What is an anion?
Quite simply, anions are negative ions.
Why should I care about negative ions?
"Negative Ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy," 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 of Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C. (See the Locations chart below for some very scary statistics .)
Comparison of Positive Ions and Negative Ions:
Positive ions are harmful to the human body, while Negative ions are beneficial.
Positive ion: an atom (or molecule) that has lost one or more electrons due to a high-energy impact.
Negative ion: an atom (or molecule) that has gained one or more extra negatively charged electrons.
Negative ions are created in nature with air molecules broken apart from sunlight, radiation, and moving air or water. "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.
In a study conducted by Columbia University, 25 people with SAD (Seasonal Affective Depression) sat in front of a negative ion air purifier for a half hour every morning for a month. Half the subjects were given a low level of negative ions, and the other half a high level. The higher level of negative ion treatment proved to be as effective against SAD as antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zolof, and without the side effects of these drugs.
Negative ions are odorless tasteless molecules that are breathed into our respiratory system. Have you ever stopped to wonder why your mood is elevated, or why you just feel so great generally when you are at the beach, near a waterfall or even in the shower? It's because high concentrations of negative ions can be found in nature in mountain forests, waterfalls, and beaches where people feel energized and invigorated, which helps relieve stress, alleviate depression, and boost energy. On the shower? Yes, you get the same effect there from the pounding water.
Today, our modern homes and offices seal out negative ions. Computer terminals, fluorescent lighting, forced air ventilation systems, and modern building materials generate an over abundance of positive ions. Positive ions make us feel tired, depressed and irritable. A room charged with negative ions was shown to stem bacteria growth and precipitate many airborne contaminants including pollen, dust and dust mites, viruses, second-hand cigarette smoke, animal dander, odors and toxic chemical fumes. No wonder people don't leave the office energized!
To combat indoor pollution, most air filters on the market use negative ions and salt crystal lamps also produce them. Consider the following statistics:
Negative and Positive Ion Levels Measured in Various Locations
|
Location
|
Negative Ions
|
Positive Ions
|
|
Offices
|
70
|
14,000
|
|
Industrial Areas
|
50
|
300
|
|
Shopping Malls
|
220
|
280
|
|
Residential Areas
|
200
|
180
|
|
Forests
|
2,500
|
800
|
According to the experts, positive ions rob us of our good senses and dispositions, while their counterpart, negative ions, enhance them, stimulating everything from plant growth to the human sex drive.
From the chart above, it is easy to see that the?environments most people spend the majority of their time in have?an abundance of positive ions, so it is crucial that we strike a balance by enhancing our bodies with more negative ions or anions.
