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Negative ions. (Archive in energy healing.)

Thanks, Misty.

This could, as well, be archived in ecology.

Namaste`

Walt

Comments?
Misty L. Trepke
http://www.searching-alternatives.com

Negative Ions Create Positive Vibes

There's something in the air that just may boost your
mood -- get a whiff of negative ions.

By Denise Mann
WebMD Feature Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

May 6, 2002 -- There's something in the air and while
it may not be love, some say it's the next best thing
-- negative ions.

Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible
molecules that we inhale in abundance in certain
environments. Think mountains, waterfalls, and
beaches. Once they reach our bloodstream, negative
ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions
that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin,
helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and
boost our daytime energy.

And these are a few of the reasons we see negative-ion
generators being sold in stores and all over the
Internet, but do they really work as well as
antidepressants? Can they also relieve allergies by
filtering out dust mites and dander?

It's too early to tell for sure, experts tell WebMD,
but that's not to say there is not some sound science
behind the concept.

Science 101

Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an
electrical charge. . They are created in nature as air
molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, and
moving air and water. You may have experienced the
power of negative ions when you last set foot on the
beach or walked beneath a waterfall. While part of the
euphoria is simply being around these wondrous
settings and away from the normal pressures of home
and work, the air circulating in the mountains and the
beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative
ions -- Much more than the average home or office
building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many
register a flat zero.

"The action of the pounding surf creates negative air
ions and we also see it immediately after spring
thunderstorms when people report lightened moods,"
says ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of Columbia
University in New York.

In fact, Columbia University studies of people with
winter and chronic depression show that negative ion
generators relieve depression as much as
antidepressants. "The best part is that there are
relatively no side effects, but we still need to
figure out appropriate doses and which people it works
best on," he says.

Vitamins of the Air?

Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of
oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness,
decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy," says
Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for
the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain
Research and director of research at the Center for
Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.

"They also may protect against germs in the air,
resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling
various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have
a throat irritation."

And for a whopping one in three of us who are
sensitive to their effects, negative ions can make us
feel like we are walking on air. You are one of them
if you feel instantly refreshed the moment you open a
window and breathe in fresh, humid air.

"You may be one of them if you feel sleepy when you
are around an air-conditioner, but feel immediately
refreshed and invigorated when you step outside or
roll down the car window," Howard tells WebMD. "Air
conditioning depletes the atmosphere of negative ions,
but an ion generator re-releases the ions that air
conditioners remove."

Generating Negative Ions

In fact, every home has a built in natural ionizer --
the shower.

But when it comes to springing for that negative-ion
generator you saw advertised in the local paper or on
the web, buyer beware, says Columbia's Terman.

"There is a major problem with advertised units," he
tells WebMD. "Output levels are not ... specified in a
way that could advise antidepressant dose."

And, he says, the cost of apparently equivalent units
ranges from $100 to $1,000.

"The safest course of action, in my opinion, would be
to use units that have been demonstrated effective in
our clinical trials and trials to come," he advises
WebMD readers.

Room air circulation, heat and humidity, the proximity
of grounded devices that may emit counteracting
positive ions (such as computer monitors) may affect
output levels (of a negative-ion generator), he
explains

"We have tried to minimize the influence of these
factors by adding grounded wrist-straps [commercially
available] or grounded bed sheets [not yet available]
for connection to the ionizer," he says.

The possible interaction of negative-air ion therapy
and antidepressant drug or light therapy for seasonal
depression has not yet been investigated, he says. "It
stands to reason, for example, that drug ... dose
could be tapered [even to zero], if the patient
responds to negative ion exposure.

"I would advise anyone who experiences clinically
significant depression to try negative-ion therapy
only under doctor's guidance, and that doctors read up
on this methodology before OKing such a trial,
especially if the patient is already receiving other
treatment," he advises.

What About Allergies and Asthma?

Harold Nelson, MD, professor of medicine at National
Jewish Medical Center in Denver, was so excited when
he first heard of negative-ion generators 20 years ago
that he went out and bought one to study among allergy
and asthma patients.

Unfortunately, the findings were "not terribly
encouraging. We couldn't demonstrate anything," he
tells WebMD. "I was disappointed. I had high
expectations and they did not pan out, " he says.

The best bet for people with allergies and/or allergic
asthma is to try to eliminate exposures, he says. "If
you can't, or if you still have symptoms, then
medication is the next step and fortunately we now
have excellent medications," he says.

Published June 2, 2003.

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