How does unrefined salt affect blood pressure? Unrefined salt contains many minerals, including magnesium and potassium, which have a direct antihypertensive effect. In 1984, NHANES (the governmental National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), revealed that a pattern of low mineral intake, specifically magnesium, potassium and calcium was directly associated with high blood pressure. Repeated measurements over 20 years confirmed that relationship.
Magnesium is commonly used for muscle spasms and pain, and it has a direct effect on the relaxation ability of the smooth muscles of the blood vessels. Dr. Brownstein, an author of 16 books (including the book, “Salt Your Way to Health,” from where much of our content is derived), a board-certified family physician who uses the best of conventional and alternative therapies, and the medical director at the Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield, MI, states that his experience has clearly shown that it is impossible to treat elevated blood pressure without ensuring adequate magnesium intake.
Potassium has also been observed to help lower blood pressure, as well. Unrefined salt provides the body with complex of nutrients (over 80 minerals) that it needs to function optimally, including magnesium and potassium.
There is a relationship between water and salt in the human body. The human body contains about 70% water and the brain is about 80% water. The human body contains about 250 grams of salt in an adult.
The nervous system transmits electrical impulses throughout your body. These impulses are mediated by sodium ions. Sodium is responsible for regulating the electrical charges in our body. If levels are too high or too low, there’s going to be an abnormal electrical signal. The brain is extremely sensitive to sodium changes. In fact, an abnormal sodium level can be the onset of a seizure disorder.
Since the brain relies on sodium and water to transmit nerve impulses, along with magnesium, calcium and potassium, it can’t function normally if there are inadequate amounts of these substances. Using refined, white table salt will actually cause and worsen a mineral deficit in the body and increase the severity of any chronic disorder, including seizures.
We talk often to our clients about their water intake and, more often than not, the majority are falling short of what their bodies need. Dehydration is a very common issue, especially when drinking caffeinated drinks and juice, as they accelerate water loss in the body, and a chronically dehydrated body can lead to a poorly functioning brain and a poorly functioning nervous system. Dr. Brownstein has seen a myriad of conditions in the body improve, just by correcting salt and water deficits.
When clients first start the Genesis program, we address these issues upfront. Clients are told how much water to drink and are instructed to include 1 to 2 teaspoons of pink Himalayan salt per day. Use Redmond’s or Celtic sea salt. It is not uncommon at all for people to ignore that advice, thinking that it’s bad for their health or their blood pressure. In fact, many have been told it is. Then we get calls about muscle cramps, headaches, and overall fatigue and weakness, which are directly related to their lack of salt.
Now that you are taking unhealthy processed foods out of your diet, which are loaded with unhealthy sodium, you need to replace that sodium with unrefined salt. You were getting so much more sodium before Genesis than you realized, and now we are removing it to provide you with better health. So please, do not avoid using unrefined salt generously on your food, or even adding 1/2 a teaspoon to a quart of water to drink. You will be surprised how much better you feel.