We all know how bad salt is for you when you have too much. All our lives we are cautioned by physicians, family and friends about the risk of high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks and even dementia that can be linked to too much salt. What they don’t tell you is what can happen when you have too little of the right kind and too much of the wrong kind. Confused? Well, with everyone putting so much effort into eating right, Mediterranean Sea Salt and Himalayan quickly became the must have salt condiments. I was one of the many consumers who replaced my old salt with these healthier choice condiments. I cooked with them, seasoned, and flavored with only these salts. There are great benefits to be derived from both of these.
Sea Salt Benefits
- Improves brain function
- Helps with alkalizing
- Aids in immunity
Himalayan Salt Benefits
- Supports sinus and respiratory health
- Controls water content of the body
- Believed to be linked to better bone health
When Healthy Isn’t Healthy
However, anything in excess or without a median balance can have negative repercussions. For a little over a year these were the staple salts in my pantry. Fast forward to today and you will find only Table Salt in my cabinets and I am about to tell you why. This could prevent you from inadvertently causing yourself a thyroid problem or adding to a condition you may already have. Pay attention to what you buy. If you pick up the container at the store and read carefully, the container of Mediterranean Sea Salt and Himalayan will often state the following (Does Not Contain Iodine). Again, let me reiterate, Does NOT Contain Iodine!
Your thyroid needs a healthy dose of iodine to keep it fully operational, so eliminating good old iodized salt for an extended period of time could really mess with its mojo. You can still use these healthier salts if bought with the added iodine or used intermittently. Just be careful not to eliminate too much of the iodized from your diet or you could very well end up with a much larger issue that effects your whole quality of life. What’s in your salt is a small detail with a big impact. Perhaps now we can appreciate that iodized table salt for its unseen benefit of providing essential iodine.
This is just one contributing factor to the development of my thyroid problem, and I felt it very important to make you aware as it is something very few would notice. I literally saw the small writing by chance as I was pulling my Sea Salt from the cabinet and we mentioned it to my endocrine doctor shortly after. His eyes grew as big as quarters when I told him I had solely been using salt that was not iodized for a little over a year. Most would probably overlook it and your doctor would likely miss it as a potential cause. Then you could end up on thyroid drugs that have a whole long list of their own risks attached and may make you sicker.
