Beach Vibe, Negative Ions, Feeling Good
I'm a beach gal. The beach is my favorite place in the world. Any beach really. Summer or winter. Beach beach beach. There's just something about the smell of the salt in the air, the sand between my toes, the sound of the crashing waves. If I'm feeling funky, a few minutes at the beach clear me up fast. I feel energized, inspired, motivated. My favorite time at the beach is actually in the early spring or fall when no one else is around and there's a bite in the air, but the sun beating down is strong enough to warm you through a sweater. It's magical.
I try to get to the beach as much as possible (though with two little ones it's not as easy as it once was). I find that as soon as I get there, all the work and shlepping and whatnot, becomes moot.
And through my studies in health and wellness, I've read more and more about how it's not just magic, it's actually science.
I'll do my best to explain it to you, though I'm no scientist;) It goes something like this: Ions are electrically charged molecules. Positive ions are emitted from lots of things in our environment (from radiation, dust, smoke, electronics...) and effect us poorly. They pollute our air and make us feel fatigued and toxic. Negative ions are released through beach waves, waterfalls, plants and they cleanse our air and provide us with energy, vitality, they strengthen our immune system, and relieve stress. In short, exposure to high amounts of negative ions (like at a beach or waterfall) is like a reboot for our bodies.
Unfortunately, in our everyday lives, we are overexposed to positive ions through our polluted environment (the more populated the area, the more positive ions in the air, the more pollution, the more tired the population). Lucky for us, there are things we can do to give our air a little oomph and a boost of negative ions! Here's a few things you can do:
- Put Himalayan rock salt lamps around your house (I have three). They are pretty, give a gorgeous warm glow, and pump negative ions into the air to counteract those your tv is throwing out there.
- Place some plants around your home. Plants cleanse our air, bring some nature inside, and remind us city dwellers there there is life past the concrete.
- Get to the beach (duh).
- Try to avoid synthetics in your home. Buy natural and organic (fabrics and rugs and sheets and towels and everything, not just bananas and broccoli).
- If you live in a very populated and polluted area, buy an air filter (HEPA is best).