The Salty Side of Life: Benefits of Salt Therapy

I was a guest of the Intown Salt Room and I had a chance to see first-hand how salt therapy benefits individuals. All opinions are my own.

Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to visit a salt room and experience salt therapy (halotherapy). I also experienced meditation/sound therapy. Salt rooms and salt therapy have increased in popularity over the last few years, but this is the first time that I have experienced one. The sessions were transformational. Here in Atlanta, the temperature can vary from 40 degrees one day to 75 degrees the next. This takes a toll on people’s sinuses. The day I visited the salt room was perfect because I had suffered from irritated sinuses and congestion all day. Since my salt room visit, I have not had a bit of trouble with my sinuses or congestion… it all cleared up with one visit.

The meditation room was also amazing. As a teacher, I am always on alert and I operate very well being busy. However, when I leave school and arrive home, I have a very hard time winding down, yet I am typically exhausted. It is unhealthy for our bodies to perform all day in a busy state without entering a relaxation mode. I force myself to close my eyes for 20-minutes when I arrive home so that I can be a better mother and wife for the second half of my day. This particular day was no different and through the salt therapy session, I was able to reach a deep state of relaxation. I laid in a chair where vibrations ran through the chair in conjunction with the sounds of music. A great aspect of both the salt room and the meditation room is that your relaxation does not last for just the time you are visiting, it extends for a long while after you have left.  I want to detail my experience for you today and explain some of the benefits of salt therapy.

Experiencing Salt

I experienced salt therapy at the InTown Salt Room in Atlanta. When I arrived, I found a very tranquil waiting room and I met the owner, Carrie. Carrie explained that she opened the Intown Salt Room in July 2018 and that she was a member of the Salt Therapy Association. Her facility includes 6,000  pounds of Himalayan salt incorporated into the décor of the 1,100 square feet of space.

Since Intown’s grand opening, Carrie has witnessed a steady increase in the number of returning clients. So many people are finding salt therapy to be beneficial to their ailments and they have made it a point to visit at least one to two times per week. As allergy season is upon us, I am strongly considering facing the pollen head on for myself, Jackson, and Lucy by all of us visiting the salt room regularly so that we are not miserable living in a world of yellow and green.

Carrie explained that my experience would include both a salt therapy and a meditation/sound therapy visit.

I placed my belongings and my shoes into a secure locker and took the key with me into the salt room. You don’t have to worry about what you wear for therapy because it focuses on the salt that you are breathing in at the time. As I entered the room, Carrie had me sit in a zero-gravity chair and gave me a blanket and a set of headphones, in which relaxing music was playing. In the room, the side walls were covered with Himalayan salt bricks and a bed of salt laid beneath my feet. While I was relaxing, a dry salt mist was dispensed into the air by a machine called a halogenerator. I began breathing in the salty dry air. The salt therapy session lasted 30 minutes, and before I knew it, Carrie was gently tapping my shoulder, indicating that it was time to move on to the meditation/sound therapy session. I was already relaxed, but there was more to come.

I was led across the hall with my blanket into a room that contained two wave lounging chairs. Carrie explained that the chairs contained Acoustic Resonance Technology. Relaxing music was playing and I could feel the vibrations of the music flowing through the chair. The sound therapy gave me a feeling of tranquility and before I knew it, I was asleep again. When I awoke, I was completely in a zen state, as I felt relaxed and at peace with the world. Before I left, I asked Carrie to give me a little information on the salt therapy regarding its health benefits, and she was happy to educate me. I would like to share those benefits with you so that you too can find natural relief if you are suffering from any of the ailments that salt therapy supports. 

Benefits of Salt Therapy

I was stunned when my sinuses cleared up after a 30 minute salt therapy session. However, sinuses relief is the tip of iceberg when it come to the therapy’s benefits. I have summarized the Salt Therapy Association’s health claims below.

Stress, Anxiety, and Fatigue

I knew that I was feeling relaxed before I ever left my salt session. What I didn’t realize was that this was scientific! The salt seeps into your airways and the breathing in of the salt naturally relaxes your internal muscles and your nervous system. Also, the salt is antibacterial and antimicrobial, so it curbs the body’s toxicity and aids in boosting the immune system.  It did not take long within the session for my body to begin relaxing, something I struggle with every day!

Asthma

I know so many people who suffer from Asthma. Never did I imagine that something as simple as sitting in a salt room could reduce flare ups and symptoms.

While relaxing during the therapy session, the salt goes to work! The breathing in of the salt decreases bronchial inflammation. This leads to a decrease or elimination of pathogenic organisms. When your bronchial system is clear with no micro-organisms, there is a decrease in the hyper-responsiveness of the bronchial system, creating improved lung functioning. According to the Salt Therapy Association, “In controlled studies, the majority of subjects showed reduced bronchial obstruction, better drain function of the airways, and improved viscosity of bronchial secretions. The number and intensity of asthma attacks was reduced and respiratory discomfort decreased or disappeared, which allowed most to reduce or even eliminate prescribed medications.”

Sinus Infections and Sinusitis

Sinus problems are a bane to my existence, and I am not alone. Headaches, swollen sinus passages in my head and face, and difficulty breathing seem to plague me a number of times per year. I was extremely interested to understand the relationship between salt therapy and sinus infections. Apparently, when the salt enters through your nose (which if you are suffering from sinuses, this means that your nasal passages are inflamed) and travels through your airway passages it improves the airflow behind your tympanic membrane (the ear drum). The salty air decreases infection in pockets where bacteria collects in your sinus passages, thus reducing the chances of ear infections and sinus infections. Plus, the salt particles kickstart the process of the immune system attacking the infection within your body.

Snoring and Sleeping Problems

There are many people who snore on a nightly basis. Snoring is caused by your airway being obstructed while you are snoozing. Salt therapy actually combats snoring because of the anti-inflammatory properties of the salt. Air passages are cleared and widened with the therapy, creating less irritation and obstruction, which leads to less snoring. The more used to salt that your airways become, the less likely you are to snore!

Cystic Fibrosis

People who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis have cells that produce a thick, sticky mucus rather than a thin and slippery mucus. This thickened mucus clogs tubes and ducts in passages, such as with people’s lungs and pancreas. Those suffering from Cystic Fibrosis have cells that effect not only mucus, but also sweat and digestion. Salt therapy helps those with Cystic Fibrosis by the salt breaking down and thinning out the thick, sticky blockages. Deep salt inhalation also reduces inflammation in airways, the sinus tract, and the respiratory tract, aiding in improved lung function.

Allergies

Allergies come from your body’s response to an unwelcome substance such as food, pollen, or pet dander. When you come in contact with allergens, your body reacts by making antibodies whether the allergens are actually harmful or not. Depending on the type of allergy you contacted, inflammation can occur in skin, sinuses, and the digestive system. Salt therapy reduces inflammation within your body by improving the drainage paths of the contaminants. Salt also decreases the swollen mucus linings in your sinuses, creating quick relief from the allergens.

Psoriasis, Eczema, and Acne

Salt affects psoriasis, eczema, and acne by the salt particles settling into the pores on your skin. The salt particles stimulate cell regeneration. Inflamed areas are also improved by the salt’s attack upon the build up of bacteria. Inflammation is calmed in the body and on the skin. With the salt therapy stimulating the immune system, it actively attacks the toxic pathogens within the body.  

Cold, Coughs, and Flu

Salt therapy aids in relieving colds, coughs, and the flu by decreasing inflammation of the airways and thinning the mucus, leading to easier drainage. The salt is also able to penetrate bacteria and viral infections deep within the airways, ear cavities, and nasal cavities within your head and lungs. With a decrease in inflammation comes a decrease in cough. Salt therapy also stimulates the immune system and increases resistance to possible future infections.

Athletic Benefits

Athletes benefit from salt therapy because the salt inhalation aids in an increased respiratory airflow. Toxicity is drained faster, and red blood cells and oxygen are produced easier. Athletes are able to recover faster and manage lung and respiratory function easier with regular salt therapy sessions.

Senior Benefits

Senior citizens benefit in many ways from salt therapy. As people age, they often develop respiratory difficulties and skin conditions. The salt works to relieve issues such as COPD, asthma, colds, allergies, sinus problems, and bronchitis, permitting improved lung function. Skin conditions that often develop as we age include dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, and rashes. Salt is inhaled through the respiratory system and through the pores on the skin to relieve inflammation and stimulate new cell growth.

I visited the Intown Salt Room for an adventure. I left with an education and appreciation of salt, along with a feeling of total relaxation. I encourage you to try salt therapy if you suffer from one of the ailments listed above, or if you are seeking a unique and rejuvenating experience. If you visit the Intown Salt Room, be sure to ask Carrie about all the amazing benefits of salt. Tell her that Brandi from Loving Living Green sent you!

Intown Salt Room
563 Memorial Drive
Unit CU-A
Atlanta, Georgia 30312