I was recently wandering the streets of downtown Asheville, North Carolina and noticed this progressive city's fascination with Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps. I wouldn't expect anything less from a city like Asheville. Entire boutiques were dedicated to peddling these negative ion-generating salt lamps, which have, curiously enough, been in the peripherals of things I recently found interesting. A few months ago I came across this Dr. Mercola article praising the benefits of Pink Himalayan Salt Lamps. In the beginning of the article he makes mention of the overly-happy Nepalese salt-miners. The Nepalese people had observed that despite the hazardous, back-breaking work the Himalayan Salt miners were forced to go through every day, they were incredibly happy, laughing people. Amongst the happiest people in the village, in fact. Now, why on earth would that be? Miners were generally thought to be miserable people coughing up black clouds of smoke, living out short, black-lunged life-spans. But why were these salt miners experiencing something different?
The answer literally lies in the air. Massive amounts of negative ions are known to be generated at the bed of a potent waterfall, in the air after a thunderous lightning-storm, or in the recycling motion of crashing waves at the shore. It also turns out that the cellar-like environment in the salt mines contain bank-loads of negative ions because of the unique chemical properties of salt. Studies have shown that people exposed to these rich, negative ion environments are better able to experience a sense of well-being than people who are surrounded by positive ions (associated with polluted cities and the artificial air of the dusty indoors). That would help to explain the care-free smiles plastered on the Himalayan Salt miners' faces, and the crunched up shoulders of the typical anxiety-ridden city commuter.
These higher concentrations of positive ions in polluted urban environments can clearly effect the general mood and well-being of a population. A 1957 study published in the Journal of General Physiology concluded that negative ions may help to inhibit the overproduction of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which may lead to hyperactivity, anxiety and exhaustion when this tryptamine is overproduced. The tryptamine, serotonin, is more likely to be overproduced when a great percentage of the person's time is spent in concentrated environments of positive ions, such as the "great indoors." Think about the hyperactive kids stuck in school all day, or the office employee downing their fourth cup of coffee to fight off their routine amount of fatigue and exhaustion.
It's appropriate to note, here, that according to the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), we spend an average of 69.54% of our time indoors at home. And when you include the time we spend commuting to work in our car, the bus, or the subway, and you go ahead and add the time we spend indoors at our workplace, we might be spending over 96% of our time breathing in the boring, positive ion air of the dusty indoors (according to some estimates). Talk about domestic animals.
Furthermore, a more recent study conducted by Columbia University in 1996 suggested that placing patients with SAD (Seasonal Affective Depression (a really stupid acronym)) in front of a negative ion air purifier for thirty minutes everyday for a month, proved to be as effective as the pharmaceutical antidepressant drugs such as Prozac and Zolof. It obviously goes without saying that this negative ion treatment didn't offer the subjects the generous negative side-effects that these pharmaceuticals are so anxiously willing to give.
These higher concentrations of positive ions in polluted urban environments can clearly effect the general mood and well-being of a population. A 1957 study published in the Journal of General Physiology concluded that negative ions may help to inhibit the overproduction of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which may lead to hyperactivity, anxiety and exhaustion when this tryptamine is overproduced. The tryptamine, serotonin, is more likely to be overproduced when a great percentage of the person's time is spent in concentrated environments of positive ions, such as the "great indoors." Think about the hyperactive kids stuck in school all day, or the office employee downing their fourth cup of coffee to fight off their routine amount of fatigue and exhaustion.
It's appropriate to note, here, that according to the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), we spend an average of 69.54% of our time indoors at home. And when you include the time we spend commuting to work in our car, the bus, or the subway, and you go ahead and add the time we spend indoors at our workplace, we might be spending over 96% of our time breathing in the boring, positive ion air of the dusty indoors (according to some estimates). Talk about domestic animals.
Furthermore, a more recent study conducted by Columbia University in 1996 suggested that placing patients with SAD (Seasonal Affective Depression (a really stupid acronym)) in front of a negative ion air purifier for thirty minutes everyday for a month, proved to be as effective as the pharmaceutical antidepressant drugs such as Prozac and Zolof. It obviously goes without saying that this negative ion treatment didn't offer the subjects the generous negative side-effects that these pharmaceuticals are so anxiously willing to give.
Now, with the benefits of negative ions thus addressed, we can zoom back over to the story at hand. As I turned the corner of Eagle Street in Asheville, I came across what seemed like a Malaysian underground opium den minus the atmospheric haze. I squinted up at their sign and read "Kava Bar."
I've tried a couple of bottles and tinctures of Kava before (King Kava plug, here), but I've never had the relaxing pleasure of sitting down on a low, comfortable leather couch, sipping a cup of Kava in an exaggeratedly laid-back atmosphere, while continuing to peruse through an exclusive all-Kava menu. The Kava barista and the eccentric, meltingly relaxed owner of the place fed me Kava candy and Kava-infused sparkling cider as I continued to order down the list of their menu throughout the evening. I stepped into a serendipitous situation on that New Year's Day, since Noble Kava was having a complimentary New Year's Day feast featuring black-eyed peas (which apparently represent good luck), collard greens (representing money) and sweet mashed potatoes (which tasted amazing). One of the regulars told me she wasn't a Kava fan, and instead suggested I come back another day to try their Maeng Da. The Kava Bar had a few off-menu Kratom items available, and the Maeng Da was something I needed to try, apparently. Kratom is also known as the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree native to Southeast Asia and has been used as traditional medicine in that region for hundreds of years. (It's interesting to note that up until recently, Kratom was deemed illegal in Thailand, and the Thai government actually went so far as to try to eradicate the native-growing tree from their land. This is yet another example of how much of a #FAIL prohibition thinking is.)
Kava Kava Candy
I made a mental note of the Maeng Da, bought a pack of Kava candy and left for a Yoga class I was running late for. As I floated, almost out-of-body back on to Eagle street, I noticed there was another interesting business right in front of me. A couple of friends I recently met at the Wicked Weed had mentioned the Asheville Therapeutic Salt Cave to me just a few nights prior to this fortuitous discovery. My next day's plan in Asheville had clearly sprinkled into place: Maeng Da drinks and a session in the Salt Cave.
The next day I made a 4 o'clock appointment at the Cave. After the lady scheduled me in I crossed the street and fell right back into one of the many Noble Kava's sofas. This time with the anticipated, extra-concentrated Maeng Da in my hand. The disagreeable taste forced me to squeeze out thirty extra seconds worth of honey into the dark liquid. After I quickly downed the cup I went to the bar for another. I wanted to make sure I entered the Salt Cave in the proper mindset. And just so you can get a point-of-view feel for what the Maeng Da is about, below is an excerpt of the effects of Kratom when taken at the "sedative-euphoric-analgesic" level.
[You will] feel and look calm, have a general feeling of comfortable pleasure, and may enter a pleasant dreamy reverie. You may find your appreciation of music is increased. It will be very pleasant to lie down on your back in a semi-darkened room, with eyes closed, and just listen to your favorite music. If you do this you may be fortunate enough to enter the delightful mixed-state of ‘waking-dreaming’ where you have one foot in dreamland and the other foot in the real world. This state was much prized by the 19th century Romantic writers, who, lacking knowledge of kratom, resorted to the much more habit-forming narcotic, opium, to achieve it. The effects of kratom usually last about six hours. The higher the dose, the stronger the effects, and the longer they last. Many people report a positive ‘afterglow’ the next day.
That being said, and verified by my experience of drinking a couple of cups of Maeng Da, I would venture to say it's almost mandatory to indulge in a cup or two (or three) of Maeng Da before entering the Salt Cave. If exploring expanded states of awareness and relaxation is your type of thing, that is. Let's not overlook the fact that a session in Asheville's Salt Cave is the perfect environment for a quick zoom out of your mind, if even for only 45 minutes. Also, let's not forget to mention that it's RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE KAVA/ KRATOM BAR. Clearly, a match made in Heaven.
Once you enter the Salt Cave with your plastic slippers over your socks you can go ahead and choose between laying down in a zero-gravity lounge chair or splashing your body down on the blankets and pillows. Once you make your decision and get comfortable, the lights dim, you close your eyes and a brief guided meditation begins. You must be mindful of deep breathing, since breathing in the rich, negative ion air of the Salt Cave is, after all, the entire point of this session. The Kratom enables you to swim through a mental maple syrup of wonderful waking dreams and fantasy as the sound of trickling water gently strokes the neural synapses of your brain. Your breathing becomes completely static-less and expands you into an unthinkable amount of relaxation. You begin to explore the expanded states of relaxation as your breathing becomes more and more fulfilling with every passing minute in the cave. After you come back to your semi-regular mindset, you spend the last few minutes trying to regather your wits before you pour out of the cave. It really was a phenomenal experience.
So if you're ever in the Asheville area you should give that trip a try. Believe me. If I were residing there, this is something I would probably regularly do. The Salt Cave along with the epic waterfalls around the nearby town of Brevard, and nature hikes around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park just a few miles west of Asheville, might make this city the central launching place for east coast people interested in a negative ion recharge. I'll smack up some photos of the area's waterfalls on Monday. Until then, below is an informative Himalayan Salt video that Dr. Mercola made. He talks about the history, importance and nutritional properties of salt, as well as making mention of the purest salt in the world: Himalayan Salt. So breathe it up and enjoy.
Top 5 Fun Salt Facts:
- Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt. "Salary" is in fact derived from the latin word for salt, which is salarium.
- The Celtic word for salt meant "holy" or "sacred."
- Historically, salt was considered "the gift from the gods."
- Homer referred to salt as a "divine substance." Plato described salt as, essentially, "dear to the gods."
- Ordinary sea salt has most likely been contaminated by mercury, PCB's and oil (due to oil-spills) since the ocean has been used as toxic chemical "dumping grounds" for decades. Great.
Of course I had to purchase this Asheville souvenir: Pink Himalayan Salt Lamp. Scattered granules cover more surface area than big blocks of salt.
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