Salt on your Tongue?
OK, so this sounds like the story my parents used to tell me that if you can put salt on the tail of a bird you can catch it…. now they’re saying if you put salt on your tongue (with a drink of water) you can sleep.
What?
A friend recently referred me to a book Water for Health, for Healing, for Life by F. Batmanghedlidj, MD.
Here’s an excerpt from it:
“Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic. If you drink a full glass of water, then put a few grains of salt on your tongue and let it stay there, you will fall into a natural, deep sleep. Don’t use salt on your tongue unless you also drink water. Repeated use of salt by itself might cause nosebleeds. Routine intake of water and the addition of some salt to the diet will regulate sleep pattern.”
And then I noticed the following article on Dr Mercola’s site… citing salt as a natural antidepressant. Interesting.
Knowing that depression and insomnia have a link too… I think it’s worth a try.
Don’t forget to use a good quality unrefined sea salt… where the minerals balance is good.
And I’d love to hear some feedback on this. My friend says she has tried it, and it worked… but I’d like to see a lot more responses.
Write back and tell me how you go, both good and bad, please!
And is it like sleeping at the beach? Crashing waves? Salty sea? Just kidding.
Elizabeth
August
Many people consume too much salt, but new research may have uncovered one reason people crave it -- it might lead to a better mood.
Researchers found that when rats are deficient in sodium chloride (common table salt), they shy away from activities they normally enjoy. A loss of pleasure in normally pleasing activities is one of the most important features of psychological depression.
If salt is a natural mood-elevating substance, it could help explain why so many are tempted to over-ingest it, even though it's known to contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and other health problems.
Mood Changes May Signal Sodium Deficiency
In the scientific review above, the researchers discovered that sodium taste as well as certain motivational/affective processes converge at sites in your limbic forebrain, suggesting that taste and motivational processes overlap, and because they are related to your sodium homeostasis, changes in sodium levels can influence your behavior both in terms of mood and taste cravings.
Since they did not detect any changes in blood pressure or pulse rate, and none of the subjects experienced cramps, it was determined that the deficiency did not initially disturb physiological functioning to any noticeable degree.
Interestingly, the researchers believed it is possible that changes in mood and appetite are among the first noticeable manifestations of sodium deficiency.
Normally, the homeostasis of your body fluids is corrected primarily by your kidneys, and proper renal handling of sodium is necessary for normal cardiovascular function. Given that your survival and normal physical development are dependent on adequate sodium intake and retention, the central question is – how much salt do you really need?
As I mentioned earlier, there’s a big difference between standard, refined table salt and natural health-promoting salt.
What?
A friend recently referred me to a book Water for Health, for Healing, for Life by F. Batmanghedlidj, MD.
Here’s an excerpt from it:
“Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic. If you drink a full glass of water, then put a few grains of salt on your tongue and let it stay there, you will fall into a natural, deep sleep. Don’t use salt on your tongue unless you also drink water. Repeated use of salt by itself might cause nosebleeds. Routine intake of water and the addition of some salt to the diet will regulate sleep pattern.”
And then I noticed the following article on Dr Mercola’s site… citing salt as a natural antidepressant. Interesting.
Knowing that depression and insomnia have a link too… I think it’s worth a try.
Don’t forget to use a good quality unrefined sea salt… where the minerals balance is good.
And I’d love to hear some feedback on this. My friend says she has tried it, and it worked… but I’d like to see a lot more responses.
Write back and tell me how you go, both good and bad, please!
And is it like sleeping at the beach? Crashing waves? Salty sea? Just kidding.
Elizabeth
I read about this in Women’s Day and it is true it really works… I have tried to tell friends and family to try it but they won’t they think I am crazy… But it really works well…
I've recently had mouth sores while simultaneously having headaches. All ive done differently was rinsing my mouth with salt water, before going to bed. and i sleep like a rock with no headaches and the best sleep ever.
I’ve never tried it but will give it a go. I have read however that salt helps with the Serotonin levels, those that are low in serotonin will usually crave salt to help with the balance but it is vital to drink water! I find that when i am really run down I crave a lot of salty foods or just a pinch of salt.
If you think about it according to the above theory it works to the opposite of sugar… Now that makes sense.
If you think about it according to the above theory it works to the opposite of sugar… Now that makes sense.
I received the tip from an app on my phone & tested it out. I was sleep within a few mins!! It was the best sleep I had in a long time.
- I read this in one of the app and try it out on myself, I was amazed and I as in a deep s leep
got this tip out of the who knew book. got a few questions. seemed to work night before last but not tonight. how much salt do you put on your tongue? do you swallow it? water before or after or both? also what kind of salt – plain ole morton – sea – kosher? could using this on a long-term basis raise blood pressure. (salting food raises blood pressure) even though this is much less. thanks for any input. i really need help sleeping. hey it worked once!
Same tip i was reading on iphone app and tried it out and it works best for me, its like a hypnotic sleep and i get refreshed and energetic in the mornning
The salt cure works often for me but not always. About four out of five times. Not bad! I also suppressed laughter when i heard about it the first time but what have i to lose. Now i am the one that gets the incredulous looks when i talk about my experience with salt and sleeplessness.
It works. Glas of water before bed and and suck on some salt grains and I fall asleep in no time.
This works. It’s amazing that we have become so conditioned as “consumers” to trust almost anything we see/hear in commercials, which convince us to buy medicines, and we scoff at the notion that the body’s basic needs can be easily treated with things like proper nutrition and hydration. I read Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book, “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty — Don’t Treat Thirst With Medication” and every sentence in that book makes complete sense.
The body’s most basic requirement is water, salt and potassium to maintain proper hydration. While we can last several weeks without food, if need be, we will die within only several days without water. Drugs are chemicals, and the side-effects of many of them can be shocking and downright life-threatening.
I am 63. After almost 20 years of believing I had allergies and wasting hundreds and hundreds of dollars and more on allergy meds that didn’t do anything – some common drugs like decongestants and antihistamines were actually making the problem WORSE – Dr. Batmaghelidj’s book convinced me I was severely dehydrated. I now take NO MEDICATION WHATSOEVER and all my “allergy” symptoms are gone.
Placing on the tongue a few grains of unrefined sea salt (recommended because it has all the natural minerals that are removed from common table salt) after drinking a glass of water will make you sleep very soundly.
I highly recommend the book.
Many people consume too much salt, but new research may have uncovered one reason people crave it -- it might lead to a better mood.
Researchers found that when rats are deficient in sodium chloride (common table salt), they shy away from activities they normally enjoy. A loss of pleasure in normally pleasing activities is one of the most important features of psychological depression.
If salt is a natural mood-elevating substance, it could help explain why so many are tempted to over-ingest it, even though it's known to contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and other health problems.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Most processed foods and restaurant meals contain very high levels of sodium from refined salt, and account for about 77 percent of Americans’ total salt intake. (90 percent of the money most Americans spend on food is for processed foods, and every one of these foods is loaded with unnatural highly processed salt).
One 2007 study, featured on BBC News found that the amount of salt consumed in just one Pizza Hut meal is more than twice the recommended daily limit for an adult and four times the daily limit of a six year old.
However, the vilification of salt is similar to the issue of saturated fat, which is in fact a healthy type of fat, but is typically consumed in many fast foods that also contain large amounts of trans fats, which can cause a number of health problems. Similarly, whereas natural salt is a healthy ingredient, processed table salt can be a problem.
Natural salt is in fact essential for life and play a key role in:
- allowing fluids to pass in and out of your cells
- helping carry nutrients to your cells
- helping nerve cells in your brain and body to transfer information
- various metabolic reactions in your body
- regulating blood pressure
An adequate intake of sodium is also required for optimal growth of fat, bone and muscle tissues. According to the study above, severe sodium restriction may negatively affect your glucose metabolism and disturb normal blood viscosity. They also found that sodium deficiency can induce behavioral changes such as reduced motivation, fatigue, and feelings of depression.
However, it’s important to understand that the salt used in processed foods is the highly processed variety, and NOT at all the same as the natural salt your body actually craves to perform these vital functions, including the maintenance of proper brain function.
Personally I seek to avoid all processed foods whenever possible and rarely consume regular table salt. I like the taste of Himalayan salt so much I carry it with me when I travel, and as many who have dined with me know, I typically put it on the table and offer others to try it and they just love it.
Of course I warn them that Himalayan salt tastes so good, many who try it like it so much they refuse to use regular table salt again.
Mood Changes May Signal Sodium Deficiency
In the scientific review above, the researchers discovered that sodium taste as well as certain motivational/affective processes converge at sites in your limbic forebrain, suggesting that taste and motivational processes overlap, and because they are related to your sodium homeostasis, changes in sodium levels can influence your behavior both in terms of mood and taste cravings.
In fact, changes in mood are frequently among the first signs of a nutritional deficiency in your diet.
For example, people who work day-to-day in extremely hot environments and lose large amounts of sodium through sweating commonly complain of fatigue, headache, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbances — symptoms that are often associated with psychological depression.
In a classic study in 1936, they showed that it took about seven days to make subjects sodium deficient when consuming sodium-free diets and sweating.
Mood-related symptoms reported by the subjects included:
Mood-related symptoms reported by the subjects included:
- loss of appetite
- loss of capacity to experience pleasure and joy
- difficulty concentrating
- excessive fatigue
- general sense of exhaustion
Interestingly, the researchers believed it is possible that changes in mood and appetite are among the first noticeable manifestations of sodium deficiency.
Salt actually becomes more palatable as a consequence of sodium loss, so when you become deficient in sodium, your taste buds play a fundamental role in restoring the balance.
People suffering from sodium deficiency typically report having a peculiar sensation in their mouth that is more commonly associated with thirst than with craving salt. People with weak adrenals usually report that they crave salty types of foods.
How Much Salt Does Your Body Need?
Normally, the homeostasis of your body fluids is corrected primarily by your kidneys, and proper renal handling of sodium is necessary for normal cardiovascular function. Given that your survival and normal physical development are dependent on adequate sodium intake and retention, the central question is – how much salt do you really need?
Previous research has shown that the worldwide average for salt intake per person is about 10 grams per day. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommend a maximum of 2.4 grams per person, which still may be more than double what your body really needs.
As an example, the New Guinea Highlanders average daily salt intake is around 0.5 g/day, and there is no evidence they are unhealthy. In fact they show far less cardiovascular disease than populations that consume the worldwide norm.
A strictly vegetarian diet contains about 0.75 grams of salt per day, and it’s been estimated that the Paleolithic diet contained about 1 to 1.5 grams, which was clearly sufficient for survival, even though it falls far below the FDA recommended amount.
I believe it’s clear that most Americans consume FAR too much processed salt that offers minimal health benefits. But if you want to find out whether you’re eating the proper amount of salt for your body, a fasting chemistry profile that shows your serum sodium level can give you a good idea, so that you can modify your diet accordingly.
Your ideal sodium level is 139, with an optimal range of 136 to 142.
If it is much lower, you probably need to eat more salt; if it is higher, you’ll likely want to restrict your salt intake.
If it is much lower, you probably need to eat more salt; if it is higher, you’ll likely want to restrict your salt intake.
Keep in mind that if you have weak adrenals you will lose sodium and need to eat more natural salt to compensate.
Why You Should Avoid Regular Table Salt
As I mentioned earlier, there’s a big difference between standard, refined table salt and natural health-promoting salt.
Your table salt is actually 97.5 percent sodium chloride and 2.5 percent chemicals such as moisture absorbents and iodine. This salt is dried at an excessively high temperature -- over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit -- that actually negatively alters the natural ionic physical structure of the salt.
Virtually all of the naturally occurring minerals that are typically in the salt have been processed out. Additionally, the processing imparts unhealthy vibrational frequencies into the salt, somewhat like a harmful homeopathic.
Moreover, when your body attempts to eliminate the excess processed salt, water molecules surround the sodium chloride to break it up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help your body neutralize these ions.
Moreover, when your body attempts to eliminate the excess processed salt, water molecules surround the sodium chloride to break it up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help your body neutralize these ions.
To accomplish this, water is taken from your cells, which tends to compromise the fluid balance in your cells.
You may be surprised to learn that for every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt therefore causes excess fluid in your body tissue, which can contribute to:
You may be surprised to learn that for every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt therefore causes excess fluid in your body tissue, which can contribute to:
- Unsightly cellulite
- Rheumatism, arthritis, and gout
- Kidney and gall bladder stones
Considering the fact that the average American eats 40 to 60 grams of salt each day this is really a pervasive issue. One reason for this overconsumption (other than the fact that it’s in virtually every type of processed food you buy) is that salt appears to be addictive, in a manner similar to that seen after regular consumption of coffee or nicotine.
Your Body Needs Salt – Choose Unprocesed Salt!
Your Body Needs Salt – Choose Unprocesed Salt!
Considering the many biological functions facilitated by salt, it would be a mistake to eliminate it entirely. However, it’s important to make sure you’re consuming the right kind of salt – the kind of salt your body can actually process and use.
I believe it’s perfectly fine and beneficial to use a pure, natural salt, such as Celtic or Himalayan salt, to add flavor to your food. (Personally, I far prefer the pink Himalayan salt, but either one will do as they are unprocessed salts and are not associated with most of the problems of commercial salts.)
Natural salt is dried naturally, and is not chemically processed so it contains minerals that your body actually needs to function normally.
If you are following the advice in Take Control of Your Health and have already eliminated processed foods from your diet, then your salt consumption will automatically be very low, as the only salt you’ll be consuming is what you personally add to your meals.
If your sodium levels are too high and you need to avoid salt, you can use lemon, garlic and other fresh herbs as replacements that will give your food added flavor and a healthy kick.
I believe it’s perfectly fine and beneficial to use a pure, natural salt, such as Celtic or Himalayan salt, to add flavor to your food. (Personally, I far prefer the pink Himalayan salt, but either one will do as they are unprocessed salts and are not associated with most of the problems of commercial salts.)
Natural salt is dried naturally, and is not chemically processed so it contains minerals that your body actually needs to function normally.
If you are following the advice in Take Control of Your Health and have already eliminated processed foods from your diet, then your salt consumption will automatically be very low, as the only salt you’ll be consuming is what you personally add to your meals.
If your sodium levels are too high and you need to avoid salt, you can use lemon, garlic and other fresh herbs as replacements that will give your food added flavor and a healthy kick.