Bray People

So have you had a salt debate today?

- WITH CLAIR WHITTY Clair Whitty is a Bach Flower Practition­er, a Nutritiona­l Health Coach at The Natural Health Store, 24 North Main Street, Wexford 053 9121613 clair@naturalhea­lthstore.ie www.naturalhea­lthstore.ie

SALT, good or bad? My husband thinks I use far too much We have a constant debate about it. And I keep saying that we need a certain amount of salt for our body to function properly.

Common table salt is highly processed and refined, and often has chemicals, and caking agents added to allow for better flow. It’s what’s often added to processed foods. You can have control over how much you add to homemade mealts. If it’s more processed then read the labels you might get a shock at how much you’re eating.

Healthy alternativ­es include; Himalayan Pink Salt, sea salt, celery salt, and Herbamare.

Himalayan pink salt has many health benefits. It contains over 80 trace minerals that the body needs. The salt is mined in the Himalayan Mountains and nothing has been added to the salt or taken away. It’s over 250 million years old. It can help to regulate the water content of the body; it promotes a healthy pH balance in the cells, and helps with their electrolyt­e balance. Interestin­gly it helps with leg cramps which are often associated with excess salt intake. And it can support respirator­y health, and vascular health, quite the opposite to the effect of common table salt.

Herbamare salt contains a combinatio­n of sea salt and a mixture of herbs and spices, these ingredient­s add flavour to your food but contain less salt than you normally use.

However, craving for salt or adding salt to your food before tasting it can be a sign of adrenal fatigue. Excess salt in your diet can contribute to fluid retention and that can raise your blood pressure. In turn that can put pressure on your heart and other organs like your kidneys and your brain. It can also cause swollen ankles and fingers.

Too much salt can cause dehydratio­n. And I’m sure we’ve all done it. We’ve had a packet of salted nuts or a takeaway and suddenly, you feel so thirsty. And it’s because salt will dehydrate you. Dehydratio­n can also trigger a whole range of menopause symptoms, such as hot flushes, and night sweats, anxiety, palpitatio­ns, headaches, and joint pain.

Did you have a salt debate today?

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