Sea Salt Health Benefits - Bladder Infections, Sore Throats, Sinuses

| Modified on Aug 21, 2023
Sea Salt Benefits.

Sea Salt is not only an indispensable seasoning for food, but it is also critical to life. Humans and animals alike need salt. Besides this basic necessity, salt is a useful natural remedy internally and externally for many health conditions, including urinary tract infections, constipation, ringworm, boils, sinus congestion, and a sore throat.

What is Salt?

Salt is made up of two elements, sodium, and chloride. The chemical symbol is NaCl.

Balanced salt levels in the body will maximize health. Too little or too much salt can cause health problems or even death. Animals also need salt. Farm stores sell salt licks for animals like rabbits and cows. These animals will naturally lick the salt when their bodies require it. It is a wonderful thing that salt is so beneficial; it makes food taste better!

A 110-pound person has about 40 teaspoons of sodium chloride in the body.(1)

By weight, a person has a similar concentration of salt as seawater. The presence of salt is realized if tears are sweat are ever tasted.

However, all salts are not created equal. Decades ago, consumers had little choice when it came to salt. Currently, even small grocery stores sell a variety of salt products. So the question becomes, which salt is best?

Usually, when it comes to health, foods and remedies processed the least are ideal.

Types of Salt

Processed Salts

Iodized table salt is a processed salt. The trace minerals in the salt have been removed. Iodine, another critical element to life and health, is added. And other chemicals are added as flow agents and anti-caking agents. These would include tricalcium phosphate and sodium aluminosilicate.

Mined Salts

Other salts are mined from the earth. If they are not further processed, they will contain salt (sodium chloride) and dozens of other trace minerals used by the body.

Evaporated Salts

Salts that have been harvested from the seas, like mined salts, contain an abundance of trace minerals, unless they are further processed.

Mined and harvested salts are pound for pound, much more expensive than ordinary table salt. However, even the pricier salts go a long way and do not make a noticeable dent in most consumers' budgets.

Current marketing can make it challenging to decide which unprocessed salt is the most health-promoting. One may claim to have 50 trace minerals, while another will claim 80 trace minerals. However, unprocessed salts are composed mostly (about 98%) of only salt (NaCl), and the remaining 2% will be trace minerals.

With the RDA for salt being about ¾ of a teaspoon, 2% of ¾ teaspoon will not amount to much. This 2% of minerals positively can contribute to overall health, but they are not going to overcome a poor diet and lifestyle.

Another marketing claim is that mined salts are superior to salts from modern oceans and seas since mined salts have not been affected by pollution as the waters of the earth currently are.

All that said, it does still make sense to avoid processed foods, including salt, and invest in an unprocessed salt. A bonus is that unprocessed salt tastes better, too! The trace minerals in a quality salt will complement a healthy diet and lifestyle.

8 Health Benefits of Sea Salt

Rehydration

Hospitals routinely use a saline (salt) I.V. to give fluids to a patient. The salt helps the body to retain the needed water.During times of illness that include fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, it is necessary to replace lost fluids from sweating or purging. Adding a pinch of salt to a glass of water or juice will keep the water from being flushed out of the body.

Hot days and strenuous exercise can cause excessive sweating. Rehydrating with water plus a pinch of sea salt will help replace the salt the body has lost during sweating.

Urinary Tract Infections

½ to 1 teaspoon of sea salt, added to ½ - 1 glass of water, is a natural remedy for bladder infections. This remedy may only be needed one time to be effective.

Salt Sock

A clean white tube sock can be filled with salt and tied off at the end. This salt sock can be heated up in the microwave (some keep a microwave just for this purpose!) and used on an earache. The salt can help draw out excess moisture.

Keeping the salt sock in the freezer will provide a ready-made cold pack for bumps and bruises or to use on the neck's base for a headache or migraine.

Gargle

For a sore or dry throat, a sea salt gargle will help thin postnasal drip, alleviate dryness, and kill germs.

Mix ¼ teaspoon salt into ½ cup warm water and gargle. Repeat the gargle as needed.

Mouth Rinse

The same solution used for gargling can be used to rinse the mouth to relieve canker sores. ( ¼ teaspoon salt in ½ cup warm water.)

Sinus Rinse

Sea salt sinus rinses can be used in a Neti pot to rinse the sinuses to help a sinus infection, relieve congestion, remove pollen and allergens, or help with overly dry sinuses.

Simply add ½ teaspoon sea salt to a warm water cup and use the mixture in a Neti pot.

If a Neti pot is not available, try snorting the mixture up into the nose, one nostril at a time. The saltwater can also be dripped into the nose with an eyedropper. (This may be the easiest way to get saltwater into children's noses!)

Nebulization

Vials of saline solution (salt solution) are commonly used in nebulizers. This can bring moisture to the lungs and delivers salt to the lungs for antimicrobial purposes.

Bath

Sea salt added to bathwater can help to clear up skin conditions like boils and eczema.

1 cup of sea salt is added to a bath.


Let us know how you use sea salt for your health! Continue reading to find out how our readers have benefited from sea salt.




Acid Reflux

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Posted by Greg (Franklin, MA) on 10/20/2007
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I suffered everyday with acid creeping up and severely hindering my ability to enjoy things in life. I noticed two huge agitators: 1. Over-eating (easy to do for anyone in U.S.) 2. Chocolate (tends to be a great laxative, but also tends to promote the acid problem. Continually the damage done by Acid Reflux caused burning and I found that taking in a good amount of sea salt (with water, foods) cleared it up.


Alkalizing Sea Salt Remedies

Posted by Lori (Delta, Co) on 07/05/2010

I just tested my 1/4 tsp of sea salt in 32 oz of water and it is not alkalizing at all, it's around a 5 on my ph paper. my water from my fridge filter must be acidic. I thought adding the sea salt would alkalize it but it's an acidic formula. I then tested my whole lemon w/1/4 tsp of baking soda and it was very alkaline around 7.5 so i drank that down. I drink water w/sea salt daily and since I broke my arm 3 months ago it makes me swell. what can I add to the water mixture of sea salt and ? to make it alkaline? I also use the borax solution about every other day in my sea salt water. Can I take my lemon mixture and then have my peroxide mix of 3-4 drops in my 32 oz of water that I take to work to drink then I simply drink another 32 oz of plain water?

Replied by Tom
(Regina, Sk)
07/06/2010

Lori: Alkaline-Base can cover an entire major chemistry course, but for the body this article is quite good: www.cancer-healing.com/acid_alkaline_balance.php

First, even a known highly alkalizing healthy food like lemon juice/drink will read as an ACID on a pH strip because it is an acid, but since it's a weakly-associated acid, it will break down in the body to easily expelled wastes with leftover alkaline minerals to increase the body pH (alkalize):

Weak acids like the acetic acid in vinegar, and the acids in most fruits and especially lemons, contain lots of minerals which are basic, along with their weak acid part. The weak acid part combines with water and is converted into carbonic acid which then breaks apart into carbon dioxide and water. You breathe out the carbon dioxide and pass the water out through your kidneys. The minerals remain behind to replenish deficient minerals so in fact these weak acids in the end, alkalize your body by supplying more minerals to it.

All those trace minerals in sea salt are alkalizing!
Blood serum has the same electrolyte composition as seawater, and that means all the trace minerals in it.
But most people are deficient in them.

If you hadn't "neutralized" the lemon juice by adding NaHCO3 to read 7.5pH, then you would have simply read an even higher number for the pure baking soda solution.

I'm not sure why you're experiencing edema "fluid swelling". Is it temporary, like only a few hours? Are your kidney function tests normal?

Perhaps someone else can help you with the pieces I've missed.

Arsham
(Afghanistan)
01/08/2021

I have a very important question, if anyone knows, please answer me What is the pH of sea salt? And is sea salt alkaline or acidic? And why. Thank you.

Replied by Twinkle
(Bradenton, Fl, USA)
05/24/2012

Thanks to: Tom from Regina, Sk for the sea salt education. well done, and very helpful.

Replied by Steelerpsycho1
(Connecticut)
10/28/2016

Hello Greg, the whole thing about alkalizing is to adjust the Ph level in your water. google baking soda for ph levels the baking soda should be aluminum free check the labels I get mine online much cheaper... you can read about the amounts for use online I also recommend using glass for a pitcher or container the b/s might take some chemicals out of the plastic. I mix a gallon at a time. good luck feel free to ask what you need. DW

Replied by Amelia
(Texas)
05/10/2017

Sea salt is amazing! It has a mineral content of 84 trace minerals and very alkalizing. Most people lack this minerals these days, because the soil is so deficient. A little pinch of salt in water early in the morning not only flushes your system of toxins, but also replenish your it.


Arthritis

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Posted by Ron (Modesto, CA USA) on 11/02/2008
★★★★★

I just completed the 10-day Master Cleanse after suffering from arthritis and chronic constipation for the past several months. By day 3 of the cleanse the 2 teaspoons of Sea Salt in 32 oz of Fluoride free water every morning (on an empty stomach) really made a difference. My constipation cleared up, and the arthritis in my lower back, hip, and knees really improved. After reading the posts from all of you I am going to try drinking a 16.4 oz of spring water with 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, and two Tablespoons ACV in it, and see how that works. Ron

Replied by Ron
(Modesto, California)
11/03/2008

This is a follow-up to my earlier post. After posting my comments I decided to modify my regimen for arthritis and chronic constipation to the following: Still one teaspoon Celtic Grey Organic Sea Salt on an empty stomach each morning in a 16 oz bottle spring water, followed by a 10oz cup of spring water, with the juice of one fresh squeezed lemon, I teaspoon ACV, 1/8th Teaspoon Organic Cayenne, and an optional teaspoon of either Organic Agave, or Organic Grade B Maple Syrup for taste. I just tried a cup using the Organic Blue Agave I purchased at Trader Joe's, and the taste was quite good. It's best to avoid fluoridated water it you can, that's why I use the bottled Spring Water. I will probably add a second cup of the tea a bedtime. Will post again after a few months to advise how well it worked.


Arthritis in Dogs

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Posted by Bob (Moscow , PA) on 04/24/2007
★★★★★

If you check our pet testimonials On our watercure2.org site and read the home page story of how this was discovered, you will see that curing pet arthritis is not even a challenge. Just add unprocessed sea salt to its food and water and within 24 hours a pet will stand up and walk with a limp even though previously it had been unable to stand. Best of all it is free. Bob Butts

http://watercure2.org/livingston_newsletter.htm

Replied by Dyz
(East Bay, Cali)
11/27/2008
★★★★★

watercure2.org site is right about the salts and curing pet arthritis.

I used Salts to help my GSD dog with her hips. I used Himalayan salt, which I turned into "sole". 1 teaspoon a day right into the food. My GSD dogs LOVE it!!! Within days she was up and running, chasing the ball. No more whining when she gets up or down. The only issue I had with using the salt was the detoxification effect. I paid 50.00$ for flea repellent (NO CHOICE BUT TO USE IT, I have tried EVERYTHING natural to keep the fleas away) To my surprise everyday when I combed the dogs the fleas were still there in large amounts. After a few weeks, I thought OH, I bet the salt is detoxifying the flea chemical out their bodies. I stopped all salt treatment, waited two weeks then bought new flea stuff and Wala! Fleas gone in a few days.

Now I only use the salt as maintenance. In the winter when the fleas are gone, I will be giving them small daily doses of the salt, until flea season comes again.

Replied by Noni
(Arroyo Grande, Ca, Usa)
01/28/2011
★★★★★

My 13 year old (47 lb) dog became slowly lethargic and her back paw started dragging on the ground when walking, and her hips and legs became really stiff... I wanted to watch if this was just temporary, but it lasted more than 3 weeks, and when she started yelping when getting up after lying down, I took her to the vet, who told me to put her on arthritis medicine ($$).

I decided to investigate a natural cure instead (as I don't even take medicine) and based on this site, I started giving her just a few grains (not even a pinch) of unrefined non-oven dried sea salt in her food 1x daily which helped her greatly! Within a week, she was improving, and soon She was even running at the dog park! It has been about 5 months now, and I only give it to her a few times a week and so far so good. Very effective! We have gone on a few 45 minute hikes, and No more pain the next day like she used to have! I tell so many people

I know about this awesome site! God bless all of you who share freely and unselfishly; your integrity, wonderful cures and helpful testimonies are very much appreciated!

Replied by Angie
(Ohio, USa)
05/07/2015

Have you tried Diatomaceous Earth for fleas? It's natural and can be dusted on your dog & also a teaspoon added to food. It gets rid of fleas, ticks and mites. It can be purchased at most feed store and at Tractor Supply.


Bad Breath, Body Odor, Chronic Fatigue

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Posted by Alex (France) on 09/01/2020
★★★★★

After brutally suffering from terrible body odour, bad breath cfs and anxiety for 20 years. I learned that it stemmed from low stomach acid. Prior to that I tried everything, 50 liver flushes 200 coffeee enemas, parasite clesnses, enzymes.every diet. Every cure you can think off.

Anyway, all I needed was a pinch himalayan salt mixed in a glass water first thing in the morining.This encourages the stomach to make stomach acid.Doing this made me feel great and full off energy from day 1.

Stomach acid is made from healthy salt. and when you mix with water, it goes straight to the stomach where its absorbed and assimilated.
This is a permanent cure, no astrisks or I'm 80% cured.

I'm fully cured after suffering for so long. Low stomach acid may be a reason why so many suffer from health problems. Then they get on infinite pills and supplements thinking their healthier. Unfortunately those pills and supplements are ruining their bodys and shortening their lives.

Healthy diet, healthy salt in the morning.immortal combo.

(btw I can eat anything now, no health problems)!!! I'm so happy you guys!!!

Replied by Art
(California)
09/01/2020
2119 posts

Hi Alex!

Such a simple remedy after so long of trying many other things! I like it!

When you say a "pinch", do you mean the amount of sea salt that you can trap between the thumb and forefinger if you dip those two fingers into the sea salt?

Does this amount of salt give the glass of water a salty taste?

Did this amount of salt have any effect on your blood pressure?

Lastly, how long did it take you to see benefit?

Thank you!

Art

Replied by Maria
(Canada)
05/14/2022
9 posts

After morning salt..how long do you wait to eat? Do you take salt for other meals too?


Bladder Infection

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Posted by Anne (Orange County, Ca) on 10/01/2018
★★★★★

I am amazed how well sea salt works on the pain from an Urinary tract infection. I was in pain for days and then 30 minutes after drinking a glass of water with one teaspoon of salt I feel almost back to myself. I am writing this the next day, I took it last night and I feel great today. I have an autoimmune disease and take prednisone so I am more susceptible to uti's. Thank you Ted for the salt remedy!!!


Bladder Infection
Posted by Sarah (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 02/19/2012
★★★★★

I really want to thank this site for being so amazing! I had been suffering from what I believe is a bad uti, since about a couple weeks ago. I was so despirate and hurting a lot when urinating and wanting to go really frequently. I had gotten rid of a previous uti over two months ago - I had aquired it during a bad broncial infection -. Then I got sick again about two weeks ago with a sinus cold and bit of the flu. This caused the uti to come back and flare up stronger then ever! I was so despirate and couldn't do anything. I couldn't go out for long periods where having access to a washroom was very limited. I couldn't do much at all without wanting to practically live my life sitting on the toilet. There was no bleeding at least but I was up and down every 5 seconds sometimes, especially during the day. The only thing that supressed it a bit was drinking about 750ml of water minimum before 4pm in the day and then at least that much again before 8pm at night. I still felt like I had to go more then normal but it wasn't as bad and I wasn't going every 5 seconds and feeling intense pain. I only felt a small bit of pain.

Finally I decided to do some research on the net to see if there was anything I had at home to use as a natural remedy. I had done a few things already. Drinking Cranberry juice, calcium suppliments and upping my dietray fiber intake but they didn't do much at all. So despirately googling for some answers brought me to this site and immediately my eyes found the words sea salt. I then clicked it and read the posts.

So thank you for posting about the sea salt and water treatment. Definently the one dose overnight effectiveness and the fact that I already had some caused me to try it but it was so worth it! I'm barely going more then usual now - unless I'm drinking a lot of water - and I don't feel any pain, stinging or burning!

I am so happy to be free from all that suffering! :D


Bladder Infections

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Posted by Rachel (Aztec, NM) on 01/11/2007
★★★★☆

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I got a UTI about a week ago. Slugged down 2 teaspoons of sea salt in 8oz water. Gosh, that was rough! I felt no more pain in my bladder, but had been drinking cranberry juice all morning. I was symptom free for about a week. It came back today, I drank only 1 teasp sea salt this time, and it didn't touch the pain. It cleaned out my bowels, which helped with the overall bloated feeling I also suffered. Now I'm trying Apple Cider vinegar. It's helped with the pain, although not completely. And it tastes way way better :D


Boils

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Posted by Carol (Dora, MS) on 01/11/2007
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Husband got what looked like a pimple on his neck. By the next night it had gotten worrisome big. Went to your web site and found the sea salt cure. We dampened a wash cloth, poured some sea salt on it, and he held it on the boil for twenty minutes. It went down in just twenty minutes!

We then taped a cotton ball soaked in castor oil and dipped in the salt for three nights, and the thing is gone. Thank you so much Carol Ann


Calm and Serene

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Posted by Barbara (Napanee, Ontario, Canada) on 01/24/2009
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Lately, having seen microscopic pictures of table salt, sea salt, and himalayan sea salt, I've opted for himalayan sea salt's live crystals, called sole (so-lay) when dissolved in spring water. I'm impressed with my increased vitality since I've been bathing in it (see www.profoundliving.org for benefits including magnesium chloride absorption). I bet it has great antibiotic properties.

Being a yoga teacher I am also advising of the benefits of neti, using himalayan sole, in which you inhale it through one nostril and exhale it through the other.

I do notice increased benefit over regular sea salt, again increased vitality and calmness, a sense of well-being. I guess that steam inhalation would have even more benefits for bronchitis or asthma.

Another benefit I enjoy is less stress from time spent on the computer when I burn a beeswax candle in a himalayan sea salt container, supposedly removing negative ions and electro-magnetic damage. I plan on buying a few lamps in different colors for their color therapy.


Canker Sores

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Posted by Tiraya (Bangkok) on 10/31/2006
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Sea Salt cured the wound in my mouth (accidentally bit my mouth.. hehe) *makes the gums healthy. I think I really got better when I drank salt and hot water when I was sick. I love this website : )


Congestion

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Posted by Brian (Baltimore, MD) on 09/12/2006
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BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I had this problem all my life, a stopped up runny nose at night. I took a quarter of a teaspoon of unrefined sea salt and the very first night it cleared up! Now, I have a problem with dry mouth! But I can live with this. Anyone fighting to breath at night knows the misery it brings. I am finally getting a full nights rest! If you try this, make sure that it is UNREFINED sea salt.

Replied by carmel
(Essex)
03/24/2022
★★★★★

Had similar problem for about a year, including a lot of thick stringy mucus in nose and throat making it hard to breath. Got a salt machine and put it on at night so it works while I sleep for hours. Far better than having to keep using asthma inhalers to try to shift it - with all of their side effects - and very easy. The trouble with these problems is doctors are clueless as to the cause of it or don't care and just give medicines for the symptoms, often ones that cause as many problems or more than they solve. You can buy this machine on the shopping site beginning with A. Not a salt pipe, a proper machine that works while you do whatever you want, sleeping, eating, watching tv or whatever. You must be thinking of staying in the room. Do not leave door open. Let it build up and work for as many hours a s possible daily. I put mine on at night as electricity is cheaper then and its the only time, when I am sleeping, that I am not going from room to room.

Replied by Anna
(Eastern Europe)
08/21/2023

Just want to give you a heads up to say that if you have a dry mouth after increasing your salt intake, it's indicative of a sugar crash. Low sugars cause dry mouth, and increasing salt increases hydration, which leads to low sugars.


Conjunctivitis

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Posted by Donna (Allen, Tx) on 01/11/2013
★★★★★

I use sea salt and filtered water for pink eye/conjunctivitis all the time. I have 4 kids and for some reason they are susceptible to pink eye. (I've gotten it a few times from treating them... Very contagious)

I have little rubber 1/4 c dishes (from kitchen) and use them to mix 1/8 tsp sea salt with 1/4 c water. I make the child put eye up to cup and tip head back (kind of suctions to their eye), they open eye as much as they can, then dump out and rinse container.

Do same with other eye.

Don't cross contaminate or will spread to other eye.
Only takes about 3-4 days. I do it 3 or more times a day.

Dry with a clean, new cloth each time.

Do not rub eyes with same hand... Will spread. Might sting slightly, but usually their eyes feel better almost right away.


Conjunctivitis
Posted by Marie (Baton Rouge, LA) on 09/16/2007
★★★★★

As a child I had a horrible case of conjunctivitis. For over a month, I suffered from home with absolutely no change no matter how much eye drops or medication the doctor's prescribed me. My family finally took our yearly trip to the beach and after a day, my eye infection was completely gone. When we returned and returned to the doctor for a checkup, my pediatrician chuckled and said, oh "You went to the beach, the ocen clears that right up!" My mother could NOT believe it. We surely would have hightailed it to the beach a week into the conjunctivitis had we known! As a result of my month long infection, I had permanent vision damage and had to have membraned PEELED off my eyelids. I am just thankful the beach trip and swimming in the ocean happened when it did, otherwise, I might have had even greater eye damage. I'm lucky I only have to wear glasses/contacts for the rest of my life.


Constipation

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Posted by : ) (Dayton, Ohio) on 02/18/2012
★★★★★

Constipation is gone. I drink a teaspoonful of sea salt in a cup of purified drinking water.



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