Gotta Have some salt!

Gotta have some salt!

By: Gina Yoryet Román

September 17, 2012

A MUST in my covert is these delicious salted almonds that I can NEVER get enough of. It is NOT a good idea to have or do something in excess but it is almost impossible to stay away from the salty flavor of those nuts so every stop at Costco I immediately pay a visit to that aisle where these delicacies can be found. 

Salt can be detrimental to our physical wholeness just like everything else when consumed in excess, so I’m better off keeping my distance from them at least until I recover because consuming too much salt will not reduce the swelling on my left knee.

According to what I know, some of the disadvantages of indulging excessively are:

1. It affects the digestive system, the production of digestive juices is slowed down which can lead to indigestion.
2.     Salt intake is linked with blood pressure problems, increasing risk of stroke. 
3. Salt increases obesity as it disturbs the digestive system storing undigested carbs and fats in the body. 
4. Salt also causes insomnia, arthritis and osteoporosis as sodium reduces bone density which creates joint problems. 

Although salt can be bad, it doesn’t always have to follow that rule. A good example is Epsom and Himalayan salts which I was first introduced to, fifteen years ago to use as a form of therapy when I was hit by a car while riding my bike in San Francisco.

The first thing to stop the swelling and alleviate the pain on my body, he recommended these wonderful sea salts. That is why I try to share them with as many people as I can (nobody seems to be familiar with them) who are suffering from some kind of physical injury or pain.

Some of the benefits and uses of Epsom and Himalayan salts are the following:

1. Relaxing and sedative bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of Epsom salt. 
2. Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry. 
3. Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak. 
4. Splinter remover: Soak in epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.
5. Face cleaner: To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.
6. Homemade skin mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. 
7. Skin exfoliator: Massage handfuls of epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. 
8. Remove excess oil from hair: Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse. 
9. Remove hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup epsom salt. Combine, cover and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.
10. Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. 

Source:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/use-epsom-salts-13-wonderful-ways.html?page=1

No wonder why these amazing salts are a natural and one of the best alleviators to soothe physical pain as in Roman times, salt was precious. People were even paid in salt, the word salary being derived from the Latin word salerium, sel in French, salt to you and me. 

So to speed up the recovery process, salt will have to be a MUST but in a  totally different way from now on!