(NaturalHealth365)  Have you heard about halotherapy? “Halo” literally means “salt” in Greek.  For centuries, monks there and elsewhere in Europe used naturally occurring “salt caverns” in their local regions to heal respiratory conditions and skin ailments and energize the mind.

Now, modern healthcare providers are getting into the act, offering “salt room therapies” for common health issues like, COPD and other breathing problems.  Can natural salt really help you heal from chronic health issues?  Centuries of practical use and modern research say “yes” – and here’s why.

Halotherapy inside the modern “Salt Cave” is enhanced by technology

These days, a person doesn’t need to seek out a cave to benefit from salt’s healing effects.  Many modern “salt rooms” (called “halotherapy” or “speleotherapy” clinics) use “therapeutic dry saline aerosol microclimate” technology to ionize the air in specialized rooms and saturate it with low levels of NaCl (i.e., salt).

The total environment in the salt room, including temperature, humidity, and salt concentration, is controlled by trained professionals through computer monitors based on the patient’s needs.

Europe has a long and colorful history with salt therapy.  In addition to the monks’ testimonies, in the 1840s, Dr. Felix Bochkowsky, a Polish occupational health doctor, noticed that salt miners were healthier than the average person, in stark contrast to their unfortunate coworkers in the metal and coal industries.

Then, during World War II, salt mines were used as bomb shelters in Germany, and the same basic phenomenon was discovered.  When asthmatics reemerged from the mines after the threat was over, they breathed easier and were in better overall health.

Halotherapy is growing in popularity, and science validates its healing power

In the 1950s, a slew of mostly Russian research studies verified the health benefits of salt. As a result, halotherapy chambers began to open en masse in Eastern Europe.  Soon, halotherapy became part of many Eastern European countries’ prepaid socialized medical systems.

Today, “speleotherapy” clinics can be found throughout Eastern Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Russia, and Poland.

Salt rooms (and caves) are scattered throughout the United States, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved salt as a “recognizable medical treatment.”  Halotherapy “salt rooms” are mostly found in American spas and beauty centers.

Salt loads the environment with healing and life-affirming negative ions

Have you ever wondered why a trip to the beach always feels so refreshing?  In large part, the invigoration you feel near the sea has to do with negative ions released through massive amounts of salt water.

In the same way, dry salt releases negative ions into the air, which is a large part of why salt is so healing to the body.  These ions can attach themselves to harmful bacteria, mold spores, viruses, and other positively charged airborne toxins.  As the air becomes saturated with negative ions, the load becomes too heavy for harmful positively charged pathogens, and they simply float away.

These kinds of airborne pathogens, as well as man-made chemical pollutants, are the real harm behind indoor and outdoor air pollution.  According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), based on half a million individual patient records, long-term exposure to pollutants in the air can lead directly to cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer.  On the other hand, being immersed in and breathing natural salt can greatly improve many chronic respiratory diseases and other chronic conditions.

By the way, if indoor air pollution is a big problem for you … be sure to use a high quality indoor air purification system to keep your immediate air space clean.

“Dry salt goes deep into the recesses of your lungs,” says Ulle Pukk, cofounder of the US-based Salt Therapy Association, in an interview with Harpers-Bazarre.  “It absorbs impurities from your body and helps break up mucus so you can cough out toxins.  When you have clean lungs, you get more oxygen, which gives you more energy, impacts every organ in your body, and improves overall well-being.”

Use a salt lamp in your home to get the benefits of halotherapy

Salt therapy is 100% natural and safe for people of all ages, including babies.  One easy way to enjoy salt’s benefits every day is to buy a Himalayan salt lamp for your home or office.  These lamps are usually illuminated by a candle or soft light bulb placed in a hole in the middle and can add up to 300 times more negative ions to your indoor space.

Their wonderful glow is relaxing, and you will also receive the many benefits of salt for more health and a vibrant, energized life!

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
NIH.gov
NIH.gov
Intechopen.com
Halotherapysolutions.com
Saltroom.com
Harpersbazaar.com