"Lay off the salt", "Decrease your sodium intake" and "Use salt sparingly". While these statements hold true for certain kinds of salt, let's take a closer look at when adhering to these common warnings does not apply and the numerous benefits received from quality salt.The body needs salt to survive. Dr. F. Batmanghelidj MD says that good salt does not raise the blood pressure, but instead - in conjunction with other minerals - helps to lower it. In fact, two glasses of water with a little salt can rid of that "thumping" hear beat. It's also a natural antihistimane, able to stop persistent coughs and clear the lungs of asthma and emphysema sufferers. Salt is critical for ridding of excess cellular acidity, especially in the brain, thus a natural Alzheimer's preventative. On this same note, it encourages the kidneys to push excess acidity out through the urine.
Dr. Batmanghelidj says, "Salt is essential for preserving the serotonin, melatonin and tryptamine levels in the brain - essential antidepressant neurotransmitters," and continues by stating that "[it] is vital for the prevention and treatment of the cancer. Cancer cells," he explains, "cannot live in an oxygenated environment. When the body is well hydrated and salt expends the volume of blood circulation to reach all parts of the body, the oxygen and active immune cells in the blood reach the cancerous tissue and destroy it."
Salt rooms are gaining popularity in the U.S. Orland, Fl. boasts The Salt Room where about 32,000 pounds of Caribbean sea salt covers the ceiling, walls and floor. "It's called halotherapy -- breathing in microscopic salt particles to help relieve respiratory problems," says a recent from the Detroit news, "Patients Say Salt Eases Breathing Problems."
"My son suffers from a lot of upper respiratory issues," says Jill Hartman." and the days he comes to the salt room are the evenings he goes without coughing at night when he's sleeping."
So, what's the skinny on choosing the right kind of salt?
Avoid table salt. "[It's] chemically treated to isolate and extract minerals,"
says a February article from i-newswire, "which are then sold to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. What's left is sodium and chloride which is heat treated to 1200 degrees destroying vital minerals. Table salt also contains an added anti-caking and flow agent that is derived from aluminum and further re-iodized, which is delivered in a corn-dextrose (GMO) base. The body reacts to these substances as toxins and Dr. Mercola has theorized that consuming too much of this type of salt can lead to issues such as cellulite, rheumatism, arthritis, gout and kidney and gall bladder stones."
Choose unheated, 100% sea salt.* This delivers numerous trace minerals and the benefits listed above because it is air-dried and able to retain its high energy and unique molecular structure.
You can find quality salt at your local health food store. Here are a few that we use, our favorite being the Pink Salt on the left, which we have sold to numerous people.
Don't be fooled by its natural color - it's super flavorful and packed full of minerals. In fact, a recent client has noticed extreme improvement in her chronic acid reflux since she started using it!Kelly and I keep a tiny glass jar from the Container Store in our purses when we go out (sorry, boys!). As weird as this may seem, the toxicity of conventional salt versus the benefits of sea salt make it worth while!
Take-home message: Avoid table salt which is highly heated (thus, toxic to the body) and use unheated, 100% sea salt liberally for numerous health benefits!If you are interested in purchasing Premier Pink Salt ($7.95) you can email us at: info@threebrancheshealth.com and we'll send one your way!
*Many salts labeled "sea salt" are washed and/or boiled, stripping them of minerals and making them toxic to the body. Look for "unheated" or "air-dried" sea salt.
Sources:
http://www.health-benefit-of-water.com/sea-salt.html
http://www.clickondetroit.com/health/22720548/detail.html
http://www.i-newswire.com/sustainable-sourcing-reveals-health/21500
I am an avid fan of Premier Pink Salt, known as "pink salt" in my house. I am the type of person that craves salt more than I crave sweets, and I am always adding more salt than most people. Before I used pink salt, I found myself afraid to use table salt because of the adverse effects on me such as raising my blood pressure. Now I have used pink salt for over a year and I will continue until the day I die. I find that I do not have to use as much as typical table salt to get the same taste. I use it in everything, even in recipes. I know that is does not have an effect on my blood pressure because since using it, doctors have a hard time finding my blood pressure because it is so low now!
ReplyDeletePINK SALT TASTES 20 times better than table salt! I had no idea it was so great for you, i just used it because it's so delectable!
ReplyDeleteWhat about kosher salt? It is generally preferred to table salt for cooking...is it still chemically treated in the same way as table salt?!?
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are enjoying the salt!
ReplyDeleteKatie, unfortunately, most kosher salts are still highly heated and therefore don't retain the trace minerals that air-dried sea salt does. Sea salt is naturally sun- and wind-dried and harvested through channeling ocean water into large trays. That being said, kosher salt usually contains far fewer additives (like iodine) than table salt, so you're definitely choosing a purer option!
Love the info and totaly agree - myself and lots of the chefs we work with specifically use Maldon Sea Salt because of its coarse size that lets you visibly moderate how much you use and makes it more recognizable in each bite. Keep up the great posts!
ReplyDeleteFYI definition: Maldon Sea Salt is a completely natural product produced only by the Maldon Crystal Salt Company of England. Instead of the traditional grains of table salt, Maldon particles are pyramid shaped salt flakes. Maldon Salt is milder than table salt, has the flavor of sea spray and is free from the chemical tang of common salt.
I am writing an article called "salt has a bad rap." Table salt is garbage, period. I use it o deice my driveway in the winter, I don't eat salt very much anyway, but when I do I eat good quality sea salt or Himalayan salt that was mined & not processed. My wife carries a small container wherever she goes tat we use.
ReplyDeleteHow does grey salt compare to pink salt?
ReplyDelete~Kelli