It’s not your typical treatment for acne, ear infections or asthma, but spelotherapy, otherwise known as salt therapy, is said to have various therapeutic benefits.
Salt therapy is a natural and drug-free practice based on the concept of inhaling mineral salts deep into the lungs to kill micro-organisms that cause infections or to help remove impurities from the body.
“Just a natural remedy. No medication, no antibiotics, no nothing,” says Vio Cobuz, owner of Salt Infusion Therapy in St Albert.
The therapy is said to be well-known and commonly used in Eastern Europe, but now Vio Cobuz has brought it to Alberta.
He started his business after his children, especially his daughter who has asthma, experienced the benefits of salt mines in Romanian just after spending a few days there.
“After those five days she didn’t have to use the puffer for almost two months and then we came back to Canada and then we decide to make research on the salt, find out which is the best one and then, yeah, here we are.”
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Cobuz spent more than two months building his salt cave and importing 34 tonnes of salt from the Himalayas, which is said to be nutrient-rich. The room is covered in the mineral salt, from the walls to the floors.
Vio Cobuz’s 15-year-old daughter, Vicky Cobuz, visits Salt Infusion Therapy about three times a week for about two to three hours each time.
She says the salt therapy has helped with her asthma to the point where she no longer needs her inhaler before cheerleading.
“I have cheer two to three times a week and I would have to use it every time before – and now I don’t use it anymore.”
Although there’s currently no research to support the therapeutic benefits of spelotherapy, the clients at Salt Infusion Therapy don’t need convincing.
Debbie Kelly says the salt infusion therapy not only cleared up her chest cold, but also cured her eight-year infection.
“I think all the natural things that are out there is really what we’re all supposed to be using not all kinds of medicine.”
With files from Su-Ling Goh.
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