Demystifying Salt…

When it comes down to it, there are so many different types of salt, what do they all do anyway? Is salt going to raise my cholesterol? Is consuming too much going to give me heart disease?

These are all things we have been told to believe about salt, but when they say this to us, it's specifically about table salt (even if they don't state so). Table salt is what is in most packaged processed foods and foods in restaurants. So here is a breakdown of salts and how they mingle through our bodies to create ripples of emotional and physical remedies...and ailments.


What is Salt?

Salt is 97% Sodium Chloride (NaCl) and 3% (essentially) 84 other trace minerals. These minerals are mimicked in our natural bodies making them a necessary part of our health and incredibly bio-available for our tissues to absorb. We literally could not live without it.

Salt is an ionic compound meaning it contains positive (sodium) and negative (chloride) particles making it an electrolyte. Salts themselves are neutral compounds, but when added to water these particles separate creating electricity. The more you shake the water the more the sodium and the chloride will attach to all of the water molecules balancing the negative and positive charge of the water as well.

Our kidneys are responsible for filtering water and absorbing electrolytes (salt) and feeds these electrolytes to our blood, the excess goes into our bladder. The amount of water our organs can hold is directly related to the number of electrolytes we have. If we find ourselves urinating too frequently, it might mean that the water we are drinking is not getting absorbed properly by all of our organs. This could ultimately mean a lack of electrolytes aka minerals aka PURE SALT! This is why it is a common practice to drink saltwater. Salts support our muscles, adrenals, and overall Ojas (liquid vitality).

Table Salt
This is a salt that has been heated at extreme temperatures when it is processed therefore diminishing the mineral properties that are the most beneficial for our bodies. Table salt has aluminum added to it for anti-caking properties and it is bleached. This is the kind of salt most often used in processed foods and restaurants. It has iodine added to it which is why most people think they need it when in fact overconsumption of iodine can lead to thyroid issues, even to the extreme of hashimoto’s.

Sea Salt
As it sounds, this is salt from the ocean. Most commonly it is made by sun-drying ocean water until it evaporates and all that is left behind are little salts crystals. There are many different types from oceans all over the world. It is important to look for good salt when you are shopping at the store. Often things are falsely labeled as Sea Salt to market the product for consumption. I like to use grey sea salt when making saltwater and salt scrubs because they have a wetter quality to them, therefore feel more hydrating to me.

Himalayan Salt
This salt comes from ancient salt beds in the mountains of Pakistan. It has the highest mineral content of these three salts. When someone says Himalayan salt we think it comes from the Himalayan Mountains in India when it in fact does not. Many researchers say that Himalayan salt isn't any better than basic table salt, and it's true. It may have the same sodium content, but Himalayan salt still far surpasses the likes of table salt due to its natural and organic unprocessed nature and its high mineral constituents. It maintains all of its beneficial minerals when consumed unlike table salt and it is unbleached. I like to use Himalayan salt when I am cooking instead of table salt, because of the added minerals it brings to my meal.

Who Should use salt?
Salt is one of the six tastes in Ayurveda. The flavor of salt stimulates the mouth to salivate which in turn activates the enzyme amylase which is what our bodies use to convert starches and glycogen into sugars. This activation supports our entire digestive tract from absorption and assimilation to making healthy bowel movements. Salt is made of the elements water and fire and has qualities of oily, hot, and heavy. Salt is anti-spasmodic, warming, hydrating, and can be used as a laxative. Usually, you can tell just by looking at the qualities of the salt (color, texture, origin) who it will be good for. There are many types of salts and they have different effects on each dosha.

Salt is particularly good for Vata dosha since they are the element of ether and air and tend to be quickest to adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands live on top of the kidneys, this means if the kidneys are depleted the adrenals will be too, often causing adrenal fatigue. Supporting the kidneys with water and electrolytes inevitably balances your hormones through healthy functioning adrenals. The best types of salt for Vata are: Grey Sea Salts, Pink Himalayan Salts, and Kalanamak Black Salts

Pitta dosha has the hardest time with the salt. Salt is heating therefore irritating for pittas. It can manifest itself in ulcers, inflammation, and zits on our skin. When looking at salts to consume as a pitta we look more towards cooling, salty white and green vegetables (celery, bok choy, etc) and rock salts. Even something like seaweed is a good type of salt to consume as a pitta.

Kapha can be deranged when consuming large doses of salt. For Kapha this can show up as hypertension, edema, and osteoporosis. Kapha is made of the elements water and earth and has the qualities of being dense, heavy, and slow. The best kind of salt to use for these qualities is something that warms and liquifies (melts) fats and heaviness. Kalanamak black salt is great for Kapha. It is a sulphuric salt that liquifies dense buildup.


Making a Solé
A Solé is a very heavily concentrated salt-infused water. Most often made with Himalayan rock salt, this concentrate is best consumed first thing in the morning before consuming anything else.

Solé (even just eating good salt) is beneficial to our bodies for a plethora of reasons including:

✷ boosts energy
✷ detoxifies the body
✷ can help with weight loss
✷ aids in healthy nails and hair
✷ stimulates bowel movement
✷ regulates blood sugar levels
✷ soothes the nervous system
✷ supports optimal brain function
✷ regulates water levels in the body
✷ the kidneys and cycle water better
✷ good for absorption and assimilation
✷ keeps muscles flexible and stops muscle cramps
✷ a natural anti-bacterial, antihistamine and anti-fungal
✷ higher functioning heart and lubricates pericardium (heart sack)
✷ creates Agni (fire) in stomach acid aiding in better break down in nutrients
✷ stimulates optimal absorption of minerals from food and water to the tissues

It is made by getting a 32oz mason jar, filling a 1:3 ratio of salt to the water. I use Pink Himalayan Sea Salt because it is the most balancing for all three doshas. Leave it on your countertop for 24 hours before consuming. Make sure to use a non-metal lid and utensils. Shake it well before using. Drink 1/2 tsp to 1 whole teaspoon in an 8oz glass of water first thing in the morning for the most benefits. This will last out on the counter for a very long time.

(Side note: Metal and Salt make have a chemical reaction of oxidation. Metal ions dissolve in saltwater meaning that slowly over time you are consuming that metal. Best when using salt, even in cooking, to use glass, wood, enamel-coated pots, or ceramic. The metal can also change the mineral content of the salt’s energy charge.)


Salt Scrubs

I personally love bathing with salt, I don't even use soap anymore. First off, I am activating my lymphatic system on a very direct level by bathing with salt, Secondly, it directly nourishes my plasma stimulating optimal blood flow. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and has its own natural biome to it. When we use soap we strip our skin of this biome. Salt scrubs are a great way to get direct transdermal minerals and electrolytes. Many people often ask me why I don't use sugar, and to be honest, as much of a sweet tooth that I have, sugar is highly processed and it doesn't have the hydrating and mineral content that salt has. Good salts are unprocessed therefore leaving. Our bodies are pure and nourished. I personally use grey salt when bathing because it feels to be the most hydrating for me personally.

Here are some recipes for salt scrubs for your dosha:

Vata:
✷ 1/2 cup of sesame oil
✷ 4 cups Grey Sea Salt (I use a blend of course and fine) or Fine Himalayan Salt
✷ Any of these Vata pacifying essential oils: benzoin, cardamom, Clary sage, pink grapefruit, coriander, fir, helichrysum, palmarosa, orange, ylang-ylang
✷ 1 glass or plastic container (i use plastic because I keep it in the shower and next to my bath)

Pitta:
✷ 4 cups fine Himalayan Salt
✷ 1/2 cup Sunflower Oil
✷ Any of these Pitta pacifying essential oils: rose geranium, cedar, fennel, frankincense, white grapefruit, lavender, peppermint
✷ 1 glass or plastic container (i use plastic because I keep it in the shower and next to my bath)


Kapha:
✷ 3 1/2 cups of Himalayan Salt and 1/2 cup of Kalanamak Black Salt
✷ 1/2 cup of Sesame or Mahanarayan oils
✷ Any Kapha pacifying essential oils: rosemary, ginger, sage, birch, cypress, clove, celery seed
✷ 1 glass or plastic container (i use plastic because I keep it in the shower and next to my bath)

Start with scrubbing around your chest and under your armpits to get the blood flow moving towards the body’s main lymphatic drain, The Subclavian Vein. This allows the rest of the lymph in the body to have a place to flow. Once you turn nice and pink you know that your blood is moving and you can start scrubbing around the rest of your body with a focus on the backs of the knees and around the groin where we have major lymphatic clusters.


(Side note: Essential oils are volatile gases of plants. This means they work big time on the system in drop by drop, small doses. Because they are gases they can be VERY dehydrating so always when in doubt, dilute with oil. Some of these suggested oils are VERY hot and can burn the skin, so start small when adding essential oils it’s your routine and work your way up)

So there are seriously endless different types of salt. There are Hawaiian pink, lava, and red salts. There's a salt cave from an ancient sea bed in Utah. There's dead sea salt (don't drink this due to the high count of bromide), and Celtic sea salts. Heck, there's even Morton's salt cave which is a huge underground salt mine in Grand Saline, Texas. We could go on for days. When it comes to what salt to consume and when. So please, further explore the magical world of salt with your body, use this guide, do some research, and even test it for yourself.

Some great resources I found to be helpful:

Break down of minerals in Himalayan salt

Solé Information

Some Good Salt Truths

The Art of the Kidneys