Of the many bounties that the sea bestows upon us, one that we absolutely cannot live without is that of salt. Salt has been boosting the flavours of our food for millennia. Apart from being a culinary staple, salt lends itself to a multitude of other purposes and can be found in various forms. Table salt is the most common way sodium chloride is known to us, but if you want to really reap the benefits of this mineral, sea salt is the best option. Sea salt is abundant in certain elements which help to fine-tune our bodily functions. It also helps to improve and sustain the health of our skin and our hair. Read on to find out the six wonderful benefits of salt.
SOAK IT IN
Sea salt is also great for your skin. It has wonderful healing properties, and a soak in sea salt water will help reduce dry and itchy skin. Sea salt facilitates quick healing as it opens up the pores, which improves circulation resulting in better hydration of the tissues. Also, it makes your skin softer, supple and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and cellulite. It acts as a moisturiser for dry, chapped skin and balances oily skin.
SOFTENS YOUR HAIR
Apart from aiding in bodily functions and restoring the softness of your skin, sea salt also helps maintain the glory of your crowning jewel – your hair. The presence of important minerals makes your hair shiny, and it also moisturises and protects leaving it feeling soft and bouncy. Due to the nutrient-rich property of sea salt, it helps heal damaged hair too.
ADDS VOLUME
Mix equal amounts of Epsom salts and conditioner and apply it only on the roots of your hair. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse off. This will add volume to your tresses as well as remove excess build up oils and hair products. However, this should be done seasonally to prevent your hair from becoming dry and dull.
SLEEP SOUNDLY
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a pool of saliva form onto your pillow while you’re sleeping. This is caused by a shortage of salt in the body, which leads to a deficiency in water retention; thus, making your salivary glands work overtime. A glass of sea salt water before you turn in will combat this embarrassing problem. It’ll also help you sleep soundly since sea salt enables the production of serotonin and melatonin, which is essential to elevate stress and help you relax.
PROVIDES HYDRATION
The human body is made up of 70% water, and is essential for our existence. NaCl or common salt helps maintain the level of water, balancing extracellular fluid and promoting optimal blood flow. These properties of salt help us fight infection. If you have ever sucked on a bleeding finger, you know that blood tastes salty. Thus, we need water and salt for normal blood functioning. Salt sustains basic health as well as boosts overall development.
STRENGTHENS IMMUNE SYSTEM
Sea salt is considered to be the world’s oldest antibiotic, having anti-viral properties. Instead of pumping yourself full of medicine, take it easy on your liver and substitute it with a healthy dose of sea salt. It has zero side effects, while making your immune system strong so you can better fend off pesky colds, fevers and flus. And for those prone to allergies, sea salt is your friend.