How does himalayan salt crystal lamp clean and purify air?
Remove pathogens (bacteria, virus, fungi), allergens (pollen, etc.) and other airborne irritants (smoke) from the room air. Salt has a natural affinity for water (H2O). We can readily see that by setting a bowl of salt out on the counter- it will absorb moisture (water vapor) from right out of the air in the room, which results in it “caking” together. This is why you so often find grains of rice mixed in with the salt in restaurants.
Himalayan Salt already contains minute amounts of water dispersed throughout the extremely fine crystal structure, but it is looking for more. When using a Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamp this “affinity” for water can be amplified many times in potency.

The heat generated by the low wattage light bulb burning inside the Salt Crystal Lamp has the effect of “turning on” the crystal, so that it attracts the water vapor in the room at an even greater amount than when unlit. With the Lamp now drawing larger quantities of vapor towards itself, the vapor, and anything hitching a ride on it (such as bacteria or pollen, for example) will momentarily condensate on the surface of the Salt Crystal Lamp. This result in a microscopic pool of water, which then immediately dissolves the salt it contacts, forming a “salt solution.”

Positive and Negative Effects of Positive and Negative Ions

Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 – c. January 7, 1943) was a Serbian-American inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. Tesla is recognized among the most accomplished scientists of the late 19th and early 20th century. His patents and theoretical work form the basis of modern alternating current electric power (AC) systems, including the polyphase power distribution system and AC motor, with which he helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution.

Tesla experimented with electromagnetic flux and studied the earth's gravitational field.  During his research he discovered that the ionization of the atmosphere would alter when it was charged by radio wave transmissions in the low frequency range of 10 to 80 hertz.  Tesla also discovered that he could cause both positive and negative ionization of the atmosphere by manipulating the radio frequency.  Further studies indicated that with positive ionization, people and animals became tired and lethargic and with negative ionization the effect was one of feeling active and energetic.  

Ions are floating in the air around us all of the time and have either negative or positive charges.  Changes in their concentrations or in the ratio of positively to negatively charged molecules can have remarkable effects on plants and animals.  It is known in science that ion depletion is the source of a wide range of human health problems, both mental and physical.

These air ions are important to you because if they have a high proportion of negative ions in the clusters you will feel lively, uplifted and enthusiastic.  Too many positive ions in the clusters will have you feeling depressed, lethargic and full of aches, pains and complaints. 

It is estimated that there are normally 1,500 to 4,000 ions per cubic centimeter.  Negative ions are exceedingly mobile and the Earth's surface has a negative charge; therefore, negative ions are repelled from the Earth.  This repulsion creates a normal ratio of positive to negative ions in the range of twelve to ten.  Normally, more positive than negative ions exist.

Negative ions are exceedingly beneficial for a person's metabolism as a means of enhancing human behavior. They act in a complex mechanism to bring about hormone and biochemical reactions in the body and brain. It is impossible to get an overdose of negative ions, which act like pure water in washing away dirty poisons. Generally, the more negative ions you are exposed to, the better and more uplifted you feel.

Positive ions or the lack of negative ions may cause serotonin hyperfunction syndrome or "irritation syndrome" and it involves sleeplessness, irritability, tension, migraine, nausea, heart palpitations, hot flashes with sweating or chills, tremor and dizziness. The elderly become depressed, apathetic and extremely fatigued.

Human mood disorders (depressions) are effectively treated with drugs which specifically block the re-uptake of serotonin into the presynaptic axon terminal, for example fluoxetine (Prozac) and Zoloft.  This suggests that positive ions may play a part in this condition and the condition may be safely treated with negative ion therapy.    

Just as good benefits are provided by immersing yourself in negative ions, bad effects come from breathing air with a high density of positive ions.  Before a storm the positive ion concentration becomes more than three times the amount of negative ions.  If the barometer is falling in anticipation of a storm, brace yourself.  Adults, children, and animals alike react testily to such bad weather, for ahead is the kind of day that may leave you most prone to illness or accident, stupid mistakes and irrational anger.  Simply, positive ions are responsible.  The full moon increases positive ion ratios, which accounts for the strange and aggressive behavior noted by police and medical services.  Studies show that 75% of the population is noticeably and adversely affected by positive ion ratios, while increased negative ions tend to have a calming influence on these same people.

There is an impressive amount of evidence that connects low barometric pressure before storms with erratic behavior.  This is a time where the positive ions in the air outnumber the negative ions by a ratio of over three to one.  More suicide attempts take place, greater numbers and more serious accidents occur on the highways and in factories, and an elevated incidence of fainting spells seem to beset people.  An analysis of the records of some 2000 public school students showed that their "conduct" marks sagged noticeably before a storm.

Positive ion air encourages increased physical discomforts ranging from headaches and nausea to the familiar rheumatic twinges that precede storms.  Even the healing rate of wounds has been known to slow up, while the risk of infection accelerates.  Tension and depression are certainly more common 

Conversely, negative ion air - when the weather is quite comfortable - not only stimulates morale but actually relieves certain chronic diseases.  Experiments with negative ionization have shown marked improvement for sufferers from high blood pressure, asthma, and hay fever.

Many psychiatrists agree that positive ionization contributes to the cracking of "fringe personalities," and sets off some mental conditions.  On summer “dog days”, when the positive ion index climbs, more neurotics slip across into pathological psychosis than at other times.  The incidence of sex crimes rise, as do all categories of property and personal crimes. Increased incidence of violence, road rage, theft, bank robberies, and shoplifting become serious commercial and cultural problems.

How Air Ions Act On The Whole Person

Have you ever wondered why you feel irritable, jumpy, have aching corns, headaches, and seem overly anxious during that time just before a storm?  A lack of negative ions and an excess of positive ions are the culprits.  The storm's onset produces an ion imbalance in the air before rain falls or snow settles down.

When relatively too many positive ions are present in the air before a storm, the positive charge is transferred in the air you breathe from your lungs to the blood, causing the blood platelets to release a hormone that quite strongly affects your moods, your joints and other physiological functions in your body.  Some people exhibit arthritic symptoms.  The weather really does affect your routine.  The following is a description of how air ions act on the whole person; you being that person.

During fair weather the atmospheric conditions cause charged air ions to migrate, producing a flow of current.  Humans have evolved outdoors immersed in this electric current, and scientists now believe that the current flow enhances various processes within our body, even to the cellular level.  The same appears to be true even on the level of plants.  People who work out-of-doors are at a distinct health advantage over those who are deskbound or labor inside factories.

The human body possesses a positive field, and a coupling or resonance between it and the Earth's field takes place.  Such a resonance between systems brings about transference of energy and perhaps accounts for some of the "charging" effects of being outdoors during fair weather.

Studies have shown, not coincidentally, that the natural oscillation frequency of a stable atmosphere (think blue skys), seven to ten hertz (cycles per second), is the same as our brain's alpha state, our most relaxed yet alert state of being.  This natural field oscillation, coupling with your own brain waves, enhances your alertness and improves your reaction time.

On the other hand, the three to five hertz waves produced by inclement weather activity were shown to cause a decrease in human reaction time.  Slow reaction time may be dangerous under certain circumstances.  This lengthened time that it takes for a driver to respond to an emergency situation, for example, produces a 31 - 41 percent increase in traffic accidents, quite measurable by the National Safely Council.

Much of the waste products of cell renewal are expelled through the skin.  A positive electrostatic field around us draws these surplus waste ions away from the body, permitting rapid and unhampered renewal of all cells.  This effect contributes to your general well-being.

When oxygen is absorbed via the lung alveolus, the ionized molecules are taken up like the normal oxygen molecules and pass into the blood corpuscles.  The red blood corpuscle, whose hemoglobin is oxygenated by the air during respiration, receives also the ionized oxygen.  The negative charge is carried throughout the body, whereas the positive charge may attack the blood platelets (thrombosis) which in sensitive patients releases the irritating hormone, serotonin.

Serotonin release produces dryness, burning and itching of the nose, nasal obstruction, headaches, dry, scratchy throat, difficulty in swallowing, dry lips, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, and itching of the eyes.  Negative ions do not produce this unpleasant serotonin syndrome; they act directly on the respiratory enzyme, cytochrome oxidase, and promote cell respiration.

All the tracheal changes attributed to positive air ions can be duplicated by the intravenous injection of serotonin.  These effects can be reversed by treatment with negative air ions.

On the basis of these facts, it seems reasonable to postulate that positive air ions are 'serotonin releasers' and that a local accumulation of serotonin in the trachea is the immediate cause of the positive ion effect.

Negative air ions reverse positive ion effects by speeding up the rate at which serotonin oxydase is oxidized.   Like other oxydase systems, monoamine oxydase is thought to consist of dehydrogenase linked to a respiratory chain reaction which may include cytochromes of flavones.  Positive ionization of blood increased its serotonin release significantly.

With every breath, air ions are carried into your respiratory tract to be transferred across the lungs into the bloodstream where they are taken up by the thrombocytes.  If they enter as part of molecules of oxygen, the negative ions or positive ions are transported by your red blood cells. Positive ions cause thrombocytes to release the allergy producing hormone serotonin (5-HT). Serotonin acts as a bronchial constrictor and slows the clearing action of the cilia thus allowing the mucus to thicken.  If you are one of those many hay fever sufferers or have some other respiratory problem you'll find that serotonin greatly aggravates your condition.  There is less clearing of allergens and pollutants from your respiratory tract than from the lungs of others.

It is this powerful and versatile neuro- hormone, serotonin, which is responsible for many of the unpleasant symptoms exhibited by persons breathing positively ionized, air.  Some, particularly elderly people, may experience difficulty in breathing; asthmatics wheeze, rheumatic people feel their joints ache and in general, sleeplessness or insomnia, irritability and tension are increased.  Hair and skin have an 'electric charge.'  Migraine patients suffer with nausea and vomiting, and optical disturbances.  Heart cases complain of palpitations, heart pain and oppression.  Women before the age of menopause complain of hot flashes with sweats or chills.  Hay fever patients get bad attacks of rhinitis with conjunctivitis, though this may not be the real hay fever season.  Giddiness, tremor, and balance disturbances may appear, as well as diarrhea and a constant desire to urinate.

All this happens from stimulation of serotonin secretion by your being exposed to air containing high densities of positive ions.  Since negative ions are able to reverse the effects of positive ions by speeding up the rate at which serotonin is oxidized by stimulating the action of monoamine oxidase, it makes sense to stay in touch with quantities of negative ions whenever possible.  As you will soon learn, this is done by employing negative ion generators and/or the application of negative hydrogen ions in liquid.

In general, exposure to negatively ionized air has been shown to increase oxygenation of the lungs, increased vital capacity, and enhanced celiac activity.  All types of beneficial responses take place as a result of friendly negative ions.

With an increase of negative ions you will experience a normalization of the activities of the endocrine glands, which plays an important role in reducing the effects of stress.

A shift occurs in your body's indicators of the blood acid-base balance toward alkalinity.  Your pH (potential of hydrogen) should be 7.5 on the 1 to 14 pH scale.  Health resides there.

A sedating and pain relieving effect is experienced if you have undergone surgery or suffered burns.

Brain wave studies show an increase in brain amplitude with better thinking ability, a shift of alpha activity to the frontal area of the brain for better conceptual ability, and a higher synchronization of the right and left brain hemispheres for a more even balance of the personality.

Your body better undertakes the metabolism of vitamins and shows an increase in both static and dynamic work capacity and endurance. All this, in part, contributing to better overall mental and physical health.

Why Are Negative Ions So Healthy?
(Author Unknown)

Philipp E.A. vonLenard, Nobel Prize winning physicist, lecturer and author of “The Electricity of Waterfalls” (1915) found that when water is atomized (e.g. on impact of a water droplet), negative and positive charges are separated.

Molecules which are torn from the surface of the water bear a negative charge (small negative ions) whereas large drops or the entire mass of water are positive.

This provided an unexpected explanation for the refreshing, invigorating effect of residences close to a waterfall or spring, or even after rain.

Some of these reactions which improve well-being and physical and mental capacity have since become known.

  1. Negative ions accelerate the oxidative degradation of serotonin      whereas positive ions have the opposite action and inactivate the      enzymes which break down serotonin.

  2. An increase in the serotonin level (5-hydroxytryptamine) produces

o      tachycardia,

o        a rise in blood pressure,

o        bronchospasm going as far as asthma attack,

o        increased intestinal peristalsis (contractions and dilations of the intestines to move the contents onwards),

o        increased sensitivity to pain,

o        increased aggression.

3.       A decrease in the serotonin level is calming and increases defenses against infection (as proven with influenza 'the flu').

4.       Negative ions produce an increase in hemoglobin/oxygen affinity so that the partial oxygen pressure in the blood rises but the partial carbon dioxide pressure decreases. This results in reduced respiratory rate and enhances the metabolism of water-soluble vitamins.

In addition, negative ions produce an increase in PH and, in particular, an increase in the secretory performance of the mucosa with an increase in ciliary movement in the airways.

According to the studies of Fleischer and Pantlitschko, negative ions probably also improve blood flow by increasing the release of proteolytic enzymes with fibrinolytic activity. Wordens studied the adrenals of golden hamsters kept under the same experimental conditions. The adrenals of animals treated with positive ions weighed 33% less than the adrenals of animals treated with normal respiratory air.

On the other hand, the weight of the adrenals from golden hamsters treated with negative ions was 29% higher. Olivereau found a 30% enlargement of adrenals in rats after 20 days of treatment with negative ions. This finding suggests that the ability of the adrenals to produce glucocorticoids is reduced by positive ions and increased by negative ions.

Considerable increase in vital capacity were observed by M.A. Vytchikova and A. Minkh in 1959, with the maintenance of blood sugar and blood oxygen levels. Thus, in a group of 9 sports students, Minkh found that ergometer endurance was increased by 260% in 32 days compared with a normal control group following the inhalation for 15 minutes daily of air enriched with 1.5 million negative small ions per centimeter.

Even before the 1976 Olympics, air ionization in the sleeping quarters of team members was used to improve performance in sports centres in the USSR and the GDR [M. Jokl, Prague ]. Studies by Altmann in 1975 clearly show that the performance of school children can, for example, be considerably increased by changing the electrical conditions of the rooms. Comparable effects have also been achieved by the use of ionized AIR.

According to the latest information in the fields of medicine, biology and meteorology, it can be definitively established that atmospheric ions have a biological effect. Atmospheric electrical factors are a component of our environment and we humans are clearly affected by electro-ionic microclimates to a far greater extent than previously imagined.

This finding acquires particular significance since, as a result of artificial air conditioning (e.g. atmospheric pollution, buildings, air-conditioning units, heating, electrical installations, plastics), civilized man spends 50-100% of his time in an unnaturally charged electroclimate. In cities, in closed rooms and in cars, etc., the proportion of small negative ions in the atmosphere is markedly reduced compared with undisturbed nature.

An atmosphere with an excess of negative ions, such as frequently arise under open sky, usually induces a complete vegetative turn-around within twenty days. In the curative phase of this total turn-around, the vegetative nervous system is normally restored and the course of infectious diseases is essentially attenuated (weakened) and (healing is) accelerated.

Scientific Study Summaries of Negative Ions in Air

Negative ions improve asthma and other respiratory conditions

“Effect of Negative Air Ion Treatment on Blood Serotonin in Weather Sensitive Patients”

Positive air ionization elicited by hot dry desert wind spells (Sharav) was found to correlate with blood serotonin in 20 weather sensitive patients increasing from 14-20 mg% to 21-29 mg%. Exposure of 12 of these patients to artificial negative air ionization during 3-6 hours brought blood serotonin back to normal values of 15-20 m% (p,0.001-0.005), while in the 8 control patients, who did not receive the ionizing treatment, there remained a high of 21-31 m%. The 12 treated patients had received during 3-6 hours from a grounded ionizer (Modulion) a negative ion load ranging between 2.5 x 105 = 2.5 x 104 ions/cm3/s.

Thus, it can be concluded that increased concentration of positive ions in the air increases blood serotonin levels, whereas negative air ionization neutralizes the effect of positive air ionization and reduces blood serotonin levels to normal values.

"There is nothing subjective about a bawling baby"
     Brazilian hospitals now commonly use negative ion generators to treat breathing problems, after a test involving 36 children with asthmatic allergies. In each case, the problem was consistent or crippling. During the treatment, only one of them suffered an asthma attack. Afterward, no attacks were suffered by any of the children that sustained regular negative ion therapy (Soyka, 1991).

     In 1966, a hospital in Jerusalem conducted a study involving 38 babies, between the ages of two and twelve months, with about the same degree of respiratory problems. The babies were separated into two groups of nineteen. One group was treated with nothing but negative ions, while the second group was administered the standard treatment, which included drugs and antibiotics with side effects. The babies in the group treated with the negative ions were cured of asthma and bronchitis much more quickly than those in the control group. The babies in the negative ion group were also found to be less prone to rebound attacks. Less scientifically, doctors found that the babies treated by negative ion-enriched air didn’t cry as often or as loudly. But as Fred Soyka, the author of The Ion Effect puts it, "there is nothing subjective about a bawling baby" (Soyka, 1991).

"Monotonous Regularity"
     In 1975, an East German doctor, who had by then treated more than 11,000 individuals with various respiratory conditions with a negative ion electronic air cleaner, said that his patients reported with "monotonous regularity" that the therapy had worked (Soyka, 1991).

You gotta like these odds
     In the early 1960s, Dr. A. P. Wehner used negative ion generators to treat over 1,000 patients in the U. S. suffering from various respiratory ills, such as bronchial asthma, pulmunary emphysema, laryngitis, bronchitis, dry hacking cough, upper respiratory tract infection, and allergies. He reported that the symptoms completely disappeared in 30.3% of the cases, improved significantly in 42.3% of the cases, showed some improvement in 20% of the cases, and showed no signs of improvement in 7.4% of the cases (Wehner, 1962).

It’s all in the numbers
     In Britain , two Oxford University statisticians conducted a study among victims of asthma, bronchitis, and hay fever. The sample was randomly selected from a list of people who had purchased a negative ion air purifier. Through interviews, they found that 18 of 24 asthmatics, 13 of 17 bronchitis sufferers, 11 of 12 hay fever victims, and 6 of 10 suffering from nasal catarrh, reported that the product had noticeably improved their condition. A few even reported that it cured their condition (Soyka, 1991).

When a negative is better than a positive
     Positive ions, which occur in high levels in many indoor environments, inhibit the body’s ability to prevent pollutants and contaminates from entering the vulnerable areas of the respiratory tract. However, an overdose of negative ions has proven to provide counteraction to this effect (Kreuger, 1974; Soyka, 1991; Tchijewski, 1960).

Reduce and/or destroy bacteria, viruses and other microbes

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
     A recent study by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture found that ionizing a room led to 52% less dust in the air, and 95% less bacteria in the air (since many of the pollutants found in the air reside on floating dust particles).

Agriculture Research Service (of USDA)
     The Agriculture Research Service of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture tested the effectiveness of ionizers for removing dust in a poultry hatchery. The dust level is very high in such an environment. In this study, the use of an ionizer resulted in dust removal efficiencies that averaged between 81.1 and 92.2%. The airborne transmission of salmonella (to the eggs) was also significantly reduced as a result. 

See Link: http://www.nalusda.gov/ttic/tektran/data/000008/54/0000085456.html

Journal of Hygiene
     Scientists showed that ionization reduced bacterial levels in burns and plastic surgery units by over 96% after a two week period, which results in much better and more rapid healing of patients.

Journal of Applied Microbiology
     The use of negative ions was even found by scientists to reduce the presence of airborne viruses by about 40%. A study featured in the 1987 issue also showed the negative ions are free from any adverse side effects.

Negative ions are needed in order to take in oxygen.

"Please, we’re dying here!"
     Russian scientist, Dr. A. L. Tchijewsky, tried raising mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits in totally de-ionized air. Almost all of them died within two weeks due to an inability to utilize oxygen properly (Tchijewski, 1960).

     Tchijewsky’s colleague, Dr. D. A. Lapitsky, tried raising small animals in air completely devoid of oxygen. He added only negative ions to the air as they were about to die from asphyxiation. At which point, their respiration frequency drastically increased, as they began to sit up and run around the chamber (Tchijewski, 1960).

Don’t travel to space without `em
     Former NASA scientist James B. Beal, who came across the negative ion problem while studying the type of environment needed in space capsules, wrote: "The human race was developed in ionized air. Nature used the ions in developing our biological processes." In other words, people have been designed to function properly in an environment that contains certain level of ionization (Soyka, 1991).

The more the better
     Fred Soyka, author of "The Ion Effect" reports that based on the 5,000 plus scientific documents that have been published regarding negative ion studies, all support the conclusion that an overload of negative ions seems to be beneficial (Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions counteract the effects of smoking.

     High levels of negative ions neutralize the effect that tobacco smoke has on the cilia. Cilia are the microscopic hairs located in the trachea that move rapidly back and forth to prevent pollutants and toxins from traveling into the vulnerable areas of the respiratory tract. The faster the cilia move, the more effective they are. However, tobacco smoke slows down the ciliary beat, diminishing the body’s ability to keep cancer-causing pollutants from entering the depths of the respiratory tract. Tests have shown though, that adding high levels of negative ions to the air accelerates the ciliary beat to normal levels (Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions help prevent respiratory-related illnesses.

"I hope I’m in group one."
     In a study conducted in a Swiss textile mill, negative ionizers were placed in two, 60’ by 60’ rooms, each containing 22 employees. In one room, the negative ion electronic air cleaner was turned on during the course of the study. In the other room, the negative ion air purifier was permanently turned off, although the employees in this room were led to believe they were working in a room enriched by negative ions. During this six-month study, a total of 22 sick days were lost by employees working in the room in which the negative ionizer was operating. In the room where the machine was not operating, a total of 64 days were lost to sickness. During a month-long flu epidemic, the first group lost a total of 3 days to sickness, while the second group lost a total of 40 days to sickness (Stark, 1971).

     In a test involving a Swiss bank office, one group of 309 worked in a negative ion-treated environment. A second group of 362 worked in an untreated environment. Over the next several months, for every day lost to respiratory illness (cold, flu, laryngitis, etc.) in group one, 16 days were lost to respiratory illness in group two (Soyka, 1991).

"We liked them so much . . ."
     In a Surrey University study at the Norwich Union Insurance Group headquarters, eight negative ion generators were placed in the computer and data preparation section. Before the test, the research team spent a month compiling incident rates for complaints of sickness and headaches. During the test in which the negative ion air purification systems were in operation, incidents of sickness and headaches were reduced by 78%. After testing was completed, the Norwich Union opted to keep the negative ion electronic air cleaners (Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions help prevent migraine headaches.

     Migraine headaches originate when an overload of serotonin causes the diameter of blood vessels leading to the brain to dilate, and get wider in the brain. Consequently, blood flow increases, and pain receptors in the vessels are stretched, which leads to the excruciating pain associated with a migraine headache (Borne, 1998; others). In numerous tests and studies though, negative ion treatment has proven to prevent the overproduction of serotonin, and therefore the subsequent migraine headaches (Kreuger, 1957; Soyka, 1991; Sulman, 1974).

Negative ions are a natural anti-depressant.

. . . and without the side effects!
     In a study conducted by Columbia University , 25 people with SAD (Seasonal Affective Depression) sat in front of a negative ion air purifier for a half hour every morning for a month. Half the subjects were given a low level of negative ions, and the other half a high level. The higher level of negative ion treatment proved to be as effective against SAD as antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zolof, and without the side effects of these drugs (Finley, 1996).

Negative ions for a positive attitude
     Positive ions, which are found in abundance in most indoor environments, cause an overproduction of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps the body deal with mental, emotional, and physiological stress. An overproduction initially causes hyperactivity, which rapidly leads to anxiety, and in some cases depression. Negative ion treatment has proven to be successful in reducing the overproduction of serotonin, and therefore successful in alleviating depression in some cases (Kreuger, 1957).

Negative Ions Help Combat Fatigue.

     In 1957, a study published in the Journal of General Physiology concluded that negative ions reduce the overproduction of serotonin, a neurohormone that leads to exhaustion, among other things, when overproduced (Kreuger, 1957).

Negative Ions Enhance Mental Performance and Concentration.

The Alpha wave rhythms say it all
     In 1969, Dr. Sulman, head of the department of Applied Pharmacology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem at the time, brought in groups of people to spend some time in a room low in negative ions, and also in a room that contained an "overdose" of negative ions. While in each room, subjects were given word, figure, and symbol tests. They scored "significantly higher" on these tests when they were in the negative ion-enriched room. Plus, while in the negative ion room, they showed (via the electroencephalogram) a slower, stronger pulse rate of Alpha waves from the brain. Alpha wave rythms are a measure of the brain’s activity and health. A slow, strong Alpha wave pulse rate indicates healthiness, calmness, and heightened alertness. When the subjects were in the negative ion-deficient room, they showed signs of irritability and fatigue in addition to lower test performance (Sulman, 1974).

The more difficult the better
     In the study conducted by Surrey University at the Norwich Union Insurance Group headquarters, the employees in the computer and data preparation section that were exposed to high levels of negative ions showed a 28% increase in overall task performance. The more difficult the task, the more dramatic the improvement tended to be (Soyka, 1991).

Driving mad
     In 1972 in Geneva , statistics showed that whenever there was a drastic change in the weather, and a consequent drop in the negative ion concentration in the air, traffic accident rates rose by more than 50% (Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions enhance physical performance.

The Ion Olympics
     After World War II, the Russians extensively studied the relationship between negative ions and physical performance. A team of doctors, psychologists, and physicists observed and measured the performance of Olympic athletes in various conditions of negative ions levels. In each test of physical performance, the group that trained in facilities, and stayed in quarters high in negative ion concentration showed tremendous improvements in performance in comparison to the control group (Minkh, 1961).

Negative Ions help us to sleep better.

In 1969, French researcher found that the overproduction of the neurohormone serotonin caused sleeplessness and nightmares. In using a negative ion electronic air cleaner to treat a group of people experiencing sleeping problems as a result of serotonin overproduction, he found that most of them were able to sleep better (Soyka, 1991).

Negative ions aid in the treatment of burn patients.

     In 1959, Dr. Kornbleuh treated a group of 138 burn victims at Northeastern General Hospital with negatived ionized air. Within this group, 57.3% suffered significantly less pain and discomfort, while healing more quickly and thoroughly. Only 22.5% of the control group (the group of burn victims treated through conventional methods rather than negative ionization) experienced similar improvements in the same time frame. Statistically, the odds are 1,000 to 1 that these results were coincidental. This study, along with other follow up tests, were evidence enough for the hospital, which subsequently equipped its postoperative wards with negative ion generators. The effectiveness of negative ion treatment in these tests are likely a result of the extraordinary ability of negative ions to remove pollutants from the air, resulting in reduced infection and irritation of burn wounds (Kornbleuh, 1959).

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