Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Can Salt Be Healthy?



What is Crystal Himalayan Salt?  

Crystal Himalayan Salt is a type of salt mined from salt mines in and around Pakistan.  This crystallized salt, because it's mined deep in the earth, has not been exposed to environmental toxins that are usually found in Sea Salt.


What's Wrong with Table Salt?  

Typical table salt goes through a chemical process to "clean" it. The problem is that this process also strips the salt of all of its minerals, and the final result is simply sodium and chloride which causes all sorts of issues in our body.  When we ingest table salt from either processed foods or from the salt shaker our bodies recognize it as foreign and tries to eliminate as soon as possible.  In order to do this our body goes through a natural process of trying to neutralize the sodium and chloride by pulling water from our cells, these cells can actually dehydrate and then die.  Over time the salt can cause all sorts of health issues such as hypertension, gout, arthritis, and kidney and gall bladder stones.


What Makes Himalayan Salt Different?

Once the Crystal Himalayan Salt is mined it is cleaned and minimally processed so the natural elements and trace minerals are preserved.  The result is a natural, pink colored crystal that contains 84 essential elements. These elements are naturally found in your body so when you ingest it your body recognizes it as nutrition and breaks it down much easier, without the use of excessive water from cells, and distributes the nutrients throughout your body rather than trying to eliminate it from your body.  

What are the Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt?

Because of all the essential elements and minerals that it contains, Himalayan Salt can have many health benefits such as:
  • Improving circulation
  • Strengthens bone structure
  • improves sinus and congestion
  • helps to balance blood sugar levels 
  • hydrates and promotes a healthy pH balance in your cells
  • Improves blood pressure
  • Helps maintain muscle tone and strength while eliminating muscle cramps
How do I use Himalayan Salt?  

There are many uses of Himalayan salt and you can get it in many different forms.  

-Larger crystals are usually used in salt baths sometimes called "brine baths".  These brine baths use about a pound or more of salt mixed with very hot water.  The result is a very strong detox that can be beneficially in removing impurities and improving vascular  health but can also be dangerous to those who have high blood pressure or more delicate systems like our Rett Girls.  Instead, try adding just a small amount of salts (a few teaspoons) to her bath, making sure they are completely dissolved and keeping the temperature at a comfortable level for her.  Our skin is the largest organ in our body, sitting in this bath for 20 -30 minutes will give her body enough time to absorb some of the essential minerals. 

- Himalayan Salt can also be used to make "sole."  Sole is essentially salt mixed with water until it is saturated and no more salt can be dissolved in the water.  The sole is then used to make sole solutions which are different concentrations of the sole that can be used for various different things such as a sinus cleanse, mouth wash or even a drink to replenish your electrolytes.  You can find out more about Sole Solutions here:  
- The easiest way to benefit from Himalayan Salt is to just use it in place of your cooking or table salt.  You will be eliminating the harmful salt AND gaining the health benefits of Himalayan salt without changing much at all. Please remember that Himalayan Salt still contains sodium so while it's healthy in moderation you don't want to overuse it.  The USDA recommends no more than 2500 mg. of sodium per day.  

Himalayan Salt can also be turned into a salt lamp.  These lamps are thought to purify the air by neutralizing positive ions.  They have also been studied to help alleviate the symptoms of asthma and allergies.  You can find out more about Himalayan Salt Lamps here.

Will Our Rett Girls Benefit From Himalayan Salt?

Many of our Rett Girls have digestion issues which can cause malabsorption of many minerals.  Without absorbing essential minerals our girls are at a much higher risk to experience health issues (see the health benefits list above).  Adding Himalayan Salt to their diet can supply our girls with the trace minerals that their bodies may be lacking and in turn may help to ease some of their symptoms.

PLEASE NOTE: Although this is a very safe and natural product it is always best to check with your Rett Girl's doctor before trying anything new.  


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