Common salt, also known as sodium chloride, is an omnipresent ingredient used for seasoning in everyday foods.
It is available in a range of diverse forms and particles, depending on the proposed use. Along with its culinary usage, it is also used as a food preservative.
However, did you know that there are multiple uses for salt outside of the kitchen? There are several different types of salt, all of which can serve distinctive purposes.
The team at Amani Spa and Wellness at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront has shared the health benefits of salt besides cooking with it.
It can be good for your mouth
Saltwater is believed to have healing benefits when used as a mouth rinse for mouth sores or when you have pain from a tooth extraction.
It can also be used to relieve discomfort and pain from a sore throat. It is also believed that using saltwater as a mouth rinse regularly goes a long way to clean your mouth and prevent infections.
It is an essential nutrient for your body
The human body cannot survive without salt - our bodies use salt to maintain healthy blood pressure (provided that you aren’t consuming too much). If you take in too little salt you are likely to get muscle cramps, headaches, and feel weak - among other things.
Be sure to keep track of how much salt you use in food, drinks, and snacks to keep your intake at a healthy level.
It can help you relax
There’s a reason that so many health shops sell salt lamps - these lamps are said to be able to boost your mood, help you breathe better, improve sleep, and more.
It can easy a stuffy or runny nose
Those saline nasal sprays contain a key ingredient - salt. At the risk of sounding a bit gross, these sprays loosen and thin mucus in the nose, helping to clean out congested airways.
Other than being a bit uncomfortable, there are few to no side effects as many of these sprays just contain salt and water, and no medication.
It can ease sore muscles
Taking a salt bath has been proven to relieve sore and tired muscles. Of course, you can’t just pour table salt into a bath and expect amazing results. Specific salts, like
Epsom salts, are needed for a salt bath and these can be bought from various wellness stores. These salt baths are good at treating certain skin conditions, too.