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Negative Ions!


Today I went for a walk with my boyfriend down to the beach. It was a beautiful day with bright blue skies. Walking down to the beach, there were so many gorse bushes in bloom, giving off a coconut scent in the warmth of the sun. We paused to practice a little thai chi. We carried on down the beach, which was completely silent apart from the sound of waves washing the shore. A magical moment happened when we looked up at the cliffs and saw two adolescent foxes playing. We were totally memerised by this brief encounter. The foxes stopped and stared back at us, before sneaking away into the shrubbery. Magical. We carried on walking in the sunshine, letting all those negative ions wash over us.

"Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy ... they also may protect against germs in the air, resulting in decreased irritation due to inhaling various particles that make you sneeze, cough, or have a throat irritation," says Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.

An ion is an atom in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving the atom a positive or negative electrical charge. If an atom gains electrons, it has a net negative charge, since electrons are negatively charged and protons are positively charged. I was told by my physics teacher, many years ago, that when you have a shower, ions become negatively charged, and that this is what perks you up. It's something to do with the movement of the water, sunlight, and wind, which charges the air particles. This is why negative ions are found in places like the seaside, waterfalls, mountains, and right after a summer rainstorm. Somehow, these negative ions have the ability to make you feel good, improving both your mood and your physical health. They actually increase levels of the mood chemical seroton, boost production of protective antioxidant enzymes, and lead to beneficial changes in neurotransmitters and hormones in the body. Indoor environments tend to have very low levels of negative ions, due to the effect of computers and other electrical appliances. The average home or office building may contain mere dozens of negative ions, whereas places like the beach have tens of thousands of negative ions.

"The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods," says ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of Columbia University in New York.

And that's why I intend on visiting the beach every single day, if I can! It is so good for you! I am also investigating ways to produce more negative ions at home. Any thoughts? Leave a comment! Thanks for reading, I hope this was interesting to you!



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