There’s a reason we crave salt. We can’t live without it. It’s as important as the food we eat and the water we drink. In our house, the only type of salt you’ll find on your table is pure pink Himalayan salt. Here’s why.
Why Good Salt is So Important
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Our bodies function best when we have adequate salt intake. Salt also helps us maintain the correct heart rate, fluid balance and pH level in our blood.
Also, salt helps with digestion. It’s vitally important to the nervous system, as it’s needed to conduct facilitates the signals along our nerve pathways. The integrity of every cell in our body is also dependent upon having enough salt in our diets.
It’s no surprise that salt has figured prominently in the history of mankind. It’s mentioned many times in the Bible, both in the Old and in the New Testaments
Some ancient civilizations greatly regulated salt, levying heavy taxes upon it. The subjects had no choice but to pay a toll for this life-giving substance.
Why Table Salt is Bad For You
Salt played a huge role in human survival before refrigeration. With salt, enough meat and produce could be preserved to sustain a family during a long winter.
However, all salt is not created equal. The our bodies needs is natural and unprocessed, containing minerals and essential trace elements. So that’s why we order pink Himalyan salt, instead of just picking up a canister of salt at the grocery store. Because it contains the trace nutrients we need for optimal health.
Table salt, on the other hand, is considered toxic by many alternative health professionals. That partly because it’s been stripped of minerals. It may also have added aluminum. This is a heavy metal we need to avoid. It’s been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease and other conditions.
Health Benefits Pink Himalayan Salt
Natural salt that contains the minerals and other elements we need is found in the oceans and in landlocked deposits, such as in the Himalayan Mountains. It’s dried in the sun, and retains much of the same mineral balance as our bodies. In fact, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, DO, this natural pink salt has a chemical composition that’s 85 percent sodium chloride. The remainder is minerals, which our bodies need.
You may be able to find pink Himalayan salt locally, depending upon where you shop. You can also order it bulk online. Below is a 2.2 pound package that comes in its own cloth bag, so it would also make a nice gift. It’s sold by a company that specializes in Himalayan salt products, including special lamps made from this amazing natural resource.
Table salt is made in a laboratory. It’s cooked at very high temperatures. This process strips it of minerals and other nutrients. The end result is pure sodium chloride. It tastes like natural salt, but has a different chemical composition.
Table Salt vs Himalayan Salt
In the United States, table salt may also contain up to 2 percent additives, typically fluoride, a form of aluminum or dextrose, a type of sugar.
Because table salt is not natural, and it doesn’t have the minerals we need, our bodies work to eliminate it. Sometimes the result is a sharp rise in blood pressure, as our system goes into overdrive to remove this manufactured salt from our heart muscle. This is why too much table salt is especially dangerous for people who already suffer from hypertension.
Excess table salt has also been linked to fluid retention, stroke and kidney disease.
Health Benefits of Eating Himalayan Salt
Our bodies are better able to use natural salt. It matches the salt content in our bloodstream. It’s not treated as a foreign substance, which our system must work to expel. And it supports all of our bodily functions.
Salt in its natural state helps regulate the heartbeat. It helps keep the body hydrated. It plays a big role in how our muscles move. Muscle spasms are one sign the mineral balance in our body may be off.
It’s also believed that natural salt can also boost the immune system and keep our bones strong. It may even exert a protective effect on our blood sugar levels, preventing them from spiking too high.
However, moderation appears to be the watchword. Too much of a good thing can also be bad for us.
Please understand that I’m not a doctor and I can’t give medical advice. Nor can I promise that Himalayan salt will help resolve any health problems. If you have any health concerns please discuss them with a medical professional. For advice on consuming healthy salt, check with your own doctor or consult an alternative medicine practitioner.
Where Can I Find Himalayan Salt?
Himalayan salt is tinted pink. It comes from salt mines in Pakistan. Landlocked salt deposits such as this one are leftovers from inland seas and other bodies of water that once covered them.
Why Himalayan Salt is Better
Himalayan salt is pink because it contains iron oxide. It’s also highly sought after because it has a subtle taste and because it comes from deep within the earth, it’s not contaminated by pollutants.
In fact, this salt is considered so healthy that some holistic healers have even developed “salt caves,” where patients spend time surrounded by heated Himalayan salt, so they can inhale the life-giving minerals.
Other people purchase Himalayan salt lamps for this same reason. Below you can what one of these lamps looks like. They are used in the home, for the same reasons people visit therapeutic salt caves.
Avoiding Table Salt in Processed Foods
You might think most people overdose on table salt because they use the salt shaker too liberally. But that’s not where most of the sodium comes from.
The majority of table salt in the average American’s diet comes from processed foods such as cheeses, canned soups and even baked goods that don’t taste salty.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice.
