Salt of the Earth: The Hidden Benefits of Salt

It doesn’t deserve its bad reputation

I’m writing this while sitting 120 meters below the surface in one of Europe's largest salt mines. It’s dark and cold and filled with the echoes of loud children running around everywhere. The salty humid air fills my nostrils and makes me sneeze every once in a while. I hide my face in my scarf and let out a subtle cough — these are still Covid-19 times, after all.

I have a special relationship with this salt mine and with salt in general. Salt has always been cherished throughout the centuries, and it doesn’t deserve its more recent bad rap. As humans, we’re made up of 0.4% salt, although I like to believe I’m a little saltier than that. I’m a proud salt junkie, and this is how this love story began:

Salty childhood — how salt healed my lungs.

When I was 5 years old, I got very sick. My lungs were in bad shape as I suffered from asthmatic bronchitis that never seemed to go away. I was in and out of the hospital, and I have vivid memories about fighting to get enough air or leaning against walls and getting very dizzy whenever I tried to walk outside.

My parents were understandably scared. If things progressed, I could have ended up with asthma for life. Fortunately, they were inspired to move away from western medicine and give salt therapy a try, taking advantage of one of the largest and purest salt mines Romania had to offer.

Speleotherapy (the therapeutic use of subterranean environments) in salt mines has been around for centuries now, ever since a Polish physician noticed that salt mine workers, unlike other types of miners, had no respiratory or lung problems. While salt mine therapy is virtually unknown throughout the UK and US, it’s very popular in Central and Eastern European countries, which may explain a lack of serious research.

Several studies only showed transient improvements in lung function, mainly in young children, and there wasn’t enough evidence to suggest that this kind of therapy was beneficial for asthma patients. And I agree, a couple of weeks in a salt mine won’t cure you or your asthmatic child. But the smart way my parents approached my affliction is proof that speleotherapy might work after all.

So how did they do it? My parents actively worked on my health for 5 years. During spring and autumn, I spent my school breaks in the salt mine, breathing in the tingly air, playing badminton, reading, and running around for 5 hours every day.

Summers were reserved for camping on the Black sea beach, sunbathing, and enjoying the salty breeze for a couple of weeks. We never stayed in hotels because my parents believed it was healthier to immerse in the environment and take advantage of the strong maritime air.

By the time I hit puberty, my asthmatic episodes were a distant memory, thanks to my parents’ early and consistent intervention.

Salty vacations —salt for infertility

I bet you never heard of this one before — using salt as a remedy for infertility. When I let my friends know that my husband and I were going to visit the salt mine and its surroundings this weekend, they winked and wished us luck in conceiving. Coincidentally, I had written an article about my fertility window closing, but this wasn’t by any means the reason why we chose that spot for our vacation.

This sparked my interest, so I did my research. I found that most of the hotels and spas in the area offered “natural” fertility treatments that consisted of saltwater vaginal irrigations, mud tampons, mud packing, and other types of procedures that anecdotally help female reproductive organs and pelvic inflammatory disease.

While there’s no solid proof that this kind of treatment works, the nearby lake and salt mines have been famous for restoring women's fertility for over a century. Salt is known to be naturally anti-inflammatory. There is research to support saltwater irrigation to improve fertility and evidence for the benefits of therapeutic mud from famous salty waters such as the Dead Sea or Crimea’s salty lakes.

I don’t think I would ever be willing to spend 10 days to seep my private parts in salty water and mud, but at least now I’m aware of a more natural, less invasive approach to enhancing fertility.

Salty household — everyday uses for salt

I’m guilty of putting too much salt on everything. Growing up, my health-conscious parents would scold me for this, but it never stopped me from happily sprinkling my food. I’m aware that sodium is linked with high blood pressure, and as a doctor, I understand the logic behind those mechanisms, but it wouldn’t be the first time science got it wrong; in fact, more recent studies have discovered quite the opposite to be true.

If you’re still not convinced natural salt is good for you, here are some more ideas to try at home:

Diversify your salt intake

Once you discover the richness of salt varieties, you’ll never go back to regular salt. It’s not just a matter of taste; each salt type is unique in its mineral content and health benefits. It’s best to switch them up from time to time.

Table salt is heavily processed, laden with chemicals, and stripped of any other nutrients besides sodium and chloride. I gave up table salt a long time ago as there are far better options: Himalayan pink or black salt, Sea salt, Celtic salt, Fleur de Sel, lava salt, all types of regional salts — so many exciting salts to try and so little time.

Stock up on fermented foods

Fermenting is an ancient way of preserving food, and salt plays a huge part in Lacto-fermentation. Not only are fermented goodies like kimchi and sauerkraut delicious, but they’re also a great probiotic for your gut.

Salt is a natural antibiotic while at the same time favoring the friendly bacteria to thrive. When it comes to the number of cells, more than half of our body composition is actually not human at all — our microbiome is made up of bacteria, and we’d better keep them happy.

Relax your senses in a salt bath

Ever since dealing with burnout and anxiety, I’ve become somewhat of an expert in at-home relaxation. I have quite a collection of salt baths in my self-care arsenal: Dead Sea salts for gentle relaxation and skincare, different types of sea salts, or locally mined salts for their therapeutic benefits.

If you want to give bath salts a try, make sure you don’t confuse them with Epsom salt, which is, in fact, magnesium sulfate. Play around with essential oils, dried lavender buds, or medicinal herbs, and you’ll never take a boring bath again.

Use salt as a pick-me-up

According to research, people with the lowest blood-pressure had the highest intake of salt, which should come as no surprise, as sodium is important for maintaining blood volume. I often see a correlation between my lack of energy and lack of salt that day, which means the opposite is true as well — we can use salt as an energy booster.

Simply take a grain of salt, keep it under your tongue until it starts dissolving, and then wash it down with water. Salt is known for its role in dehydration; it provides electrolytes and improves your energy levels and physical performance. So whenever you feel tired in the afternoon, try this simple trick first before reaching for that cup of Joe.

Closing thoughts

Salt has been a precious resource since the dawn of civilization, but modern times have processed the life out of it, turning it into a boring, cheap commodity.

We may not attribute it much importance now that salt is everywhere, but we sure feel the difference when we don’t get any salt in our systems. We should be more conscientious in choosing our salt source and filled with gratitude for all the benefits of this taste-enhancing, food-preserving, and health restoring miracle ingredient.