Salt in the body
We have salt in every cell of our bodies – about 250 grams (a cupful) in an adult human. That’s why our tears and sweat taste salty.
Salt plays a crucial role in keeping our bodies functioning properly. When we exercise, when we’re hot, and when we’re going through physiological changes, such as pregnancy or growing old, its role becomes even more fundamental. Most crucially, it maintains the balance of our fluids, which carry oxygen and nutrients around our bodies
The two elements of salt – sodium and chloride – each play a variety of crucial roles in our bodies.
- enables the transmission of nerve impulses around the body, regulating the electrical charges moving in and out of the cells
- controls our taste, smell and tactile processes
- helps our muscles – including the heart – to contract
- is key in the operation of signals to and from the brain.
Chloride is key for:
- the digestion process
- preserving the acid-base balance in the body
- absorbing potassium
- helping the blood to carry carbon dioxide from respiring tissues to the lungs.
The body is able to adjust to the amount of salt that we consume, such as through making us thirsty when it needs extra water to dilute the salt. A healthy body processes just the amount of salt it needs and the kidneys dispose of any excess.
Without enough salt, our bodies cannot perform all the vital functions listed above. Symptoms of insufficient salt include muscular weakness, muscular cramps and, in the extreme, heat exhaustion and heat cramps. Severe salt deprivation can even prove fatal.
“Salt imbalances can make us very ill. We need to embrace the ‘salt of the earth’ in order to replace vital minerals.” – Sue Visser, Health Researcher, Nature Fresh
“Thank you for introducing me to ORYX desert SALT. I do a lot of trail running and suffer terribly from cramping both after an event and during a normal day when stretching. Since adding ORYX salt to my meals instead of the health salt that I have been using, I have experienced zero cramping. I can only recommend this mineral to anyone who does regular exercise as it has worked for me.” – Buzz Bolton
SALT FOR YOUR HEALTH REFERENCES:
- Don’t Throw Away Your Salt Shaker. Salt is Vital to Your Health – Sue Visser
- Is salt natures antidepressant – Dr. Mercola
- Salt your way to Health – Dr Brownstein
- Food Salt essential to life, Health – The Salt Institute
- Salt reduces Stress – The Salt Institute
- Salt, We Misjudged You – New York Times
- New research shows the health benefits of salt – Sturgis Journal.com
- Salt and Health – Salt Institute
- Importance of salt in your diet – Fitday
- Salt of the Sea, Salt of the Earth – Natural Medicine
- Experts use salt in cooking why – The Guardian
- Health benefits of Unrefined Salt – Dr. F. Batmanghelidj MD