Himalayan salt

April 6, 2020 Natural Health Nutrition

Sugar, Sugar by Janet Lynas, Ph.D., N.H.D.

I’ve had a couple of request to expand on the benefits of Himalayan salt and diabetes. However, I have decided to address other natural remedies in this article for a more rounded talk. Never fear, I will address Himalayan salt as well.

This is not your average diabetes information

I love my 85 year old dad, but he’s from the generation that takes what the doctor tells him as gospel. You know how it is with family… Anyway, I recently learned to my surprise and amazement, that he has been taking cinnamon capsules to help control his type II diabetes.

I had had a discussion with my dad about one of his diabetic medications and the adverse side effects. When I worked for the Veterans Administration (VA) the recommendation to their doctors was not to use this particular prescription. I’m not going to name medications in this article for legal reasons. As always I recommend you consult with your physician about your concerns with medications.

Dad reported to me that to his surprise (not mine) that he is able to have better control over his glucose numbers since using cinnamon capsules. My dad likes to have cookies for breakfast. He can eat what he wants since my mom passed eight years ago.

So, how does cinnamon help in controlling diabetes? The short answer is:

Cinnamon may help lower blood sugar and fight diabetes by imitating the effects of insulin and increasing glucose transport into the cells. It can also help lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity, making insulin more efficient at moving glucose into cells.

In people with type 2 diabetes, we know the cells resist the effect of insulin. As a result glucose doesn’t get into the cells and builds up in the blood instead. Cinnamon contains several chemicals that stimulate insulin receptors so glucose can get into cells and that means levels in the blood go down.

How much cinnamon do you take?

Studies vary on how effective cinnamon is on the control of glucose levels. Objective studies need to be done. It’s hard to find solid evidence base practice studies in any area of natural health.

Taking at least 1g, but no more than 6g of cinnamon daily might reduce fasting glucose levels by almost 30 percent. Another interesting fact is that it may reduce triglyceride levels and total cholesterol levels as well. Because cinnamon may have a drastic effect on your diabetes, always consult your doctor before adding cinnamon to your diet as part of your diabetes treatment plan.

Is one kind of cinnamon better than the others? It’s believed, Ceylon cinnamon, also known as “true” cinnamon, might be better to moderate blood sugar levels after meals and help control type 2 diabetes.

Himalayan Salt and Diabetes

Himalayan crystal salt is the natural form of salt. Pink Himalayan salt is a lot healthier than iodized salt. It is also known to help prevent diabetes because it aids with the absorption of food from the digestive tract. With better absorption it also helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Table salt also contains a stabilizer in the form of sugar, which will raise your blood sugar levels. (Remember, Shake & Bake? Many of my diabetic clients experienced spikes in glucose because they did not read the label. It contained sugar.) This makes unrefined sea salt a better choice. If you’re diabetic, it’s a better choice because it does not contain any unnatural ingredients which can raise sugar levels. Nor does it contain aluminum. Always read the labels on food packages.

Other Natural Remedies

So, what are some of the best recommendations? Here are a few additional points.

1. Antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals. Although they’re most noted for their ability …
2. Chromium.
3. Coenzyme Q10.
4. Fenugreek.
5. Fish Oil.

There are foods which can help in control of diabetes as well. Spinach, kale and other leafy greens are good sources of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. Increasing vitamin C intake reduces inflammatory markers and fasting blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

I encourage you to explore the natural health approach as a tool to improve your health.

February 1, 2020 Natural Health Nutrition

Diabetes, Nutrition & Natural Health by Janet Lynas, Ph.D., N.H.D.

Worldwide diabetes type 2 is on the rise. In 2019 the reports show that around 9.3 percent of the global adult population have diabetes. The projected number shows a rise to 11 percent by the year 2045. Frighting isn’t it? Or is it?

Keep in mind, I recommend organic foods. No, they are not always more expensive. Often times the price is the same or less than non-organic foods. What price do you put on your health?

Statistics on Diabetes

In April 2019 the estimated growth of the world population had reached 7.7 billion people. Quoting statistics to manipulate people is common practice. Numbers prove an agenda by scaring people with increased stats or down play a fact being discussed. Two sides to the coin so to speak.

Look at the estimated rise in diabetes, it appears we are headed for a worldwide crisis. However, by looking at the world population we are better able to put the numbers in prospective.

Why are we seeing a rise in diabetes?

I want to take a look from a different view point than just the lousy food choices we make.

Diabetes is rising because the population has increased and because the fastest growing age group is the ‘oldest old’. Having said this, we ask, ‘Who are the oldest old?’ People 80 years old and older are the oldest old.

Therefore, the number of centenarians has jumped to more than 340,000 worldwide today. The highest concentration is in the U.S. with Japan coming in nose to nose (using a racing term) according to the latest information from the Census Bureau. This number is projected to grow at more than 20 times the rate of the total population by 2050. For that reason, centurions are now the fastest growing age segment.

Living healthy as the ‘oldest old’

Since the centurion population is the fastest growing age group, how do we age healthy? At one time I did health physicals on elders applying for long term health insurance. Medical providers become blinded in our practices. Just like a horse with blinders, we are not able to see the peripheral view. For that reason, all we see are the sick and unhealthy population.

Once we take the blinders off, we see a totally different perspective. Now is the time to practice ‘preventive health’ care. I teach prevention to my clients. It’s easier to prevent a problem than it is to cure it.

Putting healthy living into practice

Because people have short attention spans, I will try keep this simple. Generally speaking, and let’s be honest, we don’t like to exercise. We don’t like to take responsibility for our own health, we want to blame the health care providers when we don’t have good outcomes. While it’s easier to make someone else responsible for our health status, our health is still our responsibility. Change your mindset, it’s not that hard. (If you’re having that much difficulty, then you need to schedule an appointment with me for hypnosis.)

Eating habits

Immediately you notice I didn’t say diet. Diet brings to mind a restricted food list and being hungry. Simultaneously, we feel deprived. Take the blinders off and think outside of the box. Take a look at my article on the food pyramid.

Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. Yes, diabetics can eat fruit.

A. Eat blueberries, strawberries, or any other type of berry because they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, also, they’re low-GI. Tart cherries are also packed with antioxidants, which help fight heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

B. Adding peaches into your food list is important because they contain vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber. Peaches are delicious on their own or tossed into iced tea or water for a fruity twist.

C. Eat apricots, four apricots equal one serving. They provide more than 50 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement.

D. An apple a day… Apples provide a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Don’t peel your apples, though, the skins are the most nutritious part, full of antioxidants.

E. Oranges also contain folateand potassium, which may help normalize blood pressure. Don’t forget that other citrus fruits, like grapefruit, are also great choices.

F. Pears are an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin K.

G. You may not know that the brown fuzzy kiwi peel hides a beautiful bright green fruit. Kiwi is a good source of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C.

From fruits to veggies

Don’t forget to eat your veggies! Eat the rainbow! Remember the more colors you add into your diet, the larger variety of nutrients you will get.Vegetables for diabetics include asparagus, broccoli, green cabbage, Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, Brussels sprouts, celery, chayote, artichoke, cucumber and kale, along with collard, mustard and turnip greens. You will get a plentiful serving of vitamins A, C, E and K, along with calcium, potassium and magnesium. Green vegetables tend to be low-carb foods.

B. Deep purple color signals a food that is rich in phytonutrients, especially antioxidant-rich flavonoids. Healthy purple vegetables include eggplant, purple cabbage, turnips and rutabaga.

C. Orange, Red, Yellow vegetables include carrots, baby corn, squash, tomatoes and radishes when you want to have fun with bright orange, red and yellow vegetables. Red tomatoes contain high concentrations of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps to ward prevent cancers of the prostate, lung, bladder, ovaries, colon and pancreas.

D. Some healthy white vegetables include cauliflower, bamboo shoots, jicama, water chestnuts, onions, garlic, and leeks and scallions. Having said this, pick vegetables with color over white ones because they have more vitamins and minerals. Purple onion is healthier than white onion.

Meat

The main points with meat are: eat lean meats and remember that a serving is the size of the palm of your hand.

Nuts

The top super fat nuts and seeds for diabetics include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts.

I’ve been asked about Himalayan Salt for diabetics, but I want to expand it to anyone wanting to have salt in their diet. Make sure you read my article on Himalayan salt.

One of Himalayan Crystal Salt natural benefits includes an extraordinary capacity to balance glucose levels within diabetics.

Table salt contains a stabilizer in the form of sugar, which will raise your blood sugar levels. This makes unrefined sea salt a better choice if you are diabetic, as it does not contain any unnatural ingredients which spike the sugar levels, nor does it contain aluminum.

As always consult with your personal health care provider.

February 21, 2019 Nutrition

The Salt of the Earth by Janet Lynas, Ph.D., N.H.D.

Have you ever head of Himalayan salt? The health benefits are impressive. Did you know that you might already be using Himalayan salt? I bet you’ve heard of Pink Himalayan Salt. You may be using it already. So, what is the big ‘to do’ about Himalayan salt? Is one type of Himalayan salt better than another? I could only find two research articles on the benefits of Himalayan salt. It seems that more studies should be done.

The first was conducted at the University of Graz, Austria in 2001, and is detailed in the book Water & Salt, The Essence of Life.

The second was a double-blind placebo clinical study was conducted in 2007, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The intent was to test the body’s reaction to the ingestion of common sea salt versus the ingestion of Original Himalayan Crystal Salt. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Original Himalayan Crystal Salt as a safe and effective all-natural mineral supplement.

The conclusion of the study:

Original Himalayan Crystal Salt was shown to be a highly effective product for the normalizing of mineralization in the human body. It has also shown to be effective in helping to stabilize pH and Oxidative Stress numbers in the human body. Hydration indicators showed an average of ten percent increase over the course of this study.

Original Himalayan Crystal Salt has not demonstrated any adverse side effects or organ system involvement, contraindications, or interactions with any food or drug, allowing the product to be used for extended periods of time. The time course and strength of its effects make it a viable alternative to common sea salt.

Having said this…..

What is Pink Himalayan Salt?

Himalayan salt is a unique salt that comes from salt mines 5,000 feet below the Himalayan Mountain Range. This salt is classified as rock salt or halite, which comes from the Punjab region of Pakistan about 190 miles from the Himalayas. The salt is believed to be a product of the dried remnants of the original, primal sea. Now that’s old!

Himalayan salt is about 4 billion years old and is thought to have formed during the creation of the earth. Because of the pressure of the earth on the salt, 5,000 feet deep, the salt is considered to be 99% pure.

Himalayan salt’s colors are pink, white or red. As with other foods, the richer the color, the better the mineral content. Himalayan salt is chemically sodium chloride (NaCl), which is defined as a mineral substance. It is important in the health of humans and animals. Salt is essential for maintaining healthy functioning of the body’s cells, nerve conduction, digestion, as well as the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste products. Himalayan salt is said to have between 60 to 84 trace minerals.

What is the difference between Himalayan salt and ordinary table salt?

Himalayan salt is the more pure form of salt and the best Himalayan salt is mined by hand. On the other hand, ordinary table salt is heavily processed and the processing of the salt destroys the minerals that were in the salt. Ordinary table salt is typically 97.5 percent to 99.9 percent sodium chloride. However, a high-quality unrefined salt like Himalayan sea salt is only about 87 percent sodium chloride.

As a result of the processing with ordinary table salt, sodium is the only ingredient left. Some companies add iodine plus there are dangerous anti-clumping agents added to the salt. Many commercial table salts also undergo a bleaching process and they contain aluminum derivatives and other ingredients known to be highly toxic to human health. Remember, aluminum is believed to contribute to the different dementias.

Why would we want to add yet another toxic food to our diet?

What are the health benefits of Himalayan salt?

The most noted health benefits of Himalayan salt include:

Himalayan salt shows an improvement in respiratory function. The Lung Institute research shows that salt is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, loosens excessive mucus and speeds up mucus clearance, removes pathogens in the air like pollen, and decreases IgE level (immune system oversensitivity).
It helps to balance your body’s ph levels. When your pH has a healthy acid-to-alkaline ratio, it makes an important difference in your overall health. A proper pH helps foster your immunity, encourages good digestion and has an effect on your blood pH.
Himalayan salt is beneficial in the digestion of food. The Himalayan salt stimulates the peristalsis of the digestive organs, balances the stomach acid, supports the production of digestive fluids in the liver and pancreas, regulates the metabolism and harmonizes the acid-alkaline balance.
Purifies the air. Himalayan salt lamps are known to improve air quality inside your home or office. Himalayan salt lamps attract water vapors to it as well as air pollutants. The water vapor evaporates due the lamp’s heat, but the dust and allergens remain in the salt instead of getting into your body. That’s pretty cool isn’t it?
Himalayan salt can enhance better sleep. But, how can that be, you say? There was research done in 1989 showing that a low-sodium diet can cause disturbed and irregular sleep patterns. Dr. Michael V. Vitiello, the director of the Sleep and Aging Research Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, keenly points out, “low levels of sodium in the blood cause blood volume to decrease, and the sympathetic nervous system becomes more active in order to compensate. That causes sleepers to wake up more often and have difficulty going back to sleep.” (Michael V. Vitiello, PhD is an internationally recognized expert in sleep, circadian rhythms and sleep disorders in aging. His NIH funded research focuses on the causes, consequences and treatments of disturbed sleep, circadian rhythms and cognition in older adults. He is the author of 450+ scientific publications.)

There are additional health benefits resulting with the use of Himalayan salt. In summary, the benefits affect every aspect of life including; aiding in balancing the water levels in the body, to the prevention of leg cramps, to heart health, and to improved libido. That’s rather sexy!

As with any salt, you don’t want to over use Himalayan salt. Keep it stored in an airtight container. The benefits are many do to the high mineral content.

There are many brands of Himalayan salt on the market. As with any product you don’t want to go the cheap route. You get what you pay for. Do your research, but in my research I found that The Spice Lab Himalayan salt is rated the best. You can get a two pound bag for around $7.55.

Enjoy the ‘salt of the earth’ and its benefits with Himalayan salt.

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