September is National Arthritis month and in recognition, we are featuring a different bath salt on sale every week on our website throughout September. Along side this sale, we are taking the opportunity to give you a brief history of bathing, salt, and the benefits water and bath salts can have when used! This is part 3 in our 4 part article, all about salt!
Why is salt so beneficial? Salt is salt, right? There are so many types of salt to talk about, but in this article, we will narrow it down to the type used in our bath salts, Celtic Sea salt and what is in it that is so beneficial.
A Brief History of Salt
Salt has been around forever and humans have been using it for just about as long. In the beginning, people would trade salt for gold and also used it to preserve food to keep it from going bad. It helped civilization to store food for longer amounts of time, making them less dependent on roaming herds. For a long time, salt bars were used as currency. It was so valuable, Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in it and in ancient Greece, slaves were traded for it. Salt determined the wealth of cities and funded wars. It was a hard item to obtain so it was very valuable, highly sought after, and was most often used in trading. These trade routes used for transporting salt are called the “salt roads.”
Salt has had other meanings besides wealth throughout history. It was used at Stonehenge for Druid rituals as a symbol of life-giving and in early Japan, was sprinkled on theatre stages before a performance to ward off evil spirits. In Arab countries, salt used to be used as a sign of friendship and to close a deal. In the Bible, salt was used metaphorically as good men are referred to being “the salt of the earth.”
From culinary to health to preventing ice on roads during winter months or softening hard water, salt is all around us and used for a wide variety of things. The types of salt used for bath salts are unlike regular table salt. Table salt has been bleached, iodized, and put through many other harsh steps that change its molecular structure and take out vital minerals, which is why this salt needs to be eaten in moderation as it can cause health problems. The right type of salt can be very beneficial to our bodies as it contains minerals we need that our bodies do not produce on their own. Salts used in bath salts or in Thalassotherapy (sea salt bath therapy) still contain all of their natural minerals that the body absorbs through water.
Of all the sea salts, Celtic Sea salt contains the most minerals and has the lowest amount of sodium. Once dissolved in water, it also has a very similar likeness to human blood and body fluids, which make it better for your body to absorb. Celtic Sea salt comes from the northern coast of France and is still harvested using a 2000 year old Celtic farming method. Harvesters of the salt use wooden rakes to scrape the layers of salt out of the sea and into piles. The reason wood rakes are used is because metal can change the molecular structure of the minerals contained in salt. This old Celtic farming method of using wooden rakes ensures the purity and balance of the minerals in the salt.
What’s In It?
So what is in Celtic Sea salt that makes it so great for the body? A few of the types of minerals in Celtic Sea salt are chloride, iron, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, manganese, silicon, and fluoride. These trace minerals are important to your body. They act as facilitators for biological reactions meaning they help carry the brain’s messages throughout the nervous system, improve muscle response, and help the body absorb the nutrients it gets from food.
Sodium and Chloride help regulate acidity in the body and sodium maintains pH balance in cellular fluid. Both are necessary for osmosis and electrolyte balance. Iron is needed for cell function and blood utilization. Magnesium aids in cell functionality and is necessary for muscle contraction and absorption of amino acids. Potassium helps stimulate nerve impulses and muscle contractions, stimulates kidney and adrenal function, and is also important for biosynthesis of protein. Calcium is used to build healthy bones and teeth, stimulates muscles and nerves, helps blood coagulation, and is necessary for regulating a healthy heartbeat. Zinc is beneficial for growth, development, immune system response, insulin synthesis, and can help prevent bacterial infections. Copper aids in the absorption of iron and vitamin C. Manganese is necessary for use of glucose, lipid synthesis and metabolism, and pancreatic function and development. Silicon helps with bone growth and formation, and may help keep skin young looking and keep hair and nails healthy. Fluoride keeps teeth enamel strong and helps the body absorb calcium.
What’s On Sale This Week
This week, we are featuring our Stress Relief Therapeutic Bath Salt on sale for 20% off on our website. Our Stress Relief bath salt is a synergistic formula specially combined to soothe the nerves and calm the mind, perfect after a hard day of work or anytime you feel overwhelmed. We use hand harvested Celtic Sea salt that contains over 84 vital trace minerals that are essential to our bodies.
Next week will be the last part in our 4 part article and we will be wrapping up with some recipes and other facts you should know. Don't forget to check it out!