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h)SALT WATER
CURES ALL
In 1934 Isak Dinesen wrote a short story in which a character
claimed, “I know a cure for everything: salt water... sweat, or
tears, or the salt sea.” It’s a quote that has aged well and can
now be found on many a Pinterest board or Instagram post. For
though our lives have changed radically in the last 100 years,
our bodies and minds have not. So it’s no wonder that as record
numbers of people suffer from anxiety and depression, we’re
starting to look to ancient remedies to help reset ourselves when
we’ve spent too long sitting still, away from nature, bottling up
our emotions.
More people are sharing their mental health struggles, so
we finally seem to be understanding that our physical and
mental health are inextricably intertwined. Much research
has been done recently about why girls become reluctant to
take part in sports after adolescence. It seems the causes are
largely psychological, from body image concerns to worries
about sweating. Which means they then miss out on both the
physical and mental health benefits of working up a good
sweat. Sweating literally keeps you alive, stopping your body
from overheating, so the fact that it has been made something
women particularly should feel embarrassed about is ridiculous.
It helps fight inflammation, keeps your liver healthy, contains
a natural antibiotic and of course mentally the endorphin
rush after exercise makes you feel happy and boosts yourSweating, swimming, sobbing; just how
therapeutic is salt water? Katie Antoniouexamines this naturally occurring medicine.
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