Discover the ancient practice of Nasal health that will allow you to breathe easier and at greater capacity – Nasya
Nasya is a daily practice of introducing natural medications through the nose. Ayurveda states the nose is the doorway to the brain and the path to our inner pharmacy. Both a cleansing and supportive care practice just like brushing your teeth. It involves using oil and often herbs as the delivery for health for all things above the collar bones, according to Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, Yogaraj (Ayurveda). He has practiced this Ayurvedic method for over 50 years and I had the great pleasure of learning from him everything Nasya.
It helps with the skin of face, scalp & throat, the hair of face and head, brain and mental health, immune function, supports the eyes, and helps with stress management and pain. It is a very potent and supportive practice I can tell you after learning the ins and outs of this practice not well observed in the US.
See below for a downloadable PDF.
The biggest take away for me was how important the inner skin is important to the health of the whole airway AND the gut. All abilities the nose has for health – please read my article (it includes a recorded talk I did on the importance of nasal breathing). Healthy breathing through your nose is dependent on a healthy membrane, or inner skin. Especially when we have to be in cold, dry, or cold & dry, or hot, or unhealthy air quality conditions this is extremely helpful. If the nasal passages get dry, then any particle, from viruses to dust, pollutants to pollens, molds to smoke, will not be mobilized and effectively handle by our immune system if they are left to stick to the lining. Once stuck to the membrane then they aggravate the tissues and leads to an exaggeration of inflammation and infection response. This is the tip of the iceberg.
If the nose gets blocked, guess what?
With a plugged up nose, you can’t breathe very well.
Yes, you say I can breathe through my mouth. Sure, but the consequences of breathing through you mouth are BIG and will cause much more havoc to your body and mind than you first realize. An open mouth to breathe will lead to severe disease, an over-active nervous system (fight and flight), bad breath, dental deformities and tooth infections, lack of concentration and mental stability, and very very poor sleep. And eventually lead to all things associated with hyperventilation (like high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic infections and high susceptibility to virus infections – COVID, reduced CO2 levels (called respiratory alkalosis) that you need for your cells to be healthy and reproduce without degenerative and diseased states, and sleep apnea.
Have I convinced you to take care of your nose yet?
Patrick McKeown, founder of the Oxygen Advantage (which I am now a Master Instructor – 1 of 5 in the US) says “the mouth has the function to breathe, like the nose has for eating.” There is no function in the mouth for healthy breathing. Over the years, it is the one thing that pretty much all my clients agree it helps them the most. To re-establish healthy breathing, that impacts all of your health capacities, you need your nose.
“A stuffy nose is not just a stuffy nose”
– Patrick McKeown
A stuffy nose will clear itself with help once it starts it’s function. There are so many factors that if you can get back to breathing softly and gently, and not noisy, through your nose, it will correct itself in a short period of time. But if you have a chronically stuffy nose, I suggest you address what is causing the build up of mucous and restricted sinuses.
The nose is an extension of the lungs and also a side channel that is shared with the oral cavity and tube that goes to your stomach. If there are any irritations, or inflammatory actions, in those pathways then it will show as a stuffy nose. So it is good to investigate if you want to regain your health.
Look into the foods you eat. I have learned if I get the throat clearing thing after I eat, then there is something that my system is reacting to. If I plug up at night during sleep, usually it is related to what I ate. It can also be because of dust or dander in the room I sleep in, so I try to use a filter and keep windows open. AND I also practice Nasya.
I do this daily like brushing my teeth. It is highly recommended to do it 30 minutes before you eat.
I use a medicated oil made by Ayurveds with sesame oil as the base and primary herb calamus. You can also just use sesame or olive or coconut oil in a pinch. The herbs do help. There are precautions you need to be aware of that include contraindications if have a current infection in the sinuses or if you have a rare pathway that leads to the ear and tube, so please double check with a physician if you have this condition….you would know with elevation changes, swimming issues, history of chronic ear infections, etc. If you have a cold it is recommended to use salt water washes until the cold infection is finished.
Here is another great article from someone else I trust in the field of Ayurveda.
If you would like to discuss more individual options about Nasya or how to help improve your nasal passages for the best breathing function please contact me or fill out the form at bottom of this article. Thanks!
Here is the PDF I created, you can download on how to do this.
Here’s to health through your nose! Blessings
