Salt and its benefits
Sole (pronounced sol-ay) can lower blood pressure
We’re told to cut back on salt, but knowing your table variety from that made by Mother Nature can mean the difference between heart disease and health (and therefore beauty) at a cellular level.
Shannon Dunn writes.
Ancients have long known the benefits of salt, and even more so in the concentrated elixir known as sole (pronounced sol-ay), a Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt solution that has been known to lower blood pressure, support the body’s detoxification process, improve digestion, regulate blood sugar, act as a natural antihistamine and more.
Made by simply adding Celtic or Himalayan salt to clean water until the water can absorb no more salt, sole is gaining a modern-day appreciation among health practitioners and enthusiasts for its ability to help bring the body back into balance.
There’s good reason the body likes and needs this essential mineral, according to Dr Barbara Hendel and Peter Ferreira, authors of the widely renowned book Water and Salt, The Essence of Life. The human body, it reads, primarily consists of two elements: water and salt, with blood made from one per cent sole solution – the same concentration as found in the ocean.
Therefore, topping up our sole reserves can have a myriad of positive effects on the body and its functions.
“Salt can neutralise the acids in our bodies, but it can also cancel out harmful electromagnetic vibrations in our environment,” writes Dr Hendel. “Without potassium – which is stripped from table salt – and sodium, we could not think or act.”
Why not table salt?
Whole-and-real-food chef and bestselling author Cynthia Louise, who regularly uses homemade sole in her Bali kitchen, says choosing nature-derived salts over the common table variety is crucial for real-food preparation and to enhance health and overall vibrancy.
“Table salt is refined and highly processed, with 82 out of the 84 minerals stripped away, leaving behind only sodium and chloride that has a huge amount of caking agents in it,” she says. “Table salt is bad stuff… Since it’s processed to remove the good stuff, they then have to replace it with lots of other stuff to try and make it similar to its natural state. This doesn’t do your favourite dish or your body any good.”
Salt water sole benefits
Better digestion: Found to stimulate digestion, taking salt-water sole daily may help with food absorption and regulate elimination.
Detoxification: Minerals in Himalayan or Celtic sea salts are brimming with essential minerals that the body needs to function properly. This also includes detoxification. The antibacterial properties found in sole may also help eliminate undesirable bacteria.
Enhanced energy: With 84 minerals – from calcium and magnesium to boron and iron – found in Himalayan salt, a concentrated sole solution can help the body replenish essential minerals and provide a boost of energy.
Hydration: Adding a few teaspoons (using a non-metal spoon) to your morning drinking water enables the liquid to be absorbed at a cellular level, therefore hydrating the body more effectively. Hydrating properly first thing can give our bodies a much-needed energy boost to start the day.
Vibrant skin: Getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals is essential for healthy skin, hair and nails. Sole’s plentiful mineral content is a big beauty helper.
Antihistamine: Thanks to sole’s balancing properties, it has been known to work as a natural antihistamine.
Cramp relief: Whether caused by pregnancy or general lack of minerals and magnesium, salt water sole is said to bring relief to those who suffer from muscle cramps.
Weight management: Thanks to its digestive and healing properties, sole may help the body digest food more effectively and therefore assist with weight loss.
Blood pressure: While often thought of as a quick route to raised blood pressure, sole made from nature’s unprocessed salt has been found to lower blood pressure in some people.
Note: As with any health advice, consult a qualified practitioner before adding any new supplements to your diet, especially if pregnant, nursing or if you have a medical condition.
Cynthia Louise’s sole recipe
What you’ll need:
- A glass jar such as a wide-mouth mason jar or glass salad bowl
- A plastic or non-metal lid
- 1–2 cups Celtic sea salt
- Filtered water (not tap water)
Instructions:
Fill the jar about a quarter of the way with Celtic sea salt.
Add filtered water to fill the jar, leaving about an inch at the top.
Fasten the lid and shake gently. If you are using a bowl, stir with a wooden spoon.
Leave on the counter overnight to let the salt dissolve.
The next day, if there is still some salt at the bottom of the jar, the water has absorbed its maximum amount of salt and the sole is ready to use.
If all of the salt is absorbed, add more salt (yes, more!) and continue doing so each day until some remains. This means the water is fully saturated with the salt.
Method:
Mix one teaspoon of the sole into a glass of water and consume every morning on an empty stomach. Do not use a metal utensil to measure, or touch the sole with any metal object.
