As the coronavirus outbreak forces businesses across the Bay Area to close their doors, some owners have succeeded in testing the definition of an “essential” business by providing holistic, preventive health care options to residents.

Sandra Wallace, who owns Bay Area Natural Wellness in Seabrook, said the business has not received explicit direction to stop providing services, since the business does not fit the traditional definition of a salon or a spa. Its services, which include energy healing and halotherapy, have been shown to booster health and immunity, Wallace said.

The services, by nature, are not conducive to the presence large groups, but Wallace is still limiting the number of people in the shop at once.

“If customers came in and wanted [our services,] I would happily provide them unless I’m told that I can’t,” Wallace said.

One product offered at Bay Area Natural Wellness is the CBD American Shaman cleansing wash, which contains hypochlorous acid—one of eight active ingredients that the Environmental Protection Agency said March 31 can “prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate a pest, in this case SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.” Two-ounce bottles of the cleansing wash are being given away with the purchase of any item while supplies last.

CBD American Shaman, the company that produces the cleansing wash, is also beginning to manufacture hand sanitizer, which Wallace said she ordered and will begin selling. She added that she plans to donate cleansing wash to the Seabrook Police Department, as well as donating sanitizer to other first responders and essential workers like delivery drivers.

Kyle Jones, founder of iCRYO, said he began to brace himself for widespread business closures once news broke of similar measures in New York around March 20. Jones decided to contact League City Mayor Pat Hallisey directly, outlining the various ways iCRYO helps its customers maintain good health, and Hallisey agreed the League City business could remain open.

The cryotherapy business owner said that while iCRYO cannot make any claims to cure, prevent or treat any diseases, at least 80% of the services offered are considered to be immune-boosting.

“We can’t say that we’re treating the coronavirus, but we are treating some of the symptoms that align with that,” Jones said.

iCRYO—which also has several franchised locations, including one in Pearland and one in The Heights—offers various services, including whole-body or local cryotherapy, body sculpting, compression therapy and a variety of nutraceutical services. Cryotherapy, sometimes known as cold therapy, is used to help reduce inflammation.

Nutraceutical services can be a huge asset to Bay Area residents concerned with preventative health at this time, Jones said, if they want to try things like vitamin shots, iV therapy and vitamin C boosters. iV infusions deliver vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream, offering “superior absorption over oral supplements,” according to the iCRYO website.

The business also uses infrared technology in its saunas, which penetrate the skin to heat the body from the inside out and eliminate toxins while increasing heart rate, per the website. Jones said he frequently utilized the infrared sauna to keep himself healthy when the coronavirus first made an appearance several months ago.

iCRYO is enacting frequent cleaning and distance policies per the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are also various specials and discounts going on, which Jones said Hallisey encouraged him to offer.

“It’s really the one thing that’s helping us survive,” he said.

Jones said he is hopeful that some of the business’s returning and new customers will continue investing in preventive health after the pandemic is contained.

“That was my entire intent [when launching iCRYO]: creating awareness, creating education and making people understand that choosing a life of preventative health can go such a long way,” he said."

Editor's note: This story was updated at 3:45 p.m. on April 3 to clarify information about services offered and add information about CBD American Shaman hand sanitizer.