Salt is good???

    

     It plainly states in Mark 9:50 that "Salt is good...." So, why are we warned about too much salt?  Why do people who have high blood pressure or have experienced a stroke go on a "no-salt" diet? Why do we have so many products on the shelf in grocery stores that boast low or no salt added?  Something does not jive here. 
     To get the real picture, we have to define what we mean by salt.  The salt sold on the store shelves has been processed and refined.  It has had iodine and other chemicals added to it to keep it shelf worthy and "FDA" worthy.  That kind of salt can cause problems. It has been harvested in salt mines as brine, which means the salt has been in water.  Chemicals are added to the brine to remove the impurities, which really are minerals which are beneficial to you.  The process in which the salt goes through ( heat and compression) molecularly changes the structure of the salt.  Then toxic chemicals are added to keep the salt from clotting.  The salt is now pure and white, but dead.  There are no  beneficial properties; no cleansing, healing ability.  The process also leaves an imbalance between the sodium and the chloride; an imbalance which many  bodies cannot deal with, often causing swelling in the hands and ankles and causing blood pressure to rise.
       The more I study and the more I learn, I am amazed at how much good can come just by keeping things balanced.  Remove one necessary item, and chaos can result.  God's original design for salt was that it included the important trace minerals that your body needs to keep things in balance.  An imbalance of minerals can result in many health related problems.  Because the earth is aging, many of the minerals in the soil have been depleted and therefore, they are no longer found in our vegetables and fruits.  So, it is important that we find alternative ways of getting those trace minerals back. 
     We all have a natural craving for salt.  Try popcorn without it and you'll see!!  We need the essential properties found in salt, but we need to find a salt that has not been so processed that is no longer salt!  Stores have started picking up on the salt craze.  You can buy real sea salt in many stores.  Even better is the salt that has minerals that you can see: for instance pink or gray or red salt.  They do have a stronger salt taste, but your body will appreciate the extra minerals.
      Another interesting fact about salt is that it can help your body absorb more water.   Just adding 1/4 tsp of salt to every quart of water you drink will help your body use the water it needs and will also add the benefit of the trace minerals.  Yes, it does taste salty, yet surprisingly still quenches your thirst. It just may take a little getting used to!
     If you have been told to go on a no-salt diet, I implore you to do more studying and read Salt your Way to Health by David Brownstein.  A no-salt diet will only bring an imbalance to your system and cause more problems.  Plus, how bland your diet would be without it!  So, remember that "Salt is good" and it is something your body needs.  Find some that is natural and unprocessed and you may see a change in how your body functions.