Salt: ancient remedy for health

In ancient times, salt was as valued a commodity as gold. Salt was one of the first commodities known to mankind. The word salary is derived from salt.

There are Egyptian recorded pictures of salt production that are over 3500 years old.

Socrates recognized the healing powers of salt and recommended many diverse salt remedies. Prior to refrigeration, salt was the main preserving agent. The British, financed their colonization of India via a salt tax. Mahatma Gandhi, famously organized protest of this high salt tax.

Salt in its natural form is referred to as unrefined salt. Unrefined means not altered by man. Processed salt means altered by man. Chemicals are frequently used in refined salt, including sulfuric acid or chlorine. Water is evaporated under high compression and heat which alters the structure of salt. Frequently, anti-caking, free-flowing or conditioning agents are added also. What is left is primarily just sodium and chloride content. All the trace minerals have been stripped or processed out. Bleach is frequently added to give us that all white color. Iodine is then added to the refined salt to prevent goiter, however, there is insufficient iodine to prevent thyroid illness, or for your bodies other iodine needs.

Unrefined salt contains not just sodium and chloride but also trace minerals, trace elements and moisture. Unrefined salt is typically dried by just the sun and the wind.

An excellent form of modern sea salt is Celtic sea salt harvested near the coast of northwestern France. Ocean waters are channeled through a series of clay lined ponds where the wind and sun evaporate the ocean water leaving a rich mineral brine. Salt farmers gather the brine and salt crystals begin to form. This is an ancient form of gathering sea salt.

Another form of sea salt I am quite fond of is pink Himalayan salt.

The salt was formed from sea beds over 250 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

It is mined from the mountains in Pakistan.

One of the reasons I am partial to this salt is because the sea was very pristine back in those days. Modern oceans can have levels of pollution or micro plastics, hidden in them.

The chloride ions in sea salt can break off and assist in the formation of hydrochloric acid, that’s needed for normal digestion. A deficiency of the minerals inherent in sea salt can lead to underactive adrenal conditions, resulting in fatigue, excess edema, or inflammation.

We’ve been led to believe that a low salt diet is in our best interest. I suggest limiting your intake of refined salt but partaking more freely of unrefined salt.

A low sodium diet can predispose one to heart attacks, high cholesterol and insulin imbalances.

An excellent book to further your knowledge on this subject is “Salt your way to health” by David Bownstein MD.

I have personally recently seen where I was on the verge of getting sick with Covid like symptoms, and I was able to abate this progress through frequent ingestion of pink Himalayan salt. It is very gratifying to feel like you’re on the edge of being sick and send the condition away.

E. Rosencross