“Put down that salt shaker! Your blood pressure will go through the roof if you eat that salty stuff!”
Most people have heard these statements at some point in their life when in fact after reading the following information along with experiencing the essence of healthy salt hopefully those myths will be replaced with the truth about salt.
What is salt (NaCl)? It’s an ionic compound derived from an acid base chemical reaction which is comprised of sodium and chloride (NaCl). It is also a naturally occurring substance that the human body requires for survival and optimal health.
Based upon my years of clinical experience and nutrition research, people consume too much of the wrong salt and not enough of the right salt! I spent 11 years working in a hospital and encountered various practices that raised questions in my mind.
For example, despite salt restrictions, hypertension and edema (swelling) would persist in many patients.
It was also not uncommon for some doctors to order a diet “liberal in salt” for certain patients and to administer IV fluids of sodium chloride.
In addition to these scenarios, it is standard practice in hospitals throughout America to avoid salt restrictions for pregnant women due to the necessity of this ionic compound for fetal growth and development. However on the contrary, there are multiple population studies reported on in the USA and some European countries which support the health benefits of eating plenty of healthy salt “the right salt,” upward of 6,000-12,000 mg daily (specific to the individual) which far exceeds the American Heart Association’s recommendation for 1,500 mg per day!
Sadly though, what westernized traditional doctors and even my fellow dietitians often fail to realize is that patients and the general public are consuming the wrong salt - a toxic refined salt (white salt) better known as table salt. This salt is not ideal for a developing fetus and may only complicate existing health problems in chronically and acutely ill patients. Ironically several of my former dietetic colleagues were struggling with hypertension and swelling despite following low sodium or no added salt diets!
Most people have heard these statements at some point in their life when in fact after reading the following information along with experiencing the essence of healthy salt hopefully those myths will be replaced with the truth about salt.
What is salt (NaCl)? It’s an ionic compound derived from an acid base chemical reaction which is comprised of sodium and chloride (NaCl). It is also a naturally occurring substance that the human body requires for survival and optimal health.
Based upon my years of clinical experience and nutrition research, people consume too much of the wrong salt and not enough of the right salt! I spent 11 years working in a hospital and encountered various practices that raised questions in my mind.
For example, despite salt restrictions, hypertension and edema (swelling) would persist in many patients.
It was also not uncommon for some doctors to order a diet “liberal in salt” for certain patients and to administer IV fluids of sodium chloride.
In addition to these scenarios, it is standard practice in hospitals throughout America to avoid salt restrictions for pregnant women due to the necessity of this ionic compound for fetal growth and development. However on the contrary, there are multiple population studies reported on in the USA and some European countries which support the health benefits of eating plenty of healthy salt “the right salt,” upward of 6,000-12,000 mg daily (specific to the individual) which far exceeds the American Heart Association’s recommendation for 1,500 mg per day!
Sadly though, what westernized traditional doctors and even my fellow dietitians often fail to realize is that patients and the general public are consuming the wrong salt - a toxic refined salt (white salt) better known as table salt. This salt is not ideal for a developing fetus and may only complicate existing health problems in chronically and acutely ill patients. Ironically several of my former dietetic colleagues were struggling with hypertension and swelling despite following low sodium or no added salt diets!
So what is the “right salt?" A person may do well to consume either of the following salts - Celtic Sea Salt, Himalayan Salt, or Real Salt. These salts have not been refined and therefore stripped of its rich mineral content, natural color, and nice flavor. In order to obtain maximum health benefits of increasing daily salt intake, it is imperative to drink an adequate amount of pure water (1/2 your body weight in ounces) to flush salt throughout the body’s cells and engage in moderate daily exercise of some sort. The following conditions may be greatly improved by consuming an adequate amount of healthy salt.
Asthma
Edema (fluid retention)
Electrolyte Imbalance
Heart Disease (cardiac disease)
Hypertension ( high blood pressure)
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Migraines (headaches)
Neurological Disorders
Pregnancy (fertility)
Psychological Disorders
Asthma
Edema (fluid retention)
Electrolyte Imbalance
Heart Disease (cardiac disease)
Hypertension ( high blood pressure)
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Migraines (headaches)
Neurological Disorders
Pregnancy (fertility)
Psychological Disorders
