From living in an old Mediterranean town – Pula, I have no doubt that human lives are strongly and deeply connected with the sea.
Since my early years, I have felt especially connected with the sea, although I was not aware for much of that time of the reasons why it was so. Slowly but surely, especially when spending some time away from the sea, I started to long for those great body movements through the waters, such as swimming and diving. They bring the feeling of easiness and freedom, and at the same time enjoying the unity the sea creates with the rocks and trees surrounding it, reflections of the sky, being the sun, clouds or winds. I know now that the sea connects us with every place on earth, no matter how close or far they are.
All these make me think about the importance of the sea water and its effects on health and our lives.
The Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the North Sea are the most common hubs for the harvesting of sea salt. The method involved in harvesting salt also helps to retain its natural state and therapeutic qualities. The healing properties of sea salt help in maintaining good cellular functioning of the body and have been appreciated for ages. In ancient times, Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, discovered the therapeutic qualities of seawater by noticing the healing effects it had on the injured hands of fishermen. The seawater not only restricted infection risks, but patients who followed treatments involving the use of seawater found that it also promoted pain relief.
Sea salt derives many essential trace nutrients from the mineral treasure trove present in sea water. These natural minerals are valuable for the healthy functioning of the body. The nutritional wealth of sea salt includes vital minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bromide, chloride, iron, copper, and zinc among other beneficial elements.
Sea salt consists of a similar assortment of minerals and natural healing elements as those found on skin cells. This makes it a perfectly natural ingredient to be used for therapeutic treatments and beauty products.
Besides good skin care, the health benefits of sea salt include improved dental health, relief from rheumatoid arthritis, muscle cramps, psoriasis, and osteoarthritis. It also helps in providing relief from acne and rhinosinusitis. Furthermore, it is beneficial for exfoliation, nasal and eye wash, and an improved electrolytic balance of the body. It has healing properties that play a vital role in maintaining acid-alkali ratio, regular heartbeat, and relaxed sleep, along with providing relief from general body fatigue.
“Sea salt baths can provide pain relief that may last for weeks after the therapeutic session”. This was a note found in the July 1990 issue of an Israeli journal “Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology” (which was focusing on research concerning the Dead Sea and its health benefits) and now continues to be a regular therapeutic procedure in many rehabilitation clinics located at the seaside, including Croatia’s famous rehabilitation centres. The researchers treated individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis with heated sea baths for 20-30 minutes daily. After two weeks, study participants experienced increased mobility and significantly less pain, with improvements lasting up to one month after the end of the study.
