Coping with Nasal Allergies - The Yogic Way

An allergic reaction occurs when a person’s immune system reacts to an otherwise harmless substance in the environment. There are many types of allergies existent today, and some that cause the highest discomfort are related to the nose and eyes. Sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma and similar chronic ailments are extremely common, especially in industrialized urban environments.

People suffering from these conditions are found to have allergic inflammation and sensitivity throughout the nasal airways, due to contact with allergens such as dust or pollen. Allergic rhinitis alone affects 10% to 30% of adults and 40% of children worldwide. As anyone suffering from the symptoms of allergies – itchy eyes, running nose, phlegm, constant sneezing and breathing difficulties – would agree, this significantly impacts the quality of everyday life.

Here are a few tips that can bring some relief for those suffering from such conditions.

• Grind neem leaves to a paste, make a small-sized ball, dip it in honey and swallow it every morning on an empty stomach. Avoid eating anything for the next hour or so to let the neem pass through the system. This actually works on any kind of allergy – skin, food, anything. This practice can be continued for life, there is no harm in this. Neem has an extremely high medicinal value. Using tender neem leaves could reduce the bitterness, but otherwise any fresh and green leaf will do.
• Crush about 10 to 12 pepper corns roughly and soak them in a couple of spoons of honey overnight (about 8 to 12 hours). In the morning you consume this and just chew upon the pepper. Mixing some turmeric with the honey should also work. If you avoid all dairy products, your phlegm will go down naturally.
• Honey is extremely beneficial for asthmatics. It gives the necessary warmth in the body and dissolves the phlegm in the respiratory tract.
• By drinking warm water mixed with pepper and honey one can delay the onset of an attack by half an hour, giving ample time to get help and medication. If done on a regular basis, it can also completely rid one of the ailment.
• Another tip to avoid spasms is to soak few tulsi leaves and pepper in honey for 3-4 hours and then chew on it.
• It is best to avoid bananas, jackfruit, cooked beetroot (you can eat raw beetroot), country beans and dairy products. Also avoid coconut, as it forms mucous.

Sadhguru also has a few tips regarding sinus issues.

Sadhguru: I know people who have just messed up their whole system trying to do all kinds of things to their sinuses. If you do the kapalabathi that is taught as part of the Shakti Chalana Kriya, within a month or two, for most people their sinusitis should completely disappear. If you do the kapalabathi properly, it will provide relief to any type of cold-related disease.

There are a few exceptions, but it has worked for a majority of people. For those who have not had any relief, they probably need to take a break from whatever they are allergic to for a while, and do the kriya for some time to establish it well. Their kriya may not be very effective because of their allergic conditions. If the nasal passages are not fully opened and there is excessive mucus, the kriya may not be completely effective. If it is practiced correctly, you can definitely work yourself out of allergic situations. Cold weather just won’t bother you anymore. Not just the cold, even heat will not disturb you. When you have an internal air-conditioning, both the heat and cold do not disturb you too much.

Keeping the nasal passages clear and breathing properly is an extremely important process. Modern societies have forgotten about this. They think that somehow if the air goes inside, it is okay. This is not so. Clear nostrils and a healthy breathing process are extremely important.

Those who suffer from cold related diseases and find their nostrils blocked every morning, will benefit a lot from the consumption of neem, pepper, honey and turmeric.