You don’t have to wait until the next cold, flu, or virus attacks your body before taking action. Salt therapy is an all-natural, effective way to help your immune system fight illness. Read on to understand how it works.
Key takeaways:
- Salt therapy is a natural way to cleanse your sinuses of germs.
- It supports the production of T-cells, supporting your immune system.
- It also reduces the chances of you spreading illness to your loved ones.
A runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever, body aches… illnesses like the common cold and the flu can leave you uncomfortable for days. And, you could end up sharing them with your loved ones and making them sick, too.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average adult gets 2-3 colds per year and children get even more. In addition, around 8% of the U.S. population gets the flu each year. Thankfully, there’s a natural way to reduce your chances of catching such bugs: salt therapy.
Also known as halotherapy, salt therapy involves breathing in pharmaceutical-grade, micro-sized particles of dry salt, which are dispersed in the air of a salt room by a machine called a halogenerator. These particles deeply penetrate your respiratory system and are absorbed by your skin.
In this post, we’ll show you exactly how this growing, powerful therapy can make catching the next bug less likely.
How salt therapy helps avoid colds, the flu, and viruses
Salt therapy may help you to avoid getting what’s going around and sharing it with your family and friends in three ways:
- It cleans the sinuses of harmful cold, flu, and virus germs
- It supports T-cell production by your immune system
- It suppresses germ transmission from your breath
Let’s dig deep into each of the above points.
It cleans the sinuses of cold, flu, and virus germs
If you’ve caught a cold or a viral infection, your sinus and nasal passageways might be clogged. In some cases, sinuses may become inflamed and sore. Salt therapy helps the body remove bacteria, viruses, and toxins from your sinus and nasal passageways. With anti-inflammatory properties, salt therapy opens inflamed airways.
Colds and viruses often cause mucus to build up. During such illnesses, you’re likely to have your passageways clogged which can trap germs and cause an infection. Fortunately, salt therapy thins mucus, making it easier for you to breathe and for the mucus to leave the body, taking with it germs and toxins.
It supports T-cell production
T-cells are a type of white blood cell that defends your body from infection (and may help fight cancer). They’re often referred to as “killer T cells” since they can destroy cells that have been infected by viruses or pathogens. In addition, they help B cells to produce antibodies, earning them the nickname “helper T cells” as well.
When you do halotherapy, it elevates T-cell production. Dr. Joseph Marino, medical director of Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital in New York, observed in a U.S. News article that “the efficacy of halotherapy [may] be related to an immunologic effect by elevating T lymphocytes, which are one of our germ fighters.”
As tiny dry salt particles enter the skin, a chemical reaction occurs that supports the body’s T-cell production. Simply put, salt therapy once per week may help fight off bugs going around like the common cold and the flu.
It suppresses germ transmission from the breath
Common colds and other viral infections often spread through airborne droplets when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or even breathes. Unintentionally, you may easily transmit a cold, flu, or virus to your loved ones and friends.
The good news: Salt therapy can reduce your chances of spreading it to people close to you. There’s research from Harvard Medical School to back up that claim.
The researchers set out to see if salt therapy could suppress germ transmission in the breath. Based on their research and findings, they concluded that salt therapy reduced the number of “exhaled bioaerosol particles” by about 8.19%. Their experiments also showed that salt modifies the airway-lining fluid by increasing surface tension and making disease transmission more difficult.
Another collaborative research study between several universities, including Harvard, Penn State, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) also delivered similar results: “High concentrations of chloride, delivered via hypertonic saline to nasal epithelial tissues, have been found to diminish viral infections associated with the common cold.
While we do not allow clients to attend salt therapy sessions while contagious, those with the regular habit of salt therapy benefit between sessions.
How salt therapy works
Salt therapy increases your overall wellness in a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Professionals who have the right machines and expertise help you get the best out of each session.
Here’s how it works:
- At the beginning of your session: A device called a halogenerator grinds pharmaceutical-grade dry salt into the salt booth or room. The micro-sized salt particles enter your body as you breathe and through your exposed skin.
- During your session: Your only job is to relax, breathe in through your nose, and enjoy the spa environment. Some clients listen to music, sleep or meditate.
- Like anything, repetition brings results: In your first session, you will enjoy the relaxation. Many feel opening in the sinuses and report that they sleep well that night. To experience long term benefits like lessening the chance of catching what is going around, experts suggest one session per week to gain and maintain benefits.
Find the right salt therapy partner
It’s one thing to know that salt therapy can help you. It’s an entirely different ballgame finding the right salt therapy partner to get you started.
The Salt Suite® offers top-of-the-line salt therapy in immersive salt caves in 45-minute sessions. We also have salt booths that deliver 15-minute therapy sessions if you’re short on time. Whatever option you go with, you’ll be treated to a cool and soothing atmosphere that will help you say good riddance to colds, the flu, and viruses.
Contact The Salt Suite® today to learn how we can help you.
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