Salt was the payment for roman soldiers as currency – today we have the word ‘salary’ from its root. Colloid minerals of sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) define salt in the chemical term – however I prefer if it is contaminated with loads of trace minerals as well! Sodium is necessary for your cellular power as a separation of charges and electro potential held outside of your cells- it balances with potassium (that will be another blog post). Chloride is an essential mineral for making stomach acid - HCL. HCL is necessary to break down all proteins ingested while in your stomach! Salt tastes good for a reason and is especially important for those on a vegetarian diet. Have as much as you want.

Quick and easy checks for hydration status is if your tired all the time and have dark colored urine – best to drink more water! If you drink lots of fizzy malty pints and caffeine to an excess – best to add more water instead. Electrolytes can be added to your life by adding a teaspoon of sea salt into your drinking water. Over time a bit of salt in the water is a gentle liver cleanse as well. I often use a bit of salt water in the mid afternoon if I am feeling a bit tired. A perk in energy is noted. Electrolytes are an easy and effective addition to your hydration status. About 2/3 of our nutritional needs are mineral based. Sea salt contains a fair amount of them. Sip your water throughout the day – at LEAST one liter per day. Add citrus for a vitamin C boost as well!

Omega 3’s are the most difficult to obtain in the human diet today in comparison with omega 6 and omega 9. Omega 3’s are the precursors for the endocannabinoid system. Cannabinoids are known for “feeling good” beyond “feeling high”. Instead of smoking a medicinal plant we can eat omega 3 fatty acids and build our own endocannabinoids and ‘feel good’ aspects will flow from the inside out. Let’s fuel your system by providing the building blocks. Omega 3 fatty acids is also functional on the same pathway as NSAID pain relievers – influencing the arachidonic acid pathway cascade toward inflammation reduction. Check for sardines in your grocery basket! Great meal on the go. Fermented cod liver oil may be the best to date I’ve found.

Your body has two nerve systems. Each has awesome purpose and we are discussing them in terms of a car gas pedal and a break pedal. The ‘fight or flight’ system is the gas – we use it daily as we get up and go. Pupils dilate and blood flow increases to our peripheral muscles. The ‘rest and digest’ system means pupils constrict and blood flows to our digestive glands for nutrient uptake and secretions of toxicity clearance. Ideal function involves employing both systems to work as needed in a state of balance. Sometimes we get caught up with “burning the candle from both ends” and it’s a difficult thing for our bodies homeostatic balance. Being stuck in allostasis (being out of balance) is caused by prolonged stress. A simple way to help would be rest early and rest often. Screen time right before bed isn’t really going to help you get to sleep any faster. Maybe a large boring book to keep by your night stand would do the trick without activating our blue light ‘wake cycle’ of our pineal gland right before bed.