For many years, doctors have advised against consuming too much salt. Eating salt in excess has been connected to high blood pressure, heart problems, kidney disease and other health issues. However, according to Health Benefit of Water.com, not all salts are harmful. Natural salts, such as sea salt and rock salt, are said to have many health benefits. Two popular brands of these natural salts are Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Crystal Salt.
Dietary Uses
According to Health Benefit of Water.com, the most common table salts available are actually overprocessed sodium chloride. These common salts are kiln-dried and augmented with anticaking agents, a process that removes many of the naturally occurring minerals in salt that the human body needs to maintain many of its balances.
Health Benefit of Water.com states that natural salts, such as rock salt and sea salt, are sun-dried and largely unprocessed. This helps the salt to retain the minerals that benefit the human body by aiding electric pulses in nerve cells, relieving muscle cramps and other benefits.
Benefits of Salt Baths
Sea and rock salt can also be used to benefit the external body. According to Himalayan Living Salt.com, bathing in a solution of filtered water and sea salt helps the skin to release toxins and absorb beneficial minerals from the salt. These baths are also supposed to leave a natural film on the skin that helps retain moisture and keep skin soft. Himalayan Living Salt.com also says that soaking in a salt bath can soothe muscle and joint aches and pains.
Other External Health Uses
Celtic Sea Salt.com advocates using sea salt for nasal irrigation, wherein a person pours a saltwater solution into one nostril so that it flushes through the sinuses and out the opposite nostril. This process, according to Sea Salt.com, helps relieve allergies and sinus infections.
Sea salt can also be used to exfoliate the skin. Exfoliation involves moistening the skin with water or oil and scrubbing the skin with a little salt. This removes the outer layer of dead skin and cleanses the pores.
Celtic Sea Salt
According to Celtic Sea Salt.com, Celtic Sea Salt is harvested from the coastal regions of France. It is slightly grey in color from minerals absorbed while it lay on the grey, sandy clay of the coast. This sea salt is sun-dried to retain its natural minerals and claims to be herbicide and pesticide free.
Himalayan Crystal Salt
Himalayan Crystal Salt is harvested from salt mines in Khewra, Pakistan. These mines are formed from sea or lake beds that dried up centuries ago, leaving salt beds to be compressed underground until it was mined. According to Himalayan Living Salt.com, these salt crystals are beige or pink in color because of the minerals absorbed from the soil. Himalayan Crystal Salt claims to be naturally processed to retain all natural minerals.