Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Scientific Research on the use of Himalayan Salt

It wasn't long after the press release went out about Dr. Margaret Smiechowski's Himalayan salt cave opening in Pennsylvania that we started getting bombarded with requests for information from a self-appointed "watchdog" organization in that area whose members were concerned that the use of Himalayan salt in salt caves was a scam. Among other things, these people ridiculed the notion that salt could provide any real benefit, ridiculed Dr. Margaret's "foreign" education, and claimed that no scientific evidence exists to support the use of Himalayan salt. Further, they challenged us to produce even one study that shows beyond a reasonable doubt that there are statistically significant benefits to using the salt. 

The truth is that there are literally dozens of scientific studies that have been conducted over decades that show without any question that there are medical benefits to using Himalayan salt. If this is true, one might wonder why these organizations waste their time trying to discredit speleotherapy and halotherapy?

The answer to this question is fairly complicated. The main reason is because most of these studies were conducted in Europe and Asia and were published in scholarly journals in languages other than English. They are not translated into English and discussed in the US because in general we are putting our research dollars into more traditional, pharmaceutical-based research. Truthfully, Americans do not care about the research of salt. Those who have experienced its benefits do not need to see the multitude of studies that exist--they just know and believe. And those who will not believe no matter what do not want to see the studies. For those who are on the fence, we created this blog entry so you can see what research actually does exist.

Most of the dozens of clinical trials thus far, mainly reported in Russian-language journals, have focused on the use of speleotherapy or halotherapy as a treatment for asthma, chronic bronchitis, a range of respiratory conditions and potentially against systemic diseases. Clinical studies have also been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2006) demonstrating that the inhalation of saline produces sustained mucus clearance and improved lung function in patients with Cistic Fibrosis. In 1995 the Journal of Aerosol Medicine reported significant improvements in patients with various types of respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive and non-obstructive bronchitis, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis) who were treated with halotherapy in a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Here is a small sample of some of the other relevant studies:



Chernenkov RA, Chernenkova EA, Zhukov GV.
The use of an artificial microclimate chamber (salt cave) in the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive lung diseases
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1997 Jul-Aug ;( 4):19-21. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9424823


Chervinskaya AV, Zilber NA.
Halotherapy for treatment of respiratory diseases
J Aerosol Med. 1995 Fall;8(3):221-32.
PMID: 10161255


Gorbenko PP, Adamova IV, Sinitsyna TM.
Bronchial hyperreactivity to the inhalation of hypo- and hyperosmolar aerosols and its correction by halotherapy
Ter Arkh. 1996; 68(8):24-8. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 9019826


Grinshtein IuI, Shestovitskii VA, Kuligina-Maksimova AV.
Clinical significance of cytological characteristics of bronchial inflammation in obstructive pulmonary diseases
Ter Arkh. 2004; 76(3):36-9. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15108456


Grigor'eva NV.
Halotherapy in combined non-puncture therapy of patients with acute purulent maxillary sinusitis
Vestn Otorinolaringol. 2003;(4):42-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 13677023


Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov UR, Farkhutdinov RR.
Effectiveness of halotherapy of chronic bronchitis patients
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Nov-Dec ;( 6):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11197648


Maev EZ, Vinogradov NV.
Halotherapy in the combined treatment of chronic bronchitis patients
Voen Med Zh. 1999 Jun; 320(6):34-7, 96. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 10439712


Chervinskaia AV.
The scientific validation and outlook for the practical use of halo-aerosol therapy
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2000 Jan-Feb ;( 1):21-4. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11094875


Farkhutdinov UR, Abdrakhmanova LM, Farkhutdinov RR.
Effects of halotherapy on free radical oxidation in patients with chronic bronchitis
Klin Med ( Moscow ). 2000;78(12):37-40. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11210350


Borisenko LV, et al
The use of halotherapy for the rehabilitation of patients with acute bronchitis and a protracted and recurrent course
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1995 Jan-Feb ;( 1):11-5. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 7785211


Roslaia NA, Likhacheva EI, Shchekoldin PI.
Efficacy of therapeutic use of ultrasound and sinusoidal modulated currents combined with halotherapy in patients with occupational toxic-dust bronchitis
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2001 Jan-Feb ;( 1):26-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 11530404


Maliavin AG, Filiaeva IuA, Umakhanova MM, Chervinskaia AV.
Halotherapy-a new treatment for bacterial vaginosis
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 2004 May-Jun ;( 3):35-7. (Article in Russian)
PMID: 15216790


Wark, P.A.B. and V. McDonald (2004), "Nebulised Hypertonic Saline for Cystic Fibrosis," Cochrane Review (abstract), www.update-software.com/abstracts/AB001506.htm (as of August 3, 2004).


In case these thirteen clinical studies are not enough, the following websites offer additional support:


Tano, L Tano
Salt mine rehabilitation center
http://www.kopalniasoli.pl/en/objects/health-centre/about-the-centre/about-the-centre.html


http://www.sanatoria.org/eng/sanatorium/kopalniasoli.html

http://nationalnursingreview.com/2010/08/halotherapy/


http://www.pravasolnajaskyna.sk/ClinicalResults.htm

http://www.crklan.com/speleotherapy-and-halotherapy-for-healthy-lungs-and-skin/


http://www.aai.mf.vu.lt/alerimun/renginiai/99_05_palanga/2dalis.htm

http://www.salinetherapy.com/html/asthma___bronchitis.html


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18019972

http://www.saltrocks.org/Salt-Pipe_Clinical-Trial-Study-of-Asthma-Bronchitis-COPD.html


http://www.saltrocks.org/Salt-Pipe_Clinical-Trial-Study-of-Children-With-Asthma-Etc.html

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=12047


http://www.xs4all.nl/~jorbons/souterrains/art/saltrome.html

http://www.salt-touch.com/articles/speleochamber.aspx


http://www.salitair.co.uk/published_studies.php

http://www.pravasolnajaskyna.sk/ReferencesNCBI.htm


http://www.saltspacolorado.com/research.html

If you are still reading, here is something else that might be of interest from Dr. Smiechowski about the mines at Wieliczka: http://www.wieliczka.com.pl/site.php?

In 2004, the Wieliczka Salt Mine Underground Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre received the International ISO 9001:2000 Certificate in the Quality Management in health care in the field of treatment of the respiratory system and allergic conditions in adults and children. [Surely this is not granted to institutions using non-scientific methods or quackery?]


Thanks to the agreement signed between the Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum and the Academy of Physical Education on co-operation in teaching, research and scientific activities, the Centre is a venue of research on the influence of the special microclimate of the Wieliczka Mine on the human body.


The scientific research conducted at the Centre is supervised by Professor Krystyna Obtułowicz - the head of the UJ Collegium Medicum Allergology department, as the Plenipotentiary of Collegiom's Vice-chancellor for of Co-operation with the Mine.


So you see, much research does exist. 

Do people really think we would waste our time, money, and other resources (not to mention risk our professional reputations) on something that was a scam? While Dr. Margaret had the benefit of growing up in Poland where no one would even think of questioning the benefits of salt, I did not--so when she approached me to build a salt cave at the Pyramid, you better believe I did my research. Although I do not speak Russian, Dr. Margaret was able to summarize the studies for me and it did not take long for me to realize that things like the Salt Cave and Halotherapy Room hold the potential for incredible wellness benefits. I've done the research myself, so I know that even though we must say that these treatments are just for relaxation, I know that they are so much more. People living near salt therapy options in general do not understand the potential they hold, and so we find ourselves trying hard to raise awarenes without violating the rules of the FDA. The other complaint that the watchdog members had was that if these studies exist, why are they not on our Pyramid website? The answer to this is quite simple; because of FDA regulations, we cannot make any medical claims about salt, so it would be wrong for us to advertise it as anything except a relaxation technique. Why would we point to studies on our website that is designed to give people information about what we have to offer that would suggest that salt could be used as a medical treatment?

Of course, it is hard enough in this world to get people to try new things, especially in this economy when you must charge for the service. The watchdog organization members claimed that we were ripping off the public and probably making a lot of money off this scam. At $10 per session, we are hardly getting rich off the Salt Cave. Most days we do not even cover our own expenses to run the cave, but we continue to offer it and other similar treatments because we believe in them, we see them work, and we want to provide people with effective tools to manage their own wellness.

The bottom line is that it is not our job to convince people that they need Himalayan salt. The research is out there if someone wants to take the time to look. The benefits are there if someone wants to take the time to experience it. We actually invited the members of this organization to come have a session on us. They declined.

As I watched them ridicule everything I believe in, I learned some very valuable lessons. There are people out there who are just plain miserable and want to attack others via the Internet for the fun of it and the power that it must make them feel. They do not feel empowered to be well, so they do not want to see anyone else feel empowered, either. And they would rather put their lives in the hands of medical doctors because it is easier to turn that responsibility over to someone else instead of accepting that they have some ability to treat themselves as a complement to regular medicine.

Although I was sad to see this incredibly healing treatment attacked, it was a great opportunity for me to return to the original research that convinced me. Now more than ever, I feel strongly that speleotherapy and halotherapy are two ways that we have as humans to use the power of salt crystals from the earth itself to help us stay well.

Thank you for reading.
Be well!
William Kelley, Ph.D.
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
http://www.pyramidvt.com/
http://www.massageschoolvt.com/
 




















14 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. God bless Dr. Monday for his marvelous work in my life, I was diagnosed ofBronchiectasis since 2013 and I was

      taking my medications, I wasn't satisfied i needed to get the Bronchiectasis out of my system, I searched about

      some possible cure for Bronchiectasis i saw a comment about Dr. Monday, how he cured HERPES,DIABETES,STROKE,ZIKA
      and CANCER with his herbal medicine, I contacted him and he guided me. I asked for solutions, he

      started the remedy for my health, he sent me the medicine through DHL COURIER SPEED POST. I took the

      medicine as prescribed by him (DR. monday) and 3weeks later i was cured from Bronchiectasis.
      Dr. Monday truly you are great.
      Contact him through.
      EMAIL= nativeherbalclinic@gmail.com
      SITE= nativeherbalclinic.simplesite.com

      Delete
    2. Good news this is to everyone out there with different health challenges, as I know there are still a lot of people suffering from different health issues and are therefore looking for solutions. I bring you Good news. There is a man called Dr ehiaguna a herbal practitioner who helped cure me from HSV (2), i had suffered from this diseases for the past 5 years and i have spent so much money trying to survive from it. I got my healing by taking the herbal medicine Dr ehiaguna sent to me to drink for about 14 days . 3 days after completion of the dosage, I went for a medical checkup and I was tested free from HSV. all thanks to God for leading me to Dr ehiaguna who was able to cure me completely from this deadly diseases, I’m sharing this so that other people can know of this great healer called Dr ehiaguna because I got to know him through elizabeth who he cured from HIV. I was made to understand that he can cure several other deadly diseases and infections. Don’t die in ignorance or silent and don’t let that illness take your life. Contact Dr ehiaguna through his email  drehiaguna@gmail.com You can also whatsapp/call him on:+2348073908953 .He cure all forms of disease {1}HIV/AIDS {2}DIABETES {3}EPILEPSY {4} BLOOD CANCER {5} HPV {6} BRAIN TUMOR {7} HEPATITIS {8}COPD{9} SICKLE AND ANAEMIA.etc Be kind enough to share as you received. 

      Delete
  2. Thank you. You are a strong person for not giving up when faced with diversity. "Too good to be true!" has been pushed on us so long that some find it hard to believe that something as natural as salt can have so many benefits. I struggle with educating the customers here at our Salt Cave every day. (A cave you helped build/ design) I can't thank you enough for helping us bring this "complement to regular medicine" to our area. I get to see the benefits first hand every day, from customers as well as the benefits that my family and I now enjoy. Keep fighting the good fight and helping others.
    ~Staci

    ReplyDelete


  3. Hello,

    We are basically Manufacturers and Exporters of Himalayan Edible Salts, Bath Salts, Salt Inhalers and Salt products such as lamps, tiles, block, bricks and many more.

    We also have Lapis Lazuli, Tawas Crystal ALUM and Dried Rose Petals products availabe,

    We also make Himalayan Salt Caves, Salt rooms, Salt Walls and much more. For more info and designs, please see our new website caves.multirocksalt.com

    We are also ISO 9001:2000, HACCP AND FDA approved Company,

    We are Proud to announce that we have made the world's tallest salt crystal lamp,

    Height 8 feet and 4 inches and weight approx 3500 KG,

    Also visit our website to see the world’s biggest salt crystal Lamp,

    We gained trust and good reputation in international market as most popular brands in Europe, USA and Far East countries are using our products regularly.

    Thanks,

    Questions?



    Roshaan Hussain | Marketing Director | Multi Rock Salt Company
    U.S Office: +1 (415) 513 0044 | Pakistan Office: +92 300 490 5739 | Skype : multi.rocksalt
    www.multirocksalt.com | info@multirocksalt.com / multi.rocksalt@gmail.com



    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for sharing this with us! Some really amazing features.
    Salt lamp supplier

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for making this site very interesting! Keep going! You're doing very well
    Salt lamp supplier

    ReplyDelete

  7. Clinical journals,medical journals,lifescience journals,pharma journals,chemistry journals,engineering journals,management journals,manuscript submission
    Clinical journals

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greetings to the general public, I want to tell about how I was cured of
      HIV disease by a Doctor called Dr. voodoo . I was browsing the Internet
      searching for remedy on HIV and I saw a comment of people talking about how
      Doctor voodoo cured them. I was scared because I never believed in the
      Internet but i was convince to give him a try because i having no hope of
      been cured of HIV so I decided to contact him with his email that was
      listed on the comment voodoospelltemple66@gmail.com when I contacted
      him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that I took and
      it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without problem,
      my HIV result came out negative. I pray for you Dr. voodoo God will give
      you everlasting life, you shall not die before your time for being sincere
      and great men. Am so happy, you can also contact him if you have any
      problem Email: voodoospelltemple66@gmail.com
      or Add him up on WhatsAp +2348140120719

      Delete
  8. Bronchiectasis Natural Treatment has also been discovered for curing respiratory tract illnesses. Echinacea, licorice root and garlic are used to wipe out pollution and straightforwardness side effects. Taken each day, these herbs also progress continued with health and wellness.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bronchiectasis is a pulmonary condition that appears when there is permanent enlargement of parts of the airways of the lung. The most common symptoms are suppurative infections and severe cough. Here is a complete Bronchiectasis Natural Treatment that has healed so lots of people.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good day to all viewer online am so happy sharing this great testimony on how i was checking for solution in the internet then miraculously i came Across Dr.Obudu the powerful herbalist that Cure Numerous individuals Herpes Simplex Virus,so I contacted him base on the testimonies I?m seeing about him on the internet, I was cured too by him, kindly contact him today through his email he can help you email ; drobuduherbalhome@gmail.com OR WHATSAPP +2349023428871 and so he can cure types of diseases like,HEPATITIS B,DIABETICS,CANCER,HPV,LOW SPERM CAM HIV/STDS FIBROSIS LOST OF WEIGHT .. all thank to you Dr obudu for your kindly help in my life
    ..,.,.,.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good news this is to everyone out there with different health challenges, as I know there are still a lot of people suffering from different health issues and are therefore looking for solutions. I bring you Good news. There is a man called Dr ehiaguna a herbal practitioner who helped cure me from HSV (2), i had suffered from this diseases for the past 5 years and i have spent so much money trying to survive from it. I got my healing by taking the herbal medicine Dr ehiaguna sent to me to drink for about 14 days . 3 days after completion of the dosage, I went for a medical checkup and I was tested free from HSV. all thanks to God for leading me to Dr ehiaguna who was able to cure me completely from this deadly diseases, I’m sharing this so that other people can know of this great healer called Dr ehiaguna because I got to know him through elizabeth who he cured from HIV. I was made to understand that he can cure several other deadly diseases and infections. Don’t die in ignorance or silent and don’t let that illness take your life. Contact Dr ehiaguna through his email  drehiaguna@gmail.com You can also whatsapp/call him on:+2348073908953 .He cure all forms of disease {1}HIV/AIDS {2}DIABETES {3}EPILEPSY {4} BLOOD CANCER {5} HPV {6} BRAIN TUMOR {7} HEPATITIS {8}COPD{9} SICKLE AND ANAEMIA.etc Be kind enough to share as you received. 

    ReplyDelete