What are Negative Ions and Far-infrared Rays? How and why do these products effect us so?

Studies suggest that high levels of stress can lead to obesity and trigger a raft of diseases - from heart attacks to ulcers. These and other stress related diseases sicken millions of people each year, "90% of doctors visits in the USA alone are triggered by a stress related illness", says the centers for disease control and prevention.

When stress strikes, your body's adrenal glands produce hormones, such as adrenaline, which increase blood pressure, chronic stress keeps these hormones at dangerously high levels. However, studies suggest that severe cases of stress extend beyond the temporary increase in high blood pressure and begin to injure cells of the body, which may accelerate the aging process, leaving people susceptible to various diseases. It is important to understand the dangers of how stress effects the body and how Negative Ions and Far-infrared Rays can play an important role in counteracting and repairing the damage stress has caused to the body.

Research on Ions began in 1950's with Dr. Albert Kreuger, professor emeritus of the University of California at Berkeley, and Dr. Felix Sulman, professor of pharmacology at the Hebrew University in Israel.Dr Kreuger excited the scientific world when he discovered ions to be biologically active, stimulating the production of the powerful chemical serotonin of 5-HT. Serotonin is a very active neuro-hormone which causes profound neural, glandular, and digestive effects throughout the body. Tests show that positive ions increase production of 5-HT; negative ions decrease the hormone level.Dr. Sulman corroborated Kreugers's findings while studying positive ion victims of the hot, dry Sharav winds in Jerusalem. He demonstrated three effects of positive ion excess: irritation and tension, exhaustion, and hyperthyroid response. Most of these conditions, along with symptoms of depression, anxiety, headaches, and low energy physical and mental functions, were shown to be alleviated or totally eliminated by increasing the negative ion count in the air.

Negative ions break down serotonin and thereby give one a clear, alert outlook with a higher awareness function. The primary reason for this is the increased speed with which the nerve impulses can travel along the synapses in the brain and the rest of the body.

Negative ions and their effects. For the uninitiated, Ions are charged particles in the air that are formed when enough energy acts upon a molecule, such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, or nitrogen to eject an electron. The displaced electron attaches itself to a nearby molecule, which then becomes a negative ion. It is the negative ion of oxygen that affects us most. Remember that feeling you have experienced near a waterfall, or high in the mountains? Those are two such places where thousands of negative ions occur. They create an effect on human biochemistry. Some of nature's other best known negative ion resources are air friction, lightning, falling water, earth's radioactivity. And even evergreens and ferns. The normal ion count in fresh country air is 2,000-4,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter (about the size of a sugar cube). At Yosemite falls, you will experience over 100,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter. on the other hand, the level is far below 100 per cubic centimeter on Los Angeles freeways during rush hour.

Negative Ions promote alpha brain waves and increase brain wave amplitude, which translates to a higher awareness level. The metabolism is enhanced to create better utilization of nutrients from our foods and vitamins, while our brain's intuitive, nonlinear activities flow more smoothly. Negative ions promotes alpha brainwaves and increase brainwave amplitude, which translates to a higher awareness level. Those ion-induced alpha waves spread from the occipital areas to the parietal and temporal and even reach the frontal lobes, spreading evenly across the right and left brain hemispheres. All of this creates an overall clear and calming effect, benefiting meditation and concentration. Use and effects continued