Rock salt tiles and bricks can be used to build Salt Cave for Speleotherapy, spa, gyms and yoga rooms and to decorate receptions and fireplaces as well. A salt brick may be placed in front of a wick, lamp or any other source of light. The salt becomes warm and irradiates a pleasant light thus providing ionizing and colour therapy effects at the same time. A brick may be placed on top of the radiator or heater or clay stove when the heating season begins. These Salt bricks may be used for construction purposes as well: building a wall in front of a radiator, covering stairs, floor tiling, covering certain wall surfaces, building room separation, or even a whole salt room or salt cave.
Halotherapy, also known as dry salt therapy, has been a popular complementary treatment in Eastern Europe for many generations but is just now becoming popular in North America. Salt rooms are popping up in spas, resorts and wellness centers across the country, and folks are touting a variety of benefits that primarily center on respiratory health and treating skin conditions.
While you may not have heard of salt rooms before, you are likely familiar with Himalayan salt lamps, which have been popular here for decades. These lamps give off a warm glow and are said to release negative ions into the atmosphere. This, in turn, has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress and enhance relaxation.
Salt room therapy often includes Himalayan salt bricks or lamps for this effect while also taking things a step farther to include breathing in air with a salt concentration that is meant to produce an effect that is roughly the equivalent to spending three days at the beach in just 15 minutes in a salt room.
WHAT IS HALOTHERAPY?
Halotherapy, also known as dry salt therapy, got its modern start in the early 1800s when an Eastern European doctor discovered that people working in salt mines rarely had respiratory issues (unlike other miners) and their skin often looked younger. After this discovery, Dr. Feliks Boczkowski set up the first modern salt health spa in a salt mine in Poland in 1839.
More than 100 years later, salt mines in Europe were used as bomb shelters during World War II. During this time, a German doctor, Dr. K.H. Spannagel, found that folks staying in the caves appeared to be experiencing improvement in respiratory ailments. This observation inspired him to further study the phenomenon by setting up inpatient centers in salt mines.
There is much more to the history of halotherapy, but this gives you a general idea of how the health benefits of breathing in salt air were first discovered and studied in modern times. If you are a history lover, you may find it interesting to do a little research to learn more about this alternative therapy that has been in use since at least the 12th century.
Halotherapy can include both dry and wet salt therapies. Wet salt therapies include some commonly practiced at-home remedies, such as neti pots and inhalable saline solutions. Dry salt therapy, which is the type of halotherapy used in salt rooms, consists of breathing in air with tiny salt particles ground up and dispersed by a halogenerator.
According to
the Salt Therapy Association, the following conditions can be treated with
halotherapy:
Asthma, Allergies,
Common cold. Bronchitis, COPD, Cystic fibrosis, Sinusitis, Ear infections,
Smokers cough, Psoriasis, Itching, Eczema, Swelling & inflammation,
Dermatitis, Dry & flaky skin, Acne, Rashes, Rosacea, Skin aging.
DRY METHOD
In the dry method of halotherapy, in a custom built salt room that’s free of humidity. The temperature is cool, set to 68°F (20°C) or lower. Sessions usually last for about 30 to 45 minutes.
A device called a halogenerator grinds salt into microscopic particles and releases them into the air of the room. Once inhaled, these salt particles are claimed to absorb irritants, including allergens and toxins, from the respiratory system. Advocates say this process breaks up mucus and reduces inflammation, resulting in clear airways.
The salt particles are said to have a similar effect on your skin by absorbing bacteria and other impurities responsible for many skin conditions.
Salt is also said to produce negative ions. This theoretically causes your body to release more serotonin, one of the chemicals behind feelings of happiness.
Ancient healers and philosophers recommended salt inhalation for the respiratory system and health problems. Dry salt therapy originates from speleotherapy (cave therapy) and the Wieliczka salt cave in Poland, where workers exhibited fewer respiratory illnesses. There are thousands of salt rooms in Europe and beyond.
The benefits of salt therapy are wide-ranging. Salt levels affect our cell activity, energy and blood sugar levels. A natural disinfectant, salt is antimicrobial, and antibacterial. Salt comes in empty processed forms or healthier pure sea salt (Himalayan and Dead Sea salt) that contain 84 elements and trace elements found in the human body. Dry salt air is more powerful than moist air.
NEGATIVE IONS
The negatively charged ions in salt improve our health and mood. Inhaling particles may reduce inflammation and mucus in the lungs, improving respiratory conditions such as asthma, allergies, bronchitis, sinus congestion and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Scientific studies show that people with asthma and other ailments breath easier after halotherapy.
The calming and detoxifying effects of halotherapy can support the immune, nervous and lymphatic systems. Additional benefits are reduced stress and headaches, increased energy, and better sleep patterns. Salt ions purify the air and may increase lung capacity and reduce physical ailments for adults, children and athletes. Treatments are recommended to help keep the body healthy during flu or allergy seasons.
SKIN CONDITIONS
Skin conditions can also be improved with halotherapy (psoriasis, rashes, eczema, acne). Table salt, sodium chloride, is dehydrating, but pure mineral salts have natural moisturizing properties and support the skin’s water balance and barrier function by attracting moisture to the skin. Minerals are necessary for cell function and detoxification, so mineral salts have strong rejuvenating properties.