How much do you really know about salt?

Salt has been in the medical profession’s naughty list for decades, being linked with a role in high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, kidney damage, stomach cancer and brain damage.

However, it should be noted that it is the first thing medical staff put into the body via an IV (intravenous) drip when you arrive in the hospital with any fluid-related issue like dehydration.

So, how did this most critical compound get such a bad rap?

Common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride. Sodium is a mineral that is required for:

• Stabilising blood pressure – Sodium plays a key role in maintaining blood pressure.

It attracts and holds water, so sodium in the blood helps to maintain the liquid portion of the blood.

When the kidneys are functioning normally, they will flush out extra dietary sodium via urine.

When we consume too much salt, blood volume increases, raising blood pressure.

Health professionals believe this can only happen when liver or kidney function is impaired and high levels of inflammation have caused damage to the arterial walls.

• Hydration – Sodium works together with potassium to maintain cellular hydration via the cell’s osmotic pumps.

• Transmitting nerve impulses – Nerves need electrical activity to communicate.

As we can see, sodium has many uses in the body, and when we have low daily sodium levels, we can suffer from:

• Dehydration

• Weakness or fatigue, and low energy levels

• Headache, nausea and vomiting

• Muscle cramps or spasms

• Brain fog, confusion and irritability

Long-term dehydration and low sodium levels can have a serious detrimental impact on health and create life-threatening diseases.

A report by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer announced that eating processed meat can lead to colorectal cancer in humans even as it remains a small chance but rises with the amount consumed. Photo: AFP

Natural sea salt vs common table salt

Let’s distinguish the difference between natural sea salt and common table salt. My favourite sea salt is Celtic, although Himalayan pink salt has almost the same properties.

Natural Celtic salt is a whole crystal salt that is mineral-rich, completely unrefined and hand-harvested.

It is aired and dried naturally by the sun and the wind, locking in a vast array of vital trace elements, including iodine.

Iodine is one of the most vital trace elements for both mental and physical health, and helps the thyroid maintain our metabolism. Iodine is so crucial to our health that the United States Food and Drug Administration required table salt manufacturers to replace the stripped element back into their products. Hence, iodised table salt.

Sea salt also contains selenium, which helps to chelate toxic heavy metals from the body; boron, which aids in the prevention of osteoporosis; and chromium, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Small quantities of sea salt will actually lower the blood pressure of most individuals, because it provides the trace minerals that aid with blood pressure regulation.

It can only stabilise blood pressure when the industry-depleted salts are removed from the diet.

Mineral deficiencies are partly responsible for the rising obesity epidemic. Obese people are invariably malnourished and their bodies are starving because, regardless of how much they eat, they are not getting the minerals and nutrients that are required to balance their diet.

Table salt, or the common white salt found in shakers in restaurants, are heavily refined and have been stripped of their mineral content during processing.

These valuable minerals are then sold to supplement companies for further profits.

So table salt has all of the minerals removed. Consequently, taking table salt or salt-laden foods will impact health and cause gross blood pressure fluctuations the medical profession warns us about.

In general, diastolic blood pressure is considered to be low if it is 60 millimeters of mercury or less. Photo: TNS

Processed salt has such a bad reputation that an entire industry of “low sodium” foods has sprung up, and unfortunately, even natural salts have been tarred with the same “naughty” brush.

We have already ascertained that eating salty, processed foods will affect the heart, kidneys and raise blood pressure, but it is without doubt, the cause behind the sodium link to stomach cancer too.

So, out with table salt and in with Celtic sea salt. Put a pinch in a glass of water with lemon in the morning to fully hydrate the body before you start your day.

If your body is highly acidic, then swap out the sodium chloride for sodium bicarbonate, which will have an alkaline affect on the stomach and the tissues.

If you suffer from low stomach acidity or drink alkaline water, then you may want to continue to add a pinch of Celtic sea salt to your water throughout the day.

In the meantime, have a fabulous weekend.

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Liam Harkness is a qualified sports therapist with certificates in Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening (AIS), visceral manipulation and holistic lifestyle coaching. His two current goals are to help Malaysian athletes beat Singapore and help combat the rise of non-communicable diseases in the country. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Informa-tion published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

Source : Star2.com