SALT.

[bindeweede]

Not quite sure how I stumbled across this, but the claims are that pure sea salt has so many beneficial effects. I wonder if this is where Mannion found some of his "interesting" claims.

1. Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, Contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.

2. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.

3. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element in diabetics.

4. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites of energy need by the cells.

5. Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.

6. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.

7. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.

8. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.

9. Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.

10. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

11. Salt is vital to prevent excess saliva production to the point that it flows out of the mouth during sleep. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.

12. Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body.

13. Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.

14. Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics.

15. Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.

16. Salt is vital for the prevention of gout and gouty arthritis.

17. Salt is vital for maintaining sexuality and libido.

18. Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.

19. Salt is vital to the communication and information processing nerve cells the entire time that the brain cells work - from the moment of conception to death.

20. Salt is vital for reducing a double chin. When the body is short of salt, it means the body really is short of water. The salivary glands sense the salt shortage and are obliged to produce more saliva to lubricate the act of chewing and swallowing and also to supply the stomach with water that it needs for breaking down foods. Circulation to the salivary glands increases and the blood vessels become "leaky" in order to supply the glands with water to manufacture saliva. The "leakiness" spills beyond the area of the glands themselves, causing increased bulk under the skin of the chin, the cheeks and into the neck.

21. Sea salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts. Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than other types of salt on the market. Ordinary table salt that is bought in the super markets has been stripped of its companion elements and contains additive elements such as aluminum silicate to keep it powdery and porous. Aluminum is a very toxic element in our nervous system. It is implicated as one of the primary causes of Alzheimer's disease.

22. Twenty-seven percent of the body's salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are twenty-two percent water. Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we're deficient in salt or water or both.

* The information on salt intake is taken from Dr. Batmanghelidj's book, "Water: Rx for a Healthier Pain-Free Life".

http://www.curezone.com/foods/saltcure.asp

[Pebble]

For all the nonsense published about sea salt the total no of randomised trials = 12, few involving ingestion, the information presented above conflates information on calcium salts, iron salts, iodine salts, magnesium salts etc presented in a fashion to obfuscate rather than illuminate:

A randomized, prospective, double-blind study on the efficacy of dead sea salt nasal irrigations.
Friedman M, Vidyasagar R, Joseph N.
Laryngoscope. 2006 Jun;116(6):878-82.
PMID: 16735920 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

2:
A randomized controlled comparison of the efficacy of Dead Sea salt balneophototherapy vs. narrowband ultraviolet B monotherapy for chronic plaque psoriasis.
Dawe RS, Yule S, Cameron H, Moseley H, Ibbotson SH, Ferguson J.
Br J Dermatol. 2005 Sep;153(3):613-9.
PMID: 16120152 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

3:
The effects of a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor on acute mountain sickness and urinary leukotriene e4 after ascent to high altitude.
Grissom CK, Richer LD, Elstad MR.
Chest. 2005 Feb;127(2):565-70.
PMID: 15705997 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles Free article at journal site

4:
Prevalence of hypertension in Lithuanian mariners.
Kirkutis A, Norkiene S, Griciene P, Gricius J, Yang S, Gintautas J.
Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2004;47:71-5.
PMID: 15633617 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

5:
Willingness to pay and time trade-off: sensitive to changes of quality of life in psoriasis patients?
Schiffner R, Schiffner-Rohe J, Gerstenhauer M, Hofstädter F, Landthaler M, Stolz W.
Br J Dermatol. 2003 Jun;148(6):1153-60.
PMID: 12828743 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

6:
Iodine deficiency in vegetarians and vegans.
Krajcovicová-Kudlácková M, Bucková K, Klimes I, Seboková E.
Ann Nutr Metab. 2003;47(5):183-5.
PMID: 12748410 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

7:
Antibiotic prophylaxis in rhinosurgery.
Bandhauer F, Buhl D, Grossenbacher R.
Am J Rhinol. 2002 May-Jun;16(3):135-9.
PMID: 12141769 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

8:
The role of trace elements in psoriatic patients undergoing balneotherapy with Dead Sea bath salt.
Halevy S, Giryes H, Friger M, Grossman N, Karpas Z, Sarov B, Sukenik S.
Isr Med Assoc J. 2001 Nov;3(11):828-32.
PMID: 11729578 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles Free article at journal site

9:
[Dead Sea bath salts for osteoarthritis of the knee]
Sukenik S, Mayo A, Neumann L, Flusser D, Kleiner-Baumgarten A, Buskila D.
Harefuah. 1995 Aug;129(3-4):100-3, 159, 158. Hebrew.
PMID: 8543232 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

10:
Dead Sea bath salts for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Sukenik S, Neumann L, Buskila D, Kleiner-Baumgarten A, Zimlichman S, Horowitz J.
Clin Exp Rheumatol. 1990 Jul-Aug;8(4):353-7.
PMID: 2397624 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

11:
[The effect of verapamil on external respiratory function in bronchial asthma patients during high-altitude speleotherapy]
Khamzamulin RO, Kachkynbaev KA, Abdyldaeva SO, Davletova RA.
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1990 Jan-Feb;(1):40-3. Russian.
PMID: 2139996 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

12:
[External respiratory function in healthy subjects under joint exposure to conditions of a central highlands and a salt mine microclimate]
Khamzamulin RO, Kachkynbaev KA, Sarbaeva AT, Koz'min MG.
Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult. 1989 Sep-Oct;(5):22-6. Russian.
PMID: 2532434 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Articles

[Tony Williams]

Sufficient salt is essential to life.

Too much salt will kill you.

Like so many other things...

[Allo Allo]

Sufficient salt is essential to life.

Too much salt will kill you.

Like so many other things...

I researched salt at one time - but rock salt - specifically 'Himalayan Rock Salt' which is all the rage amongst you know who!

Himalayan Rock Salt is just a trade name of a salt company in Bangladesh or somewhere, but rock salt does have many more minerals in it. Our salt in Britain is treated with a chemical additive to keep it dry that is banned in other countries and has been 'purified'.

Personally we only use natural Rock Salt - usually ground - it really does taste better!

I have a feeling I also read that salt causing hypertension is a myth.

Dunno really - that's MY grain of wisdom!

I love salt - no hypertension yet.

[Tony Williams]

My favourite salt joke (actually, the only one I know!) concerns the label on a packet of rock salt, which went something like this:

"This natural product was deposited millions of years ago. Best before April 2010."

[Pebble]

I researched salt at one time - but rock salt - specifically 'Himalayan Rock Salt' which is all the rage amongst you know who!

Himalayan Rock Salt is just a trade name of a salt company in Bangladesh or somewhere, but rock salt does have many more minerals in it. Our salt in Britain is treated with a chemical additive to keep it dry that is banned in other countries and has been 'purified'.

Personally we only use natural Rock Salt - usually ground - it really does taste better!

I have a feeling I also read that salt causing hypertension is a myth.

Dunno really - that's MY grain of wisdom!

I love salt - no hypertension yet.

In terms of causation the data are inconclusive though generally supportive of a causative role - as with smoking and heart disease difficult to fulfill all of Hill's criteria, but in terms of the impact of salt reduction on reducing blood pressure the data is quite consistent e.g.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/publ...h/new_dash.pdf

The second DASH study looked at the effect on blood pressure
of a reduced dietary sodium intake as participants followed either
the DASH eating plan or an eating plan typical of what many
Americans consume. This second study involved 412 participants.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two eating plans
and then followed for a month at each of the three sodium levels.
The three sodium levels were a higher intake of about 3,300
milligrams per day (the level consumed by many Americans), an
intermediate intake of about 2,300 milligrams per day, and a lower
intake of about 1,500 milligrams per day.
Results showed that reducing dietary sodium lowered blood pressure
for both eating plans. At each sodium level, blood pressure was
lower on the DASH eating plan than on the other eating plan. The
greatest blood pressure reductions were for the DASH eating plan
at the sodium intake of 1,500 milligrams per day. Those with high
blood pressure saw the greatest reductions, but those with prehyper-
tension also had large decreases.
Together these studies show the importance of lowering sodium
intake—whatever your eating plan. For a true winning combina-
tion, follow the DASH eating plan and lower your intake of salt and
sodium.