By Ana Hernandez
Every
day in my store at one point or another, at least one of my customers will come
looking for blends and rubs without salt because they, a family member or a
friend have been advised by their doctor to stay away from salt. We do not
pretend to be medical professionals, but feel compelled to write this blog with
as much information as we can possibly give you about salt.
Human
history is rich with references to salt. Salt comes from the Latin word for
"salarium" because it was so valuable that Roman soldiers were paid
their "salary" partly in salt. So it follows that the word "soldier"
actually means "one paid in salt." Other common expressions are:
"Salt of the earth" (from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount), "worth
their salt," "rub salt in the wound," "with a grain of
salt." Leonardo DaVinci's "The Last Supper" immortalized the
superstition that spilling salt brings bad luck with its depiction of Judas
knocking over a salt cellar! (http://wordinfo.info/unit/3602/ip:1/il:S) There
are numerous references to salt in the Bible, including this which appears in
Kings 2:21: "Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with
water and threw the salt into it. And he said, "This is what the LORD
says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility."
If you
are interested in learning more about the ways in which the media has
orchestrated a disinformation campaign against salt, we would recommend an
excellent video by Dr. Joseph
Mercola.
As Dr. Mercola points out, the media has perpetrated a
"truth" that, if salt were taken out of our national diet, thousands
and thousands of dollars could be trimmed from our health care budget by
preventing heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure.
In fact,
Dr. Mercola points out that the "demonization of salt... a vital substance
like salt...could only happen in a society that is ignorant of the history of
salt." Salt not only makes food taste good, it has also been used
throughout history (since about 4000 BC) to preserve meats and dairy products.
Salt was intrinsic to the survival of civilization. It is impossible for the
human body to survive without salt and has, in fact, the same ratio of
salt/water as the primal seas. Why do we need natural, health-enhancing salt
(not to be confused with table salt)? Dr. Mercola further lists these four
benefits of natural salt.
1. It regulates and maintains
good blood pressure;
2. It is vital for the nervous
system...the growth of our brains, creative thinking, neurological function;
3. It helps our metabolism and
digestion;
4. It is essential for healthy
adrenal function.
Simply
put: Avoid table salt. Table salt has been chemically "cleaned,"
altered, and filled with other compounds. Table salt does not resemble original
salt in the least and is mainly sodium chloride (NaCl). Sodium chloride is a
poison which causes water retention in our bodies, and the formation of
cellulite.
Sea
salts are better than table salt, but use in moderation because our oceans have
been polluted and contaminated.
Himalayan
salt is absolutely the best. No question. This salt is over 250 million years
old and is totally uncontaminated with modern-day pollutants. It has over 84
essential minerals that our bodies need. Iodine is not added to Himalayan salt.
Our bodies need iodine, but we can get iodine in our diet from foods like kelp,
cranberries, organic yogurt, navy beans, strawberries and potatoes.
Dr.
Mercola finishes his discussion of salt with a warning which we have been
trumpeting in the store for the past five years: Don't start using Himalayan
salt if you can't commit, because you will never be able to go back!
Himalayan salt comes in a variety of forms. At All
Spiced Up, we carry Himalayan salt in fine grain, salt slabs, solé solution, and salt lamps.
We recommend:
salt & pepper by Jody Vassallo
Ana Hernandez owns and operates All Spiced Up in
Jacksonville, Florida. If you are
interested in Himalayan Salt, or would like to see a number of recipes and
videos that use Himalayan Salt, go to http://spice-blends.com
What's amazing is that salt can be so good for the body and so bad for metal. It's also amazing how easy it is for the government and the media can skew the facts.
ReplyDeleteThis article illustrates a good point. Do your own research before making a decision on something as important as your health.
ReplyDeleteSince I switched to Himalayan Salt I will never go back to using table salt. Not only is it much healthier for you, it tastes far better.
ReplyDeleteI have been using sea salt for many years. Now because of your article I know about the benefits of all natural Himalayan salt. I am always amazed at how often the medical establishment continues to perpetrate dis-information about salt. Your article was very helpful and I will be passing it on.
ReplyDelete