Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Salt lamp hullabaloo

Himalayan salt lamps are all the craze right now but did you ever wonder why?  What is the big deal about a chunk of salt with a light bulb in it?  Well, there are plenty of people claiming all kinds of wonderful benefits while on the other side of the coin, others say they are just pretty and serve no other benefit.  In my quest for knowledge I found information backing both sides.  Some I agree with and some I just do not.

This article is not to sell you a lamp or dissuade you from buying one either.  I do sell them in my shop and they are a very popular item. But the point of this article is to give you an understanding on the benefits Himalayan salt lamps from my perspective.

How I see these beauties is as follows... I lean towards believing in the benefits of Himalayan salt lamps rather than being a skeptic.  I know that salt has been used for thousand of years as a curative.  (Heck, people even "cure" meat with salt. Yeah I know, curing meat and curing a person of an ailment aren't exactly the same thing.  For a quick explanation on how salt preserves meat, click here.)  There is plenty of information regarding the history of salt and healing and I found an article that lays out that information in a concise and easy to follow manner.  If you want to read that article, click here.  It was pretty interesting.

One of the claims being made about Himalayan salt lamps is they are air purifiers.  They do this by creating or releasing negative ions (good ones) which attach themselves to positive ions (bad ones) making them very heavy.  These particles fall to the ground or surfaces where you can then vacuum or dust them away. This is one of the claims where I found conflicting information.  From what some of my customers and friends told me, it is true, at least for them.  I use these lamps in my own home and so far I have no complaints. If you are not sure, do some research or get a lamp and experiment for yourself.

As for health benefits, many people claim to find relief of various ailments such as asthma, allergies, bronchitis, pretty much most respiratory illnesses, skin conditions, stress, anxiety, sleep disorders, and migraines.  It all seems pretty impressive.

I am fortunate enough to be healthy and mainly stress free so I can not speak on those aforementioned improvements first hand.  I can tell you that for the most part, I am a pretty positive up beat person.  Yeah, I get stressed from time to time but I would not consider myself to be chronically stressed.

Himalayan salt lamps make me feel good.

I like the idea of these lamps as a beneficial health tool.  I like the aesthetics of Himalayan salt lamps when they are glowing.  I like the thought of them being a positive part of my environment. I like how I feel when I am around the lamps and enjoying the warm glow.  I feel good when Himalayan salt lamps are in use in my environment and isn't that the point?  To feel good?  Isn't that why you do or want certain things, is to feel good?  If feeling good is the only benefit you get from a Himalayan salt lamp then I say it has worked wonders.  Get one and decide for yourself.

p.s. If you have heard about the salt lamp recall from Michael's, please let this letter from my salt lamp source ease your mind regarding the safety of the lamps that I carry.

Dear Valued Customer,
Recently, Michael's Craft Store announced a product recall for their Lumiere Brand of Himalayan Salt Lamps.
It has been determined that the dimmer switch and plug can overheat posing a fire hazard.   No incidents have been reported thus far. 
We are pleased to confirm that our Salt Lamps are not part of this recent safety recall related to the wiring.
The wiring component on our salt lamps are UL Certified (Underwriters Laboratory).    
Additionally, our Salt Lamps are assembled and inspected in the United States.
Product Safety is always our most important consideration.  Your Original Source Salt Lamps are completely safe. 
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust

Sincerely,
Original Source
 If you are interested in purchasing a Himalayan salt lamp and you are local to my shop, please consider A Moment of Zen as your source for quality salt lamps.  Oohhh, that kinda did sound like a sales pitch.  Sorry about that.