Back to Basics Newsletter, 4/27/2010
Written by Roxanne Louise. Feel free to circulate.
FIELD TRIP TO LARRIE KLINE’S STRAW BALE HOUSE on Saturday, May 8 at 2 PM.
Besides list below, Larry also has lots of nettles (great spring internal cleanser), ham radio, and lots of interesting gadgets –well worth the trip! Might be good to carpool.
Please RSVP if you want to go and if you are willing to drive anyone or need a ride.
| DIRECTIONS: The address of farm is 6189 rocky lane, harrisonburg, 22802, its about 10 miles nw of harrisonburg. Take rt. 42 in harrisonburg (virginia ave) go north 3 miles, left on 772, go 2 miles and at T (Mcmullen funeral home) turn right on rock lane and go 200 yards and left in lane, go 800 feet to strawbale cabin. His phone is 540-746-0910 for further directions.
House is 1800 sq. ft strawbale clarastory off grid, full solar electric 110 volt system. Thermal panels for water heating. 30 acres, 15 wooded and 15 pasture, I have 2 dexter cows for meat. There is a 60 by 80 garden with mature asparagus patch, raised beds with plants growing, several cold frames full of swiss chard. 15 fruit trees some mature others young. Blackberry patch of Doyles thornless variety. Small grape vine, several blueberries. There is a grandmother oak tree, takes 3 people holding hands to go around trunk if anybodys interested. Steam bath, ozone maker, arbon chamber, rife maching, photon genie instrument, and other silly healing machines. There is a swing in the living room. Root cellar full of stored food. |
==========================================
Next Meeting, Sunday, May 16 is back at home of Roxanne Louise, 130 Graywinds Lane, Nellysford, VA 22958.
Car pool if you can as parking limited. Free and open to all.
Please RSVP. Call 434-361-1969 or email Roxanne at roxannelouise@verizon.net.
Bringing snacks to share is appreciated!
AGENDA FORMING: Look at list of possible topics below and do you have something to offer or a request for info on same?
What do we talk about? The purpose of this group is to provide practical, simple solutions related to self sufficiency as well as building conscious community and a network of support.
POSSIBLE TOPICS to be discussed in meetings, field trips, newsletters and classes include:
FOOD: survival gardening, cold frames, greenhouses, food harvesting, dehydration, canning, storage, freeze-dried foods, where to get bulk foods, calculation of needs
WATER: water harvesting, storage, filtration and purification
ENERGY: wood, wind, solar, geothermal, alternative fuels, generators, back-up systems .
MONEY/EXCHANGE: how to manage/invest what you have now, and how to get what you need through non-money means, e.g., bartering.
HEALTH: stocking and understanding home medicine cabinet, basic self health care, homeopathy, growing medicinal herbs and making/using herbal medicines, first aid, energy medicine, detoxification, enhancing all systems of the body simply in non-toxic ways, mind-body healing
MIND: stress management, accessing subconscious resources for creative problem solving
SPIRIT: tapping into spiritual resources for healing, direction and inspiration
VISION: envisioning a society, neighborhoods or pods that enhance the true well-being and potential of each individual
NETWORKING: knowing who to contact to meet needs
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: group think tanks, lateral thinking
SAFETY
HOUSING
What do we NOT talk about during our two-hour meeting time? While most of us are politically and spiritually aware and active, at this group we choose to keep those discussions outside of meeting time. However, we do invite you to make short (up to 2 minute) announcements of other events/meetings/discussion groups, bills in Congress, state or local government that concern us, or putting out literature/sign-up sheets/petitions on table. If there is interest, such as on martial arts, self-defense, home defense systems, that is best done as a special event, field trip or workshop. We encourage you to organize your own workshops/ meetings/ discussion groups on additional topics outside the scope of this group. An announcement or handout should include 1. what it is, 2. where and when it is, answer the question 3. why should we care, and 4. include your contact information.
May 16 Meeting Agenda so far: Have something to add on this or other topics?
Glenn Mingo will talk about making pemmican and bring some to taste.
Ron Mauer will talk about ham radio, plus will bring an Excalibur food dehydrator and 2 varieties of portable water filters.
Roxanne has Kombucha to give away, and lots of fresh peppermint. She will show and demonstrate use of a Neti Pot. She will also bring up the topic of Network Groups. Do you know of any network groups in the greater Central VA area? For example, babysitting co-ops, elder care, carpooling, transportation to/from medical visits, Reiki Shares or other healing groups? What about other community services being done by local charities/churches/or government as well as loosely organized individuals? Send us a list of what you know or tell us at meeting.
==========================================
Ham Radio:
There is no longer a requirement to learn Morse code. There are 3 license classes: Technician, General and Extra. Generals have more privileges than Technicians. Extras have more privileges than Generals. The old Novice class no longer exists.
The local Amateur radio club’s website is http://www.albemarleradio.org/
Practice tests are here http://www.qrz.com/xtest2.html
How to get your license? http://www.arrl.org/licensing-preparation-exams
HAM RADIO EVENT IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, Saturday, May 1
http://www.albemarleradio.org/cruise-in/
(Rain or Shine, the event will go on with shelter available)
Cruise to Charlottesville and receive a “Certificate of Participation” just for showing up. No mobile rig required; however, special certificates will be awarded to the most innovative mobile station shown in a car, truck, RV, motorcycle and bicycle; as well as a certificate for the ham traveling the longest distance.
Saturday, 10 a.m. till 4 p.m., May 1, 2010
Darden Towe Park – Charlottesville (A Half-Mile North on Route 20 from Route 250 East of Charlottesville)
Talk-In will be on 146.760 Repeater with WA4TFZ
No Tone Required
Talk-Around on site will be on 146.550 simplex
Query: Jim Crosby, K4JEC, 434-823-2277
Come to Charlottesville and participate in a showcase of mobile amateur radio equipment. Pack a picnic lunch and spend a fun day in the park with your fellow hams from all over Virginia. To save time on your arrival, let us know you are coming by completing the pre-registration form below. Pre- registration is not required for participation but will be appreciated for planning purposes. There will be no entry or registration fee.
Check our website: albemarleradio.org for specific and last minute details.
Mail to: AARC, P. O. Box 6833 Charlottesville, VA 22906
Email to: k4jec@arrl.net
==========================================
PEMMICAN – an old, American Indian way of preserving food
http://www.traditionaltx.us/images/PEMMICAN.pdf
“Pemmican is a concentrated nutritionally complete food invented by the North American Plains Indians. It was originally made during the summer months from dried lean Buffalo meat and rendered fat as a way to preserve and store the meat for use when traveling and as a primary food source during the lean winter months.
When pemmican was discovered by our early Frontiersmen (explorers, hunters, trappers, and the like) it became a highly sought after commodity. The Hudson Bay Company purchased tons of pemmican from the native tribes each year to satisfy the demand. The basic unit of trade was an animal hide filled with pemmican, sealed with pure rendered fat on the seams, and weighed about 90 pounds. As long as it was kept away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight, it would last for many years with no refrigeration or other method of preservation.
There appeared to be two types of pemmican. One was a mixture of 50% shredded dehydrated lean meat and 50% rendered fat by weight. The other mixture was similar but contained 50% rendered fat, 45% shredded dehydrated meat and 5% dried and ground berries by weight. The berries were typically Saskatoon berries which grew in abundance in the Great Plains area, and are similar to blueberries.
…. pemmican is NOT a raw food, as the fat needs to be heated above 200 deg F. in order to release it from its cellular structure and drive out the moisture. It is therefore not recommended as part of a daily RAF (Raw Animal Food) diet. However, it is a useful
compromise when one is traveling, for use as emergency rations, or when otherwise high-quality raw animal foods are unavailable.”
===================================
Goodbye, until we meet again: Red Cameron moved to Tennessee, but will spend the next 6 months with family in NYC awaiting the birth of her first grandchild. She will be very missed!
Red Cameron, Director, Ranada Foundation, www.RanadaFoundation.org
Life and Business Consultations, (804) 815-3448 cell , www.RedCameron.com
The house Red rented is now available for sale or rent, see: http://www.mycaar.com/(30r42gn1ullhz4j0jcgoq445)/propertyDetails.aspx?mls=476584
===================================
from Liz O’Mara
BEEKEEPING – The beekeeping group that meets in Charlottesville is Central Virginia Beekeeping Association. Their new website is http://www.centralvirginiabeekeepers.org/ , The meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month from 7:00 9:00 at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. Its $5.00 per year to join but anyone can come to see if they are interested.
Bees are responsible for pollinating 90 crops. Here is a list of crop plants pollinated by bees; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated_by_bees
From: http://www.raisinghoneybees.com/
December 30th, 2008 | Author: admin
When one ventures into beekeeping, beekeeping equipment or apiary equipment is very essential. The various beekeepers equipments are veil, gloves, clothing, smoker, queen excluders, bee feed and feeders, honey extractors and wax processors.
Protective clothing protects beekeepers from stings of honey bees. A smoker allows beekeeper to control bees and hence protects against stings. A hive tool helps beekeeper in gently prying apart top bars or frames thus reducing risk of disturbing the bees. All of these equipments can be made locally by tinsmiths or tailors. These can be procured through various beekeeping stores, associations or can be bought online. beekeeping catalogue of reputed companies come handy in selecting the cost effective product. Internet is a very versatile source of finding beekeeping equipment suppliers.
Whatever the mode of procuring beekeeping equipment, it should meet the requirement and must be cost effective and durable.
The various beekeeping equipments are
1. Veil: A veil is the most important equipment required by a honey beekeeper. It can be a plastic or metal screen, nylon mesh or mosquito netting. It can also be made to fit over a wide brim hat that holds the veil away from the face and neck. Elastic or rubber band is used to hold veil onto the hat. The color of the mesh material should be dark so as to limit reflection and help in visibility.
2. Gloves are another apiary equipment that is needed in case the bees are volatile. These can be made of leather or cloth. Buy that reach up to elbow so as to cover maximum part of the hand.
3. Clothing forms an important part of honey beekeeping equipment. they must be light in color and loose-fitting as bees do not get attracted towards light color. Overalls are the best option as they cover the whole body.
4. Smoker is essentially protective equipment in the sense that it prevents bees from stinging the beekeeper. It helps in making bees consume honey instead of flying and stinging. A smoker has firebox along with grate that holds the smoldering material. It has a nozzle which directs the path of smoke.
Locally made smokers go a long way in meeting the exact requirement of an apiary. As local tinsmith can understand the requirement and design smoker as per your description, this form of smokers are the best choice. Otherwise, you can check in used beekeeping equipment shop for a smoker that meets your requirement.
5. Honey extractors: These beekeeping equipments are very essential once honey is formed and needs to be extracted. You can go through beekeeping equipment catalogue for the best honey extractors.
6. Honey and wax processors: Once honey is extracted, it needs to be processed so as to refine it and clean it of all impurities. This processed honey is the honey that is sold and has huge demand. Likewise, beeswax needs to be processed so as to be fit for use in shoe polish, candle and other such products. Honey and wax processors can be purchased online from any beekeeping equipment supplier.
December 24th, 2008 | Author: admin
Typical beekeeping supplies include bees, queen bee, hives, swarms, Nuc Boxes, frames and foundations. These are supplies that are essential for hive making. Along with these, bee medication is also an important honeybee supply.
The first and foremost supply is of bees. The source of bees varies according to the region. If an area has experienced honey beekeepers, it is prudent to obtain bees from them and make sure that the colony is established one. In case the colony is in a fixed-comb hive, then that can be transferred onto frame-type of hive. Bees can be bought in packages or in nuc boxes. Nuc boxes have nuclei or nuc which is a small colony and has an adult bee and has bars or frames along with comb, brood and stores. A package consists of a screen-wire box that has worker bees and a caged queen bee. The honey bees are generally sold by weight.
While opting for high-tech beekeeping, bee keepers supplies should be obtained in packages and nucs. Before installing them in the hive, expert opinion can be sought from sellers. It is essential that the source of bees is local so as to avoid disease, pests and unwanted bee stains as a result of imported bees.
Next, supply of swarms is also another option to obtain bees and it is an important beekeeping supply. Swarms can be obtained in an area where they are routinely found. Use of bait hive is very effective in catching swarms. Swarms can also be procured from nearby apiary. This is a fast way of breeding bees.
Next honey beekeeping supply is hive. Hives are of different types like fixed-comb hives, moveable-comb hives, Langstroth hive, etc. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Depending upon your requirement and scale of honey beekeeping, you can opt for a hive. Fixed-comb hive are naturally built on natural structures like trees. Moveable comb hive and Langstroth hives can be built or can be purchased from stores or online. Polystyrene hive is another type of hive that is easily available online.
Nuc boxes that come along with frames have become essential part of beekeepers supplies. With 5 Frame Nuc Feeder, feeding nucs has become easy. They come with plastic top feeder with five frames. The feeder covers the entire top of the nuc. Thus, there is no need to open the nuc and disturb the bees to refill the feeder. You have to just lift the lid and fill the reservoir. Nuc boxes can be bought at any beekeeping store or online.
Foundation is also an important honeybee supply. It is generally made of plastic and wax that is the base for honey bees to draw out the comb.
Thus, it is clear that all the beekeeping supplies are easily available, though care should be taken to procure bee, queen bee and swarm locally so as to avoid disease that come with imported bee stock. Also, most of the other supplies are easily available online and in beekeeping stores. These supplies can be procured locally through beekeeping associations and experienced beekeepers in your area.
December 16th, 2008 | Author: admin
A beehive is an enclosed structure that houses and raises honey bees. Natural beehives, also called as nest, occur naturally on natural structures like trees, bushes etc. and are occupied by honey bee colonies. Honey bees that are domesticated for production of honey are housed in man-made beehives. Generally, only subgenus Apis species reside in hives, and out of these species only Apis mellifera, also known as Western honey bee, and the Apis cerana, known as Eastern honey bee, are domesticated.
The internal structure of a hive consists of a matrix that is densely packed with hexagonal cells that are made of beeswax. This is referred as honeycomb. These cells are utilized to store pollen and honey and for providing shelter to eggs, larvae and pupae.
A man made small bee hive should be economical, compact and easy to handle. There are various types of hives:
Fixed-comb hive: This is man-made cavity that can be bark cylinders, hollowed-out logs, basket of straw, wooden boxes, bamboo or wicker, metal cans, or drums. You will find honey bees attached to the combs directly at the upper surfaces of fixed-comb hive generally to the sides. There is space between combs left by honey bees. This hive cannot be replaced as comb can be removed only by cutting it. This kills the bees. Though this type of hive is economical, it is not widely used for this reason.
Langstroth hive, which is widely used hive for domesticated honey bee, is moveable frame hive. It is so named because it was invented by Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth. It is used in 75% of beekeeping around the world. This small beehive is compact hive which provides bee space which helps them to propolize small spaces which is less than 1/4 inch.
Langstroth hive makes use of standard size for hive body that is a rectangular box without top or bottom and a frame. The parts are interchangeable and the frame can be
removed easily to inspect and replace without killing the bees.
Langstroth hive body is rectangular-shaped styrofoam or wooden box which is stacked to expand the space that can be used by the bees. Frames inside the boxes are hung in parallel fashion. The size of the hive depends on air temperature outside along with source of food in winter. In winter, large food storage is required. The box is made slightly deeper in winter.
Langstroth frame is a thin rectangular structure that can be made from plastic or wood. It has plastic or wax foundation that is the base for honey bees to draw out the comb. The frame holds the beeswax honeycomb that is manufactured by honey bees. Generally, 10 frames that are side-to-side fill the body of the hive along with leaving the required amount of bee space between each frame. This also leaves enough space between the end frames and the hive body.
Langstroth frames should be reinforced with wire. This helps in extracting honey in centrifuges that spin the honey out of the frames. The empty frames are reused next season.
Posted in Bee Hives | Tags: Bee Hives, bee keeping, beekeeping, Honey Bees | 2 Comments
December 13th, 2008 | Author: admin
An apiary, which is also known as a bee yard, is a place where beehives of honey bees is reared and kept. Beekeepers are also known as apiarists. Apiary or apiculture, which derives its meaning from Latin word apis which mean bee, is maintenance of honeybee hives by humans. An apiarist might keep bees with the objective of collecting honey and beeswax or with the objective of pollinating crops or producing bees for sale to other apiarists. beekeeping apiary is one of the oldest forms of food production.
To start an apiary, two bee colonies is considered an ideal number. You can expand it in few years as you gain experience. It is assumed that a single hive produces 50 to 100 pounds of honey every year. Start with right type of hive. Assemble bees in hive using experts. You can either build your own hive or get one build from local tinsmith. You can also order all the parts of hives from a store.
Plan bee apiary in upcoming season by ordering bees, hives and other apiary supplies and equipment well in advance. Fall is the best time to buy all the supplies. All the equipments should be assembled in winter so as to make arrangement for bees to be placed after arrival. Then place hive at the designated place for the apiary. At this juncture, you can become member of local apiary association to gain further information about beekeeping. This will also help you in sharing your problems with more experienced apiarists who will eagerly help you out.
Location of apiary is very important. It is advantageous to place apiary where there is plenty of pollen and nectar source such as flowers and corn, ornamental trees and plants. Apiary should be near a good source of clean water. It is prudent to provide water source so as to prevent bees from moving into neighbors area in search of water. A bee apiary must face south or southeast along with a windbreak behind. The area must not be damp and must have sufficient shade. The apiary must be easily approachable for you to work around it.
Selection of correct apiary equipment is very essential. Buy new equipment if you are new to beekeeping apiary. If you purchase colonies or equipment from other beekeeper, get it tested by concerned department for any disease or pest stains. Irrespective of how and from where you purchase your apiary equipment, it needs to meet the standard required by you. Buy all the protective gear required for beekeeping apiary such as overalls, gloves, masks, veil and smokers so as to protect from bee stings as well as facilitate easy handling of bees.
Take precaution against spread of disease. Use Terramycin twice every year before and after the honey flow so as to prevent foulbrood disease. Use Fumadil “B” (Fumagillin) to control Nosema disease which inflicts adult bees. Hive should be tilted slightly so that water does not accumulate inside. The hive should be properly ventilated from top. Food supply should be ensured to prevent bees from dying due to hunger.
===================================
Straw Bale Houses
Video of Single Mom who built straw bale house for $50,000 in New Mexico http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgbORHvveTY
Here’s more straw bale building videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUuMl75Z9UY
==========================================
Gypsy Moth Control: http://www.gypsymothalert.com/control.html
Gypsy Moth Control can be done at all parts of their life cycle. For full explanation of each step, see above link.
Things That Individual Property Owners Can do Themselves
1. Duct tape and tanglefoot
2. Burlap strips sprayed with insecticide
3. Burlap folded strips
4. Gypsy moth traps
5. Search for and destroy egg masses
6. Aid the spread of virus fatal to gypsy moths
7. Encourage birds to visit your property
8. Hire a professional exterminator to spray from the ground
BASIC. When you see the tents appear on trees, get out bucket of soap water (blue Dawn recommended, but even plain water fine to drown). Place bucket under caterpillar tent, and pull apart and dump into bucket. Wipe branch down with soap. Don’t be afraid to grab with bare hands if you don’t have gloves.
STEP 1: Wrap tree with duct tape and smear with tanglefoot. See http://www.tanglefoot.com/products/barrier.htm
| Tree Tanglefoot Pest Barrier is effective against crawling insects who must reach the tops of trees in order to feed, mate, or deposit eggs. Such insects include cankerworms, gypsy moth caterpillars, army and tent caterpillars, ants, obscure root weevils and pecan weevils, tussock moths and climbing cutworms. Some of these insects are wingless females. Some of these insects are wingless females. Some may have wings but do not fly. It is a part of their life cycle that they crawl up the trunks of trees to mate and deposit eggs. And others of these insects simply crawl up the trees to feed on their buds, leaves and fruit, consequently devastating the tree. |
| Tree Tanglefoot Pest Barrier provides the perfect solution to protecting your valuable trees and reducing future populations of these pests. As the insects climb up over the sticky material, they become trapped without escape–the action is strictly mechanical –no pesticides or harmful chemicals are involved. |
Tree Tanglefoot Pest Barrier:
|
===================================
from Georgia Pearson:
Shopping Guide for Non Genetically Modified Foods,
http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/SG/Home/index.cfm
===================================
From David Dwillick
ZIP LOCK BAG and pennies keep flies/wasps away!!
We went with friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast and sat in the patio section beside the house. We happened to notice zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms. Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked this out on Google. Below are comments on this fly control idea. I’m now a believer!
Ann Says: I tried the ziplock bag and pennies this weekend.. I have a horse trailer. The flies were bad while I was camping. I put the baggie with pennies above the door of the LQ. NOT ONE FLY came in the trailer. The horse trailer part had many. Not sure why it works but it does!
Danielle Martin Says : Fill a ziplock bag with water and 5 or 6 pennies and hang it in the problem area. In my case it was a particular window in my home. It had a slight passage way for insects. Every since I have done that, it has kept flies and wasps away. Some say that wasps and flies mistake the bag for some other insect nest and are threatened.
Maggie Says: I swear by the plastic bag of water trick. I have them on porch and basement. We saw these in Northeast Mo. at an Amish grocery store & have used them since. They say it works because a fly sees a reflection & won’t come around.
DJ Says: Regarding the science behind zip log bags of water? My research found that the millions of molecules of water presents its own prism effect and given that flies have a lot of eyes, to them it’s like a zillion disco balls reflecting light, colors and movement in a dizzying manner. When you figure that flies are prey for many other bugs, animals, birds, etc., they simply won’t take the risk of being around that much perceived action. I moved to a rural area and thought these “hillbillies” were just yanking my city boy chain but I tried it and it worked immediately! We went from hundreds of flies to seeing the occasional one, but he didn’t hang around long.
==========================================
More on Cultural Creatives by Paul Ray: The New Political Compass, pdf file. http://www.culturalcreatives.org/Library/docs/NewPoliticalCompassV73.pdf
The new progressives are in-front, deep green, against big business ad globalization, and beyond left vs. right–a time of transformation of institutions.
===================================
Modern Shaman: Hank Wesselman, Vision Seeker etc. Wesselman’s interviews at Conscious Media Network are no longer free. His book, Spiritwalker, Messages from the Future, details being in contact with a being, he later identifies as himself living in the US at some distant point in the future long after our society/civilization has collapsed.
===================================
Nelson Market: Order Tuesday and Wednesday for Friday pickup at Rockfish Valley Community Center. See: http://www.nelson.locallygrown.net/market/index/25467
===================================
GETTING RID OF MOLD
I was just reading Preventing and/or Battling Mold chapter in When Technology Fails by Matthew Stein. In it, he talks about the multiple effects of mold – respiratory, shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic sinusitis, exacerbated asthma, burning/itching eyes, rashes and/or spontaneous bruises, headaches, tremors, poor night vision, dizziness and/or nausea, foggy thinkng, inability to concentrate, low-grade fever that doesn’t go away, compromised immune system, chronic fatigue and/or hair loss, lung diseases, cancers, lung/brain hemorrhaging, permanent brain damage, and death. Besides throwing out all contaminated items, especially upholstered furniture, mattresses, he advocates using MoldZyme and/or Heartland Microbes Mold Away, HEPA-type air filters, such as made by Honeywell and Austin Air, super ozone machines, concentrated chlorine bleach, dehumidifiers, special encapsulating paints and vapor barriers, and Neti Pot with salt water, colloidal silver or goldenseal, fogging with colloidal silver, MoldZyme and/or Heartland Microbes Mold Away.
MoldZyme is concentrated 100 times, so is not cheap. It is available from numerous sites on the internet including Amazon. One 2 oz. bottle will make 1 gallon of mix to wash down or spray. Pour a capful into laundry.
Heartland Microbes Mold Away: http://www.heartlandmicrobes.com/MoldAway.html
Cholestyramine, trade name is Questran, eliminates mold neurotoxins. See also http://www.medicinenet.com/cholestyramine/article.htm
===================================
http://yoga108.org/pages/show/106-how-to-use-a-neti-pot-without-danger
How to Use a Neti Pot With No Danger
A Neti Pot is used for Jala Neti, a very old cleansing technique of the Hatha Yoga tradition of India. The literal translation of the Sanskrit term means “water cleansing. The newly established modern word for Jala Neti is nasal irrigation.
The Neti pot is filled with a body-warm saline solution of the same concentration as the body fluids. With this solution the nasal cavities are rinsed so that the salty water goes in through one nostril and comes out to the other. A more advanced technique is letting the water in through one nostril and out through the mouth. This is hardly felt if the salt concentration, water temperature and technique are good, for sure there is no pain or uncomfortable feeling involved.
In the yogic tradition, Jala Neti is performed every morning with the daily routine such as toothbrushing. It can be performed more often if you work or live in a polluted area or have health problems such as hay fever.
Saline Solution
Firstly, buy a type of salt without anything added. Industrial salt often has added chemical anticaking agents. You can use normal sea salt, best without added iodine, or pharmaceutical salt which you can buy in health stores or pharmacies.
The solution you use should have 0,9% of salt, like the body fluids do. Some Neti Pots have a spoon to measure this exactly. If yours does not have such a spoon, you can start by taking 500 ml of water and add one teaspoon of salt, this is about 0,9%. Once you know how it should feel, you will find out how much you need for your own Neti pot. If it is easier for you, you can use the taste of the water to find the same concentration every time.
Take body-warm water for Jala Neti. Pour some drops on the inside of your wrist to see if the water has the right temperature, the hands are not sensitive enough. It is better to have the water a little bit too warm than too cold. Mix well so that the salt is diluted completely.
You will find all this out with growing experience, it differs from person to person. Some like a higher saline solution, some even do it without salt. The tissue of the nose is very sensitive and reacts immediately if something is not right. This shows you if everything is fine.If you take the described solution and temperature, there should be no uncomfortable feelings at all.
Technique – How To Use A Neti Pot
Most Common Method – Sideways
- Fill your Neti pot and stand in front of the sink.
- Bend over the sink and breathe naturally through your mouth. By opening your mouth wide enough, the passage from the nose to the mouth is closed. No water can get into your mouth or your throat. Don’t talk or laugh, no air should come into your nose now. There won’t be a feeling of having water in the airways if you pay attention to this.
- Now put the nose cone into your right nostril and seal it with some gentle moves so that no water is coming out of this nostril.
- Then gently bend your head forward and roll it to the left side. The left nostril should be the lowest point. Forehead and chin should be about the same level.
- You need to experiment with the posture of your head. Once the water is coming out of your left nostril, hold your head and only move the Neti pot to keep the water pouring in.
- You should start with half a pot per side. For this wait about 20 seconds and remove the nose cone out of your right nostril.If you practised with half apot fir some time, you can use one pot per side.
- Bring your head to the middle and let all the water flow out. Blow gently with both nostrils. You should not close one nostril now and you should not blow hardly. This can bring the water up in you ears where it cannot dry correctly.
- Repeat the procedure with the left nostril, doing everything in the opposite direction.
- When you finished let all the water flow out again and gently blow the water out of both nostrils. You can roll your head in every direction and let it hang and move it then to get all the water out. Drying up the nose is very important and should not be neglected!
- If you have a mucus blockage you can go back and forth for some times. Make sure that the water which has entered the nose does not flow back in the Neti pot. Therefore put the cone in your nose, pour some water in, remove the pot and let it flow out again.
- If you have problems doing this alone, you can ask people who practise yoga or give yoga classes to show you. Most yoga practitioners will know this technique.
- If you try it for some time and the water does not come out of the other nostril, you should ask a doctor for advise. There could be some type of anatomical blockage.
Advanced Method – Backwards – No Danger
- This is called Vyutkrama Kapalabhati or sinus bellowing and cleanses a part where the water cannot flow just by using the sideways technique. It is a more advanced and more powerful technique. It has a better effect on some diseases and problems such as sinusitis, snoring or throat problems. You should only try this if you have mastered the sideways technique.
- Always start with by cleaning your nose with one or two pots using the sideways technique.
- Then start just as if you would do the sideways technique. Gently sniff some water back into your mouth and spit it out.
- Even though there no danger you should try not to swallow the water.
- You do not need to dry your nose between the two techniques but you should pay extra-attention on cleaning your nose afterwards as the water reaches deeper and in more places than just by using the sideways technique.
Benefits
- removes dirt and infectious microorganisms from the nasal cavities and passageways
- reduces the frequency and duration of colds
- reduces allergic problems such as hay fever
- improves your nose breathing generally and therefore reduces diseases such as asthma and bronchitis
- moistens dry nasal cavities and passageways
- reduces the symptoms of chronic sinusitis
- flushes the tear ducts and increases eye sight
- improves your sense of smell and taste, is therefore very good if you want to stop smoking
- can be beneficial for some types of ear disorders
- stimulates Ajna-Chakra
- has a harmonizing and calming effect on the mind
===================================
Don’t Complain about your own snakes. ODD BUT TRUE: 15″ Rattlesnake found just south of Jacksonville ..Near the St. Augustine outlet, in a new KB homes subdivision. A snake this size could easily swallow a 2 year-old child.A snake this size has an approximately 5 and 1/2 foot accurate striking distance. (The distance for an average size Rattlesnake is about 2 feet) Judging by the size of the snake, it is estimated to weigh over 170 pounds.
