History of Himalayan  Crystal salt

The fascinating pink and white crystals of Himalayan pink salt have a history that dates back more than 300 million years ago when they dissolved in the water of the ancient oceans. These oceans dried up over time and left this rock salt as deposits.

What are Himalayan salt lamps ?

Salt lamps have been gaining popularity in the recent years. These “air vitamins” are pure blocks of Himalayan salt where inside a candle or light bulb has been placed.

What is a brine solution :

Brine is water with dissolved salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) concentration greater than 5 percent. There are rivers and salty lakes where there is no life due to the excess of salt and that is where the brine is extracted, mainly to obtain its salt by evaporating the water in salt flats.

Where to place a salt lamp? :

A Himalayan salt lamp in your living room, bedroom or any place of the house is just like having an open window, it is a natural source of fresh, clean air that fills the air with vitamins. They have great benefits for the health of our family and it is something that science can demonstrate.

Himalayan Salt Lamp Benefits

1 ) They clean the air

This is the best known feature of salt lamps. They have incredible power to remove dust, pollen, tobacco smoke, and other pollutants from the air.

How do they do it ?

They purify the air through the power of hygrometry, that is, they attract and absorb water molecules from the environment, and with it the foreign particles they may have.

As the lamp is heated by the heat produced by the light bulb inside, that same water evaporates again in the air and the particles trapped by dust, pollen, smoke… are trapped in the salt.

2 ) They reduce allergy and asthma symptoms :

As they remove microscopic dust, mold, mildew, and similar things in the surrounding air, placing a lamp or two in rooms where you spend more time can reduce allergy symptoms.

Even people with asthma can notice a big difference after a week or two. In fact, Himalayan salt is so good for the respiratory tract that it is even sold in an inhaler form.

3 ) They take care of our lungs

As we have seen before, when the lamp heats up and begins its hygroscopic cycle of particles in the air, the charge of the molecules that are released also changes, which means, it absorbs positive ions and expels negative ions (those that we find in pure nature).

Most of our homes are full of positive ions, which are not especially good for our health.The main source of positive ions is electronic devices.

Why are positive ions harmful?

By continuously breathing a large number of positive ions in the air, the cilia (microscopic hairs) that line our trachea become slow and have a harder time keeping contaminating particles out of our lungs.

 And negative ions precisely have the effect of increasing ciliary activity, helping to keep our lungs clear and protected.

In other words, salt lamps help our bodies filter air more efficiently.

5 ) They increase the energy

Taking a walk in the countryside, or on the beach, camping in the mountains, or taking a quiet shower in the morning are small things that can revitalize us.

It is no coincidence that all these activities expose us to an increase in negative ion concentrations (such as those generated by salt lamps).

Generally speaking, negative ions increase oxygen flow to the brain; with the result of having a higher state of alert, decrease of drowsiness and more mental energy .

Conversely, positive ions load our body with energy.

If you feel tired and don’t know why, put a Himalayan salt lamp or candle holders in the room or rooms where you spend most of your time (even at work). When a week has passed, you will surely notice a difference.

6 ) They help counteract electronic vibrations

Today most of us live in a kind of ocean of electromagnetic radiation (EM) that arises from all the electronic devices that surround us (television, computer, mobile phone, tablet, music devices, etc…)

Although it may not seem to affect us, the long-term effects of this type of radiation can be very serious.

Studies show that constant exposure to EM radiation increases stress levels, causes chronic fatigue, and reduces the body’s immune response, among other things.

The negative ions that Himalayan salt lamps emit help to counteract EM radiation. So it’s a good idea to have a fence around your television, computer, and other electrical devices that you use frequently.

7 ) They help you sleep better

Another side effect of overexposure to positive ions in the air is that it affects the quality of our sleep.

This happens because the positively charged particles can reduce the blood and oxygen supply that reaches the brain, which can result in irregular sleep patterns.

Since Himalayan salt lamps generate natural negative ions, they help lessen this problem.

That is why it is convenient to have one also in the bedroom.

If at night you cannot sleep with the light on, it is enough that you keep the salt lamp on throughout the day and at night just before bed you turn it off. It can also be a fantastic night light for children.

8 ) They improve mood and concentration

We have already seen that the effect of negative ions in the body improves the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain and other organs, and also provides an increase in the release of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that makes us (literally) happy.

All this, naturally affects our mood, It can help us to relax and rest but it also improves our concentration.

That is why a salt lamp is very suitable in any space where concentration work is required (in offices, offices, studios, …).

9 ) They reduce static electricity in the air

Salt lamps also neutralize ionized particles in the air that cause static electricity. Something that is not harmful to health, but certainly very annoying, when lint sticks to your shirt, or combing becomes an odyssey.

10 ) They are an environmentally friendly light source

They are completely natural lamps, they use light bulbs that consume little energy, and if we do not want them to be electric we can use the candle holders that have the same effect on the environment.

How do they work :

Let’s take a minute to understand better how these lamps work. All matter (the human body, air, water …) is made up of particles called atoms that group together forming molecules. Atoms are made up of 3 types of smaller particles :

Protons (positive charge)

Electrons (negative charge)

Neutrons (without charge).

Electrons orbit around the nucleus of the atom as planets revolve around a star.

Occasionally an electron jumps, and when it does it leaves behind an ion (i.e. a charged atom) which in this case is positively charged, and its sole purpose in life becomes to fill the void left by its little lost electron.

That means it wants to steal an electron from another molecule to replace it.

What salt lamps do is emit negative ions both day and night, which stick to the positive ones (those that have lost their molecules) and neutralize them.

Recommendations on its care:

• Keep the lamp on as long as possible so that negative ions are generated and moisture does not accumulate.
• Do not place salt lamps near steam sources such as a dishwasher, washing machine, or in the bathroom. Salt can melt with prolonged exposure to high humidity, so some lamps can expel water.
• It is important to have the lamp clean of dust. Clean it occasionally with a soft cloth.
• Keep the lamp out of reach of children due to their high weight, when handling them they could suffer some damage or impact.