An authentic traditional Chinese massage practice.
Our interview
Originally published on 4 September 2019.
In amongst all the hustle and bustle of the city lies Jun Lin Massage off Elizabeth Mall. The team at Jun Lin has just launched Tasmania’s first dry salt therapy room, so we headed along to check it out.
We were greeted by owners of Jun Lin Massage Van and Piers. Piers tells us that he has always had an interest in salt therapy after suffering from lung problems in his early 20s. He investigated a variety of ways to get his illness under control, and every time he came back to using salt therapy.
Firstly, you might be wondering what is dry salt therapy?
Also known as halotherapy, it originated in eastern Europe in the 1300s when salt mine workers were having noticeably less instances of illness and disease.
“Miners in those days used picks and as they chipped away at the salt, they produced an aerosol of dry salt. They breathed this dry salt aerosol in and it was noted by the medieval people of those times that they had very low instances of lung disease. The reason is that dry salt penetrates very deeply into the lungs and when they meet the liquid in the lungs, they absorb water from the body, they make the liquid in the lungs less viscous, so it is much easier to remove”, tells Piers.
Piers tells us that when things move from your lungs, there is less chance of infection, in addition, salt is an anti-inflammatory that reduces allergies.
In May this year, Piers attended a conference in Krakow, Poland to learn all about the latest in dry salt therapy to bring to Hobart.
Dry salt therapy is recommended for a variety of conditions, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, sinus infections, psoriasis, eczema and a host of other conditions.
Van tells us that salt therapy is also said to assist in promoting better sleep. “We highly encourage people to go into the room in as little clothing as comfortable as it is so good for your skin.”
Hello Hobart were lucky enough to run into a client who was just coming out of her session and she happily agreed to talk to us.
“I absolutely loved my first session, so I am back here again! I wasn’t chesty going in, but a day after my salt therapy I was bringing things up. It was also great for my anxiety, the room is simply really healing as you walk into the room, it’s beautiful”, she told us.
You feel like you are in a completely different place when you are sitting there getting your treatment. In total the treatment took about 45 minutes, perfect to unwind.
For those for you who are considering salt therapy, here is the low down:
- Simply lie down on the reclining chairs (you get your own cosy blanket with it)
- Relax and breathe deeply to take in the salt particles
- During the process you are breathing in pharmaceutical-grade medical salt (from New Zealand)
- You will see the salt as it mists into the air.
For most people one session a week is recommended. Van tells us to expect results from the first session, with serious results to be seen in about 10 sessions.
This couple have a real passion for helping their customers and after spending the session chatting with them, they have an incredibly interesting background. Van hails from Vietnam, where she met Piers, and has worked incredibly hard with a focus on customer service, which is evident when you enter Jun Lin.
If you haven’t been to Jun Lin Massage before, they also offer other delights, such as hot stone massage, remedial massage, spa treatments, facials, nails, waxing and even have a sauna.