Enlightened Ways

For the last few weeks, we have been delving deep into Himalayan salt and all the benefits touted for uses outside of food on the Facebook page. Himalayan salt has gained popularity for its mineral-rich content, which gives it its pink color. It has been used in alternative health modalities for respiratory and skin treatments for quite some time in Europe. It has made its way over to the U.S. in the last couple of decades. Today, we will address these approaches and what they can provide.

Himalayan Salt Lamps

The first popular trend of Himalayan salt use for respiratory health is salt lamps. Salt lamps are advertised as air purifiers that can relieve asthma and reduce anxiety and depression, as well as various skin and respiratory diseases. They claim that Himalayan salt, when heated, gives off negative ions. Negative ions are complex to form off salt as they are highly stable, especially at the level of heat given off by a max 15-watt lightbulb (WebMD, 2019). While the benefits of air purification are lacking, there is something valuable about how these lamps can affect sleep and mood. A randomized trial in 2009 found that amber (blue-blocking) light improved the quality of sleep, mood, and circadian rhythms (“AMBER LENSES to BLOCK BLUE LIGHT and IMPROVE SLEEP: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL,” 2024). Today, we even produce glasses to block blue light exposure before sleep to help with this. I am a fan of salt lamps for this reason, if not for the respiratory benefits, then for the soft glow they give in my massage room.

Salt Caves

The second trend for respiratory benefits is salt caves or, rather, rooms. They have been popular in Europe for many years in sanatoriums, and, more recently, in the States, several salt rooms have sprung up in Florida (Holistic Wellness and Salt & Sea Wellness). Depending on your source, one of the first noted cases of the benefits of breathing in salt particles was from 1843 in Poland, where those who worked the salt mines had been observed to never suffer from colds or respiratory problems (Evgeniya Petrova Vladeva & Liliya Panajotova Ovcharova, 2018). The therapy goes by several names, including salt therapy, halotherapy, or speleotherapy. Still, all are pristine, sterilized environments that you go to sit in that use halogenerators that produce salt aerosol microcrystals. The aerosol is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, accelerating mucous production and eliminating allergens; they also normalize pH and induce reparative/regenerative processes in the skin (PROSPECTS of HALOTHERAPY in SANATORIUM-AND-SPA DERMATOLOGY and COSMETOLOGY, n.d.). The respiratory system and skin are closely interrelated; this therapy detoxifies, assists the lymph system in drainage, and reduces sensitivity to allergens. Being in these environments is soothing, reflects positively on the psyche, and has an antidepressant effect. Due to this, it has become common all across Europe and has spread to Asia and now America.

Salt Therapies

Many Americans already use halotherapy to treat skin conditions, even at home, as a wet therapy via salt gargles and salt baths to relieve muscle aches and pains and even for nasal irrigation with neti pots and saline sprays(Evgeniya et al. Ovcharova, 2018). Salt gargles clean the mouth when infections or canker sores are present. Even drinking deep-sea water has been shown to decrease the level of mercury and lead in the body and can help treat eczema and dermatitis (Y Hataguchi et al., 2005). Salt baths are standard in relieving tension and revitalizing the spirit; ask any woman looking to relax or an athlete who has overworked their body. They are even suitable for the skin, once again relieving inflammation, increasing hydration, smoothing the skin, and improving the skin barrier for protection, especially when the salt has a high magnesium content as it binds to water and increases skin cell proliferation (Proksch et al., 2005). Salt is antibacterial; when a person has a wound, salt collects at the site to clean it and boosts white blood cell activation to ward off infection (Jantsch et al., 2015). Using salt therapies to treat the skin is not uncommon here in America, so it makes sense that we are still exploring new ways to use salt.

Himalayan Salt Stone Massage

Himalayan salt stone massage uses heated stones in what is known as hydrotherapy. Though water is not used on the rocks to preserve them, it is still used today as a spa treatment—some question whether it benefits the user. As we know, massage on its own is beneficial to the body as it applies mechanical stimuli to the various tissues, automatically creating a stimulus, increasing blood and lymph circulation, and relieving muscle tension (Paweł Radziejowski, 2018). The heat of the massage therapist’s hands is created from the friction of the massage. With hot stones, there is an increase in vasodilation, pain threshold, and overall systemic effects (Gruszka, 2018). Salt stones are slightly rough, providing exfoliation that removes dead skin cells, dirt, and oil (Dehaven, n.d.). Exfoliation can improve skin regeneration and give skin that smooth and supple feel. An immunological and cardiorespiratory study found that halotherapy with massage increased the effectiveness of salt therapy by 86.5% (Evgeniya Petrova Vladeva & Liliya Panajotova Ovcharova, 2018). Himalayan salt stone massage can be beneficial by improving blood, lymph, and skin circulation and regenerative properties that increase its ability to hydrate and fight off infection.

Himalayan salt has many uses besides food. We have discussed several of these and its many benefits to the body. While salt lamps can improve mood and sleep quality, the heat produced can’t cause the emission of negative ions. Salt caves, however, provide stress reduction and a powerful psychological effect. They can detoxify, balance pH, relieve congestion, are antibacterial, and have anti-inflammatory effects. Relieving congestion, allergies, and asthma while rejuvenating the skin. We use salt therapies regularly to treat muscles and skin conditions, improving them and increasing the skin’s protective barriers. With the added benefits of a massage, heated salt stones soothe the muscles and spirit, exfoliate the skin, and improve circulation. My hope now is that you go out and try a few!