Month: November 2023

The method suggested by Yoga hygiene for the cleansing of the nostrils is very simple and is known as the process of ‘Neti‘. To meet all kinds of cases, it is further sub-divided into two modes:-

1. ‘Sutra-neti / Rubber neti‘ or cleansing the nose by means of a thread made specially for this purpose or rubber cathetar
2. The ‘Jalaneti‘ or the nasal douche.

Kinds of Jalaneti:- The Jalaneti or the nasal douche is really threefold:-

a. “Vyutkrama Jalaneti” when the water is taken through the nostrils and expelled through the mouth.

b. “Shitakrama Jalaneti” or the reverse process of sucking through the mouth and throwing it out through both the nostrils.

c. “Siddha Jalaneti” which consists in sniffing water (and sometimes even milk and other liquids) through one nostril at a time without allowing it to the mouth, expelling the same through the other nostril. This when reversed and practised alternately through the other nostril forms one complete process.

The detailed process and their benefits have been explained earlier as linked above.

The root cause of all diseases is one or the other kind of uncleanliness which breeds germs or bacteria. A Yoga Sadhaka i.e., a student of Yoga consequently starts with ‘Shaucha’ or cleanliness. Internal and external, physical and mental cleanliness comes under ‘Shaucha’.

Text books on Yoga lay down various practices for cleaning different parts of the body. But we are, however, concerned here with the cleanliness of the nose only. If the nose is kept clean and healthy a cold cannot successfully attack the person even inspite of the conditions of infection being present.

Any organ – teeth, eyes, ears, skin, bowels, etc. is liable to fall prey to a disease if not cleansed regularly. The teeth, eyes, skin and others fortunately receive our due attention in this direction, but the nose generally remains neglected, though it is the most important organ and on its health depends the well being not only of the lungs, ears and eyes but of the whole system. This is the organ through which we suck in the ‘Prana-Vayu’ i.e. life-breath. This should be invariably cleansed every morning along with the teeth.

Ordinarily, whatever dust is inhaled lodges on the mucous surface of the nasal canal and is pushed towards the outer orifice by the minute cilia which are in constant outward motion. Any microbes entering the nose are likewise expelled, and in addition to this mechanical expulsion, the nasal mucous which by nature is germicidal destroys a large number of bacteria. But with the amount of dust we inhale and the adulterated food and poisonous drinks we are daily swallowing, clogging of the whole physical mechanism in unavoidable. The nasal passage accordingly suffers from dust accumulation and stuffing. Handkerchiefs cannot remove all the dust and mucous accumulated from the long zigzag nasal passage, and the refuse begins to encrust.

Damp or cold air cannot by itself cause a cold. An indispensable factor in the catching of cold is the presence of germ infection and, whatever hardships or exposure we undergo, they will not result in an ordinary head cold provided the air is free from infective germs.

Investigators in the cause of science have exposed their naked bodies to direct draughts of freezing points, having first attained an over heated condition by violent exercise and yet, though the experiment was tried over prolonged periods the result which might have been expected, viz, a cold did not appear.

There is however, a way in which bad weather, conditions can play a more definite part in cold causation, and that are alternated with unhealthy atmosphere. If we get thoroughly chilled, with wet feet, and then go into confined surroundings and sit or remain in these conditions, we are in a fair way to catching a cold. This is because the blood is diverted from the cold extremities where the arteries are contracted, to the head, which tends to become relatively congested. This congestion, which is increased by the hot stagnant air surrounding the head causes the mucous membrane of the nose to become unhealthy and swollen, and lowers its resistance to the germs of infection which now surround it. If the feet were first warmed by a change of shoes and stockings and by brisk massage, the body would become more evenly heated, and though the atmosphere would still be an unfavourable one, less harm would result.

Entering a stuffy closed room from the fresh air of outside, similarly, causes a cold by adversly affecting the mucous membrane of the nose and lowering its power of resistance.