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Asthma Sufferers Saved by Salt Rooms
Tuesday, January 2, 2007 / 12 Tevet 5767

With only seven in Israel, rooms built of salt blocks are proving
very effective in treating life-threatening asthma conditions.

The Chaviv family of Mevo Choron struggled for years as they searched
for a cure for their children's debilitating asthma. The children
were hospitalized innumerable times, and were forced to ingest large
amounts of potent drugs.

After repeated failed efforts, the Chavivs finally found a
breakthrough - in the form of "salt room" treatments. It was so
effective that the Chaviv family decided to build a salt room in
their home - currently the seventh in Israel.

Moriah Chaviv says her son's health problems became apparent around
his first birthday. As time went by, his breathing problems worsened,
and during attacks, he became blue and stopped responding. When
inhalators and steroids failed to help, he had to be hospitalized,
where he was given oxygen and more intensive therapies. When this
became an endless cycle, the family began their search for solutions
in alternative medicine.

Despite examining numerous avenues, nothing seemed to help. The child
was hospitalized more and more frequently, and was forced to take
larger and larger doses of steroids. Adding to the challenges of the
illness were the psychological side effect of steroids such as
personality changes, aggression and depression. The child also
suffered numerous bouts of pneumonia, his breathing was continually
labored, and his face had a gray pallor.

When their second child, a daughter, was born, Mrs. Chaviv prayed she
would be healthy. Unfortunately, only five weeks later, the baby had
to be hospitalized for breathing difficulties. At this point, it
became clear that their children's illnesses had a genetic component.

Thus started a four-year odyssey of a painful struggle with an
unrelenting, life-threatening illness. During this time, the parents
researched every avenue in the realms of both conventional and
alternative medicine. They met disappointment after disappointment.
The only treatments that proved somewhat effective were homeopathy
(Dr. Ilan Zamir, Dr. Chaim Rosenthal, and Dr. Yitzchak Samon) and
accupuncture (Devora Valshin).

Finally, Dr. Ilan Zamir recommended that the family try salt room
therapy. About half a year ago, the Chaviv children began this
treatment in Petach Tikva.

Salt room therapy originated in Eastern Europe. The patient sits in a
room built of salt blocks which were mined 300 meters below the
ground in caves in the Ukraine. This treatment originated when miners
reported significant relief and even cure of bronchial diseases while
in the mines. The air in the salt room is permeated with negative
ions, which clear the phlegm and purify the lungs. The salt also
facilitates the secretion of sputum.

During the course of treatment, the patient sits in the salt room for
an hour, twice a week, for seven weeks. After that, the room is used
according to need for preventive treatment.

According to Mrs. Chaviv, the salt room provided an immediate
improvement in her children's condition. "Our third son was rushed to
the salt room in the height of a difficult asthma attack," she
said. "Following the first treatment, the need for inhalations
stopped."

The family has since built a salt room in their own home, despite the
high cost. Today, eight months later, all the children are
significantly healthier, rarely needing inhalators or steroids. Only
six other salt rooms can be found in Israel - in Jerusalem, Haifa,
Netanya, Kfar Saba, Petach Tikva, and N'vei Mivtach.

For more information on this treatments, see www.salt-
therapy.eu/influence.htm or (in Hebrew)www.saltroom.co.il.

Hebrew by Oranit Etzer, Translated by Chaya Chava Shulman