Phew, we are sweating…

Water and salt come together in the heat

In the past sodium tablets were distributed on the ships which crossed the equator in order to avoid sodium deficiency and dehydration in the strong sun exposure. We need more water the more we sweat. Drinks more water, in smaller portions – do not chug half a liter all at once and then not drink anything for hours afterwards. The body absorbs approx. a deciliter of liquid every 15 minutes. It is therefore smart to intake small portions of water frequently. If we drink large quantities of water without the intake of sodium, it will drain the sodium balance of our body. When we sweat we not only excrete water from the body but also sodium.We have all experienced salty sweat in our eyes and it also tastes strongly of salt. If we lack sodium in the body, we will get tired, unfocused and dizzy and this could even affect the heart rate.

Sodium is the body’s electro-skeleton and is essential in the distribution of liquids through the body and cell membrane functions. Sodium deficiency can be fatal. That is why the body stresses when we lack sodium, for example in the heat.
When we are tired and need energy, most people eat something sweet. In reality the body is crying out for some salt!

We often hear that sodium increases blood pressure and fluids building up in our bodies. This is also true, however it is not the whole truth, as salt isn’t just salt. Just as the typical white wheat flour contains less and less nutrients, the mass produced refined salt which is only sodium and chloride, has very little positive effect on the body. It can be harmful in exaggerated quantities and can often contain chemicals to bleach or declump the salt. Microwavable meals for example are pure refined salt bombs, in which case it is in order to warn against too high a sodium intake. Instead replace with natural salts which are rich in minerals.

Salt is essential to life. It used to be worth its weight in gold because salt is a basic need just as the air we breathe and the water we drink.

If we look at it historically, sea salt and salt mines have always played an important role in trade, because it is a mineral supplement as well as a means of seasoning and conservation.

It is evident that the Chinese found salt by boiling algae more than 5000 years ago. Later on, citizens in countries by the Mediterranean sea and the red sea discovered that as the sun evaporated the seawater, it left behind salt. This was the start of salt production and evaporation with the help of the sun’s heat which is still used in many places today.

Salt used to be known as white gold. The roman legionnaries had part of their salary paid in salt – their ‘salarium’. The roots of the Spanish word salario and the english word salary both mean payment. This is also the root of the saying “A good man is worth his salt”.

Medically, salt has been used as a supplement when travelling to warmer countries to avoid dehydration or as a mean of assisting digestion. Many have heard of English salt, Glauber salt or Krushen salt which all help a troubled digestion.
When the fair ladies at balls fainted they were given salt to smell in order for them to regain consciousness.

Today we know that a lack of salt means a lack of energy. We cannot have a thought or move our bodies without salt being used.
It is not a coincidence that the liquids in our body have the same sodium levels as that of sea water.

Sodium is a fundamental element which we couldn’t survive without. The body has approx. 450 grams and this quantity must be maintained so we can remain healthy and energised.
It is therefore recommended that salt be an element of one’s diet. If our weight is approx. 70 kgs. we would probably need about 5-10 grams of salt daily dependent on health, age, level of activity and fluid balance.

When we are tired and need energy, most people eat something sweet. In reality the body is crying out for some salt! If you eat something salty instead of something sweet, you may realise that the sugar craving dies down.