The last of the 3-part series is on salt. I left it until last as I have the most to say about it. I think understanding salt and its connection to health is so far out of whack that we all need to take a step up in understanding its importance.
How did I get here? I am always learning. Always questioning things. And always wondering why? Or how? This is good in many ways, but challenging in others. I am sure my mom wanted to strangle me as a child with my “why?” “why?” “why?” as I did my youngest… LOL!! I digress. Salt. It actually started with Iodine… and is a bit of a story so I’ll condense. It started with Dr. David Brownstein. Dr. Brownstein started out as an allopathic doctor and converted over to naturopathy. He is a strong advocate for eating properly and understanding how things affect your body. The first book I read was on Iodine and I did a blog post a while back regarding Iodine and its connection to the body. The second book I read was on salt. I read it because the first book taught me a lot and I had family members that had conditions that salt affected. I wanted to learn more… and boy did I!
Let’s start with some interesting facts.
· White salt is terribly bad for you. To make it pristine white, all the minerals have been removed. Those minerals are critical to your health.
· Many of the Himalayan Salt products on the market are nothing but white salt with a bit of food coloring or a scant trace of iron added to it.
· Real salt has many trace minerals that are essential to your health.
· Real salt supports your heart and brain function.
· You will use more of the natural salt than white salt as it is not just salt but minerals.
People with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart issues, depression, migraines, and a variety of other conditions find the switch to real salt a huge benefit. I have had people tell me that they eventually go off their heart medications, that their brain fog has lifted, and that their mental capabilities are stronger when they switch from white salt to real salt. It isn’t the SALT that makes the difference but the minerals in the salt. Minerals like calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and zinc.
Your body needs these minerals… so why did we start making white salt instead of using natural real salt? Real salt looks dirty. Society likes things that are pristine white. Just remember that all those things that are changed to be pristine white have no substance: sugar, flour, and salt.
Your brain on salt. Salt is the catalyst for all your nerve endings to communicate properly. Without it your brain is foggy and prone to more mental issues – from migraines to autism to Alzheimer’s and other serious issues.
Recommended reading: https://drinklmnt.com/blogs/health/why-your-brain-needs-electrolytes
Your heart on salt. Salt not only is critical for the brain but for your muscles… including your heart. Too low salt intake will increase the risk of heart disease and death. Remember, we have been fed false information for years – it is hard to change your way of thinking when all you are told is wrong. Short hop to my soap box: EVERYTHING IN BALANCE. Too much of anything is a bad thing. Too little is the same.
Recommended reading: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/good-heart-keep-holding-salt-201607119952
Real Salt
There are two primary vendors for real salt. Redmond Real Salt and Celtic Sea Salt. Redmond is based out of the US and Celtic is based out of France.
The book by Dr Brownstein is loaded with amazing information. Get it from the library or order it online. It only is about 150 pages long and well worth the read.
Blessings – E