An Age-Old Solution to a Modern Day Problem Modernized Neti Pot?

By Hana R Solomon, MD

From the air filter in your car to the lint filter in your clothes dryer, one thing is certain: If they're not clean, they just don't work. That's the common wisdom behind nasal washing, an ancient practice that has seen an amazing resurgence in the West.

The nose is the body's filter, and an effective and healthy nasal filtering system is a crucial component to the body's immune defense system. The nasal cavity is lined with a mucus membrane, which is covered by microscopic filaments called cilia. These help remove or filter the impurities we breathe. Our modern world is filled with an abundance of these impurities, such as pollen, mold, dust, viruses, bacteria, smoke, pollution and chemicals.

Due to a commonly high exposure to dust and pollution, our bodies filtering mechanism often becomes overloaded. Regular cleansing of the nasal passages allows them to operate more efficiently, thus keeping you healthier and happier.

I evaluate and treat nose woes every day, and most often they're related to irritants that we inhale. From my 20 years of practicing pediatrics I developed and patented the perfect nose wash, Nasopure Nasal Wash System.

Exposure to irritants causes the cilia in the nasal passages to malfunction. Then the increased mucus produced becomes difficult to remove, and the mucus membranes become swollen. When this drainage system becomes plugged, people end up with such maladies as sinusitis, persistent coughs, sore throats, sinus pressure and painful ears. Regardless of the initial cause of the problem, bacteria thrive in this environment, and sooner or later serious infection can set in.

Nasal washing reduces the need for medicines, shrink swollen membranes and make the nasal and sinus environment inhospitable to bacterial, fungal and viral growth. Studies have shown what I have seen in my own practice, those who wash their nose regularly get sick less often and breathe easier, all without the use of drugs.

Practitioners of yoga and ayurveda in India have used nasal washing, known as "neti," for hundreds of years. Neti is one of the six purification techniques performed prior to doing yoga as a way of preparing the body for the yoga practice.

The neti pot is filled with warm saline water. The spout of the pot is then inserted into one nostril. The position of the head and pot are adjusted so that the water flows out of the other nostril. This procedure is then alternated with the other nostril. The water drains out, flushing the nasal passages and the linings thoroughly.

Nasopure is a modern version of this ancient method. The design doesn't rely on gravity but instead allows the user to control the pressure while standing upright instead of bending or contorting. Unlike the neti pot it is also unbreakable and dishwasher safe. Nasopure includes a hypertonic buffered solution using the exact recipe that physicians recommend to combat sinusitis, rhinitis, allergies and the common cold.

Nasal washing removes debris by pulling it from the sinuses as the water flows past the sinus cavity, never actually entering the sinuses.

People who nasal wash regularly notice fewer colds, sweeter smelling breath and the ability to breath easier. Others have experienced an improved sense of smell and taste and deeper, more relaxed breathing. It may also help with asthma. There is more evidence each day that asthma is best controlled when the nose is maintained clean and well-functioning.
With as many as 40 million Americans fighting sinusitis and tiring of antibiotics, antihistamines and decongestants, nasal washing is the natural alternative. It is no surprise that with the assault of chemicals, fragrances, pollution, dust and pollen that our nostrils are under enormous stress. Even today's modern diet tends to favor foods that increase the body's production of mucus, thereby creating an imbalance and clogging up the nasal passages and sinuses.

There are many nasal washing systems available, and they can be found at drugstores, health food stores or on the Internet. They come in a variety of materials ranging from durable plastic, stainless steel or lead-free ceramic. Some, such as Nasopure, come with a pre-measured hypertonic salt formula.

Numerous scientific studies show nasal washes help address the issue of overuse of prescription antibiotics, antihistamines and the more than 800 over-the-counter cold medications on the shelves. When hypertonic-buffered saline nasal wash is used properly, 80 percent of histamines and leukotrienes, the irritants, which result in allergy symptoms, are washed away.

Four-year-old Sophie, one of my patients, learned to use a nasal wash at the age of two. She often wakes up with a stuffy nose and wants to rinse her nose to alleviate the problem. She steps up to the sink, washes her nose on her own, blows, grunts like her grandpa and walks away saying, "Now that feels good; I can breathe."

The Centers for Disease Control has estimated that treatment of infections due to resistant bacteria costs more than $4 billion annually. In addition, allergy treatments cost $1.8 billion annually. Each year, over $850 million is spent on physician visits and $639 million is lost on productivity, all due to sinus problems. When the problem can be solved simply with a solution discovered thousands of years ago, it's no wonder people are returning to the ancient wisdom of nasal washing.

*********************************
Be Well, Dr. HanaHana R Solomon, MDDr. Hana.www.nasopure.com©
*********************************
Article Source: http://www.healthcrazed.com/