Tag: Science

Are you being Salty?

You know how most people have a preference for either sweet or salty things to munch on? Well, nine times out of ten if you ask me what I’d like to munch on it would be something salty. I’m not sure why but I prefer salt to sugar, which means I really have to be careful not to get dehydrated. I have something of a fascination for salts in general though (probably because I like the taste so much) so I have a tendency to perk up in my chemistry classes when they’re discussed. Now don’t look at me like that; I am a science major and sometimes really weird things are interesting to me like the like the different affects that salt has on people, plants and water.

Did you know that you need salt in your body in order to function properly? Take a look at this:

Vital Functions of Salt in the Body

1. Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, Contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure – in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical.

2. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.

3. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element in diabetics.

4. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites of energy need by the cells.

5. Salt is vital to the nerve cells’ communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death.

6. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.

7. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis.

8. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses.

9. Salt is a strong natural antihistamine.

10. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps.

11. Salt is vital to prevent excess saliva production to the point that it flows out of the mouth during sleep. Needing to constantly mop up excess saliva indicates salt shortage.

12. Salt is absolutely vital to making the structure of bones firm. Osteoporosis, in a major way, is a result of salt and water shortage in the body.

13. Salt is vital for sleep regulation. It is a natural hypnotic.

14. Salt is a vitally needed element in the treatment of diabetics.

15. Salt on the tongue will stop persistent dry coughs.

16. Salt is vital for the prevention of gout and gouty arthritis.

17. Salt is vital for preventing varicose veins and spider veins on the legs and thighs.

18. Salt is vital to the communication and information processing nerve cells the entire time that the brain cells work – from the moment of conception to death.

19. Salt is vital for reducing a double chin. When the body is short of salt, it means the body really is short of water. The salivary glands sense the salt shortage and are obliged to produce more saliva to lubricate the act of chewing and swallowing and also to supply the stomach with water that it needs for breaking down foods. Circulation to the salivary glands increases and the blood vessels become “leaky” in order to supply the glands with water to manufacture saliva. The “leakiness” spills beyond the area of the glands themselves, causing increased bulk under the skin of the chin, the cheeks and into the neck.

20. 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 such as aluminum silicate to keep it powdery and porous. Aluminum is a very toxic element in our nervous system. It is implicated as one of the primary causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

21. Twenty-seven percent of the body’s salt is in the bones. Osteoporosis results when the body needs more salt and takes it from the body. Bones are twenty-two percent water. Is it not obvious what happens to the bones when we’re deficient in salt or water or both.

(* The information on salt intake is taken from Dr. Batmanghelidj’s book, “Water: Rx for a Healthier Pain-Free Life”.)

** This is also another really good site to look at: http://www.saltinfo.com/salt%20health1.htm

I read stuff like this and it makes me stop and say “whoa, way cool!” (Yes I told you already that I’m a science nerd…get over it.) But something even more than this makes me stop and think. Imagine having this kind of knowledge and reading this over again
13″You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14″You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Mathew 5:13-16

What does it really mean to be the salt of the earth? Have you ever really thought about it or just made a cursory glance at the verse, said, “that’s nice”, and went on to more important things? Now to give people credit…most people do realize that salt is a preservative and we are called to preserve/save the earth, but it doesn’t stop there by any stretch of the imagination. Look at the verse again; one of the first things that strikes me is the part about salt losing its saltiness…. What? How can that be? Salt’s still a salt right?

Guess what a salt by definition is a chemical compound formed by replacing all or part of the hydrogen ions of an acid with metal ions or electropositive radicals. What does that mean? It means that if you take two oppositely charged atoms or small molecules (like sodium and chloride…which are both highly toxic on their own, btw) and bring them together, they will form an ionic bond. Think of it as putting two kitchen magnets together. They stick together but they can be easily pulled apart, especially if you put that salt in water.

Now about salt losing it’s saltiness… When you put some salt in a solution like water it dissolves, right? Ok now you’ve got water with salt in it but you can still taste the salt. Now add some more water…add some more…keep adding until you can’t taste the salt anymore. The salt hasn’t disappeared but it has lost its saltiness. It’s become too dilute for your taste buds to distinguish.

What does the verse say about salt that has lost its saltiness? That’s right “It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” It becomes completely useless. It can’t preserve anything, it can’t make things flavorful, it can’t even be distinguished from tap water. You can become diluted by the world to the point that you’ve lost your saltiness and you become useless. Don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking that if you just let this be a part of you or watch that in order to fit in that people will be more willing to listen to you. When you do that you’ve fallen into the trap of dilution.

Now here’s something else to chew on. As the salt of the earth, we are vital for the earth’s day to day survival. Do you remember when Jesus prayed for his disciples? One of the things he said was, “15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17). I believe that this prayer was not just for those original twelve but also for all of us who “have heard and believed” (John 17) and are now Christ’s disciples as well. We are the essential compound that keeps our world from immediate death.

‘A little bit of salt goes a long way,’ but if we have every Christian being the full potential of their “saltiness” the evil in this world cannot survive. I believe that we should be working towards a point where we become so salty that the ruler of this world burns his fingers and spits us out of his jaws. We need to be the irritation in the wounds that he receives from our prayers and the prayers of our spiritual leaders.

The sea is filled with salt and we would die if we floated in it for too long (and not because of the sharks either). Even then there is abundant life in the oceans.

The Dead Sea is filled with even more salt; to the point that fish cannot survive. But there is still life in the form of microorganisms that flourish even at that high salinity.

We need to be so salty that nothing born of the ruler of this world can take root and grow like in a field that has been salted. We are in a battle for the survival of this world; it’s time to start using those battle tactics.

“You are the salt of the earth
You are the salt of the earth
But if that salt has lost its flavor
It ain’t got much in its favor
You can’t have that fault and be the salt of the earth! “ (Lyrics from the song “Light of the World” in the musical Godspell)