Salt Benefits and Uses for Skin, Hair and Health
Salt is composed of sodium and chlorine, and consists of white crystals that are cube shaped. It is naturally present in sea water. You get salt by evaporating sea water. Salt is used for cooking and also for other purposes. It is also used for softening water.
Benefits of Salt for Skin:
Can make you look younger:
Taking salt water baths regularly make you look young. Bath salts reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on your skin and keep your skin soft ad supple. This makes you look younger.
Face exfoliator:
Mix one teaspoon of fine grained salt with one teaspoon of olive oil and massage your face and skin with the mixture. This can exfoliate your skin and remove dead skin cells and other emeritus from your skin.
Good skin toner:
Salt is very effective for reducing the excess oil on your face. Just fill a spray bottle with tepid water and add 1 teaspoon of salt to it. Spray this on your face. This acts as a good skin toner. Avoid spraying on your eyes.
Treats acne:
Most of the toners, soaps, masks and cleansers that are used for treating acne contain sea salt as one of the main ingredients. Potassium helps in ensuring proper cell metabolism, while sulphur helps in synthesizing oxygen. Calcium is effective for cleaning the pores and magnesium helps in removing toxins and other impurities from the skin.
Benefits of Salt for Hair:
Adds more volume:
Take equal quantities of Epsom salts and conditioner and mix well. Apply it on the roots of your hair. Wait for 20 minutes and then wash it off. This helps in adding more volume to your hair and also gets rid of excess oil and hair products present on your hair. Do not apply it frequently as it can make your hair dry and dull.
Softens your hair:
Sea salt can make your hair bouncy, and add volume and softness to your hair. The minerals present in sea salt keep your hair moisturized and also repair and protect your hair. The healing properties of sea salt are effective for healing damaged hair.
Stops sweating of scalp:
If your scalp sweats excessively, apply salt spray on your scalp and let it dry. This will soak the excess water and oil from your scalp throughout the day. This is because salt has the ability to absorb moisture.
Treatment of dandruff:
If you have dandruff on your hair, crush sea salt and apply it on your scalp before wetting your hair. This helps in loosening the flakes on the scalp. As a result, the scalp treatment products penetrate deeply into the scalp and work more effectively.
Health and Medicinal Benefits of Salt:
Alkalizes the body:
Sea salt is not subjected to high heat. The natural minerals in t do not get removed and it does not contain any of the manmade ingredients that are harmful for the body. As a result, sea salt is effective for alkalizing your body. It helps in preventing various life-threatening diseases by reducing the high levels of acid in the body. The minerals in sea salt ensure proper functioning of the nervous system and the cells.
Aids weight loss:
Sea salt helps in preventing water retention and also promotes proper digestion. This makes sea salt very beneficial for losing weight. However, table salt is not considered good for weight loss.
Beneficial in respiratory problems:
Salt is very beneficial for treating respiratory problems like bronchitis, asthma and hay fever. It can reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract and slow down the production of phlegm. This makes you breathe easier. A glass of water, to which half a teaspoon of salt is added, can clear sinus and congestion in the bronchus.
Beneficial in diabetes:
Salt can ensure proper levels of blood sugar in the body. This way it helps patients who suffer from diabetes.
Cures toothache:
If you are suffering from tooth pain, all you have to do is to add one teaspoon of salt in one cup of hot water and mix well. Gargling with this solution can provide you relief from toothache.
Digestion
Salt is good effective for improving the secretion of salivary glands and to produce digestive juices. As a result, the digestive process is made fast. Salt can also prevent constipation and ensure proper absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.
Facilitates proper sleep and cures depression:
Some people experience flowing of saliva from the mouth when they sleep. This is an indication that there is shortage of salt in the body. When there is a deficiency in salt, the salivary glands secrete more saliva. You can prevent this problem by drinking sea salt before you go to sleep. Sea salt is also good for curing depression by producing the hormones serotonin and melatonin. These hormones help you deal with stress and make you relaxed, providing you good sleep at night.
Prevents osteoporosis:
Salt is essential for keeping your bones healthy. About 1/4th of the salt present in your body gets stored in the bones. When your body becomes deficient in salt and water, the required amount of sodium is drawn from the bones. This leads to osteoporosis. You can prevent this condition by drinking lots of water and consuming adequate amounts of salt.
Prevents muscle spasms:
For the proper functioning of the body, you need adequate amounts of potassium in your body. Sea salt contains small amounts of potassium and it also enables the body to absorb potassium form other foods you consume. So, prevent muscle spasms, muscle pains and cramps by including sea salt in your regular diet.
Strong immune system:
Sea salt is known for its antibiotic and anti-viral properties. So, it is a good substitute for antibiotic drugs. Moreover it does not cause you any side effects. It makes your immune system strong and helps you fight against cold, flu and fever and autoimmune diseases. It also protects you from allergies.
