Himalayan Pink Salt Lamps
First, just a quick update on my adventures with Bulletproof Coffee. I kinda of started feeling a little wonky on week 3 and decided that it could be due to an increased amount of dairy (albeit grass-fed). So...I decided to make a small change and sub out ghee for the butter. Because it wasn't worth potentially messing with my weekly(ish) full-dairy coffee treats from The Depot. Priorities, people.
Anyways, on to the topic at hand: Himalayan Pink Salt Lamps.
I've had a HPS lamp for going on 2 years now and they are becoming more popular as time goes on. I realized the other day that I don't really know much about HPS lamps other than the myth that they reduce positive ions in the air (i.e. good for mood imbalances, relaxation, sleep, etc.). I set out to unearth what HPS lamps actually do and, y'all...I may have bitten off more than I can chew here. There is so much science involved it's not even funny. BUT. I never seem to shy away from a challenge, so here we go.
First, let me try to explain Positive and Negative Ions. According to Wikipedia.com:
Ions can be created, by either chemical or physical means, via ionization. In chemical terms, if a neutral atom loses one or more electrons, it has a net positive charge and is known as a cation. If an atom gains electrons, it has a net negative charge and is known as an anion.
The very short story is: Positive Ions are bad; Negative Ions are good. Wait...what? Okay, here we go. (I'm already starting to sweat...😅)
Positive Ions are generally carbon dioxide molecules that have been stripped of one (or more) electron(s). Positive Ions can be created ("man-made") by way of exposure to electronics, home furnishings, etc. and are naturally formed via high winds, dust, humidity, pollution, electrical storms, etc. (People hypothesis that this is why so many of us deal with mood swings when the weather changes - because of the increase of Positive Ions before the change.) Excessive amounts of exposure to Positive Ions can contribute to chronic fatigue (tiredness/lack of energy), tension, anxiety, irritability, and depression.
Negative Ions are created when a molecule gains an electron. When this creation takes place, the [now] Negative Ion, by nature, immediately becomes attracted to airborne particles (dust, mold, etc.). Once a Negative Ion attaches to a pollutant/allergen, it delivers a "negative jolt" to said pollutant. Instead of continuing to float around in the air and deliver grief to innocent bystanders, the Negative Ion weighs the pollutant down and causes it to fall (or to be "trapped") and removed from the air. (Read: Negative Ions are minerals like those found in water, trees, fresh air, things of that nature. Hold on to that, it'll come in handy in a minute.) According to WebMD.com, Negative Ions are able to stimulate the healthful circulation of oxygen to the brain, helping to increase cognitive function (i.e. exposure to Negative Ions gives us energy, while exposure to Positive Ions makes us somewhat lethargic).
These days, homes are filled with Positive Ion output: fluorescent lighting, electronics (televisions, clothes dryers, and women's hair dryers(?!?!) are large Positive Ion sources), the fibers in carpets, curtains, and upholstery. These things house a lot of Positive Ions and, to add insult to injury, our homes are so tightly sealed that is it difficult to let fresh air in and, even if you do open the windows to freshen the air, larger cities are so polluted that it may not be that beneficial in the long run. So very frustrating.
Is that as clear as muddy water? 😬 So...the question on everyone's mind: Where do Himalayan Pink Salt lamps come into play with all of this Ion talk?
Remember just a second ago when you read that Negative Ions are minerals? Himalayan Pink Salt is a mineral-rich crystal - actually, one of the best that humans can ingest to aid in optimal health. I could go into all of the minerals that HPS contains but, to be quite honest, I'm still recovering from all of that ion talk up there. The synopsis is that it comes from, you guessed it, the Himalayan Mountains. True Himalayan Pink Salt only comes from deep underground mines in the Khewra, Pakistan area. When you are ingesting HPS or looking at purchasing a lamp, make sure you do your research (😌). Also, HPS contains 84 trace minerals. I could list all of the minerals, but you could just click here for a beautiful listing of the same.
Salt, by nature, is hygroscopic (read: salt attracts water molecules). HPS lamps are said to purify the air through hygroscopy, basically meaning that they attract water molecules/vapors roaming around that contain pollutants/allergens (mold, bacteria, and the like) and absorb them, thereby essentially "trapping" the allergens it attracts.
In human terms, turning on an HPS lamp causes the salt to heat by way of a small (roughly 15 watt) lightbulb that is housed in the hollowed-out middle of the lamp. While the HPS lamp does its job of trapping water molecules, it is said that the salt will continue to dry out (thanks to the heat emitted from the lightbulb) and, therefore, continue its process of attracting polluted water vapor, trapping the allergen, while also releasing the (cleansed) water vapor back into the air. By helping to purify the air that you inhale, HPS lamps are actually helping to improve more than you think.
Remember when I mentioned the Positive Ions that electronics create? Think about the electronics just in one room of your house - television, computer, cell phone, a radio, an alarm clock. All of these things wreak of Positive Ions. Now, take your office - computer, telephone, digital recorders. The majority of the human population have desk jobs (i.e. we sit and stare at computers or deal with electronics for hours every single day). I have a laptop and a television in my room. Do I use them often? No. But they're still there...and they still produce Positive Ions even when they're not turned on. I stare at a computer screen for the better part of 8-9 hours a day during the workweek. My life essentially revolves around electronics - we all rely on them. And, after reading about Positive Ions and the damage that they do, I immediately ordered another HPS lamp to put in my office riiiiiight next to my computer.
I actually ran a little test last night to see if turning my HPS lamp on in my room before I went to bed (and keeping it on throughout the night) would help me get better sleep. Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I get wild on the weekends. Downright crazy. Ha. I'm kidding. This sister is too focused on healing to get too wild. Generally on Friday night I will put on an eye mask so that I can sleep until my body is ready to wake up without the interference of sunlight peeking through my curtains and waking me up before I'm really ready. This generally results in a 9-10 o'clock wake up on Saturday mornings. After the somewhat long week I had at work, I figured that I would sleep until 10 or even 10:30. But I woke up, wide awake and refreshed, at 8:00. And my HPS lamp was still glowing. I don't know if it really was the HPS lamp, but I'm going to keep trying it out to see if it helps to improve my sleep!
How do you know that you're getting a good, high-quality HPS lamp? These brands have been charted as making/distributing the highest quality HPS lamps:
Remember just a second ago when you read that Negative Ions are minerals? Himalayan Pink Salt is a mineral-rich crystal - actually, one of the best that humans can ingest to aid in optimal health. I could go into all of the minerals that HPS contains but, to be quite honest, I'm still recovering from all of that ion talk up there. The synopsis is that it comes from, you guessed it, the Himalayan Mountains. True Himalayan Pink Salt only comes from deep underground mines in the Khewra, Pakistan area. When you are ingesting HPS or looking at purchasing a lamp, make sure you do your research (😌). Also, HPS contains 84 trace minerals. I could list all of the minerals, but you could just click here for a beautiful listing of the same.
Salt, by nature, is hygroscopic (read: salt attracts water molecules). HPS lamps are said to purify the air through hygroscopy, basically meaning that they attract water molecules/vapors roaming around that contain pollutants/allergens (mold, bacteria, and the like) and absorb them, thereby essentially "trapping" the allergens it attracts.
In human terms, turning on an HPS lamp causes the salt to heat by way of a small (roughly 15 watt) lightbulb that is housed in the hollowed-out middle of the lamp. While the HPS lamp does its job of trapping water molecules, it is said that the salt will continue to dry out (thanks to the heat emitted from the lightbulb) and, therefore, continue its process of attracting polluted water vapor, trapping the allergen, while also releasing the (cleansed) water vapor back into the air. By helping to purify the air that you inhale, HPS lamps are actually helping to improve more than you think.
Remember when I mentioned the Positive Ions that electronics create? Think about the electronics just in one room of your house - television, computer, cell phone, a radio, an alarm clock. All of these things wreak of Positive Ions. Now, take your office - computer, telephone, digital recorders. The majority of the human population have desk jobs (i.e. we sit and stare at computers or deal with electronics for hours every single day). I have a laptop and a television in my room. Do I use them often? No. But they're still there...and they still produce Positive Ions even when they're not turned on. I stare at a computer screen for the better part of 8-9 hours a day during the workweek. My life essentially revolves around electronics - we all rely on them. And, after reading about Positive Ions and the damage that they do, I immediately ordered another HPS lamp to put in my office riiiiiight next to my computer.
I actually ran a little test last night to see if turning my HPS lamp on in my room before I went to bed (and keeping it on throughout the night) would help me get better sleep. Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I get wild on the weekends. Downright crazy. Ha. I'm kidding. This sister is too focused on healing to get too wild. Generally on Friday night I will put on an eye mask so that I can sleep until my body is ready to wake up without the interference of sunlight peeking through my curtains and waking me up before I'm really ready. This generally results in a 9-10 o'clock wake up on Saturday mornings. After the somewhat long week I had at work, I figured that I would sleep until 10 or even 10:30. But I woke up, wide awake and refreshed, at 8:00. And my HPS lamp was still glowing. I don't know if it really was the HPS lamp, but I'm going to keep trying it out to see if it helps to improve my sleep!
How do you know that you're getting a good, high-quality HPS lamp? These brands have been charted as making/distributing the highest quality HPS lamps:
- Windsor Seasons (I have this one in my bedroom)
- HemingWeigh
- Useful Innovations
- Crystal Decor (this is the brand that I just purchased for my office)
- AMSkart Natural
- Inviting Homes
- Crystal Allies Gallery
- WBM
- Waterglider International
I'm sure that there are other brands out there that are just as good, so if you know of one, go for it!!
Last January, when I was out traveling to States, I ended up in Santa Barbara, CA with my family for a day trip. We found this place called Salt Cave. At the time, I already had my HPS lamp and I knew about the health benefits of Himalayan Salt, so I (of course) wanted to go in and see what in the world a salt cave was! My cousin and I went in and were immediately mesmerized by the place. They had a good-sized shop in the front that had every Himalayan Salt creation that you can imagine. THEN, we walked towards the back of the building and came across this beauty that was the salt cave.
Clearly, we had to go in. We were told to take our shoes off and put on these little booties before entering. When we walked in, the cave was dimly lit - only by HPS lamps - and had a very relaxing vibe. There were lounge chairs that we could relax in, so we kicked back and stayed in there for the better part of half an hour. (We probably would have stayed in longer if some members of our party weren't ready to continue our Santa Barbara exploration, too.) The Salt Cave fascinated me. Apparently, they have sessions in this cave where you can just sit in lounge chairs and relax (or nap), they have yoga and pilates classes inside the cave, they hold seminars, teach about relaxation, deep breathing, the mind-body connection, and all kinds of things.
Now, I'm no scientist (I'm pretty sure we've already established that!) and, while studies are still being conducted, there isn't proof that HPS lamps help "a great deal" in Positive Ion reduction. BUT, studies are showing that they do help....and if I can do one thing to help counteract even a small amount of Positive Ions, you can bet that I'm going to do it! What's your take?
Last January, when I was out traveling to States, I ended up in Santa Barbara, CA with my family for a day trip. We found this place called Salt Cave. At the time, I already had my HPS lamp and I knew about the health benefits of Himalayan Salt, so I (of course) wanted to go in and see what in the world a salt cave was! My cousin and I went in and were immediately mesmerized by the place. They had a good-sized shop in the front that had every Himalayan Salt creation that you can imagine. THEN, we walked towards the back of the building and came across this beauty that was the salt cave.
Now, I'm no scientist (I'm pretty sure we've already established that!) and, while studies are still being conducted, there isn't proof that HPS lamps help "a great deal" in Positive Ion reduction. BUT, studies are showing that they do help....and if I can do one thing to help counteract even a small amount of Positive Ions, you can bet that I'm going to do it! What's your take?
XOXO,
Heather
P.S. Here lately, I have been starving. As in, I eat and I'm still hungry. I'm testing a little theory to see if I can satiate the hunger beast by eating more nutrient dense carbs. Which basically means that I'm eating sweet potatoes like they're going out of style. I loooove me some baked sweet potatoes, but after a while, that can get boring. So, in an attempt to snazz up my sweet potatoes, I made potato cakes last night that were super delicious. The only kitchen gadget that you need to make your job easier is a food processor. Or, I mean, you can grate the sweet potatoes with a hand grater, but you may be there for a while.
Sweet Potato Cakes
Makes: 2 dozen
Makes: 2 dozen
Ingredients:
5 Sweet Potatoes, grated (You can scrub them really well and leave the skin on - sweet potato skins are pretty nutritional!)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1/4 cup Romano Cheese (Romano is made from Sheep's milk, meaning that I can have it and it won't upset my stomach)
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
Oil, for pan-frying (Olive, Avocado, Red Palm, Coconut...whatever you're in the mood for)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and, using a fork, stir until well-mixed. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When warm, add a small amount of oil (1-2 tablespoons) to coat the pan. Scoop 1/4-cup mounds of sweet potato mixture, form into a patty, and place in the skillet. Let cook 3-4 minutes per side; remove from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate. I got a little artsy when I was fixing these last night and decided to garnish them with some sliced avocado, diced fresh tomato, and a little bit of finely grated Romano cheese. I highly recommend doing this. Hiiiiiiighly recommend. (And, I batch-cooked these so that I can individually freeze and pull 1-2 out for a quick weekday breakfast.)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1/4 cup Romano Cheese (Romano is made from Sheep's milk, meaning that I can have it and it won't upset my stomach)
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
Oil, for pan-frying (Olive, Avocado, Red Palm, Coconut...whatever you're in the mood for)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and, using a fork, stir until well-mixed. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When warm, add a small amount of oil (1-2 tablespoons) to coat the pan. Scoop 1/4-cup mounds of sweet potato mixture, form into a patty, and place in the skillet. Let cook 3-4 minutes per side; remove from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate. I got a little artsy when I was fixing these last night and decided to garnish them with some sliced avocado, diced fresh tomato, and a little bit of finely grated Romano cheese. I highly recommend doing this. Hiiiiiiighly recommend. (And, I batch-cooked these so that I can individually freeze and pull 1-2 out for a quick weekday breakfast.)
Comments
Post a Comment