| Physiologically, the presence of negative ions in a | | | | and passenger cars and even airliner cockpits. |
| sweat bath is as important as the heat. The | | | | Furthermore, in this country, Europe and the |
| discovery of negative ions in certain types of | | | | Soviet Union, negative ion therapy has been used |
| saunas a few years ago became headline news in | | | | in treatments to help burn victims heal faster, to |
| Finland. Until then, the healing power of the sauna | | | | cure respiratory diseases, to rid the body of |
| was attributed to relaxation and increased | | | | general infections, and even to check the spread |
| circulation. Now, negative ions add startling new | | | | of some cancers. |
| possibilities. | | | | Conversely, scientists have found that if the air is |
| Since the early 1950s scientists have suspected | | | | charged with too few negative ions and too many |
| that ions play an important role in how the body | | | | positives, we become anxious, fatigued and tense. |
| functions and, consequently, in how we feel. | | | | This condition is known as "pos-ion |
| Research has shown that an abundance of | | | | poisoning," and often occurs as the result of |
| negative ions in the air we breathe is highly | | | | weather disturbances, central air conditioning, |
| beneficial, while a lack of ions or a higher ratio of | | | | smog, and driving too long within the confines of |
| positive to negative can cause physical harm. The | | | | an automobile. Pos-ion poisoning has, in fact, been |
| role played by ions in everyday life has become | | | | linked to heart attacks, aggravated asthma, |
| intensely topical among researchers in the medical | | | | migraine headaches, insomnia, rheumatism, |
| profession. | | | | arthritis, hay fever, and most allergies. |
| An ion is simply a molecule with an electric charge, | | | | The effect of negative ions on sweat bathing |
| either positive or negative. Ionization, or ion | | | | was discovered when researchers were trying to |
| formation, occurs when enough energy acts on a | | | | account for the tremendous popularity of sauna |
| molecule to cause it to discharge an electron. | | | | wood burning stoves over electric stoves. |
| Because electrons carry a negative charge, the | | | | Subjective reasons, such as the fragrance of |
| molecule stripped of an electron has a greater | | | | burned wood, did not fully explain why Finns felt |
| positive charge and becomes a positive ion. The | | | | so refreshed after time in a wood heated sauna |
| lost electron scoots around loose until it attaches | | | | and quite dulled, from certain electrically heated |
| itself to another molecule which causes the new | | | | saunas. Tests showed that the practice of |
| molecule to become negatively charged--a | | | | splashing water on super-heated rocks produced |
| negative ion. | | | | an abundance of negative ions. |
| Radioactive substances in the earth's crust and | | | | Many electric stoves, it turned out, were not |
| cosmic rays cause most ionization. But fire, | | | | getting the rocks hot enough and the glowing |
| crashing water (like water falls and surf), and | | | | metal heating coils were spurting more positive |
| plants during photosynthesis can produce negative | | | | ions in the air. Researchers learned that if the |
| ions as well. Europeans take ion depletions | | | | rocks were properly heated in electric stoves, the |
| seriously and simple negative ion generators have | | | | positive ions, being larger and less mobile, would |
| been installed in many businesses, banks, hospitals, | | | | ground out on the hot stones. |