Himalayan Salt Rooms have been popping up all over the United States for the past decade, but it turns out Salt Therapy has been around much longer than that. Dry Salt Therapy originated from Speleotherapy, also known as cave therapy in 1843, when a brilliant Polish physician, Dr. Felix Boczkowski realized that those working in the salt mine were experiencing far fewer respiratory illnesses than the general public in Wieliczka. During World War II, a German physician by the name of K.H. Spannahel also noticed that people taking refuge in salt caves in Ennepetal had stronger respiratory systems than those hiding in other places. Even though this discovery was made almost two hundred years ago, we did not see an actual salt therapy device created until 1980 when the first “Halotherapy” machine was released.
I decided that I wanted to experience a Salt Room Therapy session this past week, and so I booked a session at a high-end health and wellness center in the outskirts of D.C. As I walked into the small dimly lit salt room, I was pleasantly surprised at the ambiance and peaceful feel that the room gave off. I sat on a reclining mesh-type chair that had a heating pad with chakra-colored stones embedded into it and tried to relax my mind and focus on taking deep, thoughtful breaths. This Salt Room’s walls were composed of gorgeous pink salt bricks sent from Pakistan as well as an occasional bright white salt brick from Poland. My feet moved around on tons of pink salt that reminded me of the sands on the beach, and the Halo Generator pumped fine as dust particles of sand spread throughout the air. I was pleasantly surprised as I began taking deep breaths that my sinuses felt far clearer and my lungs seemed able to expand more fully.
Halotherapy, which gets its name from the Greek word “Halois” meaning salt is now a top trend in America, and all over the world due to its incredible health benefits. There is a wide range of health benefits that come from simply sitting in a room made of salt with microscopic particles of salt being dispersed into the room and inhaled into your lungs, such as cell activity and energy as well as blood sugar balance. Salt is by nature a powerful disinfectant as it is both antimicrobial and antibacterial, so it can help someone to cleanse without them even knowing it has occurred. Most Salt Rooms are composed of Himalayan and Dead Sea Salt, which means it contains 84 trace elements and minerals that our bodies crave and need, while at the same time, not dehydrating our bodies as basic table salt (sodium chloride) will do.
Some additional benefits to visiting a Salt Room include helping with chronic ailments such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, as well as seasonal and frequent allergies. Those with annoying skin conditions also experience relief after a Salt Therapy session, as it can help ease the pesky symptoms associated with psoriasis, eczema, and painful acne. Even if you do not suffer from any of the conditions above, Salt Room Therapy can still be something worth checking out as it also provides calming and detoxifying effects to the body. When you visit a Salt Room, you can anticipate a stronger immune, nervous and lymphatic system, as well as a reduction in headaches, fatigue, and experience a better sleep.
