Health/Natural: An Invisible Item That Can Give You Great Health Benefits by Willie Jones

Did you ever notice that you feel rejuvenated when you visit the mountains or the beach? The reason for this might be because these areas are filled with negative ions.

An abundance of this item creates a sense of well being and a lack of it can make us feel lethargic, depressed or moody. What are we talking about? Negative ions! You cannot see it, smell it or touch it but its effect on us is very real.

An abundance of negative ions is found in nature. You’ll find plenty of it at the beach where the waves are lapping on the shore, or the fresh mountain breeze and the cabin in the forest. If you have ever stood at the base of a waterfall it is not just the spectacular view that makes you feel so good. It is the abundance of negative ions that surround you that can give you that sensation. (No wonder Niagara Falls is called the honeymoon city.)

According to Pierce J Howard PhD, and author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research, says that negative ions increase the mood chemical Serotonin and that it also increases the blood flow of oxygen to the brain there by making you feel alert, a decrease in drowsiness and a sense of well being.

If you live in the city, especially a big city with tall buildings, the amount of negative ions decreases little to none. On top of that, many of us sit in front of our computers or TVs which produce positive ions. Too many positive ions make us feel tired, draggy and depressed. How many times in a day do you have to get away from your computer so you don’t go somewhat comatose and then going out to lunch revives you?

It’s not just TVs and computers that can make us feel awful, but air conditioning systems in the office, home, stores, etc. that produce massive amounts of positive ions. This is also a reason why people traveling by airplane arrive so exhausted. They have been swamped for hours by positive ions. The air gets stale and stuffy and we just want to get out of there.

Studies done by Dr. Albert P. Krueger and Dr. Richard F. Smith at the University of California made this discovery. The bronchial tubes and trachea are lined with tiny filaments called cilia which in normal conditions move back and forth in a whip like motion of about 900 beats a minute. Together with mucus, this keeps our air passages clear of dust and pollen. When they exposed the trachea to negative ions, it increased the amount of mucus and increased the cilia movement to 1200 beats a minute. Exposing the trachea to positive ions decreased the cilia movement to 600.

I’ve read numerous studies where they put groups of people in a room to do regular tasks, one with an ion generator in it and one without. They all had similar results of the room that used the ion generator producing negative ions were happier and up to 25% more productive. But there was one study that caught my eye where they had 2 groups that were told they had an ion generator in their rooms. Unbeknownst to them, only one room actually had theirs turned on. They had the same results of the room with the ion generator being happier and more alert. The other room did not do so well.

It is no wonder then that we flock to vacation destinations like beaches or ski resorts. You may think that you feel better because you are away from the stresses of work, and that is valid, but your body is already rejuvenated because of the negative ions. Just get more of it and see if you don’t notice the difference. Open your windows and let the fresh air in, go to the beach or enjoy the air after a storm. Storms produce enormous amounts of negative ions. You can even simulate a water fall by turning on your shower every morning. This is why you wake up and feel so much better and ready for the day. Get out of the cement boxes of the city and walk in the park. Do this for yourself and see if you don’t feel better.

I hope this helps!