Neti Pots - Health by Nasal Irrigation

Looking curiously like a cross between a gravy boat and Aladdin’s magic lamp, the Neti Pot is neither a vessel you would lay on a Sunday dinner table nor one that conjures up wish-granting deities. But there is a little bit of a genie in this bottle… er, pot.

With a gentle swoosh, nasal passages are soothed and cleansed. Allergies are washed away, colds and other infections are avoided — in a 100-per-cent natural fashion. For allergy sufferers, those with recurring sinusitis, or anyone losing sleep because of a stuffed up nose, the Neti Pot is essential.

“It’s incredible,” says Diane Atterbury, from the Toronto-based Neti Pot manufacturer and distributor T-Zone Health. “I didn’t realize I had a sinus problem until I started using it. I’m breathing easier and I’m sleeping better at night.”

Atterbury says T-Zone would like to teach Canadians about the benefits of Neti Pots and get everyone using one on a daily basis.

“Most people want to do things the natural way. We want to get away from our chemical world.”

The Neti Pot works on the simple principal of allowing warm, salt water to stream through your nose — in one nostril and out the other, flushing with it all manner of ills. After letting rock salt dissolve in water (to a rich 26-per-cent saturation), the Neti Pot is lifted to the nose and the tapered spout is gently inserted into the nostril. A simple tilt of the head starts the flushing action. T-Zone provides its own special Himalayan rock salt, “the purest salt in the world”, exclusively for Neti Pot users. They’ve also patented an elegant double-decker Neti Pot to eliminate mess and clean up. And they’re available in four designer colours.

Spring is allergy season. Pollens abound, irritating noses and causing a variety of annoying and sometimes debilitating symptoms like congestion. Unlike decongestants and many over-the-counter medicines, using a Neti Pot is safe and natural, with no side effects.

Irrigating the nasal passages with salt water can reduce instances of sinus infections by clearing out blocked-up mucous from your sinuses, alleviating pressure and discouraging the accumulation of bacteria that can cause infection. Sinus problems are the No. 1 reason people see a doctor — and with increased pollution and chemicals in our air, there has been an enormous rise in the number of people reporting nasal congestion and respiratory illness. Because the nasal passages are the doorway for most diseases, maybe it’s time to install a deadbolt of protection through regular use of the Neti Pot. You won’t be the first. The word neti is Sanskrit for “nasal cleansing”.

Several hundred generations of Neti Pot faithful have been using them as a daily hygienic ritual in Southeast Asia, the subcontinent, Nepal, and Tibet. Talk about a time-tested product: yogic and Ayurvedic practitioners embracing the natural medical systems of India have sworn by the Neti Pot for several millennia.