Good morning!

  Now that summer is officially over in my town, my schedule returns
to what
passes for 'normal' (I live in a tourist town and perform five nights
a week
during the summer season as a jazz vocalist).

I wanted to respond to the questions about sea salt.  First, I think
it is
necessary to understand common salt (table salt).  Table salt contains
sodium chloride,  an inorganic mineral that cannot be used by any cell
structure of the body.  It is heated to extremely high temperatures.
Potassium iodide, or sodium iodide is added to create iodized salt.
Dextrose, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium silico-aluminate are often
added to
keep the salt white and easy to pour.  It irritates the stomach and
bloodstream and is indigestible.

Unrefined sea salt is obtained by the simple process of concentrating
sea
water under the sun.  It contains more trace minerals, and no
additives.  Up
to five percent of the sea water is composed of naturally occurring
potassium, calcium, magnesium, and trace elements.   Salt obtained by
the
evaporation of seawater has the following composition: sodium chloride
77.76
percent, magnesium chloride 10.88 percent, magnesium sulfate 4.74
percent,
calcium sulfate 3.60 percent, potassium chloride 2.46 percent,
magnesium
bromide 0.22 percent, and calcium carbonate 0.34 percent.  These
naturally
occurring minerals and trace elements can be readily assimilated by
the
body.

The human body contains various minerals such as calcium, phosphorus,
potassium, sulphur, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, and iron, as well as
minute
amounts of trace elements such as iodine, manganese, copper, nickel,
arsenic, bromine, silicon, selenium, and others.  Approximately 80% of
the
body consists of water, in which these minerals and trace elements are
found.  Our bloodstream and other bodily fluids are similar in
composition
to the primordial ocean.  Unrefined sea salt retains all the natural
mineral
compounds and trace elements (approximately 60) found in the sea.

Regarding the question about the necessity of salt for the iodine,
iodine
most certainly is found in the sea.  It is also found in fish, ALL
garden
vegetables, and raw or roasted meat.

The following is from www.britannica.com

Where people live mainly on milk and raw or roasted meat (so that its
natural salts are not lost), sodium chloride supplements are
unnecessary;
nomads with their flocks of sheep or herds of cattle, for example,
never eat
salt with their food. On the other hand, people who live mostly on
cereal,
vegetable, or boiled meat diets require supplements of salt.

I offer this post for informational purposes.  I choose not to be
personally
invested in what anyone chooses to believe.  As I use my discernment,
I
advise others to do so.

  I'm always glad to elaborate on any sincerely asked question, if I
am
able.

Siobhan