If you’re looking for more information about nasya oil, how to use it, what it helps with and where to buy it – keep reading.
If you’re a fan of Ayurvedic medicine, then you may have heard of nasya oil. However, if you’re a nasya rookie, then you might be wondering just what this oil is and what it can do for you. A practice that’s used to lubricate the nasal passages with medicated ghee or herbalised oils, this practice is particularly important in Ayurveda for nasal irrigation and overall health.
With nasya directly translated to “belonging to or being in the nose” from Sanskrit, it’s one of the five main techniques for cleansing the body. As it’s well regarded that the nose is the gateway to the head, sinuses and lungs, it is little surprise that nasya oil is so widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. Not only does the practice of nasya deliver lubrication to the nasal passages and medicine to the body, but it also allows for the digestion of prana, which keeps the body’s cerebral function in top working order.
In Ayurveda, when our prana becomes unbalanced, it can widely affect our neurological and physiological functions, which can result in colds, stiffness, headaches, migraines and more. Important to stimulating the body’s natural functions and regenerating tissue, nasya oil is one of Ayurveda’s best practices.
How to use nasya oil
When administering nasya oil, you’ll want to ensure that you’re getting it right the first time. After all, anything going into the nasal passages should be administered with care!
Now, before you start, make sure that the nasya oil is warm enough. Simply place the nasya oil in a container of warm water to get it to a decent temperature. When administering the nasya oil, you should lie down on your back, tilt the head backwards and look towards the ceiling. Then, simply place 3-5 drops of nasya oil in each nostril and massage the outer perimeter of the nostril in a circular motion. In order to ensure that the drops go down the nasal passage adequately, this step is crucial. In order to get the full benefit, breathe in with a light force to let the oil penetrate across the mucous membranes.
What does nasya oil tend to help with?
As nasya oil helps to clear the nose and sinuses of obstructions and eases breathing channels, it’s great for soothing any dryness in sinus tissue, and also helps to maintain the body’s dosha balances to ward off colds, coughs, sinusitis and asthma.
As the nasal passages function as an effective filter for the lower airways, nasya oil helps assist sinus tissue with filtering and increases the body’s ability to flush out allergens, bacteria or fungi that may cause persistent nasal issues.
Where can you buy nasya oil?
There are many sources of nasya oil on the market, and they tend to be stocked at local health food stores, natural pharmacies and online. You can make it yourself with practice, but we highly recommend getting it from a reputable health store to prevent any contamination or errors. As this oil will be going into your nasal passages, you don’t really want to mess around here!
