I live in a land locked state. Going to the beach is a RARE occasion. To drive to an ocean takes at least 9 hours. Last year my family and I went on a beach vacation to Galveston, TX. It was seriously one of the best vacations I’ve ever had for many reasons. For one reason in particular, I felt so good. I spent my days wading in the ocean with my girls, digging up hermit crabs and just “being” in the ocean. At the risk of sounding lame-it was magical. There is such an energy in the ocean and the benefits are immense. The whole trip I had zero digestion issues-coming from a recovering IBS victim and an all around nervous Nelly on vacations-this is a miracle. I felt beyond relaxed the entire trip-you might think that’s normal, it was a vacation-but honestly, I truly suck on vacations. I get bogged down with not being at home and living out of a suitcase. I’m seriously the queen of the “staycation”. Once I got home, I really thought about why this trip was so different from the rest. It dawned on me the immense benefits I must have been receiving from those long soaks in the salty ocean water.
I’m always looking for easy ways to improve my health. Sometimes, easing into healthy habits is just what’s necessary to have success in improving your health. Today, I want to tell you more about the importance of salt in our bodies. You might be thinking, WHOA, shouldn’t I be cutting way back on my salt intake?? That’s exactly why I wanted to do this post. So many organizations out there are telling us to cut back on salt claiming that it clogs the arteries and causes detrimental health issues when consumed in excess. This is all true if you are consuming table salt. Table salt is horrible for you but let’s face it, salt can really liven up a normally bland meal.
Luckily, by consuming the right kind of salt, you can let go of the fear of health risks that come along with salt! In fact, you can actually improve many of your body’s functions by using pure, unrefined salt! I’ve been using Pink Himalayan Sea Salt for quite sometime now and by far, this is the easiest healthy habit you can pick up. It tastes amazing and you just won’t believe all the health benefits you can enjoy just by switching your brand of salt!
Why We Need Salt:
Believe it or not, our bodies actually need salt to function. It is a vital part of what keeps us healthy. Below is a list I compiled of all the ways our bodies can benefit from daily salt intake-
- Improves digestion
- Improves sleep
- Nervous system support
- Lowers blood pressure
- Regulates water content in the body
- Improves blood sugar levels
- Helps to balance the bodies pH
- Helps bone strength
- Balances electrolytes
- Helps intestines absorb nutrients
- Improves circulation
- Dissolves toxins
Why Pink Himalayan Sea Salt is My First Choice:
- Unrefined
- Uncontaminated by pollutants or chemicals.
- Contains 84 trace elements
- Contains minerals such as potassium and magnesium
- It’s 100% natural allowing our body to benefit from it’s composition rather then fight to metabolize it.
- It is the highest grade of natural salt
Ditch the Table Salt!
Table salt is 95% sodium chloride and 5% chemicals. That 5% contains chemical iodine, aluminum and fluoride! Table Salt is basically the chemical form of real salt. Our bodies don’t recognize it. In order for your body to metabolize table salt, your body must spend a large amount of energy. Inorganic sodium chloride can screw up the water content in your body, making you dehydrated and in turn causing digestive issues like constipation and bloating. Basically your body’s water molecules are needed to metabolize table salt. All your water is wasted on trying to get rid of this chemical from your body. Eventually, this can cause cellulite, arthritis and kidney stones! Table salt is stripped of any nutritional value. Because of the unhealthy chemicals added to preserve, bleach and avoid clumping, it can build up in your body and cause major issues.
Most sea salts you find in the grocery store seem to be a healthy alternative to table salt but that has turned out to be false. Sadly, our oceans have become dumping grounds for toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs and dioxin. Sea salt companies now must refine their salt in order to filter out these toxins. Refined sea salt taxes your bodies water supply because it’s just not the natural source it used to be that your body will recognize.
I use pink Himalayan Sea Salt in all my cooking. The taste is amazing and seriously, going to a restaurant with regular table salt sucks now. My girls don’t taste a difference and since they love salt, I don’t have to worry about overloading them. The hardest part in switching out salt is ditching the processed food. Most food is heavily salted with regular, processed salt. Just another reason to avoid food you don’t prepare yourself!
Himalayan Salt Baths:
I talked more about salt baths HERE. Just to refresh, getting in the habit of taking a bath in “brine” water is incredibly beneficial for the body. Not only are you soaking up important minerals through the skin, you are also detoxing. Think, less cellulite, glowing skin and a deep sense of relaxation!
It is recommended that the salt soak be as close as possible to normal body temperature, around 97 degrees Fahrenheit, and that you use 2 cups of Himalayan salt and/or Epsom salt. Now the hard part is that you need to soak for at least 20 minutes. 40 minutes is preferable.
I currently am using and prefer Tropical Tradition’s Himalayan salt. I have used Dr. Mercola’s Himalayan Salt, REAL SALT (which is nice because it’s already ground and I can find it at Target) as well as Mountain Rose Herb’s salt and recommend them both.
Are you excited?? This little post is great news. Like I stated earlier-this is such an easy switch. In fact, it’s an upgrade, taste wise! You are seriously going to love pink Himalayan salt!!
xx, Jenni
