HALO SALTROOMS: A breath of fresh SALT for Mullingar

Mullingar now has its very own Saltrooms, bringing a unique wellness experience for everyone of all ages. Halo Saltrooms have just opened their first clinic on Mount Street and there’s quite a buzz about it.

The family who run Halo are affected by respiratory and allergy conditions, and having been amazed by the benefits of Halotherapy (Dry salt Therapy) to treat their own conditions and loving the fact that it’s completely natural, they quickly decided that everyone should experience it. With no local provider in the town, they decided to do it for themselves, and so Halo Saltrooms was born.

What are Saltrooms? Owner Jody explains: “Halotherapy in some form has been around for centuries really, but it’s only in the last decade that we’re starting to see the treatment grow in availability.

“Going back as far as the 1800s and people working in salt mines, there was a noted health difference between those miners and miners working in other industries. It was quickly realised that salt was giving the miners health benefits as opposed to the deterioration in other miners.

“Fast forward to the present day, from years of research and engineering, we have Halotherapy, which is essentially the crushing and dispersing of Pure Grade Sodium Chloride (salt) into the atmosphere for you to breathe and absorb through your skin.

“We use a machine called a halogenerator to grind the salt into microparticles and then pump into the air of the room.

“The good thing about it is you do nothing but relax and let the salt do the work.”

Who it can benefit

“It has so many benefits, it’s hard not to lose the run of yourself. Everyone can benefit from it really, but the people who probably need it most are those with respiratory or skin conditions, and we have clients young and old from all walks of life.

“Ireland has one of the highest rates of respiratory condition prevalence in the world and we’re only seeing that increase each year, in fact one in every five children will have asthma in their lifetimes and one in 13 adults have it – it’s shocking statistics like those that drive us on.

“The salt is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial; it’ll work on the toxins in your lungs and nasal cavities as well as infections and the protective layer on your skin. It also helps boost your immune system and supports sports endurance and injury recovery. Another major plus is it has anti-ageing properties too, so really, it’s an all-round health, sport and beauty treatment.”

What to expect in the Saltrooms

“There’s lots of different options to cater to everyone. We have a shared adult room that’s really chilled out and relaxing, and if you don’t like sharing or want to share with family or friends, we have private booking options. We also have a family room geared towards younger kids – that’s our most popular room right now and again It’s shared, or you can book it privately.”

Sessions last 40 minutes.

“We know people are really busy and we’re taking almost an hour of their day and so we want them to get the most out of it. We’ve set up our adult room to be a chill out zone where you can relax and forget the stresses of life – you come out feeling refreshed and expect a good night’s sleep after it too – that is, if you don’t fall asleep during it, which happens on many an occasion.

“Our family room keeps the kids entertained, with lots to do.

“Like everything, you need to give it chance to work and so try to get some sessions close together in the beginning. We do, though, see some really quick results too, especially in children. They tend to respond more quickly to treatment and it’s great for their physical and mental wellbeing.

“One of our first clients was a young boy who was really sick, he couldn’t talk, was so withdrawn and lethargic. The very next day he comes bouncing in chatting away, I actually couldn’t believe it was the same person. Three days later and after his third session, he played in three football matches on the same day. His mother was saying that only for us, he’d be still sick. That’s the motivator right there. It’s great to see people respond so well and parents get the break they deserve.

“I have another lady with psoriasis who comes in. She only developed it late in life, but it’s quite severe on one arm. After her second session, she was saying she wished she had taken before and after pictures, as she was seeing instant results. It’s not always the way, but its brilliant when it happens.

“We have an asthma sufferer who swam 200m after her first session, which she previously couldn’t do, and there’s a young boy who comes maybe once a week, sleeps for 10 hours that night and his wheezing disappears for the week.”

“Contributing to the wellness of others gives me such a lift.

“I was in retail management all my working life and I used to go home stressed and agitated, now I’m walking in with a smile knowing I’m helping people who’ve struggled themselves.”

Originally from Glasgow, Jody, now a Mullingar man, said: “The people of the town have been so supportive and helpful, I just love it here, there’s always a great buzz about, people love their music and someone’s always coming up with new unique ideas, we’re delighted to be part of that.

“Wellness, rightly so, is growing in Mullingar and we want to help influence that, bring it into people’s everyday lives, in the workplace and at home. We’re about to launch packages for businesses to support their teams and I know the Chamber of Commerce are busy supporting businesses to focus on this too. The town and its people can only benefit in the long run, and we want to be there all the way.”

The future

“In the near future, we want to work with local sports groups to help their athletes prepare for endurance, support companies to engage their colleagues in their own wellbeing, and we’ll also be looking into partnering with some of the great yoga instructors and guided meditation providers around town to perhaps enhance their sessions.”

Booking

“The best way to book is online – that way you can see what’s available and when, but we do of course take phone or in-person bookings too. You can walk in if there’s a spot available, but it’s best to book in advance as the sessions are at set times. As we grow, we aim to open longer and every day – for now we’re closed Mondays and some certain hours during the day.”

For mind, body, lungs and skin we help with asthma, bronchitis, sinus, long Covid, COPD, allergies, eczema, acne, psoriasis, dermatitis, sleep, stress, anxiety, inflammation, endurance and much more. Halo Saltrooms are at 4 Mount Street, Mullingar and online at www.halosaltrooms.ie Drop into the store or head over to the website to see available offers and promotions.