Natural Allergy Relief with Halotherapy


By Kat Shaw


y earliest and strongest memory as a child to the down- side of allergy relief pills was bearing witness to my mother chronically suffering from hay fever. She would painstakingly cut her allergy pills into small fragments to avoid the full on side effects. This is probably nothing out the ordinary aside from the fact she complained about it religiously and must have felt it equally relieving to protest against it to me and my young siblings all of our lives. On some days when she was acting out of sorts, tired, foggy and downright miserable, she would always announce in explanation and disgust, “Well I had to take a whole allergy pill today!” This is always how it was for her and I only wish the trend for holisitic and natural health remedies were more popular back in her day.


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The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunol- ogy reports some staggering numbers on allergies. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. While there are a myriad of modern medicines available for allergy sufferers, many still come with unwanted side effects. Just listen to the fast talking at the end of a commercial advertisement: “Drowsiness, dizziness, constipa- tion, stomach upset, blurred vision, a dry mouth/nose/throat may occur…” Which is worse, the allergy symptoms or the medication side effects? Choosing the lesser of two evils isn’t much comfort.


It is common to hear people with chronic allergies commis-


erating on how they avoid taking their allergy medicine because they don’t like how it makes them feel, followed by an unneces- sary and shameful confession that they had to take it that day because their allergies were so bad which usually includes a disclaimer for any possible behavior that may be a result of that. And, yes, we are still talking about allergy medications here and I’m having flashbacks of my mother again!


If you suffer from allergies and are tired of choosing between suffering from the allergy symptoms or the medication side ef- fects then it’s time to explore natural allergy relief. One therapy to consider is Halotherapy (Halo is Greek for salt.) Also known as


20 Essential Living Maine ~ March/April 2017


Dry Salt Therapy, it is known to help relieve respiratory ailments such as cold/flu, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, sinus infection, sinusitis, rhinitis and hay fever (allergies). In addition, the anti- inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties of dry sodium chloride aerosol has been shown to treat ear infections and conditions of the skin such as psoriasis, rosacea, eczema and dermatitis.


The History of Halotherapy 100% drug free, scientist and researchers developed Halo-


therapy as a means of concentrating the positive effects of salt observed in nature. For centuries, monks used naturally occurring salt caverns to treat respiratory ailments. They produced salt dust by grinding salt rocks against each other, which was then inhaled by patients. In 1843, Dr. Felix Bochkowsky, the state authority for occupational health in the Polish industry, published a book about the health benefits of salt dust. He saw that while metal and coal miners battled deadly respiratory ailments, workers in salt mines were actually healthier than average people, not to mention other miners. The first Halotherapy salt chambers opened in the 1960’s in Eastern Europe as an option for respiratory treatment. Into the 1980’s European health resorts began offering Halotherapy as a restorative treatment.


What is Halotherapy? Salt therapy is a therapeutic, natural, drug-free and non-


invasive method of inhaling pure, dry, micronized salt air particles. These particles reach the deepest area of the lungs absorbing bacteria and pollutants and providing an anti-inflammatory and cleansing effect. This process supports and strengthens the body’s immune system by eliminating toxins and allergens that are trapped within the mucus lining of the respiratory system.


How does it work?


Dry pharmaceutical grade salt is heated and then is ground and crushed into very tiny micro-particles in a machine called a halogenerator. During a typical salt room session, these dry aerosol micro-particles of salt are then dispersed into the air. As the person relaxes, the micro-particles are inhaled. The particles


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