Is seaside air really as healthy as many claim?
Updated: Aug. 24, 2012
Sea air really is good for the health. The bracing climate by the sea is especially beneficial to the respiratory organs and the skin, but also improves circulation and strengthens the body’s defences.
Doctors particularly recommend the kind of climate therapy you get by the sea for asthmatics and people with allergies or skin problems. The healing powers of a bracing climate are particularly effective in autumn and winter, because it is at these times of year that people with respiratory problems are most affected by the dry air caused by central heating, damp cold and air pollution.
The reason sea air is so healthy is that it contains tiny droplets of sea water enriched with salt, iodine, magnesium and trace elements, which are scattered into the air by wind and waves.
Known as surf-generated aerosols, these stimulate immune reactions by the skin and respiratory organs. A period of inhalation will result in the loosening of the mucus in the respiratory tracts, which makes coughing easier and so helps clear airways. \
Furthermore, the sea air is almost completely free from harmful vapours, exhaust fumes and soot particles, especially on offshore islands.
