Halo Therapy

Melissa Martin, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Certified Pilates Instructor |

One of the most effective holistic therapies (and one of the oldest) for respiratory support is salt or halo therapy. Halo therapy is the therapeutic use of breathing in tiny salt particles to improve your breathing and respiratory function. With so many people dealing with chronic lung issues, asthma, allergies, colds, and even covid, this effective yet inexpensive therapy is a great addition to your ongoing wellness routine.

Halo therapy dates all the way back to the 12th century when people would visit salt caves for therapeutic purposes. We have also learned that salt miners have overall better respiratory health due to breathing in these tiny salt particles. Today, people continue to use salt for the same benefits, including clearing up mucus, inflammation, infections, allergies, and boosting the immune system.

Ways to Utilize Halo Therapy

First and foremost, it is always a good idea to speak with your doctor about your specific case and make sure that salt therapy is right for you. If they give you the green light, there are a few ways to reap the many benefits of salt for your respiratory system:

 

  1. Salt rooms or caves. You can actually visit therapeutic salt rooms and rent them out for a period of time. If you are fortunate enough to visit a salt cave, even better! Another option is a sauna that has salt therapy inside of it which utilizes the benefits of both heat and salt. If you visit a room or sauna with halo therapy, your skin will also reap the same benefits while immersed in it. People who struggle with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis report amazing benefits to these conditions. Others seek out halo therapy specifically for the skin benefits.
  2. Salt inhaler. This is the easiest and cheapest option which also allows for daily use. You can purchase a ceramic pot with a spout that you seal your lips over and breathe in deeply for 15 minutes at a time. Regular home use of this device is wonderful maintenance for your respiratory system if you suffer from any chronic conditions and need more ongoing, routine halo therapy.
  3. Wet Halo Therapy. Another option to use in place of or addition to your dry halo therapy routine is to bathe in therapeutic salts, such as dead sea salts, use saline nasal rinses, and gargling warm salt water. You can also drink high quality mineral salt such as Redmond’s Real Salt to supplement your body with essential minerals that are usually stripped out of our water in the filtration process. These are all very easy and inexpensive therapies to incorporate into our daily and weekly routines, making it easier to achieve regular therapeutic benefits of salt.

 

I personally enjoy adding in a variety of holistic therapies to my wellness routine, even as a supplementation to other conventional therapies I may use. I don’t believe health and wellness has to be an either/or thing, but rather consulting with your provider to find the best benefits of both worlds to achieve optimum health. With allergy and cold season upon us, this is a great option to keep you well and functioning at your best!