which you can purchase from a health food store. This combination is sufficient to use in both nostrils.
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