More Than a Condiment: The Wonders of Salt
For over hundreds of years, salt has been with us in our dining spaces. In ancient times, both the Romans and Chinese made use of this mineral in their cooking. The Romans, for example, would use salt to flavor their leafy veggies, which later led to the word “salad”, developed from “salt” (in an older language). The Chinese, on the other hand, would use it to make the world-famous soy sauce that various cultures still consume today. Salt has many uses in addition to enhancing our culinary experience, a few examples are listed below:
Benefits Beyond the Taste Buds
Consuming salt in moderate amounts has several benefits on the body. By keeping the body’s hydration and electrolytes well balanced, salt ultimately helps the organs to operate more properly. Iodine, an element found in most table salt, keeps the body’s metabolism in check through helping the thyroid to efficiently function.
Holistic Home Remedies
There are many things on the market that anyone can use to deal with sore throats— from numbing throat sprays, to soothing throat drops. But there’s also the more natural method in alleviating throat pain: salt water gargles. According to studies, gargling with salt water can help reduce the amount of bacteria within the mouth. Additionally, research has also shown that those who gargle with salt water are less likely to get upper respiratory infections.
For Food, AND For Water
While warm baths alone relieve stress, adding sea salt will take your self-care game to the next level in quality. This addition helps relieve muscle aches as well as joint pains. In addition sea salt baths can help decrease some of the itchiness that accompanies the certain skin conditions while also helping to soothe arthritis symptoms.
Inhaled, Not Just Eaten
Halotherapy is a form of body healing involving inhalation of small salt particles. Halogenerators churn out salt crystals intermittently, covering customers in a dust-like coating while they relax in a spa-style settings like salt rooms or booths. Halotherapy has several benefits, a few of which, are: aiding the healing of inflammation, lung infection symptoms, and asthma problems.
References:
1. Rowan University. (n.d.). Salt, Particularly in Ancient China and Rome. Rowan University. Retrieved from: http://users.rowan.edu/~mcinneshin/101/wk07/salt.htm
2. Higuera, V. (2019, July 07). Salt 101: Why You Need It, How Much Is Too Much, and How to Cut Back. Everyday Health. Retrieved from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/salt-health-benefits-risks-types-how-cut-back-more/
3. Fletcher, J. (2020, December 21). What to know about gargling with salt water. Medical News Today. Retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325238
4. Kramer, O. (2019, October 30). Benefits of Sea Salt Bath. Healthline. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/sea-salt-bath
5. Web MD. (n.d.). What is Halotherapy. Web MD. Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-halotherapy