Without salt there is no life. If salt is totally excluded from the diet, you will eventually waste away and vegetate quite literally. Man or animal cannot live without it.
While I was a student studying traditional foods, I had the opportunity to be a scribe for educational dietary consultations. A lady came with two children. The family had no energy; the children were experiencing difficulties in everyday functioning. The mother prided herself in the fact that she did not serve her family salt. Only in recent times has salt been so misunderstood and feared.
Salt has an important role to play in maintaining overall harmony of the fluids and electrical conditions that exist in the body and in all tissues. Salt is a 'mediator' that runs through the system. Like a foreman in the shop, it looks after miraculous exchanges going on in the bodily processes.
According to the Jacques de Langre, author of "Sea Salt's Hidden Powers" an acidic body is the root of many sicknesses. Natural Celtic sea salt is a strong alkalinizer helpful for severe burns, physical trauma, acute infection, shock from an illness or surgical intervention when the body requires extra potassium immediately.
He explains "Proper balance in the body is achieved by maintaining a relatively high potassium content inside the cell and a correspondingly high sodium concentration in the extracellular fluids" (outside the cell).
You might be surprised that the label of your store-bought salt includes inverted sugar, fillers, and anti-caking agents. Many necessary elements have been removed from some salts and sold as by-products. No wonder there are water retention problems, swollen ankles, cravings, kidney malfunctions and more when the key players of the elements are missing.
What are some signs to look for when purchasing a natural sea salt? Moisture Content The saltıs trace minerals are held by the moisture that is in the salt. There are 82 different minerals present in natural sea salt.
Color - Can vary depending where it is harvested. Sea Salt in Hawaii is a red color and along the Baja, California the color includes various white shades. Minute particles of gray clay along with other vital elements are at the very core of salt crystals.
Many cultures use salty condiments such as Gomasio (ground sesame seeds and sea salt) helpful for people who want to cut back on salt. Herbamare and Trocomare made by Dr. Vogal for Bioforce, Switzerland, is a blend of sea salt and herbs. Sea weeds such as Dulse harvested from the east coast of Canada is a wonderful salty condiment. Miso, tamari soy sauce, Bragg liquid aminos are alternatives to having straight sea salt.
Everyone's need for and tolerance of salt is different. Indeed, too much is as bad as none at all. Balanced sea salt is not the culprit it is the unskilled use of salt that is responsible. Hopefully, I have inspired you to learn more about salt and decide for yourself to salt or not to salt or perhaps experiment with the salty condiments.
For more information: www.celtic-seasalt.com, Canadian office 1-888-725-8386. Celtic Sea Salt and Si Salt (from Baja, California) and salty condiments are available at health food stores.
Bibliography: Healing Naturally by Richard France and Jerome Canty, Cooking for Regeneration by Cecile Tovah Levin, Seasaltıs Hidden Powers by Jacques de Langre.
Written by Maria Low A.O. certified Macrobiotic Educator, Boston, M.A. and former Chef of the European Macrobiotic Institute in Switzerland. From the Scottsdale Culinary Institute she received her degree in Culinary Science and Restaurant Management. She presently travels, teaching Traditional Cooking and the medicinal use of Young Living Essential Oils to enhance health. Contact her at marialow2000@yahoo.com.