Beware of Summer Heat, a Lurking Health Hazard

Did you know that between 350 - 400 people die each year from Heat Stroke? In especially hot years that number has risen over to 1700 deaths according to the National Center for Health Statistics!Especially vulnerable are active people (adults and children), and even more for those who regularly consume alcohol.What to watch for: lethargy, depression, dizziness, weakness, feeling faint, passing out suddenly without obvious cause, headaches from mild to severe, a general malaise or overall body pain accompanied with mild to severe fatigue that doesn't seem to go away.Do these symptoms describe you or anyone you know during hot weather months?For such a complex array of symptoms, the solution is amazingly simple: Salt and plenty of water.Salt? Yes, salt.The body requires sodium to help maintain the proper levels of hydration in your body. Keeping your body hydrated is critical to your well-being, which is why the body sends such nagging and painful warnings when it is dehydrated.Did you know that our body's composition is almost exactly the same as seawater? What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the ocean?Most likely, it is salt and water!The FDA recommends 3 grams of salt per day as a minimum. However, the medical establishment says to stay away from too much salt. There is a long list of health problems that arise from too much salt, so how can it be possible that we need MORE salt?First, we must understand where these medical warnings about salt intake come from. In our society of fast-food and pre-packaged meals, the salt used to season and preserve the food is industrial sodium chloride. Sodium chloride by itself is a harmful chemical, but it is what you will find in most salt shakers across America. Salt in its natural state contains beneficial minerals. However, since most salt is mined for industrial purposes and requires no minerals for that use, the salt producers sell off the remaining salt as sodium chloride.There are some brave souls who have marched away from convention and have switched to using sea salt in their food.Sea Salt is a vast improvement over pure sodium chloride, with many minerals still intact. However, due to vast pollution in our oceans, the most pure and best source of salt is mined from the ancient salt deposits.Himalayan Salt is perhaps the finest selection of mineral salt in the world due to the high altitude of the Himalayans, which protects the water source feeding the great mineral salt beds.Let's look at the effect of massive doses of Himalayan salt on human health.For hundreds of years, the indigenous people of the Himalayans have been widely recognized as the longest living people in the world. But not only do they live a long time, they are healthy, as well.It is fascinating to learn that they routinely put a chunk of mineral salt in their tea each day (and they truly love their tea, drinking 10 to 20 cups per day). The salt and pure water are the cornerstone of everything they eat and drink. They benefit from the health-giving minerals found in their amazing crystal salt.Here are some of the recognized health benefits of Himalayan salt:*It regulates the water content throughout your body.*It normalizes blood-pressure.*It balances excess acidity from your cells.*It balances your blood sugar levels.*It helps reduce your aging rate.*It generates hydroelectric energy in your cells.*It helps with food absorption in intestinal tract.*It regulates your sleep.*It is a natural hypnotic.*It helps clear mucus and phlegm from your lungs.*It acts as a strong antihistamine*It helps clear up sinus congestion.*It helps prevent muscle cramps.*It helps prevent osteoporosis by firming bones.*It helps maintain libido.*It prevents spider veins on your legs and thighs.*It stabilizes irregular heartbeats.*It destroys a wide range of potentially harmful microbes, bacteria, protozoa and parasites.How it all relates to summer heat.The summer sun steals our body's hydration in many ways, sweating is only one way. You may not even be aware of how much water you lose each day. The rule of thumb is that if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.You should also be aware that alcohol and coffee dehydrate your body even more than the sun. The well-known hang-over is nothing more than a warning message from your body that it needs water's beneficial hydration (not soda). Dehydration causes the list of symptoms that were mentioned at the beginning of this article and more. So it is important to be aware of keeping your body fully hydrated at all times. Here are a few tips to do so.* Drink plenty of distilled or spring water.* Don't drink soda or fancy electrolyte drinks that can cause even more problems than they cure.* Use Himalayan salt in all of your cooking and to season your food.* For athletes, instead of calorie-laden electrolyte drinks, add Himalayan salt capsules taken with plenty of water to keep your body properly hydrated during intense or prolonged exercise.So try Himalayan salt!You will notice increased energy, and those dehydration symptoms will disappear.
Jenna Smith, author of "The Goddess of Sumer" and many articles on various topics. Jenna tries to assist people with Lyme disease and healthy living through her websites: www.dawa-himalayan.com