Salt Cave Blog

All The Salt Cave branches are having an Open Day on the 16th November 2011 to celebrate World COPD Day. This means anyone can come along and experience the treatment for FREE and talk to our experienced staff!

COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a highly prevalent disease that has a large impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. It kills millions of people worldwide every year. The early stages of COPD are often unrecognized, but it is very easy to determine whether a person is at risk.

If you know anyone with COPD, please spread the word about the open day and bring people along.

Hope to see you on that day.

The Salt Cave Team

To celebrate the opening of this new branch, clients can benefit from our Buy 1 Get 1 Free deal, but this is now only valid for the Milton Keynes branch. The offer is expiring at the end of the month, on the 30^th September. You can buy these discounted packages in the Milton Keynes branch, on our website www.saltcave.co.uk/prices.html or on the phone by calling 0190 8888 480.

Package Type	Number of Sessions	Prices	September MK Promotion
Salt Package 5	5 Salt Therapy sessions	£150	10 sessions
Salt Package 10	10 Salt Therapy sessions	£260	20 sessions
Salt Package 15	15 Salt Therapy sessions	£345	30 sessions
Salt Package 20	20 Salt Therapy sessions	£400	40 sessions
Salt Package 30	30 Salt Therapy sessions	£540	60 sessions

It’s the time of year for the first round of colds. Lately, lots of coughing and sneezing has been going on wherever we go. Try to avoid cold drinks, drink plenty of fluids, particularly lukewarm water, and eat a lot of foods with vitamin C like broccoli, brussels sprouts, bell pepper, chilli pepper, kiwi, cauliflower, fresh fruit juices, mustard greens, oranges, papaya, strawberries and other red berries to help boost your body’s immunity. Foods with vitamin C increase the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and increase levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces preventing the entry of viruses.

Some useful supplements and herbs: Aloe Vera, Echinacea, Garlic, Ginseng, Astragalus, Ginger and Probiotics.

Mucus secreted into the lungs protects the lungs by trapping allergens, bacteria and viruses. However, if the mucus is not removed from the lungs it becomes toxic, decreasing lung volume and obstructing airways. As a result, physical action (Halotherapy / Salt Therapy) is sometimes required in order to improve the lung function. “Amazingly, scientists have found that bacteria have enough collective or chemical consciousness to come together and form smart colonies. These smart colonies of bacteria are called ‘biofilms’.” (McCabe, 2004)

In the lungs, bacteria biofilms act as a multi-cellular microorganism, and are anaerobic, which means they cannot live in Oxygen rich environment. “A prolific variety of environmental niches are formed, and the biofilm affords protection from antibiotics and toxins (poisonous substances; in this case negatively charged ions).” (Netting, 2001)

Dry salt aerosol is negatively charged (like Oxygen), and it can oxidize the biofilm structure, which can lead to biofilm disintegration. One may compare the oxidation of biofilm to the rusting of metal. Thus, disintegrated biofilm structure may be removed from lungs. Additional amounts of water drawn to the lungs through osmosis (caused by salt minerals) dilute the biofilm, further speeding up biofilm and mucus removal.

“The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” – Voltaire

Probably you are confused on the positive / negative effects of salt due to the many different news and studies published. First of all we have to check if the sal has any chemical additive content (e.g. Anti Caking Agent) in it. When you buy salt always make sure that it is free from any anti caking agent or other chemical additives (E500-E599) as they can cause high blood pressure and other side effects.

With regards to natural salt we have collected the most important properties of them:

1. Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure – in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.

2. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.

3. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood- a needed element in diabetics.

4. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites of energy need by the cells.

5. Salt is vital to the nerve cells’ communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.

6. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.

7. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.

8. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.

9. Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.

10. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

11. Salt is vital to prevent excess saliva production to the point that it flows out of the mouth during sleep. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.

12. Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body. Twenty-seven percent of the body’s salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are twenty-two percent water. Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we’re deficient in salt or water or both?!

13. Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.

14. Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics.

15. Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.

16. Salt is vital for the prevention of gout and gouty arthritis.

17. Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.

18. Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.

19. Salt is vital for reducing a double chin. When the body is short of salt, it means the body really is short of water. The salivary glands sense the salt shortage and are obliged to produce more saliva to lubricate the act of chewing and swallowing and also to supply the stomach with water that it needs for breaking down foods. Circulation to the salivary glands increases and the blood vessels become “leaky” in order to supply the glands with water to manufacture saliva. The “leakiness” spills beyond the area of the glands themselves, causing increased bulk under the skin of the chin, the cheeks and into the neck.

20. Sea salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts. Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than other types of salt on the market. Ordinary table salt that is bought in the super markets has been stripped of its companion elements and contains additive elements (totaling approximately 2-2.5% by volume or weight) such as dextrose (Dextrose, a sugar used to stabilize, provides iodide stability by preventing oxidation of the potassium iodide to free iodine.); calcium silicate (anti-caking) to keep it powdery and porous; and potassium iodide.

We are glad to announce that 2 more Salt Cave branches will open in the near future: in Edinburgh and Milton Keynes.

The Edinburgh unit is established in a building (previously used as a pub) in the city centre. The restructuring of the building started at the end of last year and is finally complete, medical devices have been installed and the salt application has begun. In the next few weeks, we can start to schedule the first sessions.

Unfortunately there is an ongoing issue with a leaking water main next to the building, which has a very small leak and seems impossible to locate. Scottish Water attended 12 times in the last 3 months to no avail.

In Milton Keynes the building phase is an easier job, as the site is a new development. Here, the legal works took longer than expected but all contracts are finally signed and the work started on site 2 weeks ago.

We will keep you updated on these projects.

This is the testimony Pamelas has written after the one published a few months ago. It was so rewarding to read it knowing that she was suffering from chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis for over 10 years:

“In January of this year I started attending Salt Therapy in Tunbridge Wells to see if I could gain relief from chronic sinusitis. I also have bronchiectasis so when my sinuses get infected I am also at risk of infection going into my lungs.  I have had my sinuses operated on and have had numerous infections/inflammation/ secretions which has led to my having antibiotics on a regular basis to try and control the symptons as well as nasal sprays etc.  Until I visited the Salt Cave I had had little or no relief from these conditions and you can imagine how impressed I was after my first visit when I found I could actually breathe easily. I have continued to visit the Salt Cave on a regular basis and have found that my condition has improved above all my expectations. I still have a post nasal drip which has improved and I am hoping will improve further with continued treatment.

I had my 3 monthly hospital check-up with my ENT consultant last Monday and  there was no infection or inflammation and no secretions, as you can imagine I was absolutely delighted. My thanks to you both for bringing the Salt Cave to England.  Long may it continue.”