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Refined salt vs. Himalayan salt, how do they compare.
Salt has been around since time immemorial. Historically people obtained minerals in their diets by using traditional salts like sea salts. With the rates of heart disease and high blood pressure going up all the time, there’s a lot of talk about salt these days. Most people with these health conditions opt for taking salt out of their diets altogether. In part, this happens because the majority of people don’t know about the difference between refined table salt and Himalayan sea salt. Do you know what’s in your salt shaker?
Let’s talk for a minute about the salt that most people use, the white stuff with a blue label that says, “IODIZED” in big yellow letters. This salt is refined at very high temperatures which alter its structure chemically and its availability to the body. Refined table salt lacks the mineral profile present in other sea salts, especially Himalayan salt. It is mixed with chemicals to prevent caking and aging, mainly sodium alumino-silicate and calcium alumino-silicate. Aluminum is a heavy metal that has been associated with a variety of health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, refined salt is bleached and chemically cleaned to make it look and taste more appealing. In order to process this refined salt, the body has to draw upon its water reserves deeply dehydrating the body at the cellular level.
This is the salt your doctor wants you to cut out of your diet to lose weight, prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis inflammation, and a host of other commonplace chronic illnesses. In addition, refined salt places a high toll on your body’s detox organs such as your adrenals, liver, and kidneys. Does this sound like something you want to put in your food?
Let’s now look at the benefits of Himalayan sea salt.
A much healthier alternative to salt use is Himalayan sea salt. It contains 84 minerals that are in harmony and almost perfect ratio with the human body’s own cellular ratio of sodium chloride and water. Every mineral in our body is responsible for specific functions that are essential for the optimal performance of our blood and lymphatic fluids. In order for the body to benefit from these much-needed minerals, they have to be in a form that can be readily utilized.
From the remote and ancient Himalayan Mountains comes a very special type of salt in crystal form. It contains 84 minerals of vital importance to human health. Some of these minerals are potassium, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, iodine among others. But what makes Himalayan salt so special is that in its crystals these minerals exist in extremely small ionic form, which means they can be easily used by the body.
One of the best ways to use Himalayan salt is Sole (pronounced so-lay). Sole is a German word that means fluid energy from the sun. The way you make sole is by saturating purified water with salt crystals. You can take a glass jar and fill it about ¾ of the way with water and add a few large crystals. In order to supersaturate your solution keep adding crystals until they no longer dissolve in the water. Once this solution is made, you can take about a teaspoon and dissolve it in 250ml of pure water. Drink it first thing in the morning for electrolyte and PH balance, gastrointestinal health, and increased energy. Sole is a great alternative to mineral supplementation.
Before you jump up and head to the market to buy Himalayan sea salt, make sure you do your research. Not all Himalayan salts were created equal. Find a reputable source, preferably from Pakistan or Tibet, and make sure that they can provide you with a list of minerals for your review. If you see a Naturopathic doctor they might be able to get a good referral for you. Now the only thing left for you to do is get rid of all that nasty refined table salt. Once you taste and see the benefits of Himalayan sea salt you’ll never be the same…literally!