Costa Rica Good for Health? Improving Health with Negative Ions

It has been proven that negative ions are excellent for your health. However, many people do not know what these are or where to acquire them. If you spend too much time indoors, there is a good chance that you will develop headaches, struggle with a short attention span, or experience an overall feeling of being unwell. According to top scientists, this has to do with ions.

Ions are charged particles in the air. Some ions are charged positively and some negatively. Negative oxygen ions have an additional electron attached that is produced through water molecules. They are found in places with fresh flowing water, including streams, seas, rivers, waterfalls, and even indoor water features.

This is why when you go for a swim or take a bath or shower, you immediately feel refreshed and invigorated. While negative ions are found in abundance in natural settings, they are extremely low in automobiles, air-conditioned offices, and stuffy homes.

For example, the air surrounding a waterfall contains between 30,000 and 100,000 negative ions for every cubic centimeter. In comparison, the number of negative ions for the above-mentioned scenarios drops dramatically to just a few hundred or less. For that reason, you feel extremely thirsty or you develop dry skin when inside or when dry winds come from the north.



Natural Anti-Depressant

Negative ions in the majority of natural settings have a profound effect on people struggling with depression. If you feel down, instead of working out in an air-conditioned gym, go outdoors for a walk or run, play basketball, or go for a swim.

Dr. Clarence Hansell, a research engineer from the United States, is probably the first official pioneer on the study of ions. In 1932, he investigated the biological effects of ionized air after noticing that his colleague’s mood changed according to the ions being generated. He quickly realized that when the machine produced negative ions, the colleague was cheerful and bright, but when it produced positive ions, he became depressed.

Dr. Hansell’s work was extended to include a controlled study on Seasonal Affective Disorder, referred to as SAD. As reported in a 1988 publication of the Archives of General Psychiatry, Hansell found that negatively charged fresh air was effective for treating and preventing depression. Scientists strongly believe this is due to negative ions having a less dramatic effect on the serotonin levels within the brain compared to prescription anti-depressant medication.

This is why people are encouraged to go outside for a walk near a park, beach, or stream; relax in a garden; or even take a shower.



Clean Air

Many people who work in an office with recycled air get more colds. The reason is the impurities found in the air. However, negative ions kill germs. In the 1930s, Professor A.L. Tchijevsky, a Russian professor of biophysics and astronomy, headed up a team that discovered that negative ionization sterilized enclosed air. For that reason, ionization is mandatory in many European workplaces and hospitals.

You can increase the level of negative ions by adding live plants or have a water feature installed in your home or business. Commercial ionizers are also effective. However, the easiest and most affordable method is to go outside.

“The Healing Home,” written by Suzy Chiazzari, cites NASA research that discusses air quality and the various types of plants that generate negative ions and best remove toxins. Of these, gerberas, bamboo plants, and peace lilies rank the highest.

In 1990, Dr. John Ott, who specializes in Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). linked fluorescent lighting, which has an abundance of positive ions, with children in school who present poor behavior.

Gina Lazenby, who wrote “The Healthy Home,” explained that positive ions have a dangerous effect in the home. For instance, synthetic materials increase the level of positively charged ions, which presents as static electricity. Because positive ions affect serotonin levels in the blood of people who spend a great deal of time indoors, they often feel lethargic, develop headaches, and have a general feeling of being unwell.



Strong Winds

When specific kinds of winds blow, the number of crimes, hospital admissions, and suicides increase dramatically. In fact, with hard winds, people often act wild and children misbehave. This is attributed to the ion effect. In “The Ion Effect,” Fred Soyka describes several cases of negative physiological effects that go hand-in-hand with winds that are positively charged.



Natural Sedative

Dr. Igho Hart Kornbluth, who is with the University of Pennsylvania, spent five years researching hundreds of patients. From the study, he discovered that negative ions have a unique pain-relieving, healing, and sedative effect. Patients healed 57 percent faster following surgery when exposed to negative ions. In addition, 63 percent of the patients had relief from allergy symptoms when treated with negative ions.

He also found that positively ionized air associated with indoor heating and dry, dirty, hot winds produces nasal obstruction, dry throat, headache, itching nose, and dizziness. In addition, treating patients with negative ions at a level that would be found in a natural setting greatly diminished the need for pain medication after surgery.



Helpful Tips

Cigarette Smoke – It reduces negative ions, so do not smoke indoors.

 Static Electricity – Use natural fibers, such as linens, wools, bamboos, and cottons. Avoid plastic, chemically treated wood, and polyester.

 Water Features – Install a water fountain or other water feature.

 Fresh Air – Hang your laundry outside to dry.

 Lighting – Use low-watt light bulbs.

 Hair Drying – Allow your hair to dry naturally.

 Exercise – Get outside to exercise, preferably someplace near water.

 Sleep – Unplug all electrical appliances before going to sleep.

 Indoor Features – Decorate with plants, candles, and crystal salt lamps, and buy a commercial-grade ionizer.