Salt lamps.

Message

wbtravis007 · #1 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:59 pm

They're bogus, right? As far as the touted health benefits, I mean.

Somebody's asking me about them, and I only have had time to go to the site that they gave me -- (where they sell them, of course).

I figured that somebody here would know without having to bother to research it.

Hell, I'd never even heard of them.

5LD · #2 Post by **5LD** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:07 pm

this might help. looks like there is good reason to believe the hype.

i haven't ever used one. never had myself candled or cupped either....

http://www.ionicsalts.com/ionicblog/200 ... s-work.htm

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #3 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:09 pm

I have never heard of them.

I found this site:

http://www.supersaltlamps.com/research.htm

Scientific Research

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the beginning of 21st century, we can hardly imagine living without many electric devices, they have made it easier for us to work in the office and at home. However, we do not realize that they are also a source of very harmful positive ions the so called ELECTRIC SMOG.

Electric smog deteriorates the condition of air, which hazardously affects our physical and emotional state.

Sources of harmful positive ions are:

computer monitors
TV sets
Electric heaters
Dryers
Vacuum cleaners
Microwave ovens
Tobacco smoke

Scientific tests have revealed that the ratio of negative to positive ions should be between 1.02 to 0.98.

In closed rooms where a few people work at the same time the amount of negative ions may fall to as low as 200/cm3 . The positive effect of negative ions can be experienced on a visit to a salt mine, by the sea or walking right after the storm. Now, we know how important it is to make sure that harmful effect of electric smog is reduced to a minimum in the rooms where we work.

The cheapest and simplest method of fighting against electric smog is to air rooms regularly, particularly those where few people stay together and have many electric machines or where cigarettes are smoked. You can also use air ionizers but these are quite expensive and it's not even a natural way to purify the air. So we offer Himalayan salt crystal lamps which are natural air ionizers that effectively boost the number of negative ions in the air. The effect of air ionization by salt originates from physical and chemical properties of salt, discovered many years ago.

In salt lamps the ionization effect is enhanced by heating the Himalayan salt crystals with a bulb installed inside the lamp, As a result the Himalayan salt crystal lamp improves the quality of our environment and thus our well-being. In addition, Himalayan crystal salt help cure many diseases. Bioenergotherapists and homeopaths in Western Europe have recommended Himalayan crystal salt lamps for a long time to support treatment of allergies, diseases of respiratory and blood system and rheumatism.

Because of their color, they are also used in color therapy i.e. chromo-therapy. Their soothing light helps neurotics and people suffering from insomnia. So Himalayan crystal salt lamp is a product worth-having at every home.

MarleysGh0st · #4 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:15 pm

They're pretty lamps.

I doubt if they have legitimate scientific studies that document their health benefits, though.

MarleysGh0st · #5 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:17 pm

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I have never heard of them.

I found this site:

And by that URL, I imagine that they're marketing said lamps. Do they provide references to scientific journals documenting the alleged research?

wbtravis007 · #6 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:19 pm

5LD wrote:this might help. looks like there is good reason to believe the hype.

i haven't ever used one. never had myself candled or cupped either....

http://www.ionicsalts.com/ionicblog/200 ... s-work.htm

Me neither. But, I've been places where it probably would've been smart for me to have worn a cup backwards, to make sure I wasn't candled.

Back in the day.

5LD · #7 Post by **5LD** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:26 pm

Aw, c'mon travis....I lobbed an easy one at you.....and that's all you got?!?!

mrkelley23 · #8 Post by **mrkelley23** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:27 pm

5LD wrote:this might help. looks like there is good reason to believe the hype.

i haven't ever used one. never had myself candled or cupped either....

http://www.ionicsalts.com/ionicblog/200 ... s-work.htm

May I ask what there was on that page that led you to believe there is good reason to believe the hype?

I am more in line with James Randi, amateur debunker of claims like this and skeptic extraordinaire

http://www.randi.org/jr/070805the.html#17

Bottom line: one of the absolute laws of the physical universe is conservation of charge. If such a lamp is producing any "negative ions," it must be producing an equal number of positive ones. Where do they go?

There are more discussions about salt lamps on the JREF forums, but I won't bore you with them.

5LD · #9 Post by **5LD** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:43 pm

Mr. K -

Made me think of the negative ion air thingies that people use....if that science is true and correct (and I don't know if it is or isn't) then it would be an easy leap for someone to buy this argument. I also think if you believe it works, it works for you.

I don't know anything about air ions and choose to not buy any air filtering/cleaning type products. I open windows.

marrymeflyfree · #10 Post by **marrymeflyfree** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:43 pm

Coincidentally...I had a massage this morning, and noticed the pretty lamps all over the room. Didn't know they were anything 'special' until I saw your post.

I did feel like a million bucks when I left the room, but the massage therapist might take some credit for that away from the lamps.

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #11 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:44 pm

MarleysGh0st wrote:
PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I have never heard of them.

I found this site:
And by that URL, I imagine that they're marketing said lamps. Do they provide references to scientific journals documenting the alleged research?

Yes, they are marketing the lamps.

It sort of reminded me of the first time I went to a chiropractor. They made me watch a movie about all of the environmental toxins and how only going to a chiropractor four times a week will help me cleanse my body.

I think that going to a chiropractor helps back pain, but it doesn't cure everything they say it cures.

MarleysGh0st · #12 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:48 pm

5LD wrote:I also think if you believe it works, it works for you.

The placebo effect is a wonderful thing!

ToLiveIsToFly · #13 Post by **ToLiveIsToFly** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:57 pm

5LD wrote:Mr. K -

Made me think of the negative ion air thingies that people use....if that science is true and correct (and I don't know if it is or isn't) then it would be an easy leap for someone to buy this argument. I also think if you believe it works, it works for you.

I don't know anything about air ions and choose to not buy any air filtering/cleaning type products. I open windows.

Didn't Sharper Image just settle a class action suite because their negative ion air thingie doesn't actually, you know, improve the air quality?

mrkelley23 · #14 Post by **mrkelley23** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:26 pm

Didn't Sharper Image just settle a class action suite because their negative ion air thingie doesn't actually, you know, improve the air quality?

And, perhaps not so coincidentally, declared bankruptcy....

http://www.cnbc.com/id/23252484

silvercamaro · #15 Post by **silvercamaro** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 4:51 pm

A recent study by Duke and M.I.T researchers indicates that placebos are more effective if the recipients think they are more expensive.

http://tinyurl.com/2re9y2

So, be sure you pay a lot for that salt lamp.

marrymeflyfree · #16 Post by **marrymeflyfree** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:04 pm

ToLiveIsToFly wrote: Didn't Sharper Image just settle a class action suite because their negative ion air thingie doesn't actually, you know, improve the air quality?

Interestingly...aforementioned massage place also had a Sharper Image style air filter going in the room today. The white noise effect was nice.

wbtravis007 · #17 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:28 pm

5LD wrote:Aw, c'mon travis....I lobbed an easy one at you.....and that's all you got?!?!

Shoot! You caught me.

I know, I know. I'm slipping.

Trust me on this, though: it's better that I didn't just go ahead and blurt out some of the other stuff that was racing through my mind.

wbtravis007 · #18 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:32 pm

I think we've reached a consensus here.

Thanks.

I figured that y'all would figure it out.

This board is something else.

peacock2121 · #19 Post by **peacock2121** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 6:05 am

wbtravis007 wrote:
5LD wrote:Aw, c'mon travis....I lobbed an easy one at you.....and that's all you got?!?!
Shoot! You caught me.

I know, I know. I'm slipping.

Trust me on this, though: it's better that I didn't just go ahead and blurt out some of the other stuff that was racing through my mind.

My boy is growing up.