A go to to the Lexington Salt Cave, positioned inside Centered Holistic Well being in Lexington’s Warehouse District, feels a bit like an escape from planet Earth. This 300-square-foot cave, constructed with seven tons of pink Himalayan salt, has a magical otherworldly high quality that calms the thoughts and physique – and may additionally contribute to raised general well being.
Halotherapy, or salt remedy, is an historic observe stretching again to twelfth century Jap Europe, when folks generally visited salt caves for therapeutic causes. Trendy halotherapy was born within the 1800s when a Polish doctor seen that salt miners had fewer respiratory issues and have been more healthy than the overall inhabitants. Respiratory the salt air – which is presupposed to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties – appeared to guard the miners from an infection and allergens, and earlier than lengthy the salt mines turned a vacation spot for these searching for therapeutic for numerous lung issues.
“The salt particles are microscopic and when breathed deeply into the lungs, entice micro organism, microbes, pollen, grime, smoke, pet dander and allergens,” defined Lara Levine, proprietor of the Lexington Salt Cave, including that she sees advantages for folks with allergy symptoms, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, COPD and emphysema, in addition to colds and different respiratory infections.
“Salt additionally encourages mobile regeneration and traps contaminants and helps cleanse the pores and skin and heal the dermal layer. Many individuals with eczema and psoriasis see lowered signs with common salt periods,” Levine continued.
However the cause most individuals come to the Salt Cave, Levine stated, is for leisure and reduction from nervousness and fatigue.
“The salt cave lets the physique calm from inside,” she defined.
Levine, who additionally works within the advertising division of a Thoroughbred racing publication, opened the salt collapse April 2021 after a life-changing yoga retreat.
“I went on a yoga retreat in Mexico, and whereas there, one thing modified for me,” stated Levine. “It felt like, at that second, I wanted to begin taking steps to do one thing totally different with my life.”
Levine started her transition by signing up for yoga trainer coaching.
“I began desirous about instructing yoga and realized I didn’t need to open a yoga studio as a result of Lexington is blessed with so many nice ones,” Levine continued. “I added in meditation and different issues I’d by no means executed earlier than and was amazed at how significantly better I felt. I wished to show, however I additionally wished to supply the advantages of pure wellness practices.”
In her quest to mix yoga with different therapeutic practices, Levine circled again to an expertise she’d had almost 15 years earlier than.
“I used to be in Asheville [on a girls’ trip], and on our final day we stumbled upon the Asheville Salt Cave and have been intrigued. After the session we have been amazed at how peaceable, relaxed and refreshed we felt,” Levine defined. “Since that have, I believe I’ve been eager to discover a related house.”
In a stroke of fine fortune, Levine met Lauren Higdon, proprietor of Centered, who was intrigued by her plans.
“I talked to Lauren, then noticed the house and fell in love immediately,” she stated. “I walked in and was like, ‘I’m residence.’”
Getting the cave arrange wasn’t utterly clean crusing, although.
“The cave was going to be within the again, however after we began measuring and ductwork and electrical, it was obvious that it wasn’t going to work there. We have been each set again slightly and gave up on it for just a few weeks,” Levine stated.
She continued, “I discovered one other house…however I nonetheless had this tugging, after which the day earlier than I used to be going to signal the lease, Lauren confirmed me an image she had drawn on a serviette with one other thought for the place we may put the cave. And that kicked all of it off once more.”
The cave was put in by a female-owned enterprise based mostly in Vermont. Softly lit by salt lamps, the cave glows with a muted peach gentle. With a ceiling that mimics the night time sky, full with moon and stars, and ocean sounds enjoying quietly, the cave eases stress and promotes tranquility. Guests can recline in one of many cave’s zero-gravity chairs or lay instantly on the salt flooring.
Saved at a temperature of 68-70 levels, the cave is an energetic salt room, utilizing a halogenerator to flow into 99.9% pure pharmaceutical-grade sodium chloride all through the cave throughout every session.
The bottom of the enterprise is halotherapy. Particular person periods will be booked six days every week, with a restrict of 4 folks in attendance at an ordinary 45-minute session. The cave will also be reserved for personal events of as much as 10.
Levine additionally presents different occasions and experiences within the salt cave, together with yoga, Reiki, sound therapeutic, guided meditations and extra.
Sharing an area with Centered has allowed for some thrilling collaborations. Guests can e book a therapeutic massage within the salt cave or buy the “Salt & Sauna” bundle, which features a go to to Centered’s infrared sauna adopted by a rejuvenating halotherapy session.
One other service Levine presents is the Ionic Detox Foot Bathtub, a heat saltwater soak based mostly on historic Chinese language medication that promoted the foot bathtub as a technique to detoxify the physique. Levine additionally shares a number of associated merchandise, together with salt lamps, salt diffusers, salt blocks for cooking, bathtub merchandise infused with salt and even jewellery constituted of pink Himalayan salt.
Levine plans to deliver much more collaborations to the Lexington Salt Cave and proceed rising its occasions and providers.
“Due to my affiliation with the horse trade, I might like to discover the applying of salt remedy with horses. There may be already early analysis exhibiting the advantages of halotherapy for animals, together with equine athletes,” Levine stated.
When requested in regards to the suggestions she has obtained, Levine stated guests describe the salt cave as “womblike” and “like being in one other world.”
“Folks at all times say it’s magical,” Levine commented. “That’s my favourite, as a result of I additionally suppose it’s magical.”