Himalayan Salt Primer
Before I go into detail what Himalayan Salt is, let’s take a brief detour and find out why iodised salt is bad for you.
Iodised salt, or table salt as most people know it, is a by product of an industrial process. It is made up mostly of Sodium Chloride which is iodised so traces of iodine are left with it, and also stabilisers, anti-caking and so forth. Iodine was placed in salt as a way to prevent iodine deficiency in the public in the past, as iodine deficiency leads to mental retardation in a person. The other elements in salt are mostly there to keep the salt from absorbing water from air.
Why is iodised salt bad for you?
The biggest reason why table salt or iodised salt can have a negative impact on your health is because it is largely unnatural and artificial. Unlike other forms of salt, like celtic salt, sea salt or Himalayan salt, iodised salt is as mentioned, made up of only sodium chloride, iodine and a few other trace elements and is dried at 1,200 deg Fahrenheit, whereas natural salt has more than 84 elements in it.
Being unnatural takes a toll on the body. It makes it hard for natural processes of the body to remove something that according to nature is unnatural. The kidney exerts much effort to remove it from the system and the body’s water or fluid levels goes into chaos as the inorganic salt is extremely hard to break down. This leads to a lot of health problems like higher risk of strokes, cardiovascular diseases, heartburn, osteoporosis, gastric or stomach cancer, hypertension, edema, ulcers and so forth.
The solution.
Of course the simplest solution to avoid this problem is to avoid taking in iodised salt in the first place. But unfortunately, this is close to impossible as close to all processed food, fast food or commercial food uses it. And in reality, iodised salt is only harmful in excess quantities.
The best solution then, is if you cannot avoid eating processed foods like canned goods, eating outside and so forth, the only logical thing left is to avoid using it yourself, whether it be culinary or non-culinary purposes.
Instead of using iodised salt, substitute it with other forms of salt like sea salt, celtic salt, french salt, grey salt or better yet, the purest and most sought after kind… Himalayan salt.
Himalayan Salt
Himalayan salt is a natural salt, discovered near the Himalayas, that is sometimes pinkish or reddish in color with some crystals having an off-white transparent color. Similar to ordinary table salt, it is used for cooking and baths. But this is also where the similarity ends.
Himalayan salt is renowned to be the purest form of salt in the world, free from toxins and other pollutants. It has the highest grade of natural salt and it is mined by hand and also clean by hand-washing. It does not have a shelf life and it does not clump together. Lastly, did I mention it contains no environmental pollutant?
Aside from being free from unwanted elements, it has everything our natural body needs. In fact, it has 84 elements that are found in the human body that contribute the following:
- Regulates water content throughout the body
- Promotes healthy pH balance in the body’s cells, especially the neuro brain cells
- Promotes healthy blood sugar levels
- Improves absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract
- Improves respiratory functions
- Improves health of the sinus
- Improves muscle flexibility and reduces cramps
- Promotes bone strength
- Regulates sleep
- Supports the libido
- Promotes vascular health
- Good for dental hygiene
- Treats soar throat
- Improves skin complexion, glow
- Used for treating psoriasis and other skin disorders
- Healing properties to wounds, infections
- Naturally sterilizes bacteria
- Treat menstrual cramps
- Relief from headaches
- Used for treating chronic respiratory illness like asthma, sinusitis and bronchitis
- Reduces signs of aging
No other salt is said to have these properties. Definitely not iodised salt and more and more even sea salt is losing its appeal as more and more of our oceans and bodies of water are polluted. As more scientific research is performed on Himalayan salt, the more the health benefits are discovered.
Start living a healthier life today, stop using iodised salt and make the switch to Himalayan Salt.
