True Life Stories & True Life Issues
Did mankind always use salt? This was the first question I wanted to answer while writing this entry. Is the use of salt by people and civilizations a common thread from ancient times? Did their use of salt evolve through time, similar to Cleopatra’s famed milk baths to obtain soft skin? Indeed it did.
Consider this: without salt, no animal, including humans, would be able to survive. Sodium is a component of our blood and an element required in blood. In ancient times, to sustain growing populations salt was required. The availability and the accessibility for easy production of salt, were basic conditions needed for population growth and development. The importance of salt to any civilization should not be underestimated.
There were industries that were allied to the availability of salt. This gave strength to the populations who had a steady and reliable supply of salt. These societies had an advantage by enabling them to make enormous leaps into a new world of culture, health and well-being.
Some of these early industries included silver mining, (a salt solution was used to harvest the silver from ore), the making of glass (salt mixed with lime and sand), and of course the tanning of hides and the dehydration of meat for preservation, which allowed for a centralized distribution channel to the society, thus providing strength and growth.
From ancient times to modern times there are now believed to be 14,000 uses for salt! With responsible use, salt provides an environmentally friendly alternative to harsh chemicals and, common salt is inexpensive. These countless uses for salt may be utilized in many areas around the home: the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry, the garden, in addition to personal hygiene, to name a few. I’m including some of the 14,000 lesser known uses for salt and providing choice alternatives to purchased (chemical) products that offer to do the same thing.
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