Feel Great with Juicy Hydration and Salt Balance
By Kim Vidya, RHN
Many people on cleansing regimes have made dramatic improvements to their health simply by changing the way they approach hydration. Water is the second most vital element for life, after oxygen. While many people focus on drinking enough water, few realize that how they drink water and the salt they consume can greatly impact their health. The importance of proper hydration techniques and mineral intake for maintaining overall health is hard to overstate.
Water: A Vital Life Source
Water is essential to almost every bodily function, from digestion to brain function. While you can survive a few minutes without oxygen, the body can only last a few weeks without water. This demonstrates just how crucial hydration is to human survival. However, simply drinking water isn't enough. How the body absorbs water into its cells is just as important.
The Role of Sodium and Potassium
For water to effectively hydrate the body, it must reach the cells. This process is governed by two key minerals: sodium and potassium. Sodium primarily exists outside the cells, while potassium resides inside. Together, they maintain fluid balance, allowing water to enter the cells. Imbalances in sodium and potassium can cause serious issues, such as high blood pressure and dehydration at the cellular level.
One common mistake people make is consuming too much processed table salt. Table salt is high in sodium but lacks other essential minerals like magnesium and potassium, which are necessary for maintaining cellular balance. This can lead to increased sodium inside the cells, which causes them to swell and results in high blood pressure. This is why patients with high blood pressure are always advised to limit their intake of iodized “table salt.”
Celtic Salt vs. Table Salt
Celtic salt is a natural sea salt that contains 82 minerals, including magnesium, which helps transport water into the cells. This salt is hand-harvested, preserving its natural mineral content, and is considered far healthier than table salt, which is highly processed and usually contains harmful additives, like aluminum.
Celtic salt, with its balanced mineral content, is particularly effective for hydration because it helps regulate the sodium-potassium balance in the body. By placing a small crystal of Celtic salt on your tongue before drinking water, you ensure that the minerals aid in water absorption at the cellular level. This method helps people who struggle with frequent urination when drinking large amounts of water, ensuring that the water stays in the body where it's needed most.
Proper Hydration Techniques
I recommend drinking about eight glasses of water daily but must stress the importance of drinking small amounts throughout the day rather than large amounts all at once. This mirrors how rain nourishes the earth: a slow and steady intake of water allows the body to absorb it properly. Drinking too much water in one sitting can overwhelm the body, leading to frequent urination and ineffective hydration, in the same way that a torrential rain erodes soil and damages plant life.
Additionally, the use of Celtic salt before each glass of water can help with mineral absorption and ensure that the water is effectively used by the cells. This is particularly important for people experiencing dehydration symptoms like frequent urination, swelling, or dry skin.
High Blood Pressure and Hydration
One of the major health concerns associated with improper hydration is high blood pressure, which can result from multiple factors, including dehydration, an imbalance in sodium and potassium, and a high-carbohydrate diet. Dehydration can cause the body to retain sodium inside the cells, which leads to swelling and increased blood pressure. Consuming natural salts like Celtic salt helps to regulate sodium levels, promoting better hydration and reducing the risk of high blood pressure.
In fact, there is a French doctor who successfully treats high blood pressure patients by switching them to Celtic salt, which contains the minerals needed to balance sodium in the body and lower blood pressure naturally.
The Effects of Chronic Dehydration
Dehydration has widespread effects on the body. In a state of dehydration, the body pulls water from essential areas like the lining of the stomach, leading to issues like ulcers and digestive problems. The brain also suffers from dehydration, leading to headaches and negative thought patterns. The joints, which are surrounded by fluid, can become painful as the body pulls water from them to maintain other critical functions.
Chronic dehydration also affects the lungs and their ability to exchange gases efficiently. Without proper hydration, the small air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli, may not collapse fully during exhalation, reducing the amount of oxygen the body can take in with each breath.
Integration of Hydration while Cleansing
During your cleansing process, make sure you stay hydrated. Understanding simple aspects of body chemistry, especially pertaining to minerals, is a crucial reminder that drinking water alone isn't enough. Proper hydration requires a balance of minerals, particularly sodium and potassium, to ensure that water reaches the cells. Switching from table salt to natural salts like Celtic salt, along with drinking water steadily throughout the day, can greatly improve health and prevent conditions like high blood pressure, dehydration, and other related issues.
Incorporating these simple changes into daily life can have a profound impact on overall health and well-being. Together with the other aspects of your cleansing regimen, the path towards a more salubrious life awaits!