Water and salt are essential for life, yet many people are chronically dehydrated and mineral deficient. Proper hydration and mineral balance provide the foundation for overall health and wellbeing. I will summarize key insights from nutrition expert Barbara O‘Neill on harnessing the healing power of water and salt.
Achieving Optimal Hydration
The human body is over 60% water. Every system depends on water – from nutrient absorption to waste removal. Yet 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, setting the stage for disease.
According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, author of “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water”, dehydration is the root cause of headaches, hypertension, asthma, allergies, arthritis, angina, diabetes, obesity, and more. By age 65 the body’s thirst perception declines, increasing dehydration risks.
We lose 10-12 cups of water daily through sweat, urine, breathing and digestion. This level of fluid turnover requires diligent water replenishment.
I recommend calculating your hydration needs based on body weight. Consume 30 ml per kg or 1⁄2 ounce per pound. For a 150 pound person that equates to 75 ounces or about 9 glasses daily.
Increase water intake with exercise, hot weather or increased sodium intake. Spread consumption over the entire day instead of drinking large amounts at once. Filter water to remove chlorine and fluoride while retaining beneficial minerals.
Maintaining an optimally hydrated body provides vast health benefits:
- Transport of nutrients and oxygen
- Waste and toxin removal
- Regulates body temperature
- Acts as a lubricant and cushion around joints
- Moisturizes skin and organs
- Improves sleep quality
- Boosts cognitive performance
Thirst is the last signal of dehydration when the body is already parched. Don’t wait for thirst – pre-hydrate by drinking water first thing in the morning and all throughout the day.
Harnessing The Healing Power of Water Therapy
Beyond meeting daily fluid needs, targeted hydrotherapy provides immense therapeutic benefits. Alternating hot and cold water elicits a systemic response – increasing circulation, lymphatic drainage, cellular oxygenation and metabolic waste removal.
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Cold plunge (50 to 68°F) – Constricts blood vessels and stimulates parasympathetic nervous system to lower heart rate, blood pressure and inflammation. Improves lymphatic drainage.
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Hot plunge (98 to 110°F) – Dilates blood vessels, increasing blood flow. Makes cell membranes more permeable to flush metabolic waste products.
Alternating 3 minutes hot and 1 minute cold for 3 cycles triggers the mammalian dive reflex – providing pain relief, tissue healing and boosted immunity. Those struggling to break a fever or infection can benefit greatly from hot/cold hydrotherapy. Apply the same technique topically to injured, inflamed joints and tissues to speed recovery.
replenish Minerals with Rich, Unrefined Salts
Table salt is comprised solely of refined sodium chloride crystals. Aggressive processing denatures this once complete food into an unbalanced chemical. Salts sourced from ancient seabeds or mineral rich springs provide over 80 trace minerals and electrolytes essential for hydration, nerve transmission, bone health and stable pH balance.
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Celtic Sea Salt
- Redmond Real Salt
Sprinkle liberally on food. Add a pinch to every glass of filtered water. Let the minerals dissolve completely under the tongue whenever you feel fatigued.
Unrefined salts greatly benefit adrenal, thyroid and metabolic function. The adrenals require ample sodium chloride to produce key hormones. Suboptimal sodium hampers conversion of inactive thyroid hormone T4 into active T3.
Celtic sea salt also delivers a rich dose of magnesium – a critical mineral depleted by stress, prescription drugs and modern fertilizer depleted foods. Magnesium calms the nervous system, relaxing muscle tissue and lowering elevated blood pressure associated with "essential hypertension".
Summary of Barbara O‘Neill Video
I will summarize key time stamped insights from Barbara O‘Neill‘s essential video on leveraging natural therapies for healing.
00:00 – Water and sodium are essential for cellular health. Consume them in natural unrefined forms like Celtic salt dissolved in filtered water.
08:47 – Celtic salt hydrates the body, balances pH, promotes nutrient absorption, regulates blood pressure and curbs hunger. Small amounts of uncontaminated sea water can provide essential minerals and trace elements.
16:40 – Dehydration and salt deficiency elevate blood pressure. Consume adequate water and Celtic salt to normalize thickness and pressure of the blood. Dark leafy greens, vitamin D, exercise and stress reduction also essential.
27:09 – Drink ample water before meals to prevent ulcers. Daily water loss through breathing, digestion and sweat must be sufficiently replaced. Dehydration causes headaches, tissue shrinkage, back pain and constipation.
33:40 – Adequate hydration and salt boost respiratory function and oxygen utilization while eliminating headaches and back pain.
38:55 – Drink 3 liters of water daily. Avoidance of diuretic beverages improves health. Filter water and salt adequately. Alkalized water may not be necessary if consuming enough clean water.
45:59 – Children require abundant water for growth and toxin dilution. Therapeutic hydrotherapy with steam and hot/cold treatments enhances detoxification pathways.
54:52 – Hot and cold therapy effectively reduces pain and inflammation when applied directly or indirectly to the target tissue. Other examples include hot foot bath for headaches or potato poultice for finger pain.
Conclusion
Water and salts like unrefined Celtic Sea Salt provide the medium for all biological processes. Rehydration and mineral repletion form the foundation for optimal performance and healing. Harness targeted nutritional therapies, hydrotherapy, hot/cold treatments to further accelerate tissue repair and rejuvenation.