SHABIHA NUR KHATOON, OP
The lowly table salt can do much more than please your palate. Its healing properties are being used in halotherapy, which is becoming popular the world over
Salt is known for its role as a food preservative and flavouring agent. It has been used to preserve food for thousands of years and is the most common seasoning. Most of us add salt to our food. But too much of anything is bad; if you use too much of salt, your doctor may suggest that you lessen your intake.
In recent years, salt is being used in an increasingly popular therapy called Halotherapy. Halotherapy is a new trend in spas across the world. A halogenerator pumps microscopic particles of medicinal-grade sodium chloride into the air; it also emits a rather relaxing hum. The salt room is softly lit to create a relaxing atmosphere.
You just need to lie back and relax with your feet upwhile you breathe in the air. Sometimes, you get to sit on a special “zero-gravity” chair that provides a feeling of weightlessness that is said to reduce stress on the spine.
While you relax, you can read a nice book, listen to soothing music, meditate, or take a nap. Sometimes kids are providedgames or movies to keep them occupied; they can even play with the salt much like playing with snow or sand on the beach.
Sunday POST spoke to a few experts about halotherapy, its benefits and increasing popularity.
Mumbai-based Vidya Dongre, skin care consultant and therapist, says that salt therapy is a natural therapy, but not many are aware about it. It involves inhaling dry salt, which can help cleanse both the airways and the skin to relieve congestion, inflammation and skin irritations.
“I suggest this therapy to my clients who suffer from ailments like asthma and eczema. Believe me,they have received significant and lasting symptom relief following regular salt therapy. The salt particles help to open up the airways, increase the oxygen intake and cleanse the airways of smoke, dust, pollutants and other allergens. With respect to skin care, when the salt lands on the skin it can also help to relieve sore, flaky, red and irritated skin.
“I suggest to my clients or whoever is undergoing this therapy to be consistent. Consistency is the key when it comes to salt therapy. The benefits are many: breathing becomes easier and shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, congestion and irritated skin may gradually be reduced,” she adds.
Talking about the side-effects, Vidya explains, “There are no side effects as such. Post the sessions, one may experience a slight cough, minor tightness in the chest or runny nose, but scientifically speaking this is simply the salt doing its work to remove mucus and toxins from the lungs.”
Arpit Sharma, CEO of Delhi basedSansha Hospitality Services, explains that halo is Greek for salt. Salt therapy is similar to spending time in the salty sea air. Dry salt therapy originates from speleotherapy (cave therapy) and the Wieliczka salt cave in Poland, where workers exhibited fewer respiratory illnesses.
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 as 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.
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 breathe 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 such as psoriasis, rashes, eczema, acne can also be improved with halotherapy. Table salt or sodium chloride is dehydrating, but pure mineral salts have natural moisturising 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.
“We have Himalayan salt lamps in every spa room.While a 60 minute or 120 minute spa treatment is in progress, the guest gets to inhale Himalayan salt in the air which simultaneously gives all the benefits while getting a therapeutic relaxing massage,” Arpit adds.
Ancient roots
The first salt therapy clinic opened in Chicago in 2006, and today there are over 125 salt spas in the United States.
Salt therapy clinics are also becoming popular in Canada, Israel, East Europe, and Australia. A couple of Norwegian cruise ships toooffer similar facilities.
Salt therapy spas often resemble a salt cave because they are following a European folk tradition of going into salt caves for a wide variety of treatments.
In ancient Greece, Hippocrates recommended inhaling saltwater steam for people with respiratory conditions.
In medieval times, European monks often treated their patients in salt caves.
Later, during the 1800s,a Polish doctor noticed that salt miners had an unusually low rate of respiratory illnesses.
In 1985, a machine was invented in Russia that crushed and dispersed salt particles which was used by doctors to treat breathing ailments. This invention was also useful for salt therapy spas.