ThaiHerbs

Just a thought. I am not a doctor but have studiously read "alternative and natural health" info for decades, and practice what I can.

"The Importance of Salt"

Salt has been demonized way out of proportion IMO. Perhpas a case can be made against the value of typical table salt as all the minerals etc have been processed out. Natural sea salt retaining all the accompanying minerals can be obtained most anywhere now. Animals commonly lick the highways in winter (I am Canadian) for the salt which is used to remove snow and ice, salt licks are used by hunters to attract deer for an easy hunt. Animals instinctively know what is good for their health.

I cannot post links as a new member but here are some quotes I found about the importance of salt with info to find the link:

How about ancient cultures...

Around the world and throughout history, salt has been cherished both as a healer, preserver and vital symbol of life and blood. It has been considered a token of love and a guard against evil. The Native Americans considered salt a gift of the deity and by keeping it safely in a box, it had the power to ward off evil; in Andalusia, salt is synonymous with grace and charm and to pay a lover a high compliment you call her your "salt box"; and in Morocco people carry salt on them for protection against evil spirits.

see "Bettina Werner Salt More Precious then Gold"

...If you could choose between a pile of salt and a pile of gold, you would probably choose the gold. After all, you know that you can always buy a container of salt for about forty-five cents at the local supermarket. But what if you could not easily get salt, and without it you could not survive? In fact, throughout history salt has been very difficult to obtain in many parts of the world, and people feared a lack of salt the way we in the industrialized world fear a shortage of fuel oil.

see "smithsonianeducation Trading Salt for Gold"

When a person sweats salt is lost which must be replaced. I do not know how much salt is in urine (one source said 2% by mass) but if you are drinking lots of fluids then you are also losing salt thru urinating. This has to be replaced. As a student I worked in a dairy part-time and when we were hot-steaming the pipes after processing the day's milk we were forced to take salt tablets because of the salt our bodies lost thru sweating when steaming the stainless steel piping.

I am not familiar with this author but pretty much agree with this

...Our own cellular makeup and fluids are very similar to sea water, i.e. your tears. Much more than a solution of salt water, the ocean's waters contain a complex combination of minerals and elements.

It is this coincidence that has likely made salt, which is essential to life, the condiment most used for thousands of years.

"Salt" is actually a chemical term for a substance produced by a reaction of an acid with a base. The terms, "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself but which is required for life and good health. Human blood contains 0.9% sodium chloride, or salt—the same concentration as found in saline solutions used to cleanse wounds. That coincidence is why we crave it and why man came to cherish it. ...

Mineral salts create electrolytes. Electrolytes, often called the spark of life, are what carry the electrical currents throughout our bodies - sending messages to the cells in all of the different systems.

Electrolytes are minerals that are also necessary for enzyme production. Enzymes are responsible for breaking down food, for absorbing nutrients, muscle function, hormone production and more.

Our biological need for salt that contains a balance of naturally occurring minerals and trace elements is very real. These minerals must be replenished regularly in order to maintain health.

Anyway gotta run, just some thoughts to consider.

Doug

Question and looking for advice:

What natural remedies can I take?

Bai-Ya-Nang Juice

My gf (Noi) has been making two all natural Thai Herb Juices for a while now that have helped a lot of people. She has been making Bai-Ya-Nang juice for +3 years and Khow Tong for +1 year. I would suggest you look into the health benefits of the Bai-Ya-Nang leaf (also called Bai-Yanang or Tiliacora triandra). From my observations Noi's Bai-Ya-Nang juice seems to positively affect a variety of health issues for people. My guess it is a combo of the general health benefits of fresh chlorophyll plus the special minerals in this leaf that assist the body in coming back into a more normal balance. I am not a doctor but strongly believe the body will heal itself if given the opportunity to do so, otherwise you (generic you) are only treating symptoms which will continually reoccur.

The Bai-Ya-Nang plant grows in most of SE Asia including Vietnam (ask around). There is more information/reading on her Thai/Eng website (google "noi bai ya nang chiang mai") if you want to dig into it further. Her product is only availabe locally in Chiang Mai because the shelf life is just a few days (all natural no preservatives so it has to be refrigerated) but she shows how to make it.

I also am a believer in natural Chinese medicine and there is an abundance of practitioners in every country around the world. Generally speaking they are very inexpensive to visit as are the prices for their herbal remedies. They are known to treat the underlying cause and not just symptoms.

Doug