Salt essential in diet
Happily Healthy column by Tanya Wyat
MUCH of what you’ve been told by mainstream media suggests that salt should be avoided at all costs and this is certainly true of commercial salt that has been boiled at high temperatures, bleached, had stabilisers added to it and – in some cases – had certain chemicals added to it to prevent the salt from absorbing water while it is in storage.
When all is said and done, basic free-flowing table "salt” has had 82 of its original 84 minerals extracted.
In other words, you are left with a pretty toxic, processed and unusable substance, so avoid it altogether.
Having said this, salt is imperative since the human body requires a constant concentration in the blood and it is critical for digestion and brain development.
Among other things, it is also a natural anti-histamine, it helps with extracting excess acidity from inside the cells and it is vital for preserving seratonin (‘happy hormone’) and melatonin (sleep hormone) levels in the brain.
There are two oceans in the body – one inside the cells, held there by potassium (vegetables and fruits are high in potassium, which is why they are so important in the diet), and one outside of the cells, held there by salt.
Every molecule of salt "picks up” a certain number of water molecules and so it is the only way to get water into the body to hydrate it effectively.
I recommend the brand Universal Vision, Himalayan Crystal Salt (get it from a good health shop or from Dischem).
If you experience water retention, you can reduce it by taking water and salt, as the water your body is retaining is "emergency” water held in the tissues. Once your body realises that it does not need this stored supply, it will release it.
On a final note, if you experience high blood pressure, be sure to take good quality salt and water in your diet.
Tanya Wyatt is a Holistic Lifestyle Coach and can be contacted on: tanya@thehappybody.co.za or (041)581-1679