Why your kids need to learn how to neti pot

teach kids neti

Now more than ever kids need neti pots. Or rhino horns (the plastic version). The reason kids need to learn to use the neti pot more than ever now is because of:

• There is more processed foods in our diet
• There is more processed dairy in our diet
• Kids immune systems are weak due to lack of sleep
• Kids immune systems are weak due to EMF’s (electro magnetic frequency – cell phones, ipads, etc.)

Yoga Hygiene is simply better

yoga and hygiene

Chances are as a kid YOU learned to take a bath and brush your teeth before bed. You learned hygiene skills from YOUR parents. Your kids learn hygiene from you. And if you’re reading my blog, chances are you do yoga. Yoga hygiene is a 5 kosha hygiene. As yogis, we do daily hygiene practices for 5 bodies, instead of 1. In yoga hygiene, we daily maintain:

• food body (eat local plants, daily oil massage)
• breath body (neti pot, exercise, breathing practices, yoga)
• mind body (breathing practices, meditation)
• intuitive body (breathing practices, meditation)
• bliss body (breathing practices, meditation)

You might notice from this list that breathing practices is high on the list. Anyone who has ever taught alternate nostril breathing in their yoga class knows how many people need a tissue. Our breath channels are clogged as a culture. If your breathing channels are clogged- your hygiene needs an overhaul. Start with the neti pot. Neti pot clears the mucus from high up in your nostrils releasing mucus from your sinuses. Watch Indy and check out how much mucus she got out. Mind you – she sounded stuffed up, but did NOT have a runny nose yet.

How to Neti

Get a rhino horn on amazon. Use the spoon in the box to measure your salt. You need to use the right amount of salt. The water should be as salted as tears. How poetic.

• Fill your pot with warm water and the right amount of salt.
• Shake.
• Tilt head so that your nose and crown line up on the horizontal axis.
• Turn your chin towards your shoulder. This prevents water from going into your sinuses.
• Lift pot to get gravity feed. Let water run through. If nostril is completely blocked, try the other side. Never force water through if you’re stuffed it. It will aggravate your body even more.

Advanced Neti Maneuver

I’m just talking to the pros here. If you’re a neti expert you probably already know this. But, I’ve met many a yogi who didn’t know this trick. If your channels are clear,  block the nostril the water is flowing out of with your finger. Pull the water through your mouth and spit it out. There is often a little plug of ama between the nostrils and the mouth. Do on the other side. Soon you’ll be able to do this without your finger, you advanced yogi you.

Dry crusty noses?

Maybe your kids have more dryness issues than mucus issues. In this case, you need lube more than salt water. Simply have your kids lubricate their nostrils in the morning before school or at night before bed with oil. I use Sinus Lube. You can use that, or just start with the coconut or olive oil in your kitchen. Yes – there was a huge neti scare. Read about it. I’m not worried about it – but if you are – learn about it.

For Cate’s Healthier Kids Workshop: Click Here