Hydration, Misunderstood: A Story of Salt, Minerals & Modern Life
By Alexia Pallotta
Clinical Naturopath | Founder of Base Company
Salt often gets a bad rap. We’re told to avoid it, restrict it, monitor every sprinkle. But our bodies don’t crave salt by accident. That pull toward something salty after sweating, crying, stressing, or thinking too hard? It’s communication. An ancient biological language, spoken in minerals.
For thousands of years, salt played a vital role in survival. It preserved food, fuelled hydration, and even served as currency. But today, in a world of processed food and filtered water, salt is something we’re taught to fear, not revere.
We’ve misunderstood it for far too long. It’s time to explore the mineral matrix of electrolytes and what real balance looks like for your energy, your physiology, and your health.
Salt: More Than Just Sodium
Salt is not just sodium. It’s a compound of sodium and chloride (NaCl), and in its unrefined forms, like Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, it also contains trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These minerals support hydration, nerve transmission, hormone signalling, and adrenal function (Yadav et al., 2024).
Most people, however, associate “salt” with its most processed form: refined sodium chloride, stripped of its mineral co-factors. This is the kind added to takeaway and packaged foods. But natural salts are more complex and biologically meaningful. They don’t just flavour food, they nourish your cells.
Salt is an electrolyte. And electrolytes are how your body communicates. No salt, no signal. No signal, no function.
The Body’s Electrical Code
Electrolytes are charged minerals that facilitate nearly every cellular function (Ausmed, 2023). The major players include:
• Sodium: Regulates fluid balance, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions, including the heartbeat
• Potassium: Balances sodium, supports muscles and nerves, and helps regulate blood pressure
• Magnesium: A cofactor in over 300 biochemical reactions, including energy production and nervous system regulation
• Calcium: Involved in hormone release, muscle coordination, and cell signalling
• Chloride, phosphate, and bicarbonate: Maintain acid–base balance, support digestion, and assist in waste removal
When one falls out of rhythm, the others compensate, and that’s when symptoms start.
The issue isn’t salt itself. It’s the source, the context, and the absence of supporting minerals.
Processed vs Whole Salt
In Australia, over 75% of sodium intake comes from ultra-processed foods like packaged snacks, frozen meals, and takeaway (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). These foods deliver large amounts of sodium, without the balancing minerals found in nature. Alternatively, those who eat mostly wholefoods, drink filtered water, sweat often, or live in high-stress states may unknowingly be under-mineralised.
We’re also drinking more water than ever before, yet many still feel bloated, tired, and burnt out. Why? Because hydration without minerals is incomplete. This “pseudo-hydration” can leave us overhydrated and undernourished. It’s not too much salt that’s the problem. It’s the imbalance.
Signs You Might Be Out of Balance:
- Persistent salt or sugar cravings
- Dizziness or light-headedness when standing
- Water retention or bloating
- Muscle cramps or tightness
- Brain fog or afternoon energy crashes
- Waking between 2- 4am
- Anxiety or irritability, especially around hormonal shifts
Why This Matters for Everyday People
Electrolytes aren’t just for athletes. They’re for all of us, especially those juggling stress, screens, filtered water, sweat, and caffeine. Everyday life drains minerals: through breath, sweat, urine, and even emotional stress. And when those minerals aren’t replenished, the body must work harder to compensate.
Proper hydration, supported by minerals, can improve:
- Energy and mood stability
- Focus and mental clarity
- Sleep quality and nervous system regulation
- Blood pressure and circulation
- Cramping, PMS symptoms, and fluid retention (Chodkowski, 2024)
Electrolyte balance supports how you think, move, digest, sleep, and recover. It’s not optional, it’s foundational.
What Real Balance Looks Like
So how do you support electrolytes, without going overboard?
• Use quality salt: Choose unrefined, mineral-rich salt instead of relying on sodium from processed foods
• Re-mineralise your water: Add a pinch of salt or an electrolyte formula
• Eat potassium-rich foods: Think bananas, avocados, leafy greens, legumes, and sweet potatoes
• Support magnesium intake: Include dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, green vegetables, or supplement if needed
• Hydrate wisely: Try coconut water, bone broth, add a pinch of salt to your water or invest in natural electrolyte blends. One beautiful option is Land Essentials’ Marine Coconut (Hydration) Powder, a thoughtfully crafted formula made with nature-sourced minerals and no unnecessary additives
Final Thoughts: Listen to the Craving
Salt cravings aren’t a flaw in your willpower. They’re a signal from your cells.
In a world that’s overhydrated and under-mineralised, learning to season with intention, in food and in life, is essential. Electrolytes are for thinkers, feelers, carers, parents, professionals. For anyone trying to keep up with life in a body that’s trying to keep up with them.
When you understand the language of salt, you stop fighting your body, and start working with it.
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References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Australian Health Survey: Biomedical results for nutrients, 2011–12. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/australian-health-survey-biomedical-results-nutrients
Ausmed. (2023). Electrolyte imbalances: Ranges & disturbances. https://www.ausmed.com.au/learn/articles/electrolyte-imbalances
Chodkowski, J. (2024). The role of nutrition and hydration in injury prevention and recovery: A review. Journal of Education, Health and Sport, 71, Article 56117. https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2024.71.56117
Genuis, S. J. (2010). What’s out there making us sick? Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2010, Article 910727. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/910727
Lindeman, R. D. (2009). Hydration, electrolyte, and mineral needs. In C. W. Bales & C. S. Ritchie (Eds.), Handbook of clinical nutrition and aging (pp. 137–155). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-385-5_8
National Health and Medical Research Council. (2017). Sodium – Nutrient reference values. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/sodium
Yadav, S., Yadav, J., Kumar, S., & Singh, P. (2024). Metabolism of macro-elements (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and phosphorus) and associated disorders. In R. L. Singh, P. Singh, & N. Pathak (Eds.), Clinical applications of biomolecules in disease diagnosis (pp. 177–203). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-4723-8_8
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, supplementation, or health routine.