| How to Use a Neti Pot Posted: 16 Apr 2019 05:00 PM PDT A neti pot is used for nasal irrigation, which entails flushing out your nasal cavity with a saline solution. This is a home remedy that is relatively less known in Western countries, but is common in parts of India and South Asia. You can use a neti pot daily to flush mucus, bacteria, and allergens out of your nasal cavity, but it is important to follow the proper cleaning technique for the neti pot and use only water that has been sterilized, distilled, or boiled and cooled. EditCleaning Your Neti Pot - Read the manufacturer's instructions on how to clean your neti pot. Before you use your neti pot, read through any instructions that came along with it to see what type of cleaning process is recommended. You can clean most neti pots with soap and warm water, but check to ensure that this is what is recommended for your neti pot.[1]
- Wash your neti pot with dish soap and hot water before the first use. Add a few drops of dish soap to the neti pot and then fill it with hot water. Swish the soapy water around so that it cleans all surfaces of the neti pot. Then, pour out the soapy water and rinse the neti pot thoroughly.[2]
- Rinse the neti pot 6 or 7 times to ensure that you have removed all of the soap residue.
- Let the neti pot air dry or wipe the inside with a clean paper towel. The neti pot should be completely dry before you use it for the first time. Place the neti pot upside down on a clean towel or use a clean paper towel to dry the inside of the pot.[3]
- Do not wipe out the inside of the neti pot with a used dish towel. Also, do not place it right side up to dry. It might collect dust or get dirty if you let it air dry this way.
EditMaking a Saline Solution - Wash and dry your hands to avoid contaminating the neti pot. Hold your hands under warm running water to wet them. Then, add about 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of liquid hand soap or rub your hands around a soap bar for a few seconds to lather up your hands. Rub the soap between your hands, into your fingertips, and around your fingernails. Then, hold your hands under warm, running water again to rinse away the soap. Dry your hands completely using a clean cloth or paper towel.[4]
- It takes about 20 seconds to thoroughly wash your hands. To time yourself, hum the "Happy Birthday" song to yourself 2 times.[5]
- Measure out of sterilized, distilled, or boiled water. To ensure that the water is safe to put into your nasal cavity, only use water that has been distilled, sterilized, or boiled and cooled. Pour the water into a clean glass container, such as a jar or a bowl.[6]
- You can purchase sterilized or distilled water at a grocery or drug store. Or, bring tap water to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and let the water cool to room temperature.
- Mix 2 teaspoons (11 g) of finely ground non-iodized salt with the water. Choose sea salt or kosher salt that has not had iodine added to it. Measure out the salt and pour it into the container with the water.[7]
- Do not use normal table salt. The additives in it can irritate your nose.
- You can also purchase saline solution if you do not want to make your own. Check your local drug store for saline solution that is meant for use with neti pots.
- Stir until the salt is dissolved and wait for the solution to cool. Use a clean metal spoon to stir the salt into the water. Keep stirring until the salt is completely dissolved. Once the solution looks clear and has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to use.[8]
- Place a lid on the container if you do not plan to use the solution right away. However, be sure to use the solution within 24 hours. Discard any unused solution at that point since bacteria may begin to grow in it.
EditRinsing Your Nasal Passages - Fill the neti pot with the saline solution. The first step is to transfer the saline solution from the container to the neti pot. Pour it carefully to avoid spills and make sure it's not so warm that it will cause discomfort or burns.
- Lean over a sink with your neck straight and turn your head to 1 side. Bend over the sink so that your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to your lower body. Then, turn your head to the side so that your ear is facing the sink. Keep your forehead at the same height as the chin, or slightly higher.[9]
- Do not turn your head so far that your chin goes past your shoulder.
- Do not bend over so far that your chin is below your forehead.
- Breathe through your mouth while you are rinsing your nasal cavity. You won't be able to breathe through your nose while you are rinsing out your sinuses with the neti pot, so start breathing through your mouth. Take a few breaths to get used to it.[10]
- Avoid talking or laughing so that the seal in your throat is not broken, allowing water in.
- Pour half of the water into your upper nostril. Press the spout against the inside of your nostril to form a seal. This will prevent water from flowing back out the same way it goes in. Raise the pot so the saline solution flows into the upper nostril and out of the lower nostril. This may feel a bit strange, like getting water up your nose while swimming. Empty ½ of the pot into your first nostril.[11]
- The solution should pour out of your lower nostril and flow into the sink. If the water is splashing you, then lower yourself down closer to the sink.
- If the solution drains out of your mouth, lower your forehead slightly, but make sure to keep it above your chin.
- Repeat the process on the other side to rinse the other nostril. Remove the neti pot from your nostril when you finish rinsing the first side. Then, turn your head in the opposite direction and repeat the same process. Use the other half of the saline solution to clear out your other nostril.[12]
- Blow air through your nose to remove excess water. After you've drained the entire neti pot, keep your head over the sink and gently blow air out of your nose without using your fingers to pinch it. This will help to remove the excess water and some mucus as well.[13]
- Do this until most of the dripping has subsided and you can breathe relatively easily again.
- Blow your nose gently into a tissue. After fluid stops dripping freely from your nose into the sink, remove the rest of the water and completely clear your nose by blowing it into a tissue as you normally would. Apply gentle pressure to 1 side of your nostril as you blow into the tissue, then repeat on the other side. Be sure not to close off either nostril while blowing.[14]
- Don't blow too hard! Blow gently just as you normally would.
- Clean your neti pot after you are finished using it. To prevent bacteria growth in and on your neti pot, give it a final wash before putting it away for storage. Use warm soap and water and allow the pot to air dry just as you did before.[15]
- Store your neti pot in a cupboard or drawer to keep it clean and dust-free until the next time you use it.
- Never use tap water in a neti pot! Bacteria and amoebas may be present in tap water, which can grow in your nasal cavity and make you very ill.[16]
EditThings You'll Need - Neti pot
- Non-iodized salt which is free of anti-caking and free-flowing agents, or commercially available neti pot salt
- Distilled, boiled and cooled, or filtered water
EditRelated wikiHows EditReferences EditQuick Summary
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| How to Calibrate Binoculars Posted: 16 Apr 2019 09:00 AM PDT Seeing detail from a far distance is almost impossible without a good set of binoculars. If you're trying to birdwatch or see something from far away, you'll need to make sure your binoculars are correctly calibrated to your eyes. To do this, you'll need to properly set the distance between both eyepieces. Then, you'll adjust the focusing rings, or diopters, to make the image sharp and clear. When done correctly, amazing details will be visible from a far distance. EditAdjusting the Barrels and Eyepieces - Rotate the eyecup so it's extended if you don't wear eyeglasses. Turn the eyecups counterclockwise to raise them up from the body of the binoculars. If you wear eyeglasses, you can keep the eyecups retracted, or turn them clockwise to tighten them against the body of the binoculars.[1]
- Extending your eyecups will allow you to fit them around your eye, which will block out light you'd normally see in your peripheral vision.
- Retracted eyecups will give you a wider field of view, so you may want to turn them clockwise if you're trying to see a wider image.
- Attach the rubber cups to the eyepieces if you have them. Some binoculars come with a rubber cup that you can fit around the eyepiece. If yours came with one, use it for more comfortable viewing. Fit the slightly recessed end of the cups over both of the eyepieces so that they are snug and don't slide off.[2]
- If you want to use the rubber cup but have glasses, roll the extended rubber back so that you can look through the binoculars with your glasses on.
- Grip both barrels and bend the center of the binoculars to fit your eyes. The barrels are the 2 tube pieces connected to the lenses. Look through the binoculars and grip the barrels by the sides. Then, bend your binoculars up and down at the center so that both your eyes fit over the lenses. When you look through the eyepiece, you should see one circular image. If you see a double image, then you need to readjust the barrels.[3]
- The distance between everyone's eyes differ, so you'll need to adjust the barrels to fit your eyes so that the binoculars fit your face.
EditFocusing the Binoculars - Hold the binoculars up to your eyes and focus on an object. Select a stationary object in the distance to look at. If the image is blurry when viewing it through your binoculars, it means that you have to adjust the focus.[4]
- Even if the image is clear, you may want to calibrate your binoculars to achieve an even sharper image.
- Cover the right lens on the binoculars and focus with your left eye. Hold the palm of your hand over the right lens to cover it. If the image is blurry when you look with your left eye, it means that you need to adjust the focusing ring, in the center of your binoculars.[5]
- The focusing ring puts the object that you're looking at in focus while the diopter on the right eyepiece compensates for the differences between your left and right eye.
- Adjust the focusing ring in the center of the binoculars. The focusing ring is the wheel in the center of your binoculars, in between both barrels. Rotate the ring left and right until the image becomes clear in your left eye.[6]
- After you're done focusing the left eyepiece, take your hand off the lens.
- Cover the left lens and focus with your right eye. Close your left eye and try to focus on the image with just your right eye. If the image isn't clear, it means you need need to adjust the diopter on the right eyepiece.[7]
- If the vision in both of your eyes is the same, then you might not have to adjust the diopter on the right eyepiece.
- Adjust the diopter on the right eyepiece. The diopter is the wheel on the eyepiece. This helps compensate for the differences in vision in your individual eyes. Rotate the diopter until you can see the object clearly with your right eye while the left lens is still covered.[8]
- Focusing on one eye at a time will make calibrating your binoculars easier.
- Look through the binoculars and note the diopter settings. Look through the binoculars with both eyes. The binoculars should feel comfortable and the object should be in focus. Most binoculars will come with markings on the diopter. Take note of where both diopters are so you know where to adjust them if they get changed or someone uses your binoculars.[9]
- Once you get the correct calibration, you shouldn't have to change it again.
- If the image is still blurry, you may need to adjust the diopter in the center of the binoculars.
EditReferences
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| How to Use Ghee Posted: 16 Apr 2019 01:00 AM PDT Ghee, made from butter with the water and milk solids removed, is an ingredient from Indian culture that dates back thousands of years. By removing everything but the fat from the butter and clarifying it, ghee can be stored safely for months, add some delicious buttery flavor to almost any dish, and may even have some health benefits. Whether you want to know how to use ghee in cooking or as a health product, or even want to know how to make it yourself, there are plenty of ways to make use of ghee. EditIngredients EditMaking Ghee Makes 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) of ghee EditCooking with Ghee - Use ghee in place of cooking oils. As it doesn't contain any of the milk solids or water found in butter, ghee has a much higher smoke point. Use ghee instead of cooking oils or butter in almost any recipe to add a slight buttery and nutty flavor.[1]
- The smoke point is the temperature at which something will begin to burn and smoke. Butter has a smoke point around , whereas the smoke point of ghee is around . For comparison, the smoke point of olive oil is around , and the smoke point for sunflower oil is .
- Use ghee only as a replacement for butter in cooking, and not in baking. Ghee is oil more than it is butter, so your baked goods might not work quite as well if you use ghee instead. Ghee can be used as a replacement for oils in baking, however.
- Toast spices in ghee to make a tadka. Tadka is a widely utilized concept in Indian cuisine, where whole herbs and spices are toasted in ghee to infuse the ghee with flavor. Try heating of ghee in a saucepan on high, before adding roughly 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cumin seeds and toasting for around 5 minutes. Add it to the water used when cooking rice for an extra burst of flavor.[2]
- Tadka can be made with almost any whole herb or spice and added at the beginning or end of cooking for extra flavor.
- For the best results, make the tadka just before you have to use it. If made in advance and kept in the fridge, it will lose a lot of the aroma that makes it so flavorful.
- Spread ghee on toast instead of butter. Ghee keeps a lot of the same buttery flavor, but without all of the milk solids and water found in butter. Use ghee in place of butter when spreading over baked goods for the same flavor but without a lot of other things you don't need.
- Ghee should be safe for people who are lactose intolerant but shouldn't be considered safe if you are allergic to milk or dairy.
- Saute vegetables in ghee. Due to its high smoke point, ghee makes for the perfect ingredient when sauteing fresh vegetables. Melt 1 tablespoon (15g) of ghee in a frying pan over a high heat and add around of your chosen vegetables. Cook them for around 5 minutes, or until they begin browning lightly and caramelizing around the edges.[3]
- Vegetables sauteed in ghee are great on their own with a sprinkle of sea salt or added to another dish.
- Onions, peppers, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and brussels sprouts are all delicious vegetables that you can saute in ghee.
- For extra flavor, make a tadka with the ghee first before you add your vegetables.
- Add a spoonful of ghee to your morning coffee. Adding butter to coffee for extra flavor and some potential health benefits is a growing trend. As it is clarified butter, ghee will work even better as an addition to coffee. Blend your coffee with 1 teaspoon (5g) of ghee for some extra sweetness, nuttiness, and creaminess.[4]
- Ghee can be a source of a lot of important fatty acids and vitamins, so it may have some additional health benefits. However, this has not been confirmed, so it should not replace any other regular sources of vitamins in your diet.
EditFinding Other Uses for Ghee - Use ghee as a balm for chapped lips. Some have found that the oil and vitamins in ghee will help revitalize and heal chapped lips. Try rubbing a few drops of ghee over your lips just before you go to sleep to try and repair damaged or dry lips.[5]
- In some cases, ghee could also be used to heal other scarring, burns, and scrapes. However, as a home remedy, the results of this may differ. Always follow your doctor's advice first and foremost.
- You shouldn't apply ghee to open wounds, as it will not be properly sterilized.
- Soften your cuticles with a little ghee. As an oil, ghee may be used to soften the cuticles around your fingers and toenails. Apply a few small dabs of ghee to your cuticles and let it sit for 20 minutes. Soak your hands or feet in warm water, wash away the ghee and pat dry with a clean towel.[6]
- Try oil pulling to make your teeth whiter. Oil pulling is an alternative medicine process of swishing a natural oil around in your mouth to improve the health of your teeth and gums. Melt 1 tablespoon (15ml) of ghee, let it cool slightly, and swish it around your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes before spitting it out into a trash can. Rinse your mouth out with water and repeat daily.[7]
- While there is little research that has been conducted to support some of the claims made about oil pulling, oils such as ghee and coconut oil can be used as a natural mouthwash.
- Oil pulling shouldn't be used as a replacement for brushing your teeth twice a day.
- Do not spit the ghee down the sink, as it may solidify and block your drain.
- Make a natural perfume with ghee and essential oils. Add a single drop of any essential oil, such as lavender oil or orange oil, to 1 teaspoon (5g) of ghee. Rub it together in your palms before dabbing it behind your ears and knees for a subtle scent that will last all day.[8]
EditMaking Ghee - Melt of butter over a medium heat. Place a large, high-walled saucepan or pot over a medium heat. Cut of butter into small cubes and place it into the pan to begin melting.[9]
- You can speed up the rate at which the butter melts by stirring it occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Use a high-quality, pasteurized, unsalted butter for the best ghee.
- of butter will produce roughly of ghee.
- Simmer the butter for 10 minutes to evaporate the water. Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, decrease the heat to medium-low and let the butter simmer. The butter will begin foaming up and then bubbling over around 10 minutes as the water evaporates. Watch for the butter to stop bubbling and begin foaming again.[10]
- Keep a close eye on your butter as it simmers to make sure it doesn't burn. Make sure the temperature is kept low so that the butter can simmer without having to be stirred.
- Cook for a further 5 minutes until the milk solids form on top. The butter will stop bubbling and begin foaming again after around 5 minutes, bringing the milk solids to the top of the liquid. Keep cooking the butter, without stirring it at all, until the milk solids form a thin, foamy layer over the top.[11]
- If the bottom of the pot gets too hot and you're worried about the butter burning, you can swirl the melted butter slightly. This will move it around without letting the butterfat and milk solids mix together too much.
- Skim the milk solids from the top of the butterfat. As the milk solids cook and rise to the top of the butter, use a mesh skimmer or spoon to skim them away. Continue skimming the white milk solids until they begin to turn brown, and the butterfat itself becomes a golden color.[12]
- You can also leave the milk solids to cook and brown by themselves and without skimming them. This will just mean you have more cooked solids to strain away.
- Strain the melted ghee through a cheesecloth. Place a mesh sieve over a bowl or jug with a spout, and cover it with two layers of a fine cheesecloth. Take the melted butter off of the heat and leave it to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before straining through the cloth. Discard of any remaining milk solids caught in the cheesecloth and keep the pure, melted ghee.[13]
- If you have a jar funnel, you can strain the melted ghee directly into the jar in which you want to store it. Make sure to place a sieve and cheesecloth over the top of the funnel to strain the ghee properly.
- Store the ghee in an air-tight container for up to 2 months. While the ghee is still hot, pour it into a glass jar or other airtight container. Cover the ghee and store it in your pantry for up to 2 months, making sure to keep the container air-tight and free from any moisture or steam.[14]
- You can also store the ghee in your refrigerator for up to 6 months. This will make the ghee more solid and harder to scoop out, but it will also last for much longer.
- If you let any water, steam, or moisture into your ghee container, you should store the ghee in the fridge to stop it from going bad. Use it within 1 month.
- Ghee kept at room temperature will be soft, but not liquid.
- The most important factor in making great ghee is using a high-quality butter. It's better to choose a high-quality salted butter than a low-quality unsalted one when making ghee. However, high-quality, unsalted butter will yield the best results. High-quality butter will have a higher percentage of butterfat and be made from a better quality milk.
- Ghee will work in place of almost any oil you may use when cooking.
- If you don't want to make ghee, it should be available from your local grocery store, specialty or health food store, or online.
- Rather than disposing of the cooked milk solids produced when making ghee, keep them to smear on toast for a creamy, nutty, salty spread. They will keep for around 1 week in the refrigerator.
- While ghee has many potential health and beauty uses, it should never be used as a replacement for prescribed medicines and medical advice from a qualified physician. Only ever use ghee as a supplement, rather than as a replacement.
EditThings You'll Need EditMaking Ghee - Large saucepan or pot
- Mesh skimmer or spoon
- Sieve
- Cheesecloth
- Airtight jar or container
EditReferences
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