PEORIA MAGAZINE January 2023

M O M A N D P O P

A BREATH OF SALTY AIR Peoria’s Himalayan Salt Cave brings centuries-old healing practices to central Illinois

BY LAURIE PILLMAN PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON

P ioneer Parkway in Peoria is not where you might expect to find a calming oasis or a centuries old healing practice. Yet that's what visitors discover at Peoria Himalayan Salt Cave. The lobby area is bright and clean, as professional and welcoming as any modern massage or spa business. But behind a seemingly ordinary door is a world of wonder. Sock-clad visitors find a rose-hued roomwith fairy lights embedded in the ceiling and more than 11,000 pounds of Himalayan salt on the walls and floor.

in during their session. Some grab a clean, fluffy blanket to stay warm in the 68-degree, low-humidity environment. Once the door closes, a generator clicks on, quietly pumping micro-sized particles of pharmaceutical-grade pure sodium chloride in over 45 minutes. The benefits? Quite a few, says owner Nikki Wenzelspratt. "You breathe it [salt] in, and it works its way into your respiratory system, even down into your lungs. And it cleans, purifies, and reduces swelling in the respiratory tract, not just that day. We keep salt balls inour cave, and customers

The soft crunch of salt pebbles mingles with calmingmusic. Six guests at a time choose a zero-gravity recliner to relax

48 JANUARY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE

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