I have just been reading through this New Plan and I came across an article on Salt which I found very interesting, see what you think...........
Salt
Many people follow a low-salt diet because they have been led to believe that salt and
sodium are bad and unhealthy. Well, this belief may only be partially true. Salt is important in the
body for several functions.
Chemically, culinary salt is NaCl—sodium chloride, made up of equal amounts sodium
(Na) and chloride (Cl). “Sodium is an essential nutrient that the body cannot manufacture, yet is
required for life itself. Chloride is vital for optimum health, it preserves the acid–base balance in
the body, aids potassium absorption, supplies the essence of digestive stomach acid, and enhances
the ability of the blood to carry carbon dioxide from respiring tissues to the lungs” (Regenerative
Nutrition n.d.). But the only way to receive all of the life-sustaining benefits of salt is to
consume the right kind of salt: unrefined sea salt, not processed table salt.
Salt has such a bad reputation because 99% of the world’s salt research has been done
on commercial table salt—the only salt that most Americans know. Some of the best scientific
research on the healthy properties of unrefined sea salt are written in French, German, and
Portuguese; unfortunately, few American doctors have read them. So instead of suggesting that
patients use unrefined sea salt, American doctors suggest avoiding salt altogether, which can be
dangerous. In many parts of France, when a person visits a physician about a heart problem or
high blood pressure, the first question asked may be, “What kind of salt do you use?”
Some doctors believe that a low-salt diet can cause high blood pressure. A salt-free diet
can damage heart valves and negatively affect the contractibility of the heart muscles. Biochemically,
cells starve without salt.
In brief, salt
aids in balancing blood sugar levels
•
is needed for the absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract
•
is a strong natural antihistamine
•
can help prevent muscle cramps
•
is needed to make bones strong
•
regulates and normalizes blood pressure
•
increases energy levels
•
helps regulate the metabolism
•
helps maintain proper electrolyte balance
•
supports the immune system
The refined white table salt typically found at the grocery store is different from unrefined
sea salt, so its effects on the body are not the same. The body cannot assimilate isolated synthetic
sodium chloride (from typical refined salt), which contains none of the valuable minerals
and trace elements of unrefined sea salt, so the system recognizes it as a poison. Refined table
salt often contains anti-caking agents, some of which are aluminum based. (Aluminum is linked
with heavy metal toxicity and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease.) One such example is sodium
silicoaluminate, which is thought to be associated with kidney problems and mineral malabsorption.
Sodium acetate, a preservative, may cause elevated blood pressure, kidney disturbances, and water
retention (Chek 2004, 78).
I recommend that you replace refined table salt with Celtic sea salt, which can be found at most
food stores.
It is extremely healthy and has the exact opposite effect of refined salt. It provides sodium chloride
in a form that that the body needs to function. It offers the perfect balance of minerals, nutrients,
and sodium chloride that the body needs for optimum health. Your body can recognize and
absorb these essential nutrients efficiently. Ninety trace elements found in the Earth’s crust give
unrefined Celtic sea salt its vital grayish color, and its slight moistness keeps the salt and minerals
in a form that the body can assimilate (Regenerative Nutrition n.d.).
Even heart patients and people with high blood pressure can use Celtic sea salt (but they
will receive its benefits only if they eliminate all forms of processed salt, sodium, and table salt
from their diets). The heart is fed by a saline solution from the blood and lymph and requires
proper amounts of sodium and potassium to function. Without salt in the diet, the heart cannot
contract normally, and the valves may be damaged (Regenerative Nutrition n.d.). If you don’t salt
your food, add a pinch of sea salt to each liter bottle of water you drink to maintain electrolyte
and energy levels.
Clearly, salt is important to optimum health. Simply eating salty food is not the answer;
using Celtic sea salt is. As with other dietary recommendations, moderation is always essential.
by Isabel De Los Rios
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