This is one ingredient you must reduce from your diet and add to your bath

A drop in temperature brings with it a host of illnesses, but you can outsmart the problems related to the common cold by looking into your kitchen! Yes, we are here with an amazing solution that will help you stay in good health during the winter season! 

Wondering what’s that one-stop solution? Well, it’s none other than SALT! Salt is an integral part of our daily food consumption but have you ever realised how mindlessly we consume this condiment? And how it can affect your health? If not, then we will tell you how. 

Reduce the daily consumption of salt from your diet

According to guidelines laid down by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the new benchmark for sodium consumption is 5gm. You heard it right — that’s the recommended daily intake. Anything higher than that can contribute to high blood pressure, and can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. But guess what? Most people consume more than double this amount, and that’s alarmingly high. 

“Cutting it down is an easy approach that you can take for a healthy life. It keeps your blood pressure in check,” says Dr. Deepika Rani Vellore Shankar, dietician, Apollo Telehealth. And that’s why she has also recommended some tips to reduce its intake. 

Here they are:

• Limit your consumption of salty snacks and foods like pickles, papad, and chips. 
• Don’t add salt while cooking the food. Add it later while eating it. 
• Frozen food items are often laden with added salt, so choose fresh foods only. 
•  Avoid any packed product that provides more than 30% of the daily allowance of sodium in one serving. 
• Use lemon, spices, and other condiments to enhance the flavour of your food. 

So now you know why cutting salt from your diet is really important and how you can do it. But guess what?

Also, read: I cut out salt from my diet for a month. Here’s why I regret it

On the one hand, where salt is not a good ingredient for your health, it is a wonderful ingredient for your skin. Believe it or not, but that’s true!

Add salt to your skincare regimen!

You know that our skin cries for help, especially during the winter season. It definitely needs more, so what’s better than going natural? Ladies, it’s time to try a kitchen staple for beautiful skin, and that is salt! 

Salt is loaded with minerals and nutrients that your skin is otherwise deprived of. What’s more, there’s also magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium in salt that enhances the texture of your skin, and keeps it hydrated. Adding it to your bath water is often suggested by experts to release stress and tension.

Here are some of the most important benefits of salt water bath.

Dr Sachin Dhawan , Senior Consultant, Department of Dermatology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, tells HealthShots about the benefits of a salt  water bath.

1. Soaking feet in salt water helps to easily exfoliate dry cracked heels
2. Helps in releasing toxins and relieving stress. 
3. Bath salts can help with muscle aches and aching joints by relaxing tense muscles and reducing inflammation.
4. It can be used to relieve skin inflammation and irritation caused by eczema and athlete’s foot.
5. Salt and a tablespoon of olive oil can be added to a bathtub to relieve dry and itchy skin, including itch caused by insect bites.
6. It naturally absorbs bacteria in the skin and sucks pore-clogging oil and toxins out of the skin. 
7. Helps to reduce breakouts, so you can get clear and glowing skin.
8. Treats skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and even excessive dryness, which is common during winter.
9. It is an excellent exfoliant that helps to slough off dead skin cells, rejuvenates brightness, tightens, softens the skin for an overall smooth skin tone.
10. It acts as a natural detoxifier that sucks out toxins and bacteria.

The best way to include it in your skincare regime is by adding it to your bath water. 

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Here’s how you can prepare a relaxing salt bath:

Salt absorbs dirt, grime, and toxins, and cleanses the skin’s pores deeply. Its mineral content helps to restore the protective barrier of your skin and keeps your skin hydrated.

To use it for a bath, add one-third cup salt to a tub filled with warm water (or a bucket if you like the good ol’ balti bath), and swish to dissolve it. Soak (in the tub) for 15 to 30 minutes, or have a slow, relaxing bath mug by mug.