Most of us know the deal with neti pots by now.  You fill a little teapot-looking thing up with warm salt water, stick the spout in one nostril, pour, and like magic, the water flows through your sinuses and out the other nostril, taking with it excess mucous, bacteria, and pollutants.  Brilliant, right?  No wonder they've practiced it in India for hundreds of years as part of daily cleansing, as routine and integral as how we brush our teeth.

I've had sinus and allergy problems my whole life.  I've also technically owned a neti pot for four years.  However, much like exercise equipment and those Rosetta Stone Cantonese language tapes, a neti pot won't produce results unless you actually use it.  Setting it on your shelf and looking at it with good intentions just doesn't take you very far. 

This spring, my sinus problems were as bad as ever, and even my prescription nasal spray wasn't doing that much after a while.  I guess neti pots were recently on Oprah or something, because suddenly they were on the racks at CVS and I found out friends, family, and even my own roommates had started using them daily. 

Sufficiently shamed and nasally miserable enough to consider adding another step to my morning ritual, I dug my neti out of storage and gave it a good scrubbing.  I remembered that there were special prepared salt packets you could buy from the store, and I figured if I was going to do it, I should do it right.  I went to the drug store and checked them out, and sure enough, individually prepared, perfectly pH balanced, single-serving salt packets in boxes of fifty for thirteen dollars. 

Now, I'm all for doing things right, but in a time of severe economic recession and environmental crisis, shelling out thirteen bucks for what is essentially a box of salt with a bunch of extra packaging materials just didn't seem prudent.  If homemade and DIY are the way of the future, I could certainly concoct my own salt water. 

I went home and did some internet research.  Typing "neti pot solution" into Google yields a daunting number of results.  Everyone from the Mayo Clinic to Wikipedia to the Himalayan Institute seems to have their opinions on the best way to irrigate your sinuses.  Below are just a few articles I found in this search. 

http://www.himalayaninstitute.org/NetiPot/NetiPotInstructions.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/neti-pot-solution/AN01879

http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/neti-pot.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_4760782_neti-pot-instructions-sea-salt.html

http://yoga108.org/pages/show/106-how-to-use-a-neti-pot-without-danger

Like many folk medicinal practices, the different instructions are often contradictory.  Some sites advocate saline only, while some suggest mixing a small amount of baking soda into the mixture to help soothe mucous membranes.  Some prescribe sea salt, while others argue that sea salt is too harsh.  Some neti enthusiasts rail against iodized table salt, since it's made with chemical caking agents that are unnatural and can irritate sinus passages.  One site recommends using only distilled water, another concedes that tap water is okay if it's boiled or filtered first, while some people say plain old tap water is perfectly fine.  When I talked to her, Emily even said she had used a mixture of water, salt, and apple cider vinegar (ouch!) during times of severe congestion.

With all this conflicting information, what's a stuffy girl to do? 

I decided to ask Kris, MTW's resident Ayurveda specialist.  I generally try to make home remedies as easily as possible, so if I could get her okay on using tap water and table salt, I would be thrilled.  "Neti pots are essentially about irrigation," she said.  "The main reason not to use table salt is that the chemicals may be a little harsher on your mucous membranes, but the salt will still do the work and clear you out."

I'm not overly afraid of the chemicals in table salt.  I figure, if I eat it every day, it should be okay to go up my nose.  Similarly, I don't have the fear of tap water that so many Americans seem to have.  I have friends who won't even drink tap water unless it's been filtered, who if offered nothing but tap water in a home will go thirsty or run out to buy a bottle of Poland Spring.  Me, I drink tap water and it hasn't hurt me yet, so I see no reason why I can't use it in my nose, too.

I started doing my neti pot every morning when I woke up as the first part of my morning routine.  I mix one-eighth a teaspoon of table salt in eight ounces of warm tap water and go to town, draining half the pot in one direction and half in the other.  Then I gently (most sources agree that harsh blowing can force mucous up into harder-to-reach sinus passages) blow my nose to get out the rest of the water and mucous. 

So far I've had great results and hardly any noticeable irritation.  Just to see if it makes a big difference, I may eventually buy pickling salt, which is chemical-free and quicker to dissolve.  If I do I'll post here and let you know how it goes, but so far, so good.

It's challenging to find online accounts of bad experiences with netis.  One night a friend was over and saw my pot on the shelf in the bathroom.  "Those can give you horrible sinus infections, worse than you've ever had in your life if you're not careful," he said, dramatically.  "Just please make sure to keep it clean." 

He was referring to one of our friends who allegedly never washes her neti and leaves it in the shower to collect mold.  Washing your pot each time and keeping it in a dry place seems like commons sense to me.  Whatever grows in a moist, bacteria-laden place is not anything I want poured into my orifices.  I assured him I washed my neti well and kept it clean and dry.

But then it occurred to me that I'd only heard raving praise about the wonders of neti pots, and had never heard any real horror-stories.  That's extremely rare with any healthcare practice, whether holistic or allopathic.  So I did what a good little blogger should do and googled "neti pot problems."

I found a very interesting blog here.  This woman recounts her first extremely unsuccessful experience using her neti.  Her initial try was apparently so unpleasant that she concluded that neti pots just weren't for her.  After some months and some more research, however, she decided that using a modified version of the usual neti treatment specific to her body composition and sensitivities did help significantly.  It just took trial, error, and listening to her body to get to that place.

It's been several weeks now of near daily use and my sinuses are feeling better than I can remember them ever feeling during this time of year.  In years past, the thick humidity and pollens of the deep summertime have made me hoarse, irritable, and have given me a persistent smoker-like rattling cough.  When the weather finally started to heat up again this year, I woke up hoarse every morning with phlegm collecting in the back of my throat.  Now I wake up, do my neti, and go into the day feeling like I could sing an opera.  (However out of consideration for my friends' and coworkers' eardrums, I usually don't.)

So the lesson here, as with so many other issues relating to health and personal care is, Know Your Body.  Bring a level of awareness into your neti pot usage.  If table salt irritates your nasal membranes, don''t use it.  If you find mixing baking soda into the water beneficial, do it!  Above all else, awareness of your body's individual needs is vital to good neti pot practice, and good personal wellness in general.

Tucked away in the Porter Square Shopping Center only a few blocks down from Davis Square and MTW, a clean, unassuming storefront announces Cambridge Naturals.  I love to pop in after getting off the T for some coconut water or Badger lip balm, and they sell a nose spray with grapefruit seed oil extract and Xylitol that has saved my nose this allergy season.  Cambridge Naturals also carries a wide range of local and New England-made products, conserving resources associated with having products shipped from far away and supporting the local natural community.

The staff is always very helpful and exceedingly knowledgeable, so I contacted them.  There has been such an increase in public awareness surrounding natural body care and holistic wellness, I wondered what the changing world looks like through the eyes of an independently owned natural care store.  Corey, Body Care Manager, and Minna, Grocery Manager were kind enough to correspond with me via email.

Jade:  How long has Cambridge Naturals existed?

Minna and Corey: Cambridge Naturals has been independently owned by Michael Kanter and Elizabeth Stagl since 1974. There is a (now somewhat famous!) picture of Michael and Elizabeth taken in that year that hangs above our register.

J: How has the store grown and evolved over the years?

M & C: Michael actually started his first store, Arlington Natural Foods in 1971 with his brother. After selling that business, Cambridge Natural Foods was founded in 1974. The store existed for many years as a full grocery, complete with deli items, hand cut cheeses, bulk, and produce. Nearly 10 years ago, Cambridge Naturals began to shift its focus from primarily natural foods to its current identity as a "whole health" store focusing on nutritional supplements, natural body care, and natural lifestyle products. Cambridge Naturals still loves the grocery aspect of the business, and we carry a wonderful selection of fair trade, organic teas and coffees, wholesome snacks, and cold beverages. Another important aspect of the store identity is its involvement with Cambridge Local First and other such movements promoting sustainable, local, independent business. Michael was a founding member of Cambridge Local First, and we try to incorporate the principles of the movement in everything we do.

J:  I just noticed information on neti pots on the Mayo Clinic website.  Five years ago I never would have dreamed holistic wellness would gain such mainstream acceptance.  Have you noticed increasing interest in natural and holistic approaches to wellness in the past few years?

M & C:  Yes, there has been an increasing trend. People are becoming more aware of their health issues and taking responsibility for those issues. There exists a lot more information about dealing with certain issues that doctors are not aware of.

J:  What made you want to work at CN? 

M & C:  The roots of Cambridge Naturals can be traced to Michael and Elizabeth's strong belief in natural food and community. That is, natural foods and other natural products are the best way to promote the health of our bodies, our communities, and our planet. Michael and Elizabeth's vision from the getgo was to establishing a community natural health store. That vision still holds true.  It is our mission to sell nutritional supplements for health and wellness, pure and clean body care products, and organic foods. We aim to know our products inside and out, and to seek out the best products available.

J:  What are some of your favorite products that CN currently offers? 

Minna: Gnosis Raw Chocolate - everyone can benefit from these antioxidant rich treats. They are delicious and packed with all kinds of nutrients. Teas of all kinds, but especially Holy Basil Teas for their wonderful balancing effects on the body. We carry Holy Basil teas from Organic India and a wonderful Yerba Mate/Holy Basil blend from Eco Teas. Anyone looking for sustained energy and stress management can benefit from these teas.

Corey:  Weleda facial care products - Weleda offers natural skin care that works with your skin. Dr. Hauschka produces lovely skin products that help balance the skin. Dr. Bronner's offers a fine of organic body care products that are rich in hemp oil; they really nourish the skin.


Cambridge Naturals is located in the Porter Square Shopping Center at 23 White Street in Cambridge off of Mass Ave.

Saturday, July 18th, Massage Therapy Works will represent the bodyworking community at Art Beat, Somerville's annual outdoor arts festival held all day in Davis Square. 

MTW's therapists will be outside in the square offering 10, 15, and 20 minute chair massages at the special rate of only a dollar a minute.  A great pit stop between all the bluegrass, Brazillian music, and indie rock bands at Art Beat to revive those dancing muscles, and an affordable treat to help you unwind from a stressful week and get you ready for the rest of the summer.

Art Beat has provided a platform for artists, musicians and performers in Somerville for over seven years.  This year's theme is "Somerville of the Future," featuring artwork that envisions life in Somerville in a world of increased globalization, ecological awareness, and (dare we imagine) space travel.  There will be continuous music by local bands, craft vendors, food and beverages, and did I mention affordable chair massages?  Sounds like a pretty good plan for a summer Saturday to me.

You can download a full program at the Somerville Arts Council Website.

I've been practicing yoga for several years now, but until recently, I was a total stranger to Ayurvedic Bodywork.

"Ayurveda" literally means "life-science."  In traditional Indian medicine, yoga and ayurveda work together to promote total balance and wellness.  Kris describes it as the sister science to yoga.  While yoga emphasizes the union of the mind and body through movement and stillness (asanas), ayurveda focuses on the Five Elements in the body (Air, Ether, Fire, Water, Earth) and the rules that govern them in nature and within our bodies.  It is a vast science that utilizes the intake of herbs, diet, meditation, pranayama (breathing exercises) and specific bodywork techniques to balance the three biological humors called "doshas". 

These doshas are Vata (air & ether), Pitta (fire & water), and Kapha (earth & water).  Each of these aspects serve a distinct and integral purpose, it's only when they become unbalanced that they become precursors to disease and illness.  The Vata dosha is vital for sensory and bodily functions, but too much Vata can lead to fearfulness and anxiety.  Its nature is air, so when this becomes imbalanced it tends to "blow" the other doshas out of balance as well.  Pitta is the dosha of intelligence and perception, but can also incite anger, hate and jealousy.  Kapha inspires stability and attachment, but can also bring with it greed and possessiveness. 


Abhyanga is an ancient form of ayurvedic massage that seeks to balance the doshas by the therapeutic application of warmed, herbalized oils to the skin.  First. the entire body is exfoliated to remove dead skin cells, create an electric charge around the body, and stimulate the nervous system, preparing it for more sensory input.  The practitioner then takes the heated oil,  infused with herbs specific to your body's composition and needs, and massages it into the skin in choreographed, therapeutic strokes. 

Unlike most forms of therapeutic bodywork, abhyanga does not penetrate deeply into the muscles. Its focus is on the healing properties of the herbs cooked in the oils, the temperature of the oil, and the application of it to the body. The pressure is quite light and it is the rhythmic strokes along energy pathways called "nadis" that help clear blockages.   As someone who has always preferred intense pressure and deep tissue massages, I was skeptical about the efficacy of a "light pressure" massage.  I figured at the very least this would be a new and interesting experience, but I wasn't holding my breath for it to produce noticeable changes in the way I felt.

Kris began the abhyanga with a questionnaire and intake interview to help determine which of my doshas were out of balance.  At the time of my abhyanga, my most pressing health concern was a myriad of skin problems, including persistent eczema and a recurrent case of perioral dermatitis.  Kris determined that my proclivity toward vigorous workouts, general analytical mental behavior, and the outbreak of my skin indicated an imbalance of the fiery Pitta dosha.  She said that skin problems are a manifestation of too much fire in the body. 


Kris put on music as she warmed the oil, which was infused with herbs selected to mollify Pitta (brahmi, shatavari, and guduchi).  As I lay on the table I still had no idea what to expect.  Then she donned a pair of raw silk gloves (called garshana gloves) and began to exfoliate my skin. 

Each stroke in abhyanga is choreographed, down to the order of left to right and the number of passes the bodyworker makes over a calf or a bicep.  Even during this part of the massage, which was relatively vigorous compared to rest, the rhythm of the movements were soothing. 

After my pores were good and open, Kris began to apply copious amounts of oil.  She started at my head, letting the warm golden liquid spread through my hair, then massaging it into my face, neck, scalp and shoulders in flowing, circular motions.  She then moved onto my chest & torso, gradually working down one side of my body -  arm, then leg, and finally foot.  Then the same motions were mirrored on the other side of my body.  Traditionally, abhyanga is performed by two therapists simultaneously - one on the left, one on the right.  But Kris is the only one in town who is professionally certified to do it, so in Somervillian abhyanga it's only her.

The ritual in the order and repetition in the movement was evident.  The practice of abhyanga has been carried down and fine-tuned for hundreds of years in India, and lying there on the table experiencing it for myself, I felt a sense of connection with this ancient tradition.  My mind kept going back to the idea of being "anointed" with oil, inspired in part  by the meditative decor of the room and the Sanskrit chants Kris was playing. 

At the end of the abhyanga, Kris left me in the room to get dressed.  I felt utterly relaxed.   As I soaked up the excess oil with a towel, I felt as though I had just woken up from a very deep sleep. 

I wrapped my head in a scarf to preserve the oil left in my hair.  Kris told me the best thing for me to do that afternoon would be to sit in a steam room to open up my skin even more and allow whatever was left of the oil to penetrate and absorb.  My gym has a steam room, so I decided to take her advice and get the absolute most out of my abhyanga. 

Walking to the gym, I noticed my head felt remarkably sharp and clear.  Usually my allergies leave me with a sore, raspy throat and post-nasal drip all through July, but I found I was breathing freely, and even enjoyed taking deep breaths of the summer air. 

After the steam room I went home and took a proper shower.  When I dried myself off I looked in the mirror and sure enough, the eczema on my face looked better.  What had been dark red, flaky, itchy splotches the day before were now barely pink, and they didn't itch nearly as much as they had even that morning.  After numerous frustrating visits with dermatologists, I was a little surprised to see such a marked difference in just one day. 

I don't know how long the results will last, and ayurveda is a vast science which suggests many other changes, including diet, yoga, and attitude adjustments to help further balance the doshas.  I plan to follow up on learning more about this tradition, and will post here about my progress and results.

You hear it so often that's it's practically a cliche.  When a person finds a way to dramatically reduce chronic pain, they will rotate their newly freed joints with wide-eyed amazement.  Then that phrase.  "I didn't even realize how much pain I was in until it went away."

We've all heard someone say it, and most of us have said it (or at least thought it) ourselves.  But when the relief is so dramatic and the pain becomes so clear in hindsight, why is it that our brains often don’t seem to tell us when we're actually experiencing the pain? 

When I first came into MTW for my interview, I had recently been laid off from a very stressful job.  I was carrying loads of tension not only from being out of work and unsure how I would pay my rent, but from months and months of working in an extremely high-stress environment.  As many of you probably know all too well, stress tends to manifest physically as neck and shoulder tightness and pain.

After six months of constantly building stress upon stress, pain upon pain with no bodywork, I was cranky, hunched, and had daily headaches and problems sleeping.  This in turn made me more stressed out, which led to more pain.

In true American fashion, however, I soldiered onward and forward.  I didn't have the time or the money to waste on a luxury like a massage, I told myself.  I made up excuses for my crankiness and my trouble sleeping.  "Too much caffeine," I would say, even though I would lie awake at night with a stabbing pain between my shoulders.

When I came into Massage Therapy Works I was interviewing for a receptionist position.  We had talked for about ten minutes before Richard mentioned how tense I looked.

I didn't even realize I was holding my shoulders scrunched up tightly into my neck, or that my neck itself was tense to the point that my tendons were visible.  Richard pointed this out to me and it was like an epiphany.  Had I really been walking around like this for six months?

After some therapeutic bodywork, the initial relief was like that first breath of air after being underwater.  I could turn my head all the way to each side!  I could relax my shoulders without the sharp acidic pain from constant scrunching!  This was revolutionary. 

Now, of course, I barely think about it.  Once pain goes away, the memory of it fades quickly.  I remember those months of terrible neck and shoulder pain and wonder how I was able to get out of bed and go to work like that.  The answer is my brain, trying to keep me functioning and productive, helped to camouflage the problem by compensation (the scrunching) and avoidance (“It must be the caffeine”).  

The Western mentality is based on numbing and ignoring.  Our bodies are smart.  When something is going wrong, either physically or emotionally, they tell us through pain.  When we don’t address the problems itself and only try to suppress the symptoms, the problems will just pile up until they become debilitating. 

Thinking back, surely there are things I could have done along the way that would have helped me avoid becoming so knotted and tense I couldn’t sit or lie down without pain.  If I had listened to my neck and shoulders at the first sign of stiffness, for instance, maybe I could have corrected the habits and holding patterns that caused them, or taken steps earlier to remove myself from or improve my stressful work situation.

The awareness of the body and what it’s trying to tell you is one of the greatest benefits of bodywork.  A trained therapist will spend time interviewing you before you even lie down on the table.  Just having a conversation about your body can bring awareness to the parts that are telling you something’s wrong.  A therapist will also help you isolate and make sense of all your body’s signals.

It’s all about awareness.  Instead of taking ibuprofen when your head hurts and passively waiting for your symptoms to subside, ask yourself where the pain is coming from.  Remember that pain often has both emotional and physical causes.  Have you been especially stressed about a project lately?  Or maybe you just bought a new desk chair and the angle at which you now hold your head is strenuous. 

One technique of bodily awareness that Emily mentioned to me is to set aside fifteen minutes in a quiet, comfortable place, lie down, close your eyes, and just be in your body.  Notice what you feel.  Do you feel a twinge in your hips?  A soreness in your feet?  That all-too-common tightness in your shoulders and neck?  Think of what you might do in your daily life that could contribute to these pains.  Then develop a plan of action to reduce or circumvent the strain of those activities. 

This is also a good time to notice possible mental and emotional origins of your pain.  If you’re lying quietly trying to focus on your body, but your mind keeps wandering back to a tough day at work or a troubled relationship, you may have discovered another cause of pain -- one that you can now address and work to improve. 

Above all, listen to your body without judgment.  Every body expresses its pain differently.  Remember, your body feels pain to help you understand how to help yourself grow and improve.  Learn to listen to what your body has to say, and it could be the start of a beautiful friendship. 

Mattie Eisenberg is back in Boston on Sunday, July 19th for a special yoga workshop, Exploring the Four Movements of the Spine.  In this class, Mattie will instruct students in techniques that will help them locate and release compressed areas in their spines.  These compressed areas are what inhibit mobility and cause pain.  Students will also learn how to train their abdominal muscles for maximum spinal support, and master the use of breath, core engagement, and props to optimize spine bending poses. 

This workshop will be a homecoming for Mattie.  She is originally from Massachusetts and first taught yoga around Boston before founding La Vita Yoga, a yoga studio without walls in 2008.  La Vita Yoga is a traveling studio which brings her unique style of indoor and outdoor classes to students across the country.  She is a nationally registered yoga teacher and received her BA from Smith College. 

I was happy to talk to Mattie on the phone the other day at 8AM (Pacific time) about her upcoming return to Boston.

Jade Sylvan: Why is the spine so important?

Mattie Eisenberg: The spine is literally our backbone.  It supports us in everything we do, physically and emotionally.  We think of it as being a physical pillar that holds up our limbs, head, and muscles, but it's also the central channel of our nervous system.  Not only does it support our musculoskeletal system, but our more subtle life energies as well.  The spine is a wonderful column of potential for being alive.  It helps everything flow.

That's not to say the spine has to be in perfect, open shape to feel benefits.  In this workshop I start with the student and do a lot of exploration into the individual spine.  One student may have a very strong, open, flexible spine, and I can help her fine-tune her practice to optimize each expression and work with the openness she already has.  Another may have a pinched nerve, sciatica, or scoliosis and live with daily pain.  For that person I can show how to compensate and use different parts of the body, modified postures and props to take the pressure off the injured areas and strengthen the surrounding areas.  I have found these workshops to be very beneficial for people living with scoliosis and sciatica.

JS: Tell me about your teaching philosophy.

ME: I'm a strong believer in having a sense of humor in teaching.  We all take ourselves so seriously.  Life is too short not to just enjoy every moment that you can.  When things are fun, whatever you can do or whatever you can't is fine, you're just doing it for the experience itself.  Humor helps us not to place expectation or judgment on the process.  To just let yourself do what you can do and get what you can out of it. 

JS: It must be such a unique experience to work as a traveling yoga instructor.  What differences have you noticed in yoga students across the country?  Are there regional quirks in the way people practice?

ME: Somewhat.  Actually I notice more similarity in my students than differences.  It seems like people all over are just happy to be moving around and exploring themselves.  When people do yoga, it seems to make them happy and relaxed.  There's something different about that movement from other exercises which can stress the body to the point of exhaustion.  We've come to call that exhaustion "relaxation," but yoga is physically challenging in a more restorative way.  Yoga comes from a place of rejuvenation as opposed to a place of completion.

I have noticed that the people on the East Coast tend to be more engaged in the intellectual process behind the poses.  They tend to focus on the postures, anatomy, kinetics, and philosophy.  They seem on the whole to be more mental than say, the people in Tuscon.  In the West I see more of a sense of enjoying the movement for the sake of the movement without that need to analyze. 

As for individual differences, sometimes something shows up in a person's approach that's very personal.  For instance, you can tell when somebody puts down their mat and adjusts it ten times that they like to feel in control.  Then there are people who just plop it down wherever.  You just know these people are more laid back and less concerned with things in their lives being "just so." 

Most of all I love the different environments I'm able to teach in.  For instance, I could be teaching in a gym, a resort, or outside in a park.  There's a beautiful freedom when you practice outdoors.  People's egos are way less present when you're not in a confined space.  A space like a yoga studio or a gym brings its own energetic dogma with it.  A gym will bring external competition (how am I doing compared with the others?), a yoga studio internal competition (how am I doing compared with last month?), but outside the competition just doesn't exist.  Expectations affect the way you practice.  There are uses for all these expectations and some may be helpful to different people at different times, the important thing is to be aware and understand what you need.  Yoga is about being aware in the present moment.

Workshop Details:

Back in Boston: Exploring the Four Movements of the Spine will be held at:

Black Lotus Yoga
91 Sydney Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

Sunday, July 19th from 1-4PM

To register email mattie@lavitayoga.com