See Salt; Sea Salt

SEE SALT, SEA SALT

When reading a recipe or product labels, choose unrefined sea salt whenever possible. Regular store salt is made chemically rather than mined. and it usually contains sugar as a cheap filler as well as aluminum. Sea salt is the only natural salt available today. It has all the minerals in tact and has a good potassium/sodium balance. Regular salt only has the sodium.

Salt is mentioned many times in the Bible as a seasoning and staple ingredient. Our bodies need salt. But the excessive amounts of salt being added to food products today is damaging to our bodies.

Apparently the problem is the sodium/potassium ratio typical of the Western diet. In the "olden days," when everyone ate an exclusively natural foods diet, people were consuming much more potassium than sodium. This was perfect, because our bodies are designed to eliminate excess potassium and hold onto sodium. But modern processing and preserving techniques have produced the reverse ratio, so most diets are usually quite low in potassium and extremely high in sodium, predisposing people to top killer diseases, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.

There is much debate as to the proper potassium-to-sodium ratio, so if you are interested in establishing a guideline for yourself, please seek the counsel of your health care provider. People from different ancestral heritages require different amounts of these minerals. Also, athletes, vegetarians, and those who live in hot climates or high elevations tend to require more sodium.

A healthier potassium-to-sodium ratio can be easily achieved by reducing salt intake, eating mostly an organic, whole, natural foods diet, and avoiding processed foods, which is where 90 percent of an average American's sodium comes from. The other 10 percent is consumed by salt shaker and that found naturally in foods.

One should be able to get enough sodium without even trying. Potassium is abundant in most natural, unprocessed foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegies. If you are having trouble getting enough potassium, however, you might consider taking a food-based potassium supplement. Ask your health care provider or a knowledgeable health food store clerk for a recommendation.

NATURAL NUTRITION DIRECTORY