Most of us hear about the harms of salt , but the benefits of salt also cannot be overlooked. A team of researchers suggests that increasing the amount of salt in your diet may have some beneficial effects, especially when it comes to fighting cancer .
The benefits of salt
Excessive salt intake affects the immune system by altering the balance of immune system cells, causing inflammation. In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, a team of researchers tested the effect of this inflammatory condition on the growth of tumors in mice, and their experiments showed that high amounts of salt in the mice's bodies significantly inhibited tumor growth.
The researchers found that excessive amounts of salt in the diet impeded the functioning of immune cells known as suppressor cells, known as MDSCs, not only in the case of mice, but in other cases of human cells taken as samples from patients with cancer . Suppressor cells are known for their ability to suppress the immune response , and it has been proven that these cells negatively affect the condition of patients with solid tumors.
This environment with high levels of salt prevented the inhibitory cells from destabilizing the immune response to cancer-fighting cells, and the researchers explained that previous studies in this regard also indicated that these cells are a major cause of preventing the immune system from attacking diseases .
The researchers found that adjusting the effect of inhibitory cells can restore the immune response against cancer . This confirmed their theory, which suggested that controlling these cells with a high intake of salt could prevent the growth of cancerous tumours.
The researchers reported that by the 11th day of the experiment, the tumor growth retardation was sufficiently pronounced between the two groups that the researchers could detect significant differences in tumor size.
The same results appeared in the case of using mice with lung cancer at that stage of the experiment. The high-salt diet also contributed to a significant delay in tumor growth.
The research team concluded that a high-salt diet clearly inhibited tumor growth in two different conditions, and the team believes that their findings may be of great importance in the field of cancer immunotherapy research .
Types of healthy salt
Keep in mind, before you run to the grocery store, that there are healthy, nutrient-dense alternatives to highly processed table salt regularly sold in supermarkets.
You should use the type of salt that does not contain many additives and is not highly processed. You need to use either unrefined sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt, which is rich in minerals .
Himalayan salt is extracted from mines near the Himalayas in Pakistan. It contains more minerals than regular table salt, and more potassium , calcium , magnesium, and iron.
Rather, the benefits of Himalayan salt go beyond the ability to resist the growth of cancerous tumors, as there is evidence indicating that it helps to combat lung diseases and respiratory diseases as well.
Whether you decide to rely on Himalayan salt or other types as an alternative to unhealthy table salt, the truth is that there are many possible natural remedies that play the role of salt, and replace it in the field of anti-cancer medicine.
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