Salt is a vital substance for the survival of all living creatures, particularly humans. Salt is especially important for people suffering from asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disorders.
Salt has been bad-mouthed by many individuals, media parrots, and even healthcare professionals.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of ignorance about salt and its benefits.
Water, salt, and potassium levels in the body regulate the water content of the body.
Potassium helps retain water inside the cells, and sodium, due to its osmotic pressure, keeps the water outside the cell. There is a delicate balance between two water oceans of the body: one, the inner ocean of water held inside the cells, and the other, the water ocean held outside the cell.
When we drink less water, our outer water ocean injects the water inside the cell to keep the water content of the inner cell, which is needed for our cells to function.
Not drinking enough water creates pressure, leading to hypertension and swelling or edema. To bring blood pressure down, what we need is more water, not reducing the salt, so the critical balance of water is maintained inside and outside the cell
Salt has many more functions other than maintaining and regulating the water content of the body.
- Salt is a strong natural antihistamine. It can be used to relieve asthma by putting sea salt on the tongue after drinking one or two glassfuls of water.
- It is as effective as an inhaler without the toxicity. You should drink one or two glasses of water before putting salt on the tongue.
- Salt is also a strong anti-stress element of the body.
- Salt is vital for extracting excess acidity from the inside of the cells, especially the brain cells. If you do not want Alzheimer’s disease, DO NOT GO SALT-FREE. Do not let doctors put you on diuretic medication for long.
- Salt is required to get rid of extra acidity via the kidney by passing out of urine. This will help your body to get rid of excess acidity from your body
- Salt is very essential for your emotional health. To prevent depression, make sure to take enough salt. Lithium is a salt substitute that is used to treat depression.
- Salt is essential for maintaining serotonin and melatonin levels in the brain.
- Salt, according to Dr. F. Batmanghelidj (author of Your Body’s Cries for Water & ABC of Asthma, Allergies & Lupus), is vital for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Cancer cells are killed by oxygen. When the body is well hydrated and salt expands the volume of blood circulation to reach all parts of the body, the oxygen and the active and “motivated” immune cells in the blood reach the cancerous tissues and destroy it. A shortage of water and salt suppresses the immune system and its disease-fighting cells’ activity in the body.
Bladder Control
- Salt is vital for maintaining muscle tone and strength. A lack of bladder control in those who suffer from involuntary leakage of urine can be a consequence of low salt intake.
- Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.
- Osteoporosis, in a major way, is the result of salt and water shortage in the body.
- Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.
- Salt is essential for self-confidence and positive self-image.
- To prevent exercise-induced asthma attacks, take some salt before exercise, and it will increase the lungs’ capacity for air exchange. It will also decrease excessive sweating.
- Salt is vital in preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.
- Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.
- Salt is vital for maintaining self-confidence and positive self-image – a serotonin- and melatonin-controlled “personality output.”
There are so many benefits of salt that I could continue to elaborate upon.
Make sure you take this information and experiment to see the benefits for yourself. I have done it myself and I can tell you that I make sure to take salt every day.
Exercise
As a rough rule of thumb, you need about 3 grams of salt – a half teaspoonful – for every 10 glasses of water, or a quarter teaspoonful per quart of water. You need more salt when you exercise and sweat.
Warning: You must not overdo salt. You must observe the ratio of salt and water needed for the body. You must always make sure to drink enough water to wash the excess salt out of the body. If your weight suddenly goes up in one day, you have taken in too much salt.
Please note: those in heart failure or kidney failure needing dialysis must consult with their doctors before increasing their salt intake.