How to keep allergies away during Holi?

By Arti Gaur

Whether you paint the town red, white or blue, this holi, you can keep cold and cough at bay—that occurs thanks to catching a chill in the wet clothes or an allergic reaction to the number of particulates that float in post-holi air—with these simple yogic techniques.

1.  JAL NETI:  (Nasal cleansing) Take 500ml bearably warm water in a neti pot, add ½ tsp black/rock salt and a pinch of turmeric. Stand evenly and bending slightly forward tilt the head at 45degrees angle towards left. Insert the nozzle of the pot into the right nostril. While breathing normally from the mouth, tilt the pot so that the water runs into the right nostril and flows out from the left. Repeat on the other side. Breathe normally afterwards. Saline water is the best cleansing medium, which absorbs and scrapes away infectious pathogens accumulated in the nasal passage. Turmeric is disinfectant, antiseptic and scouring agent. Jal Neti kits are available on Dhyan Foundation website.

1. COW’S GHEE: Warm pure cow’s ghee to a bearable temperature. Lie down flat on your back and let the head hang down, bending the neck backwards. Using a dropper or a spoon pour about 5 drops of ghee in each nostril turn by turn, in such a way so as it does not flow down towards the throat but flows backwards, towards the head. Keep lying in the same position for 5 minutes afterwards. Cow’s ghee lubricates the nasal passage and strengthens the mucous membranes to fight against infections.

3.  FOOT MASSAGE: Heat mildly some mustard oil and massage the soles of the feet before retiring. Loose cotton socks can be worn later. Mustard oil is hot and massaging generates heat in the body to fight any symptoms of cold and infection.

Arti Gaur is an Ayurveda Expert at Dhyan Foundation