Waft Your Allergies Away

Half of us have thyroid problems, mostly undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. A whacked out thyroid tends to drag down the whole endocrine system, of which it is a part.

In turn, a misbehaving endocrine system can drag along all kinds of stuff. Stuff you'd never in a million years figure out had anything to endocrine issues.

For one instance, allergies get an open invitation to drop by any time. And mercy me, drop by they do. And stay.

So let's talk about some help for airborne allergies. You know, pollen, mold, dust, pet dander, smoke, bacteria, viruses and the like-the stuff that floats around in the air we breathe.

Instead of the obvious, an air purifier that sounds like a diesel engine coming down the tracks whilst you're try to catch some ZZZZs, let's talk about lamps.

Specifically, let's talk about Himalayan Salt Lamps, large, colorful lumps of salt hollowed out and wired for a bulb, that they sell by the pound.

When lighted from within by a small incandescent lightbulb, these lamps create negative ions. And what's the big deal about negative ions? They silently kill airborne allergens, relieving allergies, sinus problems-most environmentally induced health problems, in fact.

And they help with chemotherapy nausea. And diminish ADD/ADHD hyperactivity.

Himalayan salt lamps save us from ourselves by compensating for everything in our surroundings that kills negative ions-such as computers, TVs, fluorescent lights (CFLs, anybody?), air conditioners, plastics, etc.

And there's more! Besides being healthful, the lamps look lovely, especially when lighted. They create a soft, orange-to-pink-to-pale-yellow glow.

What's the downside? When all those airborne particles get hit by negative ions, they kamikaze to the floor, where-dead, powerless and looking like common dirt-they remain until you sweep or mop.

I have four Himalayan salt lamps in my house-and plan to get more for rooms not yet receiving their benefits. My tile floors require more attention than they did before the arrival of the lamps. With my mold allergy, though, a quick once-over with the steamer is a small enough price to pay for breathable air.

Another downside is finding them. Himalayan salt lamps can be tricky to find locally. They're all over the internet, but shipping costs on something you buy by the pound can be steep.

What to look for? The rougher the surface, the more negative ions you get. As for size, the rule of thumb is one pound of lamp for every ten square feet you want to "treat." The lamps range from about five pounds to upwards of forty pounds, but grappling with the big ones takes some doing.

I thought better of buying a forty-pounder when I couldn't lift it from the store shelf. Couldn't even move it, in fact. I can wrestle a fifty-pound bag of dog food, but that lamp got the best of me. No matter. Smaller ones do just fine, thank you.

Finally, besides all the benefits I've already mentioned, the lamps reduce stress. Yup! There's science that says so.

Better get at least a couple. Pronto.