Could salt therapy help cure chronic illness?

Proponents of Himalayan salt claim that it gives you energy, better sleep and better mood and even neutralizes electromagnetic radiation. A business in The Woodlands is taking those claims one step further.

Although you’ll be hard pressed to find any medical studies that support the claims of the benefits Himalayan salt, supporters are everywhere (think pink lamps, salt in grocery stores and now therapy rooms filled with salt).

Carla Garza said she has not taken over-the-counter allergy medicine since October because she’s breathing salt instead.

“I haven’t taken an antihistamine, I haven’t used a nasal strip and I’m able to (lie) down and breathe normally,” Garza said.

Microscopic particles of Himalayan salt are diffused into the air at Salt Remedy in The Woodlands, helping people sleep, meditate and read, and allowing kids to play.

Owner Cassandra Mays said the idea is that the salt particles are inhaled into the lungs, which reduces inflammation and clears airways.

“What I really love are the testimonies of other good health benefits other than what they came in for, whether it was bronchitis or eczema, or whatever,” Mays said.

“Probably three years ago I would have been skeptical," Jamey Bryant said.

He said he now uses salt to combat chronic ailments.

“To be honest, I was just kind of desperate. All the medicines I was trying, (and) it just didn’t seem to help,” Bryant said.

Garza said her son is a testimony to how well the therapy works. She said he has cystic fibrosis, a condition in which mucus builds up in the airways, and that salt is helping aid his regular medication.

“Every time he comes here, it moves the mucus and he’s able to breathe well,” Garza said.

No matter what kind of treatments you add to your routine -- organic, holistic or natural
-- it’s important to disclose everything to a doctor first.

A single session at Salt Remedy is $45. Some people buy memberships and pay about $100 a month. Each session lasts 20 to 45 minutes.

A similar type of therapy is offered in Sugar Land.