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There are many minerals in and on our earth, but seven that the human body really needs. These include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.
There are also trace minerals and our bodies require small amounts of these as well. Those include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium.
As with anything these days, there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding sodium. Our body needs salt. So let’s clarify things with Holly Haze. “We need sodium. 4,000-7,000 mg per day. This is the total on food and in water. Salt is not what is causing hypertension, excess sugar in your diet is. 4500 mg of sodium is equal to 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. If you are active, sweat a lot or are in warm to hot temps, add 1,000-2,000 mg a day. If you are doing heavy workouts and lifting weights, you can even have 1-2 grams per day.”
Does it matter if it is sea salt or table salt? Holly says, “Yes…YES….yes. Table salt has been processed and stripped of all trace minerals. Sea salt is evaporated sea water and has trace minerals such as potassium, zinc and iron. I love the pink Himalayan salt which gets the pink hue from iron oxide and also has calcium, potassium and magnesium.”
Magnesium…a few months back, Holly did an entire blog on magnesium, but here is a refresher. “We need 400-1200 mg per day. This is in addition to what you would obtain naturally via diet, but most people are deficient. An entire myriad of health issues stem from lack of magnesium, from constipation, sleep issues, kidney problems and more.” Holly adds, “As mentioned in my magnesium blog, use magnesium glycinate. Malate and l-threonate are decent forms, but each magnesium helps a different cause, so pin-point which is best for your needs and ask your doctor if you need help.”
Most people get enough potassium in food and don’t take a supplement if they prioritize proteins like beef, pork, fish. If dehydration issues aren’t alleviated by getting enough sodium and magnesium, try adding potassium citrate. Holly helps explain, “The body is super smart (I will keep reminding you of this), our bodies NEED sodium, so if your body isn’t getting enough, it will find it…by means of leeching potassium and magnesium to help the balance.”
Take aways: don’t be afraid to use salt, just get some good salt!
