Tiffany Nugent says she and husband Chad purchased the Louisville Salt Cave that was closing in order to preserve a much-needed sanctuary. Now they are bringing that same idea of holistic wellness to Oldham County with Salt, a new location opening in Crestwood by end of year, as part of their Salt Wellness company.
Sure, it’s a business, Nugent says, but salt treatment is also something she’s become passionate about — and something she finds important to educate others on.
Nugent has mostly worked in the corporate world, and she ran across salt therapy in a very personal way. After being struck by a car while walking in a downtown Louisville crosswalk in 2020, her world was shaken.
“It was very life changing. I had two back surgeries, a shoulder surgery and suffered from permanent nerve damage and partial paralysis in my left leg …” And as an executive working for a health care company, Nugent knew she couldn’t jump back into work and lead others while being on narcotics for pain.
“Through that, I discovered holistic treatments and found salt therapy. Then I had an epiphany that I wanted to bring it to other people — I knew I was not the only one who wants to find a solution to pain and other chronic situations without involving pharmaceuticals.”
She found the benefits worthwhile after she began regular treatments. “The respiratory benefits alone are amazing — it affects breathing and pulmonary functions, asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD …”
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not provide any information on salt therapy, the Cleveland Clinic — known for its breakthroughs in specialized care — does.
In a 2022 article, the clinic said research is limited on halotherapy, the technical term. But it also explains using salt as a health treatment has been around for two centuries, since a Polish doctor noticed salt miners didn’t have lung problems like other miners.
In today’s treatments, there are “active” and “passive” types of halotherapy. Active rooms have machines that break apart and circulate salt particles while participants breathe them in and expose their skin to them. Passive rooms are mostly used for meditative purposes and filled with large amounts of salts.
The article says breathing in salt particles appears to thin mucous, allowing more productive coughs. Salt has also been proven to fight sinus infections, and boost skin hydration which can affect eczema and help balance pH levels.
“I definitely share about my personal experience and how it’s helped me …” Nugent says, and that she went in with an open mind. She had to do something about the inflammation resulting from the trauma on her body.
“I was just wide-spread swollen, had gained 30 pounds, and it was all from inflammation …” She lost 5 pounds right away after starting treatments, which she knew was water weight.
“But right away I noticed I could move better, I wasn’t as stiff. I also have asthma, my allergies are terrible. But since I’ve had access to treatment all the time, I haven’t needed allergy medicine for the first time in 17 years since I’ve lived here …”
Salt works to detoxify the body. Nugent says think about taking an epsom salt bath, known for drawing toxins out and helping soothe sore muscles.
“Sometimes you don’t want to sit in a bath for 45 minutes, and with halotherapy you don’t get that overloading feeling, like a headrush sometimes, that you do using it in a bath.”
Salt will be located on Pleasant Colony Court in Crestwood, and will also offer a combined salt and red light therapy room. “Red light therapy is mostly about cell activation, it helps collagen production, skin health and muscle recovery,” Nugent says.
Athletes who train heavily are known to benefit from halotherapy due to its effects on muscles, but she says the treatment is really for anyone who wants to shut the world out for a bit, sit and relax.
“It’s for anyone who wants to have a natural option treatment for their symptoms. It’s not a cure, but a treatment for symptoms.”
Nugent says they’ve also purchased a salt tent, and will be giving out free mini-sessions at different community events. “Throughout the year, we’ll always announce pop-ups so people can come try it out themselves.”
Salt will offer memberships, from low-cost options up to unlimited visits, Nugent says, and those packages will be offered for both the Crestwood and Louisville locations.
To find out more, visit louisvillesaltcave.com, salt-wellness.com or Salt Wellness on Facebook.