Using a Neti Pot and Nasya

Using a Neti pot and Nasya is a traditional method to purify and revitalize the breathing passages. In the same way that massage nourishes and rejuvenates the skin, Neti and Nasya nourish and rejuvenate the breathing passages. This process can reduce allergies and decrease your chances of contracting upper respiratory infections. It is also useful before taking a plane flight to keep your breathing passages moist.

A Neti pot is a small container with a spout that can be gently placed into your nostrils through which warm salt water is administered. Usually made from a ceramic material, a typical Neti pot holds about 2/3 of cup of water to which 1/8 teaspoon of salt is added.

Place the spout of the Neti pot in one nostril and gently pour in the warm salt water. Your head should be positioned so the water runs out the other nostril. Any remaining liquid in your nasal passages is expelled and the process is repeated on the other side.

Nasya involves the application of a few drops of oil to the nasal membranes. The oil should be an edible grade of sesame, almond or olive. Herbalized aromatic oils that contain small amounts of camphor, eucalyptus and menthol can also be used. Place a drop of the oil on your baby finger and apply it inside your nostril. Then gently sniff it up and repeat on the other side. This can be repeated four to six times per day.

General Detoxification Program

We recommend you begin a general detoxification program. Set a date and use the opportunity to clear both your mind and body. Focusing on purification will help your mind and body shift into a healthier mode of functioning. Drink lots of fresh fruit and vegetable juices during this time. Try fruit juices in the morning, mixed fruit and vegetable juices during the day and vegetable juices and blended vegetable soups in the evening. We often recommend gingerroot tea, prepared by adding 1 teaspoon of fresh grated root to a pint of hot water. Simplify your diet for a few days, favoring whole grains, steamed vegetables and lentil soups. Take hot baths or go to a sauna or steam room to encourage the removal of toxins through your skin. Spend at least some time everyday walking in a park or along a stream, lake or ocean. Inhale fresh air, feel the sun on your face and wiggle your feet in the sand or grass. Directly connect with nature’s purifying influence.

This is a good time to start a healthy daily routine. Commit to meditating twice a day, getting to bed before 10:30 pm and rising at sunrise. Drink plenty of water. Begin a regular exercise program. Get some body work to help mobilize the toxins from your body. Start a healthy diet. The more positive things you introduce into your life, the easier it will be to eliminate whatever is toxic.

Panchakarma

Ayurveda recommends a total detoxification program known as Panchakarma, which means the purifying actions. The full program as offered at the Chopra Center prescribes a systematic process to identify, mobilize and eliminate stored toxins in the body. Luxurious oil massages are followed by heat treatments and then some type of eliminative procedure to discharge toxins though the digestive tract or nasal passages.

You can perform a gentle detoxification program at home by following these steps:

1. Follow a simplified diet for five days with plenty of steamed vegetables, grains, and lentil soup. Minimize fried foods, fermented foods, dairy, animal products, and refined carbohydrates during this time.

2. For three days eat sesame seeds and golden raisins to lubricate your digestive tract. Prepare a 1:1 mix of 1/8 cup of white sesame seeds and 1/8 of golden raisins. Ingest a teaspoon of the mixture one hour before or two hours after each meal. If you have any trouble digesting seeds, take one-half teaspoon of sesame oil with three to four raisins three times a day.

3. Drink plenty of ginger root teas by grating one teaspoon of fresh ginger root per pint of hot water and sipping it throughout the day. It is easiest if you get a thermos bottle so you can keep the tea with you. Try drinking at least one liter per day.

4. On the evening of the fourth day, perform an oil massage and soak in a hot bath.

5. Around 10 pm, take a teaspoon of yogurt with a dose of standardized senna extract. We recommend Senokot. Most people will get a good elimination with four tablets before bedtime. Expect a few loose bowel movements within the next six to eight hours.

6. Eat lightly for the next day, gradually reintroducing more complex foods into your diet.

Water – Nature’s Purifier

A very simple but powerful purification technique is to boost your intake of water. The human body is approximately three-fourths water and most biochemical reactions operate best within a narrow window of concentration. Several scientific studies have found that our sensitivity to thirst diminishes as we age, so we become at risk for developing subtle levels of dehydration of which we may not be consciously aware. Most people do not drink enough water, which can lead to a host of symptoms. Headaches, constipation, dry skin, fatigue and indigestion may actually reflect subtle dehydration. Some physicians have gone as far as to suggest that many common health concerns, including high blood pressure, asthma and chronic pain have their origins in dehydration.

Assuming that you do not have kidney or liver problems, we recommend getting into the habit of drinking water throughout the day. You can calculate the recommended number of ounces of daily water intake by dividing your weight in pounds by two.

___________________ ¸ 2 = _________________

Your weight in pounds Daily ounces of water

For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, your daily water intake should be 80 ounces or 10 cups per day. Most bottled water comes in half-liter containers, equivalent to just over two cups, so this would mean drinking five bottles per day. Soda beverages, tea and coffee do not count, as their caffeine content has a diuretic effect. Similarly, alcohol also causes water loss and does not contribute to rehydration. If you are active in sports, taking diuretics or live in a hot, dry climate, increase your daily intake by another ten to fifteen percent. Favor water rich fruits and vegetables including cantaloupe, grapefruit, peaches, watermelon, asparagus, peppers, carrots and mushrooms. Minimize your intake of artificially sweetened beverages. When you are drinking enough water you will feel the need to empty your bladder about every two hours.

We have seen many people who follow this water routine report that they more easily lose unwanted weight, have more energy and less chronic aches and pains. Drinking plenty of fresh, pure water is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to reverse the aging process.

Eliminate Toxic Foods

Freshly grown and lovingly prepared foods are richest in Prana or life energy. Foods that have been sitting around for months in a can on your shelf are less likely to nourish your body, mind and spirit. Start a vegetable garden in your backyard and grow fresh herbs and spices to add to your meals. Shop at your local farmer’s markets and take the time to prepare delicious meals applying the principles explored in chapter 3. If you find yourself regularly eating frozen, canned, micowaved or highly processed foods shift your time priorities to make nourishing yourself higher on your list. Make the preparation of meals a family or community experience so you can enjoy the process as well as the product.

There is increasing evidence that the pesticides and artificial fertilizers used in modern agriculture are taking their toll on our health. These synthetic chemicals are finding their way into our air and water supply. They have been implicated as possibly contributing to a number of different cancers, particularly of the reproductive system.

Studies have shown that it takes diligent washing to remove the pesticide residues that are present on fruits and vegetables. For these reasons, we encourage you to favor organically grown foods. Although they cost more, you can feel confident that you and your family are not consuming unnecessary toxins along with your meals. You will also know that you are doing your share to reduce the accumulation of toxins in your environment.

Meditation Has Physical Benefits and Advantages

The most common reason why people start to Meditate is that they want to feel fitter, happier and more energetic. In the past few decades research has been conducted into the health benefits in over 300 universities, hospitals and research centres in over 50 countries. Over 1,000 scientific articles and research reports have been published in over 175 scientific magazines. In fact it is hard to believe that after so many positive results the ordinary media have not paid far more attention to Meditation. Only now, after 30 years, more and more people and doctors begin to appreciate and to experience the advantages of Meditating. In the U.S.A. about 5% of the population now Meditates regularly. We assume that this percentage will grow and that before long we will find the same percentages in Europe. To make things easy for you we have arranged these advantages into three different categories: physical, mental and spiritual.

Effects of Meditation on our Brain

If you wan to see what happens in your brain when you Meditate, surf to TIME magazine Meditation brainscan.

• EEC- theta waves, delta waves and alpha waves become more active and beta waves (associated with active thinking) decrease
• The left and the right brain halves start to cooperate better.
• The activity in the front cortex and the pariental lobe decreases.

Physical Advantages of Meditating

• It stabilises the autonomous nervous system.
• It reduces the heart beat.
• It reduces the speed of breathing.
• Blood pressure drops drastically.
• The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) increases.
• EMG activity increases.
• Cardiovascular effectivity goes up.
• Breathing effectivity increases.
• The skin receives more blood.
• Stomach function and bowel function improve.
• The endocrine function is heightened.
• Muscle flexibility increases.
• The intake of oxygen gets stronger.
• Mobility and flexibility increase.
• The hand-eye co-ordination increases.
• Reaction-speed increases.
• Body posture is improved.
• Strength and resistance increase.
• Stamina increases.
• There is a heightened energy level and vitality.
• People’s weight is stabilised at an ordinary level.
• The ability to sleep increases and the time people need to fall asleep decreases.
• Pain is weakened.
• Stability is improved.
• Depth perception increases.
• There is a heightened degree of relaxation.
• There is a lessened degree of muscle tension.
• The production of serotenine increases.
• Menstruation pains are softened.

All the above mentioned advantages are based on medical research dome by among others: Harvard Medical School, Alberta University, MIT, Duke school of Medicine, Leiden University and other universities.

Meditation – Mental Benefits and Advantages of Meditating

The most common reason why people start to Meditate is that they want to feel fitter, happier and more energetic. In the past few decades research has been conducted into the health benefits in over 300 universities, hospitals and research centres in over 50 countries. Over 1,000 scientific articles and research reports have been published in over 175 scientific magazines. In fact it is hard to believe that after sop many positive results the ordinary media have not paid far more attention to Meditation. Only now, after 30 years, more and more people and doctors begin to appreciate and to experience the advantages of Meditating. In the U.S.A. about 5% of the population now Meditates regularly. We assume that this percentage will grow and that before long we will find the same percentages in Europe. To make things easy for you we have arranged these advantages into three different categories: physical, mental and spiritual.

Indian Wisdom

Mental Advantages of Meditation

• Increased capacity to learn and better learning achievements
• Increased ability to solve problems
• Strong increase in productivity
• The powers of concentration increase dramatically
• A stronger feeling of happiness and contentment
• Stress and anxiety decrease
• Greater achievements through focus and attention… more self-confidence
• Stronger creativity
• Learning to accept, not judging, and acting less reactively often solve many problem situations
• Feelings of depression and anxious thinking decrease
• Meditating strengthens people’s self confidence
• Meditating teaches people to stop always behaving in the same way
• People’s emotional stability increases
• Meditation strengthens the feeling of self realisation
• Feelings of irritation and mood swings decrease
• All the effects mentioned result in better achievements at school, university or work
• People that Meditate get a less conditioned view of situations
• Coping with emotional resistance during the Meditation sessions cause mental strength and power

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All the above mentioned advantages are based on medical research done by among others: Harvard Medical School, Alberta University, MIT, Duke school of Medicine, Leiden University and other universities.

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