Hand-harvested, sun-dried whole salt with no additives. Will enhance the taste of any dish while providing a natural balance of minerals and trace elements.

Your Body Needs Salt 
by Dr. Andrew Neville

Salt gets incredibly bad press in our society today. We are bombarded with messages telling  us of the evils of salt, that it will cause our blood pressure to skyrocket, leading to heart  attacks, and more. 

The truth is that our bodies have evolved with salt over thousands of years. In fact, it is  incredibly important to our basic survival. I am not saying that the highly refined and purified  sodium that exists in excess in processed foods or refined sodium chloride (table salt) are  healthy for us. 

It is true that refined and processed sodium chloride, no matter the source, is bad for our  overall health. Salt in its natural form, however, from the sea with all its 80 plus minerals (in  addition to sodium chloride), is vital to life and the healing of Adrenal Dysfunction. 

Biochemistry 

Salt plays a crucial role in metabolic function. The entire body runs on the energy produced  by little pumps called sodium/potassium pumps. Hence, the vast majority of chemical  reactions—this includes every function you can think of—are dependent on adequate levels  of sodium and potassium. 

Sodium and potassium levels are primarily controlled by the hormones of the adrenal  glands. Our adrenal glands secrete a hormone called aldosterone that controls our ability to  hold onto salt (sodium, to be more specific). The stronger our adrenal glands, the stronger  our aldosterone levels, and the better our ability to hold onto salt. 

In the body there is a basic rule that “water follows salt;” therefore, if we have weakened  adrenals, and hence have lower aldosterone, we will have lower salt/sodium. Since water  follows salt, we will lose water as well. If we lose water (primarily by making us urinate  frequently), we lose most of our blood volume; we can then become lightheaded and  chronically dehydrated. 

All of these problems that have to do with adequate salt retention cause major stress and  dysfunction in the body, because all functions in the body exist in an aqueous medium  (approximately 70% water). This means that the body needs water to run all of its enzymes  and metabolic processes. 

When this is not possible, dysfunction occurs on many levels. The simple solution is to  consume adequate salt regularly until the adrenal system can perform that function  normally. 

Why Sea Salt? 

As I mentioned before, the type of salt we consume is important. Pure, processed sodium  chloride (NaCl), or table salt, is relatively foreign to the body and has only existed in that  form for a relatively short time. 

Salt should be naturally unrefined and should come from its natural source, the sea. There  are many good options available. Unrefined sea salt looks dirty and is colored tan, gray, or  even pink, depending on the concentration of all those other minerals in it. Sea salt that is  pure crystalline white, such as table salt, has been processed and bleached; therefore, I do  not recommend it. 

To take things a step further, I would like to add that of all the unrefined salts out there, I  tend to recommend Celtic Sea Salt the most. While Pink Himalayan is quite popular and is  used by many, I can’t help but question the real differences between Celtic Sea Salt and Pink  Himalayan Salt. 

The obvious difference again is color, pink and gray. The pink color of Pink Himalayan salt is  attributed to the iron content. Celtic Sea Salt’s gray color is due to the magnesium and  mineral content. 

The difference that means the most to us is the availability of the minerals. Pink Himalayan  salt is mined from ancient deposits in Pakistan with a very low moisture content. Celtic Sea  Salt is sourced off the coast of France and is harvested by hand. It’s allowed to dry while retaining some of its moisture. 

Due to its higher moisture content, Celtic Sea Salt’s minerals are believed to be more readily  available and better absorbed by the body. Celtic Sea Salt contains higher levels of  magnesium and lower levels of sodium than Pink Himalayan salt. 

Some people wonder whether contamination has occurred during the mining process of the  Pink Himalayan salt. 

While you can question the harvesting and packaging process of any salt consumed, I don’t  know that this is a major concern at this time. What I find more interesting is that this salt  contains higher amounts of sodium, and because it is a dry salt, the minerals are not as  bioavailable. So, although you are consuming this salt, you may not be getting the full  benefit. 

Remedy Recommendation 

I recommend that you generously salt your food to taste with unprocessed, unrefined sea  salt. If that is not enough to assist with the symptoms of low salt and you are experiencing  frequent urination, lightheadedness, and dehydration, I recommend creating an electrolyte  drink. 

To make this drink, mix ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt in water once or twice daily. It generally  takes a good 4-6 weeks to balance sodium levels in all of the cells of the body. 

The salt needs to be consumed daily, however, for an extended period until the adrenal  system heals enough to take over this job. Your need for salt will vary depending on the  stage of Adrenal Dysfunction, current stress levels, as well as temperature. 

If you suffer from hypertension, please consult your physician before beginning this  regimen.