Water and Salt Suitability

http://matthewcox.org/neti/water_salt.html

The issue of suitable waters and salts to be used for nasal cleaning arises sometimes. We have come across many opinions and preferences regarding both these issues. Below we analyse, from the traditional yoga point of view as well as from common sense, the different options.

There are those who recommend only sterile, purified water should ever be used for nasal cleansing and then there are those who say that anything you can safely drink can be safely put up your nose! We take the middle approach and suggest that the best answer is actually the one most appropriate to your particular situation. The range of different water options available, from the most pure down to most doubtful, are as follows: 1 - Bottled, sterilised, normal saline solution available from pharmacies 2 - Boiled then cooled, bottled spring water (not mineral) from shop 3 - Filtered, boiled then cooled rain water from domestic tank 4 - Filtered, boiled then cooled town water from house tap 5 - Unfiltered, boiled then cooled town water from house tap 6 - Unfiltered cold mixed with hot water from house tap 7 - Other more dubious options found in nature and in cities! Our recommendations for different situations are as follows: For those recovering from post-operative nasal surgery If this situation is you and you or your doctor have any kinds of worries about post-operative infection, play it safe and use the very purest water, salt and equipment you can arrange. 1 or 2 as above may only be necessary for a short while whilst your nasal tissue recovers and builds up the usual resistance to germs. Be sure to wash your hands before nasal cleansing, perform it in a clean room with clean equipment. Make sure no-one else handles or uses your equipment. Keep it wrapped between usage. Clean your equipment regularly by boiling for 15 minutes or soak in bleach solution and rinse twice again. For those with chronic nasal allergies 1 ,2 or 3 as above would be suitable. You could experiment with those 3 options to find the one which is most cost and time effective without creating any chance of a reaction to water soluble substances which may be in town water. As Jala Neti begins to work, it helps to desensitise the nasal physiology and you will find that you become more resilient to foreign smells and substances entering your body (both the nose and mouth). For those with the usual old sinus and hayfever problems 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 as above are suitable to begin with and, like those with allergies, as the nasal environment rebalances, you will find normal tap water will work just as effectively without any side effects. For those with no major nasal ailments who perform nasal cleansing as a regular daily health maintenance routine no special water purity is necessary to gain the benefits of Jala Neti and the rule would be to use your intuition about the water you drink and douche with. If it smells or tastes funny, don't use it. If you want to be a puritan, use whatever you can afford and have time to arrange. But this author has used many of the waters and salts around the world for 15 years and never noticed any ill effects arising from the practice. Even overly chlorinated, fluoridated town water through the

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Water and Salt Suitability

http://matthewcox.org/neti/water_salt.html

nostrils for 30 seconds, 3 times daily is unlikely to have ill effects. Mountain stream water is nice, and unpolluted sea water can be diluted about 4:1 and warmed to body temperature. Beware of polluted rivers, agricultural run off into dams, and stagnant ponds. When camping, always look inside your pot before using it to check for bugs!

Ideally the purest sea salt should be used. The basis reason for this is that, biologically, sea salt is the closest to natural human body salt. They say that all life evolved from the sea and therefore it makes sense to use the most primal salt for internal human cleansing. However, we have heard about people having reactions to sea salt which has come from polluted areas of the world's oceans. If you trust the ocean water quality used by salt distillers in your country that would be the best to use. If not use option (1). Below are some of the different types of salt available on the market today and their suitability for use in nasal cleansing. Pharmaceutical Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Laboratory processed, 100% sterile, pure salt without any of the usual trace elements found in sea salt. Used in pharmaceutical normal saline solution. Arguably the purest, although least natural salt available. Cooking or Pickling Salt This is generally nothing other than pure sea salt, but check on the packet. It can vary in coarseness and purity. The finer the better for quick and even dissolving. If you can't get it fine, grind your own from whatever you can buy. Store airtight to avoid lumping up. Found in supermarkets and health shops. Table Salt This is just finely ground cooking salt with a free flowing agent in it to stop it lumping up in your salt shaker. Who needs aluminum, silicone or iodine up their nose? For most people it can be used without any harm when cooking salt is not available, but those with very sensitive nasal tissue may find it irritating. Try to avoid it if possible. Vegetable Salt This is a compound mixture of different mineral salts, herbs and spices, and will do your nose and olfactory senses NO GOOD AT ALL! Rock Salt Depending on origin, rock salts have other minerals in them and are therefore not recommended for nasal cleansing. They are usually very big, hard crystals requiring a salt cellar. Nice for cooking with, but not for up your nose. "Celtic" Salt So-called Celtic Salt is a rock-based salt with a wide range of trace minerals. Whilst it is very tasty for cooking, and probably of no harm for use in nasal irrigation, it is better to stay with pure sea salts. Macrobiotic Salt Often greyish in colour. Usually just sea salt from Japan and therefore more expensive than local salt. May be used with no harm.
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