Salt The Health

Humans, like many other animals, crave the taste of salt. Animals frequent salt licks, humans have traded salt for equal weights of gold, and the word “salary” comes from the Roman soldier’s allowance for purchasing salt. Salt appears in our language in idioms like “worth its salt” and “salt of the earth.” Shakespeare’s play King Lear is a variant of a folktale where a daughter tells her father she loves him as much as meat loves salt. In a murder mystery I read years ago, a character listed the four food groups as sweet, salty, sticky, and chocolate.

It’s no fair: everything that tastes good turns out to be bad for us. We love the taste of salt, but dietary guidelines tell us we should all limit our sodium intake to less than 2.3 grams (2300 mg) a day to avoid high blood pressure and death from cardiovascular disease. And those who are fifty-one, African American, or who have high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or diabetes should limit their intake even further, to 1500 mg a day or less.

(Note: the salt molecule consists of an atom of sodium and an atom of chloride; 40% of the weight is sodium, so 1500 mg of sodium equals 3750 mg of salt, roughly ¾ of a teaspoon. Over 75% of our salt is already in the food, not added from the salt shaker.)

In 2010, the American Heart Association lowered its recommendations to 1500 mg a day for everyone. We thought that was good advice, but new evidence has muddied the waters.


In the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, three new studies about the role of salt in cardiovascular disease were published. Instead of providing clear answers, they raise more questions. In a cute NEJM QuickTake cartoon video they summarize the findings of the studies. If you’d rather spend three minutes watching cartoons than reading my explanation, feel free.

Salt and health: the background
High blood pressure is a known risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between salt intake and blood pressure, but the correlation between salt intake and cardiovascular outcomes like stroke and death has not been so clearly established. The large INTERSALT study found a modest association between higher levels of sodium intake and higher blood pressure. Some systematic reviews of the literature have confirmed that association, others have not. A 2013 review in the British Medical Journal found that lower sodium intake was correlated not only with a lower risk of hypertension but also with a lower risk of stroke and fatal coronary heart disease. Prospective cohort studies have shown inconsistent associations between sodium intake and cardiac risk.

Larger studies were needed to settle the issue.

First study: Association of Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion with Blood Pressure, by Mente et al.

Subjects: 102,216 adults from 18 countries. Method: single fasting urine levels of sodium and potassium were used to estimate 24-hour excretion, providing an indirect estimate of dietary intake. Findings: the association of sodium with BP was greatest in hypertensives, the elderly, and those who had the highest intakes of salt. It was greatest in those ingesting over 6 grams of sodium a day, modest in those ingesting 3-5 grams, and not significant in those ingesting less than 3 grams a day. They found an inverse relationship for potassium: higher levels of potassium were associated with lower blood pressures.

Second study: Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events, by O-Donnell et al.

Subjects: 101,945 adults from 17 countries. Method: as in the first study, single fasting urine tests were used to estimate 24-hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion; those estimates were compared to a composite outcome of death and major cardiovascular events. Findings: mean sodium excretion was 4.93 g. Compared to a reference range of 4.00-5.99 g a day, the odds ratio for death and cardiovascular events was 1.15 for high sodium excretion (over 7 g a day) but was even greater at 1.27 for a low sodium excretion (below 3 g). Higher potassium excretion was associated with decreased risk.

Third study: Global Sodium Consumption and Death from Cardiovascular Causes, by Mozaffarian et al.

The authors reviewed 205 studies on sodium consumption from 66 countries. Estimated mean global consumption was 3.95 grams a day, with regional means varying from 2.18 to 5.51. Daily sodium intake >6 grams a day was associated with increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular events. 

Discussion of the results
We knew too much sodium was risky, but these studies raise concerns that too little sodium might be even worse. As the accompanying editorial points out,

They call into question the feasibility and usefulness of reducing dietary sodium as a population-based strategy for reducing blood pressure…the alternative approach of recommending high-quality diets rich in potassium might achieve greater health benefits, including blood-pressure reduction, than aggressive sodium reduction.

It may not be the potassium itself; diets rich in potassium are also rich in a lot of other healthy nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

These studies were large and well designed. They gathered an immense amount of data, looked at a variety of associations, and did their best to rule out possible confounding factors. But epidemiologic studies like these are imperfect by nature. The authors themselves pointed out several limitations of their studies, including the indirect way they measured sodium and potassium excretion.

So what did we learn?
None of this really sheds any light on what we should do as individuals. Should we continue asking “pass the salt?” Should we abstain from adding salt at the table? Should we read labels and monitor the total amount of salt in our diet? Should we aim for 3–5 g a day?

These studies found associations, but they couldn’t determine causes, and they did not even attempt to measure what would happen if people changed the amount of sodium and potassium in their diets. If anything, they suggest that existing guidelines for salt restriction for the general population may be too extreme.

They also suggest that “moderation in all things” and “eat your vegetables” are still good advice.

Bonus question: What kind of salt should we use?
A related question is whether some kinds of salt are healthier than others. Sea salt, table salt, kosher salt, flavored salt, fleur de sel, Hiwa Kai, Black Hawaiian Sea Salt, Kala Namak, “organic salt,” and Pink Himalayan Sea Salt are all basically the same chemical, sodium chloride. Only the trace amounts of other substances vary. Table salt is fortified with iodine and is a highly effective way to prevent iodine deficiency and goiter. Gourmet cooks swear by the taste differences of different salt varieties.

(Don’t eat Epsom salt. You’d regret it: it’s has a significant laxative effect when taken internally.)

Pink Himalayan sea salt was introduced to me by an e-mail correspondent who questioned the claim that it contained “84 trace minerals that promote health and well being.” I questioned it too, so I did a little research.

Mike Adams, the infamous Health Ranger, explains that Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt contains the full complement of minerals and trace elements “just like Mother Earth intended.” It is an unrefined, unprocessed raw salt mined by hand from salt caves that formed 250 million years ago as ocean salt settled into geologic pockets. It is stone-ground, which apparently doesn’t count as “processing.” Table salt is bad stuff, you see, since it was processed to remove all the good stuff and then they had to replace the iodine because people who ate it started to get goiters. Oh, and incidentally he sells the good stuff on his website and even offers a discount.

I found a website that reports the results of a spectral analysis of Himalayan salt. I think this is where the claim comes from. Even if this analysis is accurate, it is meaningless for health and if anything is worrisome. The amount of minerals in it is too minuscule to make any difference, and we already get plenty of the same trace minerals from other foods. They claim that two double-blind studies were done, but no such studies are listed in PubMed. There is no evidence published in peer-reviewed journals that replacing white salt with pink salt makes a shred of difference or leads to any improvement in health.

If you read down the list of minerals, you will notice that it includes a number of radioactive substances like radium, uranium, and polonium. It also includes substances that act as poisons, like thallium. I wouldn’t be worried, since the amounts are so small; but if anyone believes the trace amounts of “good” minerals in Himalayan sea salt are good for you, why not believe the trace amounts of poisons and radioactive elements are bad for you?

The claim that pink Himalayan salt contains 84 trace minerals may be true, but the claim that it “promotes health and wellness” is false until proven otherwise by legitimate clinical studies. While waiting for evidence, I’d just as soon my salt didn’t contain uranium.

1. DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf (click here) 

2. Global Sodium Consumption and Death from Cardiovascular Causes (click here for New England Journal of Medicine)

3. The INTERSALT Study: background, methods, findings, and implications. (click here for The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

4. Blood pressure, cardiovascular outcomes and sodium intake, a critical review of the evidence. (click here for US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health) 

5. Research: Effect of lower sodium intake on health: systematic review and meta-analyses. (click here for the abstract)

6. First study: Association of Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion with Blood Pressure, by Mente et al. (CLICK HERE)

7. Second study: Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events, by O-Donnell et al. (click here) 

8. Third study: Global Sodium Consumption and Death from Cardiovascular Causes, by Mozaffarian et al. (Click Here) 

9. EDITORIAL: Low Sodium Intake — Cardiovascular Health Benefit or Risk? (click here)

10. Does Epsom Salt Work? (click here)

11. The results of a spectral analysis of Himalayan salt. I think this is where the claim comes from. (click here)

12. What Are the 84 Minerals in Himalayan Salt? The pink color of Himalayan salt comes from iron oxides. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS)
The Meadow lists elements found in Himalayan salt in addition to sodium and chloride. In alphabetical order, they are: actinium, aluminum, antimony, arsenic, astatine, barium, beryllium, bismuth, boron, bromine, cadmium, calcium, carbon, cerium, cesium, chlorine, chromium, cobalt, copper, dysprosium, erbium, europium, fluorine, francium, gadolinium, gallium, germanium, gold, hafnium, holmium, hydrogen, indium, iodine, iridium, iron, lanthanum, lead, lithium, lutetium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, neptunium, nickel, niobium, nitrogen, osmium, oxygen, palladium, phosphorus, platinum, plutonium, polonium, potassium, praseodymium, protactinium, radium, rhenium, rhodium, rubidium, ruthenium, samarium, scandium, selenium, silicon, silver, sodium, strontium, sulfur, tantalum, tellurium, terbium, thallium, thorium, thulium, tin, titanium, uranium, vanadium, wolfram, yttrium, ytterbium, zinc and zirconium.

HISTAMINE / ANTI-HISTAMINE

AND THE DANGERS OF TAKING ANTI-HISTAMINE
By Jim Bolen, a student of Dr. Batmanghelidj

Histamine is a chemical that our body releases when it needs help correcting a shortage of some very important substances like water, salt or potassium. Histamine and its buddies (5 helpers) will help re-balance the body that is "out of balance". Histamine is really a good thing that saves our lives according to the great Dr. F. Batmanghelidj. The medical field today is using anti-histamines because it does not understand how histamine really works in the human body. When histamine is produced in the body, it can be over-produced because we are taking too much of one thing or another that our body cannot use.

A good example is orange juice. Orange juice is loaded with potassium that our body cannot use without salt. * So when a person drinks orange juice and does not take enough salt that is required for the potassium to go into the human cell, then histamine is released to take care of this problem. A person needs 1/8 tsp of salt (3/4 gram) for every 8 oz (250 cc) of orange juice for the potassium to be used by the cells in the body. Dr. Batmanghelidj explains this very clearly in his books.

The book I like best is the "ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus". On page 149 at the bottom and at the top of 150 he writes, "It is a good policy to add some salt to orange juice to balance the actions of sodium and potassium in maintaining the required volume of water inside and outside the cells." In some cultures, salt is added to melon and other fruits to accentuate their sweetness. In effect, these fruits contain mostly potassium. By adding salt to them before eating, a balance between the intake of sodium and potassium results. The same should be done to other fruits.

What he is saying here is we need salt with all our food because of the potassium. Potassium is in almost everything we eat. Yes, salt can be very bad for us if we don't take enough water to balance out the salt intake. Salt can cause high blood pressure, make us retain water and help in clogging up our arteries, and the list goes on. Dr. Batmanghelidj's book, "Your Body's Many Cries for Water", explains how a shortage of water and/or too much SALT will cause most of the medical problems we have today. 

On the back cover it says,

YOU WILL LEARN TO USE WATER TO:

1. Prevent and reverse premature aging
2. Eliminate pain, including heartburn, back pain, arthritis, colitis, angina, and migraine headaches
3. Cure asthma in a few days, naturally and forever
4. Cure hypertension without diuretics or other medications
5. Lose weight effortlessly and naturally, without strict dieting

This book explains that a lack of water in the body (chronic dehydration) is the root cause of many painful diseases including asthma, allergies, hypertension, arthritis, angina pain and much more. 

The biggest problem today is we are not drinking enough water; plain water, not coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, etc. The human body needs plain water and salt. The proof of this is the use of "SALINE IV's" in ambulances and hospitals. They don't give an IV of plain water but of salt water. One liter of saline is 33.8 oz of water and 9 grams of salt (1 ½ tsp of salt). They don't give you a sports drink or energy drink IV, but a saline IV and sometimes they will give you a liter of vitamins, minerals and another IV of sugar water (dextrose or glucose). 

The best natural antihistamine is salt, according to Dr. Batmanghelidj. If we take too much water and don't take enough salt for our water intake, the body will release histamine. You can tell when you get a runny nose or possibly by having some congestion in your throat and lungs. If you are constantly clearing your throat, you need to take some salt . The same is true when eating foods rich in potassium or drinking fruit juices and not taking enough salt for the potassium in the juices. You can get a runny nose or have congestion in your throat or lungs. Too much salt intake will also cause the release of excess histamine and again you will get the runny nose or congestion in the throat or lungs. A person's eyes could also be an indicator of histamine release in the body by giving them a watery (runny) eye. When you drink water and have one of the symptoms listed, then you need to put some salt on your tongue and the symptom should clear up. If you are eating food and have one of the listed symptoms then you need to take some salt for the potassium. Just put some salt on your tongue and if it stops the symptom, then you know what you are reading is true. It won't hurt you to try it. You don't have to swallow the salt, just let it stay on your tongue for a minute or two and then you can rinse the salt out of your mouth or just release it into a cup or napkin. If you took too much salt or put some salt on your tongue and have one of the symptoms, then you would drink a glass of water or two and the symptom would go away. Each person needs to be aware of their symptoms, and try to find the proper balance of water to salt as well as the required amount of salt for the foods they are eating.

I hope this letter will be of some help to those who are trying Dr. Batmanghelidj's program for the first time. The strongest antihistamine we have is adrenaline that is released by our adrenal glands that sit over our kidneys. Coffee, or rather CAFFEINE, is what will stimulate the adrenal glands to release adrenaline. CAFFEINE will also cause the body to release its own stored energy it has for an emergency. When the stored energy is released, the body will borrow what it needs to put the energy back into its emergency system so it can react to another emergency. CAFFEINE will cause the body to cannibalize off itself. Every cell in the body needs water and salt to maintain healthy cells that will work together to keep a person in good health. 

There is so much to be learned from reading Dr. Batmanghelidj's books. This statement is from his book, "ABC of Asthma, Allergies and Lupus on page 172, at the bottom of the page. "STRICT ATTENTION TO DAILY SALT INTAKE IS VITAL FOR PREVENTION OF HEART DAMAGE THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY CONTINUOUS STIMULATION OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVE SYSTEM WHEN ONLY WATER IS TAKEN."

The use of commercial anti-histamines will only keep covering up the body's shortage of water and salt. Just think about why doctors tell us to stay away from salt and sodium because it's not good for us. The doctors say we get way too much salt in our foods today. Commercial foods are loaded with salt/sodium to extend (preserve) the life of the food. Excess salt/sodium is very bad for us if we don't drink plain water. Plain water will wash out any extra salt held by the body. But drinking plain water and not taking enough salt will pull the salt out of the cells, causing an imbalance. This imbalance is what causes diseases. The body needs water and salt to stay healthy. 

Ask your doctor or nurse to explain to you why they will give a person an IV of saline (salt water) in the hospital when they tell us we are getting way too much salt/sodium in our food today. 

Our problem today is we are not drinking enough plain water anymore. We have turned to commercial beverages.

Animals in the zoo drink plain water. Dogs and cats drink plain water. Most dogs and cats don't get enough salt. That is why they lick humans' skin. It's for the salt. I suggest that you put some salt in their water dish and you will see big changes in your animal. 

Go to watercure2.org and look up pets. Also go to www.watercure.com.

*The minerals in natural sea salt are best. Plain white table salt has had the minerals removed and these minerals are sold. Sea salt tastes better. Our body needs these other minerals to stay healthy.

I suggest you check out all Dr. Batmanghelidj's books and read them. They have been a life saver for me and many other people. 
Disclaimer: This information doesn't replace your doctor or need for medications. This information is only meant to educate or make you aware of the body's needs.

Living with the Harms of Prescription Drugs

Living with the Harms of Prescription Drugs
The harms associated with prescription drugs are :
a community issue ,
a family issue,
a healthcare issue,
a public safety issue,
an industry issue.

We all have a responsibility in addressing them.

"On June 10, 2004, my only child died suddenly and unexpectedly. Michael went to bed and never
woke up. The coroner who investigated Michael’s death determined that he died as a result of
“hydromorphone intoxication.” His death was ruled an accident, and no street drugs or alcohol were
in his system. His death was preventable.
My son and I shared a beautiful, close, loving relationship. He lived at home and was the focus of my
life. Michael was a thoughtful, generous, warm and caring soul with a smile that would light up a
room. He loved children and children loved him; he was extremely close to his family, had many
friends and had a successful business partnership.
However, things changed during Michael’s last year.
In the summer of 2003, Michael seemed easily agitated and upset over the slightest things. Even
though he tried to hide this from me, I sensed something was wrong, but made the mistake of
thinking this was due to the ups and downs of a new relationship. When I talked to him about it he
said “Mum, don’t worry I’m seeing a doctor.” It wasn’t until after Michael’s death that I learned that
his doctor prescribed him more than 13,000 pills in a period of 14½ months. The day before his death
Michael was prescribed a drug he had never taken before — Dilaudid®. The active ingredient in
Dilaudid is hydromorphone, one of the most powerful opioids ever synthesized.
The next morning Michael never woke up.
Unfortunately, this kind of indiscriminate prescribing is all too common. It breaks my heart when I
think back and imagine the anguish, both physical and mental, that he must have experienced from
the excessive amounts of highly addictive medication.
After Michael’s death, I began searching for answers. I realize now that two visits to the emergency
department in Toronto may have started Michael on a slippery slope. Twice in 2002, my son was
diagnosed with kidney stones. Both times he was treated and discharged with a prescription for
Percocet™, which is oxycodone. Neither the doctor nor the pharmacist warned us that Percocet could
be addictive. The use of opioids “as prescribed” is not sufficient to prevent patient harm. My son
died within two years of his first Percocet prescription.
The system failed Michael and it continues to fail others. It is my hope that First Do No Harm will lead
to a system that doesn’t fail others as it did Michael. We must bring about the necessary changes to
end the epidemic of death and addiction caused by prescription drugs by ensuring that they are
regulated, marketed, prescribed and used in an evidence-based manner.
This vignette also represents the many untold stories and is written for all the loved ones lost to a
system that failed them. We can and must do better." 
— Ada, mother

FIRST DO NO HARM (REPORT IN FULL, ) CLICK HERE 

"I was a regular kid with a normal life in a good family. My parents were very supportive. No one else in my family did drugs: I was the black sheep. I started experimenting when I was just 15 and started smoking pot with my best friend who was 14. My friend’s dad used to take us to places we’d never get in and buy us beer. I thought he was super cool. One day his dad came home and dumped three piles of cocaine out of a baggie and took his line and told us to take a line. I was scared, obviously. I didn’t want him to think I was scared so I did it. Cocaine took my anxiety issues away. I tried opioids and they were even better than cocaine. I tried oxycodone and Dilaudid®. I kept hanging out with my friend and his dad. We started looking for drugs everywhere and using friends to get them. Drugs made me feel less shy and nervous around girls. In high school, drugs are very prevalent. Drugs became the focus of my life. I found a cheap supply pretty easily at first. My friend stole Dilaudid eight milligram pills from his dad, who had a prescription, and he’d sell them to me for a dollar. He only stole 20 at a time so his dad wouldn’t notice. Kids sold prescription drugs at school and it seemed safe as the pills are prescribed by a doctor. The problem is they aren’t safe. They are all addictive; I found opioids to be the worst. Eventually my cheap sources ran out and I started buying them from the street. I stole about $700 from my grandmother by “helping her” with groceries. I was 18 when I was charged with seven counts of theft for stealing cartons of cigarettes. I stole stuff from my cousin’s house. I was in detox more than 10 times. I just wasn’t ready to quit. The drugs had too much of a hold on me. I stole and sold necklaces and a camcorder for drug money. I stole my uncle’s handgun and was caught by the police while trying to sell it. I went to jail that night and then to court. I still had drugs hidden in my winter coat. I asked for a magazine and a pencil and used that to crush them up. I snorted them off the magazine in the courthouse holding cell. The only thing I wanted was that drug. Nothing else mattered to me. My parents were extremely angry and upset. I lied about how much I owed the dealers so my dad gave me $500. I paid what I owed and snuck back into the house with drugs. While my mom was still in bed, I crushed up and snorted pills. At 20 years old things changed drastically. After a night of drinking while on a mix of Dilaudid and other drugs, I robbed a late night motel. This time when I went to court I broke down and cried for everything I’d put my family and other people through. I was sentenced to four years in prison and was terrified. The withdrawal was horrific and lasted over a week. When I started feeling better, I was allowed outside. I was surrounded by concrete, but could look up at the sky. I remember breathing fresh air and vowing I’d never use drugs again. I believe everything happens for a reason. I worked out and graduated high school from prison. I got on a methadone program at prison and have stayed clean for four years. Today, I work with lots of young people so they don’t live through what I did. I’m involved with addiction services and tell my story at doctor’s conferences. I also have a blog to help kids and families: www.pastaddiction.blogspot.com. My life is so much better now without drugs. I wish I’d quit sooner." — Neil, young man recovered from prescription drug misuse.

First Do No Harm: Responding to Canada’s Prescription Drug 
Crisis

"I signed up with the Toronto Police as a cadet when I was 17 years old. I was sworn in on my 21st
birthday at the rank of police constable. I was young, fit, loved hockey. I loved my life and had a
promising career ahead. Some injuries caused a shift in my back vertebrae, but I continued playing
hockey. I had a small bit of pain when I skated, but no pain on the job.
In 1989, after seven years in busy Toronto divisions, I moved to a smaller town to advance my career
as a police detective. A few years later I left the station for home and my car was T-boned. The impact
pinned my knees under the dash. I was x-rayed from head to toe at the hospital. Doctors said there
was “nothing significant.” I was told to take two weeks off and given a prescription for Percocet® for
the pain.
I had my eye on an upcoming promotion exam and after two weeks I went back to my full duties. The
pain in my lower back worsened and a rheumatologist determined that there had been a spinal shift.
The doctor gave me a prescription for 100 Percocet® while waiting for surgery to fuse my vertebrae.
The surgery that should have taken away the pain was a complete failure. I was forced to withdraw
abruptly from Percocet seven days after surgery. The withdrawal was horrific and pain was still there.
Doctors scheduled a second back surgery six months later. Meanwhile, I went back to work.
I never looked for Percocet or took pills improperly until doctors flatly refused to give me any more.
As a cop, I knew certain people around town who had Percocet. I found medication where I could
from friends and even from criminal acquaintances. I was in chronic pain. My tolerance kept building,
so I had to keep increasing the number of pills I took. I went from 2 to 4 to 6 pills a day. Unfortunately,
the second surgery was also a failure. I was prescribed Percocet again. This time I tapered down with
the help of the doctor despite the pain. Eventually, I went to Tylenol 3® and diazepam. I was off all
narcotic pain meds for four to six months.
Then, my doctor prescribed OxyContin®. I was told it was a better drug and the “addictive
component was less.” I was at square one and taking more pills than ever. My doctor’s solution was
for me to claim to be an addict just to get access to the methadone clinic to taper off Percocet.
People in chronic pain shouldn’t be victimized. I was a respected officer. Now, I had to hide from my
own guys just to sneak into the meth clinic and sit for hours waiting for my “carry.” I would cover my
head and worry I’d be sitting with someone I’d arrested as a plain clothes detective. I wasn’t asked to
act like an addict, but told I was one since methadone in the clinic was not for pain management, but
for drug treatment. I was horrified. Methadone was very effective for pain management.
My supervisors found out and I was justifiably disciplined for some of my actions, but not dismissed. I
was labeled a “druggy” by administration and my colleagues. It was the loneliest time of my life.
Unable to do the job without pain medication, I felt I had no choice and walked away from my career.
The next 10 years I was in and out of boring jobs. The pain clinic saved my life. I now combine
prescription and non-prescription treatments to manage pain. I use Percocet and methadone in very
low doses. I’ll be trying an experimental electrical implant device this spring. Because my pain is
well managed, I’ve been able to build a successful private investigation business and teach part-time
as a college professor. I’m also involved in overseas humanitarian missions in Haiti. I have my life
back."

— Peter, former police officer, pain patient

WATER AND SEA SALT CURE :  DRUGS KILL

"Webequie is an isolated Ojibway community of about 800 people in Northern Ontario. It is 540
kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, on an island in a lake. It is only accessible by air or a seasonal
winter road. The closest year-round road access is at Pickle Lake, 250 kilometres to the southwest.
The people of Webequie are standing together with the support of the community and regional
leadership to recover from the devastating impacts of widespread abuse of OxyContin® (oxy). Many
lives were deteriorating because of the misuse of these prescription pills. Finding a way forward
wasn’t easy. The challenges were a profound lack of funding and very little knowledge of what could
be done to help. So Webequie, along with other Matawa First Nations and the tribal council, set about
using shoestring budgets to provide direct community support.
Oxy pills were selling for $600 to 700 for an 80 milligram pill. These drugs led to robberies, break
and enters, and violence. There were some individuals who were so desperate for money that they
sold their appliances, furniture and TVs to feed their habit. Many children went hungry. Those on
drugs did anything for the money. Family violence was common.
As a community we suffered greatly, but were committed to finding a way forward. What we
recognize in our Ojibway worldview and way of life is that we should be asking ourselves what was
the way our ancestors saw; only then can we clearly see our way forward. First Nations substance
abuse is intertwined with the historical erosion of culture, intergenerational impacts of residential
schooling and other forms of emotional abuse, which caused deep trauma.
We realized we needed a customized approach to the prescription drug problem. We found about
70% of our population was involved with misuse of prescription drugs. As an isolated community, the
reality was that 100% of residents were impacted in some way by prescription drug harms.
The drugs resulted in deterioration of the kinship and values that define us as a people. The rise in
community safety issues was apparent. Kids were neglected and acted out at school. Bullying and
truancy became more evident. These drugs resulted in dysfunctional families, and mental and
emotional abuse. People would inject drugs and drop the needles where children could find them.
From 2011 to 2012, a Suboxone® trial was initiated by the Webequie First Nation. In total, 101 people
participated in the program, which was initially paid for by the community. The intent was to get
people off OxyContin. Participants did an initial induction for four to five days, and then were closely
supervised for a month. They then “maintained” after to prevent a relapse. At that time the doses
were tapered off.
We had counselling that included traditional and western approaches. People were able to access
traditional knowledge and medicine. Most were able to stay off oxy for a year after. We have one
doctor and community nurses living in Webequie year-round who are trusted. Addiction doctors fly
in as needed. People had the choice whether to combine traditional Anishinabe cleansing with
medical and non-medical detoxification. We are now on a journey towards a place of hope and
healing. The drug treatment program brought together Elders, and western and traditional medicine.
Those affected are healing. Parents are now playing with kids. Our community is much healthier than
a year ago and we have renewed hope. As indigenous people, our culture and spirituality offers
resilience. Our journey is not complete, but we are in a much better place and will continue to move
forward."

— Levis, a First Nation prescription drug awareness coordinator.


Conflict and Fragility.
 Do No Harm (click here)
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT 
FOR STATEBUILDING

Now Incorporating the WaterCure protocol into his practice.

ANIMALS AND THEIR SALT CURE.

An indispensable component of the WaterCure is a simultaneous adjustment of daily salt intake --- unrefined salt that also contains the other 80 or more additional minerals found in the ocean. It is now clear that this kind of salt is also good for animals -- in fact, very good for them. Good enough to cure some of their health problems. Below is the story of how it was discovered that salt should be added to the food of your animal pets.

Dr. Gary Weisberger is a practicing chiropractor in the area of Wilkes-barre, Pennsylvania. He himself had a very bad pain in his foot that was not responding to treatment. He happened to run into Bob Butts --- the person who has spent more than US$500,000 educating the people of northeastern Pennsylvania about the WaterCure and the importance of salt for the relief of joint pains. Bob advised him to take some sea-salt before going to bed. The result was the unexpected miracle of pain relief. Dr. Weisberger is now incorporating the WaterCure protocol into his practice. here below is his letter. I thought you might enjoy reading the views of a person who is engaged in the treatment of others, before we get into the discussion about cats and dogs. 

Dr. B., 
I would be most honored to have you include my story in your upcoming book.

The results that my patients are experiencing are wonderful now that they are following the WaterCure, but even more important to me personally is the lifelong friendships that are being forged, just because I am doing what is right.

Recently a patient started care with me because she saw an ad that Bob had placed in the newspaper. She is a very obese patient who could not her apartment because of her deteriorated medical condition and the fact that she recently fell and fractured her radius. She was quite amazed when she called to discuss the WaterCure and I told her I make house call for people in need. Three weeks after I placed her on the WaterCure, I was shocked and amazed to learn that Mary not only lost thirty(30) pounds inthat short period of time, but she also managed to leave her apartment on her own and drove herself to a dr.'s appointment.

When I thought it couldn't get much better that this, on my last visit to Mary's apartment she surprised me with the fact that she placed my entire family on her daily prayer list! Money can't buy what that has done for me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

If I can be of any further assistance  , please feel free to contact me at anytime.

Sincerely, 
Dr. Gary Weissberger

Have Salt Among Yourselves and live in Peace

Benefits

People with Weak Adrenals

· "People with weak adrenals lose sodium and need to eat more natural salt.

· This is easily observed on a hair mineral analysis that is not washed at the laboratory.

· The sodium and chloride levels on a serum test are not a reliable indicator, in my experience, because the body keeps them fairly even no matter what."

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Are You Eating Too Much Salt?



"Too much salt also exhausts the adrenals and causes a loss of potassium, leading to lower blood sugar."

Pathlights: The Natural Remedies Encyclopedia : Section 11, Endocrine: Part 2, Adrenals



Minerals

"The benefit from salt comes from the minerals it supplies, especially trace minerals, this is why sea salt must be used.

I have read that the mineral content of sea salt closely approximates that of human blood."

CureZone.com: Water Cure Forum: Is Sea Salt an integral part of the water cure?



Hypotension, Blood Pressure

"Consuming a diet higher in salt will sometimes help restore a more normal blood pressure. One of the most common - and treatable - problems identified in those with NMH (Neurally Mediated Hypotension) is a low dietary salt (sodium) intake. Salt helps us retain fluid in the blood vessels, and helps maintain a healthy blood pressure."

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



Sea Salt vs. Table Salt

· "Sea salt contains about 80 mineral elements that the body needs. Some of these elements are needed in trace amounts. Unrefined sea salt is a better choice of salt than other types of salt on the market.

· Ordinary table salt that is bought in the super markets has been

Stripped of its companion elements and
Contains additive elements [sometimes] such as aluminum silicate [please see note below] to keep it powdery and porous."

ShirleysWellnessCafe.com: Salt Deficiency: the cause of many serious diseases



Note: Table salt sometimes contains additive elements such as aluminum silicate to keep it powdery and porous. Studies have found no relationship between the development of Alzheimer's and exposure to aluminum in cooking, occupational work, or drinking water.

"Metals: in spite of some early concern that aluminum may have some role in Alzheimer's, studies have found no relationship between the development of Alzheimer's and exposure to aluminum in cooking, occupational work, or drinking water.

· Alzheimer's does create a condition that results in aluminum ions replacing iron ions and accumulating in cells, which may contribute to existing dementia.

Some researchers believe that excessive amounts of zinc may promote formation of amyloid plaques. In one experiment, this process was accelerated when zinc was combined with aluminum silicate, a substance found in non-dairy creamers and nonprescription antidiarrheal medications.

Abnormal zinc metabolism has also been found in Alzheimer's patients."

Emerging Worlds: Alzheimer's Disease



Lack of Salt

Loss of Salt, Vitamins, and Minerals

"You will experience loss of salt from the body when you increase your water consumption without increasing salt.

· A few days after having increased your water consumption, you should add some sea salt to your diet.

· Muscle cramps are often an indication [of salt loss]…along with dizziness and feeling faint.

· You will also need to increase your vitamins and minerals [or make very sure you are getting truly sufficient quantities from your diet; without exceeding recommended dosages], to replace what is washed out."

WebMD: Dehydration: Prevention



· Other Suggestions: Electrolytes: Effects: Inner Ear



Blood Pressure

It’s commonly known that eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure.

According to Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, author of ‘Your Body’s Many Cries for Water’, a lack of salt can also cause high blood pressure and hypertension.



Dosage

“I have developed a rule of thumb for daily salt intake. For every 10 glasses of water (about two quarts) [two quarts is actually equal to 8 8-ounce glasses of water], one should add to the diet about half a teaspoon of salt per day. An average teaspoon can contain six grams of salt. Half a teaspoon is about three grams of salt.

Of course, one should make sure the kidneys are producing urine. Otherwise the body will swell up. If you sense your skin and ankles are beginning to swell, do not panic. Reduce salt intake for a few days, but increase your water intake until the swelling in the legs disappears.

You should also increase your movements—exercise; muscle activity will draw the excess fluid into the blood circulation and some salt is then lost in perspiration and urine. Do not sit or stand in one position for too long. (Pages 161-162)”

Book: F. Batmanghelidj, M.D., Your Body's Many Cries for Water, 2nd ed. Global Health Solutions, 1995.



"The current [US] recommendation is to consume less than 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. This is about 1 teaspoon of table salt per day. It includes ALL salt and sodium consumed, including sodium used in cooking and at the table."

http://www.annecollins.com/sodium-rda-diet.htm



· "Specific recommendations regarding sodium intake do not exist for infants, children, and adolescents.

· The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) recommends an approximate daily range of 1,100 to 3,300 milligrams of sodium for adults.

· The American Heart Association recommends that for every 1,000 Calories of food consumed, the

Sodium intake should be 1,000 milligrams and
Should not exceedthe 3,000 milligram limit.

· The average intake in the United States is between 4,000 and 5,000 milligrams of sodium per day [I, personally, doubt there are that many Americans eating large quantities of fast food or processed food every single day]."

Baylor College of Medicine: USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center: How do the Daily Values found on food labels compare to the nutritional recommendations for children?



Iodized Salt

"Concentrated primarily in the thyroid gland, iodine is a potent trace mineral that plays an important role in many of the body's biological functions. In fact, iodine is so vital to a person's overall health that in the 1920s U.S. government health officials recommended it be added to table salt.

The ruling was a strategy to ensure that an iodine deficiency didn't develop in the American diet. And it worked. Today, iodine deficiency has been virtually eliminated domestically. Unfortunately, about 1.6 billion people, mainly in underdeveloped countries are still plagued by a variety of disorders caused by a lack of this mineral in their diets."


www.wholehealthmd.com: supplements: iodine



Things to Consider

Sports Drinks

"Most commercial sports drinks have modest sodium content in order to make them more palatable.

· A person exercising in heat needs as much as 2gm [grams] of sodium per liter for proper recovery - which would make sports drinks taste like seawater

· (there is about 0.5gm of sodium per liter of Gatorade)."

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



Drinking Water Alone

"Drinking large amounts of plain water is not ideal in itself [i.e. without also consuming salt] because it shuts off the sense of thirst and produces more urine which results in further fluid loss even though you are dehydrated."

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



Sodium Content of Salt

"There is 1gm of sodium [40%] in every 2.5gm of table salt [and sea salt])"

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



Hot Weather, Colds, Flu

"Consume extra salt and drink more fluids during hot weather and while sick with a viral illness, such as a cold or the flu."

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



Serum Sodium Level, Chloride Level

"Please be aware, though, that not everyone should take salt. The best index I have found to determine if one needs salt is to look at a fasting chemistry profile, which shows the serum sodium level, from a good reference lab. The sodium level should be 139 with an ideal range of 136 to 142. If it is much lower, you probably need salt; if it is higher, you probably want to restrict salt intake."

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Are You Eating Too Much Salt?



"Salt is sodium chloride so you will also want to look at your chloride level. The ideal is 102, with an ideal range of 99 to 105. Just like sodium, lower levels suggest one should add salt and higher levels suggest you should restrict its use."

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Are You Eating Too Much Salt?



Weak Adrenals

"People with weak adrenals lose sodium and need to eat more natural salt. This is easily observed on a hair mineral analysis [please read the excerpt below about the reliability of hair mineral analysis] that is not washed at the laboratory. The sodium and chloride levels on a serum test are not a reliable indicator, in my experience, because the body keeps them fairly even no matter what."

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Are You Eating Too Much Salt?



· Arousal: Hypoglycemia: Causes: Stress and Adrenal Fatigue



Hair Mineral Analysis

"Over the years, we have invested much time and effort into proving or disproving the necessity of hair sample washing [in hair mineral analysis]. Unfortunately, it is a step in sample procedure that is imperative to obtaining accurate testing results. The following chart (Table 1) demonstrates this point. It compares sodium and potassium levels of washed and unwashed hair. Over 40 samples were tested as washed and unwashed samples, and tested over a period of one month.

· The data demonstrates that sample washing is a much needed step in the analysis of hair samples.

· The data clearly and simply states that sodium (Na) and potassium (K) values of unwashed hair are misleading and meaningless."

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Feb, 2001: Letters to the Editor (cached by Google)



· Dr. Joseph Mercola: Hair Mineral Analysis



Too Much Salt

Swelling

"If your ankles start to swell, reduce salt intake but continue the water, and increase your movement (get up out of that chair!)."

BabySnark: Supplements & Tips (pregnancy advice)



Salt Tablets

"Do not take salt tablets. Most people get plenty of salt in their diets. Use a sports drink if you are worried about replacing minerals lost through sweating."

WebMD: Dehydration: Prevention



High or High-Normal Blood Pressure

"Salt has received bad press in the last couple of decades because a high salt diet in some individuals with high or high-normal blood pressure can contribute to further elevations, and thereby to heart disease and stroke. This has led to general health recommendations to cut down on salt. As we are finding, this general recommendation isn’t right for all people."

Diagnose-Me.com: Increased Salt Consumption



"At present, there is no accurate test to determine who may be sensitive to the effects of sodium. It is for this reason that the United States population, as a whole, is advised to limit sodium use."

Rutgers University Health Services: Factsheets: Sodium



"There are certain characteristics which help identify individuals who may develop high blood pressure. These risk factors include:

· A family history of high blood pressure

· Elevated blood pressure readings (normal is somewhere around 120/80 mm/Hg)

· A high resting heart rate (given the level of physical fitness).

· A body mass index greater than 26."

Rutgers University Health Services: Factsheets: Sodium



· "High blood pressure is a 'silent' disease;

· It often has no symptoms.

· Be sure you and your health care provider monitor your blood pressure regularly."

Rutgers University Health Services: Factsheets: Sodium



"Current research suggests a diet high in potassium and calcium may help lower blood pressure."

Rutgers University Health Services: Factsheets: Sodium



Salty Foods

· Nutrition: Processed Food and Junk Food



Products

'Real Salt'

"However, you don't want to use your current table salt. Instead, obtain 'real salt.'

· The difference between conventional and 'real salt' is that conventional salt is dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. This amount of heat changes the chemical structure of the salt.

· Also, conventional processing adds harmful additives and chemicals [sometimes]."

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Are You Eating Too Much Salt?



"However, there are alternatives to commercial table salt. Unrefined sea salt and RealSalt® are good salts the body can use for many of the roles sodium plays.

RealSalt is

A pollutant-free salt extracted from an ancient seabed in Utah.
It is not altered with coloring, additives or bleaching and it is not kiln dried.
It also has a full complement of trace minerals, including iodine.

For all these reasons, RealSalt is the brand of salt I recommend most often. The maker of RealSalt also sells an ultra-small, convenient salt shaker [I could use one of those] that is perfect for all our dining-out and traveling needs."

Total Health Magazine: Understanding Salt and Sodium



Note: If you order directly from the RealSalt web site, there is a shipping charge of $8 on orders within the continental U.S.. RealSalt can also be purchased from other web sites, or you can use their store locator to find a store near you that sells RealSalt.

"Compared to RealSalt, many sea salts appear stark white because they have undergone a harsh refining process. Unlike RealSalt, these salts are filled with silicates, dextrose, and other additives.

By contrast, RealSalt is an all-natural, kosher-certified sea salt extracted from deep within the earth, crushed, screened, and packaged. RealSalt's unique flecks of color are the result of more than 50 natural trace minerals essential to human health (including natural iodine!). Experience the goodness of RealSalt!"

RealSalt Web Site



Things to Avoid

Carrying Salt

If you carry salt with you, and you enter a secure area such as an airport, your salt make be mistaken for drugs, and you may be searched and detained. :(

If you are not planning to enter a secure area, I would recommend storing the salt in a small salt-shaker (RealSalt sells some of these). Other containers such as salt boxes may be seen as suspicious by law enforcerment.

· Transportation Security Administration: Travelers & Consumers: Prohibited Items (applies to flights originating in the USA)

cure your pet using sea salt

We find the best way to give sea salt to our pets is put it in the water for one week and then only on the food. One week should be enough to get your pet back on track.

Sea salt cure pets

Pets Advertisement

Who lifts your spirits at least a coupe times a day?

How many endearing sories can you tell about your beloved pet?

Can you resist when you loo into those beautiful eyes?

How may friends have you made through you pet?

Kids become frinds via e-mail, with other kids around the world who love pets.


Our pets are worthy of the very best care we can give them.

When they are ill we look for ways we can ease their suffering and help them get well quickly.


Dramatic Pet Recoveries from Athma and Cancer!

My dog, Pete, hada malignant tumorover his eye. His vet gave him one month to live. I put sea salt in his food and within three days the tumor shrunk 50%. I have Chron's Disease so I followed the watercure and within a few days most symptoms were gone. I no longer on medication. (P.J.Marcelleti, N.D., Optimum Health,Tannerville ,PA.)


My Pomeranian dog, Rusty, had asthma. Instead of giving him drugs as my vet suggested, I gave him sea salt and in just a few days he was cured. (Karen Simone, Greentown, PA)


Millions of innocentanimals are euthanized each year because of ill health. If people put sea salt in their animal water and food, many of these precious animal pets could be with their owners longer.

Do you know www.watercure2.com?

Water should stay inside your body for 2-3 hours so your body has time to use the water properly.

If you are peeing (urinating) sooner than 2-3 hours after drinking your water, you should stop drinking plain water and switch to drinking orange juice, lemonade, grape/cranberry juice or any other juice. One point of caution… asthmatics should never drink orange juice

Note: When drinking orange juice, you should add 1/8 tsp of salt per 8 ounces.

If drinking juice does not work, the next thing to try is experimenting with drinking your juice while eating a bagel. This means:

· Drink and eat the bagel at the same time… or

· Eat the bagel first then drink your juice

· Optional – increasing the salt to 1/4 tsp salt per 8 ounces, when you are eating the bagel may help retain the water longer

You can put cream cheese, real butter or jam on the bagel.

After using a whole bagel for a day or two, then you can cut down to using half a bagel, then a quarter and just stop the bagel and use your food to take with the juice.

Here is how you should slowly go from drinking juice to going back to drinking plain water again. After a few days you should try drinking 2 ounces of plain water a half hour before eating food. Then you can increase the water to 4 ounces a half hour before eating food. Next it would be 6 ounces, then 8 ounces and so on until up to your required amount.

More interesting testimonies found in www.watercure2.com

Bali:crafted sea salt

From Wave to Crystal Grain

The process of making hand crafted sea salt.
The production of premium sea salt takes time and attention to detail.

Each small batch of sea salt requires weeks of hard panning and grading to produce the perfect grain.

Our quality is a testimonial to the artisan nature of this age-old craft.

Black sand beaches are raked smooth with handmade tools of bamboo and palm.

Copper vessels sprinkle seawater over the waiting beds. The seed of sea salt has been planted.

The equatorial sun vakes the sand into crisp flakes which are harvested in the cool of the evening. In the flakes of sand the salt had been preserved through evaporation.

Fresh water is poured over the black sand to create a pure and natural brine.

The brine is filtered and left to evaporate in traditional palm wood tables.

The resulting grains of salt are then rebrined and evaporated to ensure pure white sea salt of the highest quality.

Big Tree Farms(trademark)
BALI
Interested in learning more about our company?
e-mail us

saltmaker@bigtreebali.com

I bought one pack at Setiabudi Supermarket for 36,000 Rupiah.

Why Water and Herb Can Cure

and Synthetic Drugs Kill?

Because all the human chemists combined can never challenge the Mother Nature-chemist on earth. In the beginning ....

(Before Original Sin)
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (source KJV:Genesis 1:29)

Commentary: In every fresh herb and fresh fruit, the content of the nature-distilled- water is about 80 to 90 %, with other organic minerals and vitamins. This nature balanced order of the elements and water(H2O)will vitalise and regenerate the body upon consumption without cooking(heat treatment). It is this raw diet of herbs with seed and sun-ripened fruits with seed which enabled the generations of Adam's race to beget the firstborn & children at their respective age and ... lifespan on earth:
1. Adam at 130 years...930 died ,
2.Seth at 105 years...912 died ,
3.Enos at 90 years...905 died,
4.Cainan at 70 years ...910 died,
5.Mahalaleel at 65 years ...895 died,
6.Jared at 162 years...962 died,
7.Enoch at 65 years ...365 did not die, for he was "taken" up by God,
8.Methuselah at 187 years...969 died,
9.Lamech at 182 years ... 777 died,
10.Noah at 500 years ... 950 died .
(source: Genesis 5:3-32; Genesis 9:29)

(After Original Sin)
...Thorns also and thistle shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;..(source: Genesis 3:18)

(After the Great Flood)
"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." (source: Genesis 9:3)
Commentary: Original diet for Adam's race was herbs with seed and fruits with seed only; permitted diet after the great Flood, for Noah's descendants include animal-meat.

0.Noah begotten three sons,Japheth(firstborn), Ham, and Shem.
These are the generations of Shem, beget the firstborn at respective age ,and sons and daughters ,...and lifespan on earth:
1.Shem at 100 years (two years after the flood) ... 600 died.
2.Arphaxad at 35 years ... 438 died.
3.Salah at 30 years...433 died.
4.Eber at 34 years...464 died.
5.Peleg at 30 years...239 died.
6.Reu at 32 years...239 died.
7.Serug at 30 years ...230 died.
8.Nahor at 29 years ... 148 died.
9.Terah at 70 years ...205 died.
(source: Genesis 11:10-32)

"And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth : but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
And he went forth unto the springs of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. "(source: 2 Kings 2:19-22)

Here is the secret of the water-cure protocol formula:
1.Every 90 minute, drink 10 % of your own daily water-quota, which is 31.42 ml multiply with your present personal body weight (in kg).
2.And use 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt for every 1250 ml water intake, in your daily diet.

"He(the LORD) causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and the herb for the service of man : that he (the man) may bring forth food out of the earth." (source: Psalm 104:14)
(see www.cacare.com)

The reason people get Edema.

We have been mislead to believe that edema is due to overdrinking of water. The opposite is true, prolonged dehydration had cause edema.

Here you can learn and understand the need for water, salt and potassium together regulate the water content of the human body. Water regulates the water content of the interior of the cell by working its way into all the (trillions)cells it reaches. Water has to get there to cleanse and extract the toxic waste of cell metabolism.

Once water gets into the cells, the potassium content of the cells holds on to it and keeps it there -- to the extent that potassium is available inside the cells.

Even in the plant kingdom, it is potassium in the fruit that gives it firmness by holding water in the interior of the fruit. Our daily food contains ample potassium from its natural sources of fruits and vegetables, but not salt from its natural sources. That is why we need to add salt to our daily diet.
Note: Do not take too much potassium as a dietary supplement (if you are taking right now). It could cause trouble.

Good health depends on a most delicate balance between the volumes of 'watery-oceans' held inside the cells of the human body, and the other 'watery-oceans' held outside the cells. This delicate balance is achieved by the regular intake of water, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables that also contain the organic vitamins needed by the human body, and salt. Unrefined sea salt, which contains some of the other trace minerals that the body needs, is preferable. Avoid the regular table-salt. Sea salt may not contain enough iodine to keep the thyroid gland working normally, and it may enlarge into a goiter. Regular intake of a multivitamin (ensure it's plant based organic supplements) that contains iodine is essential. Another source of iodine is dried kelp capsules, which are available from health food stores/supermarkets.

When water is not available to get into the cells freely, it is filtered from the outside 'salty-ocean' and injected into the cells that are being overworked despite their water shortage. This secondary and emergency means of supplying important cells with injected water is the reason, in severe dehydration, that we retain salt and develop edema -- to have more water available to draw from for filtration and injection into the cells.

Recall, the design of our bodies is such that the extent of the 'ocean-of-water' outside the cells is expanded to have extra water in reserve for filtration and emergency injection into vital cells. To achieve this, the brain commands an increase in salt and water retention by the kidneys. This directive of the brain is the reason we get edema when we don't drink enough water, in accordance to our own body weight, daily. Remember the water-cure formula to calculate your own water quota requirement.

When water shortage in the body reaches a more critical level, and delivery of water by its injection into the trillions cells becomes the main route of supply to more and more cells, an associated rise in injection pressure becomes necessary. The significant rise in pressure needed to inject water into the cells to service them becomes measurable and is labeled "hypertension," or high blood pressure. The drugs used will make the body natural survival functions to deteriorate and cause more complication of organs malfunctions overtime.

Initially, the process of water filtration and its delivery into the cells is more efficient at night when the human body is horizontal, normal sleeping posture. In this position, the collected water, which settles mostly in the legs during the day, does not have to fight the force of gravity to get into the blood circulation. If reliance on this process of emergency hydration of some cells continues for long, the lungs begin to get waterlogged at night, and breathing becomes difficult. The person needs more pillows support to sit upright to sleep. This condition is called cardiac asthma, and it is the consequence of dehydration.

However, in this condition you must not overload the system by drinking too much water at the beginning. All things in nature have natural law governing them. Just be patient and reverse the symptoms slow and steady. Increases in water intake must be slow and spaced out -- until urine production begins to increase at the same rate that you drink water.

When we drink enough water to pass clear urine, we also pass out a lot of the salt that was held back. This is how we can get rid of edema fluid from the body. Not diuretics/more drugs please, but by more gentle increase of water intake! Water is the best natural diuretic and natural detoxicator that exists. You can rest assured of positive results, anytime, with water-cure protocol.

In a person who has extensive edema and whose heart sometimes beats irregularly or rapidly with little effort, the increase in water intake should be gradual and spaced out, but water should not be withheld from the human body. Salt intake should be sea salt, and be limited for two or three days because the body is still in an overdrive mode to retain it. Once the edema has cleared , sea salt should again be added to your diet. If there are irregular heartbeats, or the pulse is fast and furious but there is no edema, increase water, salt, and other minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and some potassium ,all in organic form, will alleviate the problem.