The Power Of Salt

[00:00:02] what you want, when you want it, where you want it.

[00:00:06] This is The MESH.

[00:00:12] Hi everyone, this is Dr. Matt and you're listening to Take Back Your Health

[00:00:16] where we talk about all things health and ways to help you be the best version of you.

[00:00:23] What's up everybody, this is Dr. Matt with New Directions Chiropractic

[00:00:27] and this is Take Back Your Health podcast and today I've got a special guest with me here,

[00:00:33] Karen Bennett over at the Serenity Salt Spa here in Hickory, North Carolina, Viewmont area.

[00:00:39] So Karen, I want to welcome you to the show today.

[00:00:43] Thank you for inviting me. I'm excited.

[00:00:45] I know, it's always exciting to have a guest star because it's not just me talking, right?

[00:00:51] So first of all, let's tell us a little bit about you because you're,

[00:00:55] are you from the Hickory area or are you transplant?

[00:00:58] I don't think I even know that. Where are you from?

[00:01:00] I'm originally from a little town in upstate New York.

[00:01:03] That's right.

[00:01:04] Nowhere near the city, just a small town along the Vermont-Canadian border.

[00:01:09] We moved here a little over four years ago.

[00:01:12] We live in closer to the Bethlehem area, but.

[00:01:15] Okay.

[00:01:15] Yeah.

[00:01:16] You New Yorkers coming down here.

[00:01:18] Yes.

[00:01:19] Don't judge.

[00:01:20] Oh no, no, no.

[00:01:22] You and everybody else.

[00:01:23] No, so what got you into salt spa stuff, salt therapy or halo therapy, right?

[00:01:29] Halo therapy is what you call it.

[00:01:30] Yeah.

[00:01:30] Let's get it correct.

[00:01:31] What is it?

[00:01:32] How do you pronounce it?

[00:01:33] Halo therapy.

[00:01:34] Halo therapy.

[00:01:34] Okay.

[00:01:35] What got you into that?

[00:01:36] Because you're not originally in the industry, right?

[00:01:39] No, I was actually in the banking industry for about 30 years.

[00:01:43] Had a career change.

[00:01:45] Looked for something that I thought would bring a benefit to the Hickory area that isn't already here.

[00:01:51] Mm-hmm.

[00:01:51] We had visited a salt spa in the Florida area on vacation, had some sinus issues, just went

[00:01:57] in there on a whim and it helped us tremendously.

[00:02:00] We loved it.

[00:02:02] So as I was starting to look for a new career path, that was one of the things that I looked

[00:02:06] into.

[00:02:06] And then obviously went forward with the education to learn how to bring it here.

[00:02:10] Awesome.

[00:02:11] Awesome.

[00:02:40] Yeah.

[00:02:40] I did that through the salt chamber out of Florida.

[00:02:42] Okay.

[00:02:43] So that was just a series of online courses that gave me that certification at the end.

[00:02:49] And then obviously a lot of research and study at other places that offer similar things and

[00:02:55] talking with vendors to learn more about each of the modalities.

[00:02:59] Awesome.

[00:02:59] So what exactly is halo therapy?

[00:03:04] Explain that to somebody like me who doesn't, I don't know the details of it.

[00:03:09] Sure.

[00:03:10] So halo therapy is really dry salt therapy.

[00:03:12] Okay.

[00:03:13] It uses a halo generator.

[00:03:15] You might think of it like a salt grinder and it grinds up a medicinal salt into tiny,

[00:03:20] tiny particles and then puts them out into the air, usually in like a salt cave or salt

[00:03:25] room type setting.

[00:03:27] Um, the halo generator is a crucial part of halo therapy.

[00:03:31] If you don't have a halo generator, you don't have halo therapy.

[00:03:35] Sometimes you'll see places that will advertise that they offer that.

[00:03:39] But if they don't actually have the halo generator, that's putting that, that mist out into the

[00:03:43] air, um, it's really not halo therapy.

[00:03:46] So you want to watch for that if you're booking an appointment somewhere.

[00:03:49] So is it just like a, it's not just like a big salt grinder, like you, you grind over your

[00:03:53] food.

[00:03:54] It's, does it like put it into a solution, like the sailing solution?

[00:03:58] Does it grind it into like a liquid form or does it come in a liquid form?

[00:04:01] How does it come?

[00:04:02] What do you load in the machine?

[00:04:04] I should say.

[00:04:04] We put in it's, it's granulars.

[00:04:07] Um, but by the time that it's done, it puts like a mist into the air, but what's left in

[00:04:12] the machine when we clean it after each use is a very, very fine powder.

[00:04:16] Gotcha.

[00:04:17] Um, just what is left of the salt that doesn't disperse into the air.

[00:04:20] Okay.

[00:04:21] Awesome.

[00:04:21] That's good to know.

[00:04:22] But how, what's the direct benefit?

[00:04:25] Like what's the biggest benefit of doing that kind of therapy?

[00:04:28] So dry salt therapy kind of behaves like a toothbrush.

[00:04:31] Um, it cleans the respiratory system.

[00:04:33] It removes the buildup of foreign elements and different various, um, things in the respiratory

[00:04:39] tract that cause ailments and conditions.

[00:04:42] Um, when you inhale it, it's anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.

[00:04:47] Um, so it promotes a higher oxygen intake.

[00:04:50] It increases your energy and it improves your immune system.

[00:04:54] Um, one of the nice things about the dry salt therapy is any age can participate in it.

[00:04:59] So even your little ones can benefit.

[00:05:01] There's no age restrictions.

[00:05:03] And that's good to know.

[00:05:04] Cause I know you have a child room, right?

[00:05:06] Yes.

[00:05:07] And then most people don't know that.

[00:05:08] That's so cool that she's actually got a child room.

[00:05:10] Um, it's like a little sandbox in there, but instead of sand, it's little, little granules

[00:05:15] of the Himalayan salt.

[00:05:16] Yes.

[00:05:17] You can definitely tell the allergies are out this week because we've had like four or

[00:05:20] five little ones in there playing.

[00:05:22] So.

[00:05:23] Oh, you believe me?

[00:05:24] I'm feeling it myself.

[00:05:26] I know the first day of fall was yesterday.

[00:05:27] So we're definitely on that time of year.

[00:05:30] So you're probably going to be getting a lot of business here in the next few weeks, I'd

[00:05:32] imagine.

[00:05:33] Um, but what's so special about the pink salt, the pink salt, the Himalayan salt?

[00:05:38] Why does, why do you have to use that salt specifically?

[00:05:40] You can't use like sea salt or the other kinds of salts that are out there.

[00:05:44] So true Himalayan salt has lots of trace minerals in it.

[00:05:48] Um, so they're essential for your optimal health.

[00:05:51] So when you breathe in or you ingest these minerals, um, it balances the pH factor in

[00:05:58] your body.

[00:05:59] Um, and it helps it to detox.

[00:06:01] It also regulates your body's natural energy levels.

[00:06:05] Um, from an aesthetic point of view, it releases negative ions into the air.

[00:06:10] So positive ions are believed to increase anxiety, crankiness, and other like unpleasant feelings.

[00:06:16] But the negative ions ease stress, anxiety, and depression, and just overall improve your

[00:06:22] wellbeing.

[00:06:23] So from aesthetic point of view, that is, that's why the Himalayan salt.

[00:06:28] No.

[00:06:28] And it's actually, I think it's 84 different trace minerals that are in that.

[00:06:33] Yes.

[00:06:33] I think you're right.

[00:06:35] When I, when I do, uh, my education stuff that, because September was healthcare month.

[00:06:40] So we used, uh, the Himalayan salt as a self-care superfood.

[00:06:44] Um, so not only does it do all of the stuff that you just mentioned, but it, it kind of

[00:06:48] works outside the body as well.

[00:06:51] I mean, you know, it's a natural air purifier, you know, for your home, you know, you see

[00:06:55] people that have those salt lamps in their house and you just think it's just for aesthetics,

[00:06:58] but it's not.

[00:06:59] Um, it actually does what you just said.

[00:07:02] It removes those negative, um, it removes or puts the negative ions.

[00:07:06] I can't remember which word it is.

[00:07:07] It removes.

[00:07:08] Okay.

[00:07:08] Gotcha.

[00:07:09] I want to make sure I want it traps those airborne pollutants, I should say.

[00:07:12] Um, but you can also use it, um, for cleaning and things like that as well.

[00:07:16] Uh, it, and it's a really good natural exfoliant, right.

[00:07:20] For, for the sea salt scrubs, you've got some sea salt, not sea salt, some, uh, pink salt,

[00:07:25] uh, products and stuff in your office.

[00:07:27] Don't you?

[00:07:28] We do.

[00:07:28] And one of them is a, like a salt scrub.

[00:07:31] Exactly.

[00:07:31] That and the, the, um, the soaps and stuff like that too.

[00:07:35] I think you have.

[00:07:35] Um, but how does it help with the allergies specifically?

[00:07:39] I know, obviously you, you know, when you have allergies, you, you, your doctor might

[00:07:43] tell you to do a saline rinse, uh, or something like that, which, you know, that kind of makes

[00:07:48] some, some sense.

[00:07:48] But explain to us why breathing in that salt would be better than doing a saline rinse or

[00:07:56] help with a saline rinse, I should say.

[00:07:58] Yeah.

[00:07:58] I mean, a saline rinse is obviously great.

[00:08:01] This is just another tool that would help.

[00:08:03] So it decreases the inflammation in the respiratory tract and the salt particles actually help to

[00:08:09] draw out excess moisture and mucus.

[00:08:12] So by doing that, it helps to open up your airways, which promotes the healing.

[00:08:16] Yeah.

[00:08:17] It helps with that stuffiness.

[00:08:18] Yes.

[00:08:18] Yeah.

[00:08:19] Yeah.

[00:08:19] I know when I made the appointment for the first time and sat in there, it didn't take

[00:08:23] very long for, for you to feel the difference.

[00:08:26] I mean, you, you start and get that light.

[00:08:28] You start tasting the salt in your mouth, uh, which is pretty cool, but yeah, you definitely

[00:08:32] can feel it's like having one of those breathe right strips on your nose almost as far as

[00:08:37] that goes.

[00:08:37] Yep.

[00:08:39] Now, is there anything else about the salt spot?

[00:08:42] Cause I know you offer the salt spot is one option, but you have different other therapies

[00:08:47] as well in your office.

[00:08:48] But is there anything else specifically about the salt spot you wanted to mention before

[00:08:52] we move on to maybe some of your other therapies just to let people know all the avenues that

[00:08:56] you offer?

[00:08:57] Yeah, no, definitely.

[00:08:58] Um, so with the, with the salt rooms, it's really great for anything that's respiratory

[00:09:03] related.

[00:09:04] Um, so not just allergies, but asthma, COPD, emphysema, any of those types of things.

[00:09:11] Um, it's great for that.

[00:09:13] We've actually had people that have had long COVID who have come in and they've done a couple

[00:09:18] of consecutive treatments and found a little relief.

[00:09:21] Obviously it's not a cure, but it provides some relief to them.

[00:09:25] Um, so it's really good for that.

[00:09:27] It's also good for your skin, believe it or not.

[00:09:29] It's great for eczema and psoriasis, um, helping teenagers with acne problems.

[00:09:35] Um, so it's, it's got a lot of benefits that people don't think of.

[00:09:39] Uh, and it's obviously good for anxiety and stress too.

[00:09:42] Yes.

[00:09:43] Very relaxing.

[00:09:45] Which everybody has that nowadays.

[00:09:48] Yes.

[00:09:48] Um, so moving on past the salt, uh, I know you offer several different therapies, but I

[00:09:53] know the one that everybody talks about is the float pod.

[00:09:57] Um, so I wanted to give you a minute to kind of explain the benefits of the float pod.

[00:10:02] Cause I know that's probably a lot of people's fears.

[00:10:05] I should say for, for floating in water for what an hour or something like that in, in a tank,

[00:10:12] uh, and fear of like drowning or something like that.

[00:10:14] So, uh, explain to us a little bit about the, the float pod or what, what that entails.

[00:10:19] I should say.

[00:10:20] Sure.

[00:10:20] Yeah.

[00:10:21] The float pod is one of our most popular services.

[00:10:24] Really?

[00:10:25] Yeah.

[00:10:25] You, you've probably heard it as like a sensory deprivation tank.

[00:10:30] Yes.

[00:10:30] Yeah.

[00:10:31] Yeah.

[00:10:31] Um, people are a little intimidated when they first look at it and they come in the room,

[00:10:35] you know, it's this like bubble looking thing.

[00:10:37] It's kind of unique.

[00:10:39] Um, and when you open it up, you know, you'd think that you would be claustrophobic in it,

[00:10:44] but really a lot of people, once they get in it and lay down, given the dome shape of

[00:10:48] it, kind of relax.

[00:10:50] And you do have the ability to open the lid or whatever while you're in there.

[00:10:54] I, uh, I know when I did it, cause you know, me being over six foot, I'm like, this thing

[00:10:59] isn't going to fit me.

[00:11:01] I'm a big, I'm a big, big guy.

[00:11:03] So there's no way I'm going to fit in there.

[00:11:04] But surprisingly enough, I actually did.

[00:11:07] I mean, I didn't touch, but you're moving around in there a little bit.

[00:11:11] You're not sitting still, but you'd be surprised actually how wide and deep it goes, I should

[00:11:17] say.

[00:11:18] Um, as far as that now, but it's a different solution in there, right?

[00:11:23] It is.

[00:11:23] It's kind of like an Epsom salt on steroids.

[00:11:26] It's a magnesium sulfate.

[00:11:28] It's crazy.

[00:11:29] It's like, it's just amazes me.

[00:11:32] There's only about 11 inches of water in it.

[00:11:34] Um, and the water's pretty much body temperature.

[00:11:38] It ranges between 94, 95 degrees right in that area.

[00:11:41] Um, but has over a thousand pounds of salt.

[00:11:45] So that concentration of salt is where the magic comes.

[00:11:48] It forces you to float like the Dead Sea, um, which takes that.

[00:11:53] Crazy feeling.

[00:11:54] Cause I know when I did it, I even tried to sink and it would not let me do it.

[00:11:59] It's the craziest thing.

[00:12:00] Cause I hear, I've had some people tell me, Oh, I'm afraid of drowning or, you know, something

[00:12:04] like that.

[00:12:04] Um, it's impossible to drown in that tank.

[00:12:33] You have lights in there, things like that.

[00:12:35] Correct.

[00:12:35] We do.

[00:12:35] You, and you have control of that.

[00:12:37] So you can start out with the lights on.

[00:12:39] And if you get to that comfort zone where you feel like you can shut them off, you have

[00:12:43] control of that.

[00:12:44] You can have music or you can have it be completely silent.

[00:12:47] Whatever, whatever puts you in that.

[00:12:49] Gotcha.

[00:12:50] Yeah.

[00:12:50] And you provide all the amenities.

[00:12:52] I know you provide the earplugs and, uh, you know, you do have to go through a little

[00:12:57] ritual before you can get in it.

[00:12:58] Right.

[00:12:59] With the showering and all that.

[00:13:01] Absolutely.

[00:13:02] You have to shower the oils and stuff off.

[00:13:04] So you're very clean when you leave.

[00:13:09] All right.

[00:13:09] So, uh, but what other services do you offer?

[00:13:12] Cause besides the thought, the thought, the salt room and the, uh, the deprivation tank,

[00:13:17] what else do you offer?

[00:13:18] So we, we also have a full spectrum infrared sauna.

[00:13:21] Okay.

[00:13:21] Um, that has the option to use the color light therapy.

[00:13:25] Um, infrared is great.

[00:13:27] It's, you know, it's not like the traditional sauna where it heats the body from the air around

[00:13:33] it from the, you know, the outside in, um, infrared is from the core out.

[00:13:39] So it penetrates the muscles deeper.

[00:13:41] I'm sure you're, you know, being a chiropractor, you know how that works, but it, you know,

[00:13:45] it, it penetrates the muscles and it really just, it's like cooking from the inside out.

[00:13:50] Yes.

[00:13:51] But it's not that awful.

[00:13:53] Yes.

[00:13:53] It's for detox.

[00:13:54] Yeah.

[00:13:54] Of course.

[00:13:55] It detoxes, lets the muscles recover faster.

[00:13:58] Um, it's great for anti-aging and it actually is good for heart health.

[00:14:02] Oh really?

[00:14:03] Yeah.

[00:14:03] I didn't know that.

[00:14:04] Yeah.

[00:14:04] Um, but what's the benefit with the color?

[00:14:06] I know that, I know that infrared obviously, but you have the specific term.

[00:14:12] I think you call it.

[00:14:12] Oh, so the chromotherapy.

[00:14:13] Gotcha.

[00:14:14] So you've probably heard of like red light therapy and all the different therapies.

[00:14:18] And if you subscribe to that belief of the, you know, it targets different chakras within

[00:14:24] the body.

[00:14:24] So if you've got issues that you want to target, you you're given a remote in a chart.

[00:14:29] It tells you what each of the colors do and you can control what color therapy you use

[00:14:34] while you're in there.

[00:14:35] Cool.

[00:14:36] I didn't know they actually had a purpose for that.

[00:14:38] I thought it was just disco party.

[00:14:41] Um, but you, between all of that and then you also have a massage therapist on staff,

[00:14:47] right?

[00:14:47] We do.

[00:14:48] Yes.

[00:14:48] She's wonderful.

[00:14:49] Wonderful.

[00:14:50] She can do.

[00:14:51] I haven't met her yet.

[00:14:51] So I'm, I don't know if she exists.

[00:14:53] I can't prove it.

[00:14:54] She does.

[00:14:56] She does.

[00:14:57] No, I just said it.

[00:14:58] Cause every time I go in there, she's, she's either just stepped out or not working that

[00:15:03] day.

[00:15:03] So I always go get her here a hard time thinking that she, she's just saying that.

[00:15:06] I know she does have a massage therapist in house too.

[00:15:09] So it's kind of a one-stop shop for your, your de-stress needs.

[00:15:13] Absolutely.

[00:15:13] Um, and one last thing too, I know you have a lot of products that you sell.

[00:15:19] You have the, the, um, the room sprays and the salt scrubs and all that, but you have

[00:15:24] a little, um, uh, what they call a soul jar, which I've had.

[00:15:28] It's just a jar filled with the big chunks of Himalayan salt.

[00:15:32] What's the, what's the deal behind that?

[00:15:34] So that is, that is our most unique product, which we really didn't know how well it would

[00:15:39] take off when we got it, but it has really been very popular.

[00:15:44] So you take the jar, it's called a, actually called a soleil jar.

[00:15:47] I've been saying it's all the whole time until I, yes.

[00:15:50] And, um, you put spring water in with it.

[00:15:53] And then in the morning you take a teaspoon of that spring water and put it in a full glass

[00:15:58] of water and drink it.

[00:16:00] And it actually replaces the minerals in the body.

[00:16:04] It's supposed to give you more energy, make your metabolism better, help to keep the

[00:16:09] body in the shape that it needs to be in.

[00:16:12] Cool.

[00:16:13] No, that's, yeah, that's like your electrolytes basically.

[00:16:16] Yes.

[00:16:17] Better than drinking a Gatorade, right?

[00:16:19] No, and it's actually, I've tried it and I really enjoy it.

[00:16:23] Uh, it's, it's, um, it's just different.

[00:16:26] It's like you're drinking and you got to get used to it at the first, cause it's like drinking

[00:16:30] a little salty water.

[00:16:31] I mean, you know, cause you think you don't want to drink salt.

[00:16:33] It's going to make your blood pressure skyrocket, but that's not, that's not how it works.

[00:16:37] Um, but is there anything else that you'd like to say before we kind of wrap it up here and

[00:16:42] give you some contact information, how to get ahold of you?

[00:16:44] Is there anything else about salt therapy that you'd like to, to just tell our listeners?

[00:16:49] Um, you know, the only thing I would say is a lot of people think of the salt spa as just

[00:16:55] a place of healing, but it's actually enjoyable.

[00:16:58] Um, we have a group salt room where we've had bridal parties and we actually had a family

[00:17:05] reunion.

[00:17:06] Um, really?

[00:17:07] Yeah.

[00:17:07] Even an office meeting.

[00:17:09] So a lot of people are using it for the atmosphere, the health benefits, you know, as well, but just

[00:17:17] as a great space to, to get together somewhere different, but that provides.

[00:17:21] Well, you've got a, you've got a group salt room that can hold what?

[00:17:24] Six people ish or so.

[00:17:26] So yeah.

[00:17:26] And that's, you don't see that a lot.

[00:17:28] So yeah, that's perfect for like little offices or little parties for people that can go in

[00:17:32] there.

[00:17:33] Um, and I think it's cheaper if they book by the, the group versus by the individual.

[00:17:38] Is that correct?

[00:17:38] It is.

[00:17:39] Yes.

[00:17:39] Yeah.

[00:17:39] Um, so what's the best way to get an appointment?

[00:17:43] So if you want to make an appointment for either the salt room or the float pod or the

[00:17:48] infrared sauna or massage or whatever, what's the best way to do that?

[00:17:51] The best way is to visit our website, which is serenity saltspa.com.

[00:17:56] Um, you can go right on there.

[00:17:57] It shows our available times, lets you book your appointment, you put in your request, and

[00:18:02] we respond hopefully immediately with a yes or a no that that time slot is still available.

[00:18:08] Um, you can also call the spa.

[00:18:10] Our number, um, there is 828-578-6054.

[00:18:15] Or definitely just stop in if you want and we can give you a tour of the facility and

[00:18:20] schedule your appointment there.

[00:18:22] Awesome.

[00:18:22] And what are your hours typically?

[00:18:24] We are open from Tuesday to Saturday, nine to seven and Sundays, nine to three.

[00:18:30] Oh, and you're open on weekends.

[00:18:31] We are.

[00:18:32] Awesome.

[00:18:32] Just close Mondays.

[00:18:33] Yeah.

[00:18:33] Well, I think everything in Hickory shuts down on Mondays just about, but that's good

[00:18:37] to know for weekends because there's not a lot of businesses that I feel like they're

[00:18:40] open like that for, for weekends.

[00:18:42] Yes.

[00:18:43] Well, that's good to know.

[00:18:44] Um, and you can get gift cards and things like that as well.

[00:18:46] If you're wanting to treat somebody, but you're yourself don't want it, but you want to treat

[00:18:51] somebody else like your spouse or somebody that you have gift cards as well.

[00:18:55] Absolutely.

[00:18:55] We have the physical gift cards and then we have e-gift cards on our website as well.

[00:18:59] Awesome.

[00:19:00] Okay.

[00:19:00] Awesome.

[00:19:01] Well, Karen, that's been a thrill to have you here.

[00:19:04] I'm excited that you, that you got in here to explain the power of salt for us.

[00:19:08] Um, is there anything you'd like to leave us with before we, we sign off?

[00:19:12] I think I'm good, but thank you very much for inviting me in and letting me spread the word.

[00:19:18] Absolutely.

[00:19:18] Well, thank you.

[00:19:19] Thank you very much.

[00:19:21] If you'd like to learn more about something you just heard or are interested to see how

[00:19:25] chiropractic care can help you, you can visit our website to schedule an appointment at

[00:19:30] newdirectionschiropractic-nc.com.

[00:19:31] Be sure to follow our social media accounts for more tips and information on how to be a

[00:19:36] better you.

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