A misbehaving endocrine system can drag along all kinds of stuff. Stuff you’d never in a million years figure out had anything to endocrine issues.

For one instance, allergies get an open invitation to drop by any time. And mercy me, drop by they do. And stay.

So let’s talk about some help for airborne allergies. You know, pollen, mold, dust, pet dander and the like–the stuff that floats around in the household air we breathe.

Instead of the obvious, an air purifier that sounds like a diesel engine coming down the tracks whilst you try to catch some ZZZZs, let’s talk about lamps.

Specifically, let’s talk about Himalayan Salt Lamps, lumps of salt hollowed out and wired for a bulb, that they sell by the pound.

When heated from within by a small bulb, these lamps create negative ions. And what’s the big deal about negative ions? They silently kill airborne allergens, relieving allergies, sinus problems–pretty much any environmentally induced health problem.

They also help to compensate for everything in our surroundings that kills negative ions–such as computers, TVs, fluorescent lights (CFLs, anybody?), air conditioners, plastics and so on.

And they help with chemotherapy nausea. And diminish ADD/ADHD hyperactivity.

Fresh, country air is chock-a-block full of negative ions. City air, not so much. In fact, hardly at all.

Besides being healthful, the lamps--a kaleidoscope of orange, pink and yellow--look lovely, especially when lighted. Some people use them for ‘mood’ lighting.

What’s the downside? When all those airborne particles get hit by negative ions, they kamikaze to the floor, where–dead and powerless–they remain until you sweep or mop.

I have four Himalayan salt lamps in my house–and plan to get more for rooms not yet receiving their benefits. My tile floors require more attention than they did before the arrival of the lamps. With my mold allergy, though, a quick once-over with the steamer is small enough price to pay for clean air.

Another downside is finding them. Himalayan salt lamps can be tricky to find locally. They’re all over the internet, but shipping costs on something you buy by the pound can be steep.

What to look for? The rougher the surface, the more negative ions you get. As for size, the rule of thumb is one pound of lamp for every ten square feet of air you want to “treat.” (I think that’s a little much, but 1-to-10 is what they say.) The lamps range from about five pounds to upwards of forty pounds, but grappling with the big ones takes a better man than I am. :)

I thought better of buying a forty-pounder when I couldn’t lift it from the store shelf. Couldn’t even move it, in fact. I can wrestle a fifty-pound bag of dog food, but that lamp got the best of me.

Just another way salt can bless your socks off.

Printer-friendly version