Tissue salts explained

The word biochemistry comes from the Greek word “bios” (meaning life) and “chemistry.”  Biochemistry refers to the natural chemical changes that are carried out by life processes.  These changes are affected by the union of organic substances with inorganic elements, whereby different tissues of the body are formed. 

Energy is then obtained so that the body can carry out the vital processes like breathing, moving, thinking, blood-circulation, and so forth.  Dr. Schüβler, a German-born doctor was most probably one of the first doctors to use the term “biochemistry.”  He was also a physiological chemist and a physicist.  He was ahead of his time when it came to science and, by putting his theories to the test as a medical doctor, he achieved great results.  And so, Biochemistry was born!  Years later, a well-known scientist Rudolph Virchow, discovered that the human body is composed of a tremendous amount of living cells, each one made up of a very small, but balanced quantity of 3 classes of materials, namely water, organic substances and inorganic substances.  Water and organic matter like sugar and albuminous, fatty substances, make up the greater portion, whilst inorganic / mineral substances, are vital (although less than the others).  These mineral substances are the “active workers” that utilise the inactive substances in building the millions of cells of which the body is composed.

So; what is the use and reason for using and prescribing tissue salts?  In a nutshell; if your blood lacks any of the necessary quantities of inorganic substances, then the rebuilding process cannot carry on in an optimum way, thus resulting in a disturbance in the cells that causes “disease,” or a dis-ease.  When there is a shortage or deficiency of one or more vital mineral substances, injuries, self-poisoning, and so on, can occur.  For example, if you don’t have enough calcium and magnesium in your body (or if your body doesn’t absorb enough of these minerals), you get cramps, spasms, and even headaches! 

Dr. Schüβler proved that there are 12 mineral salts in our body’s cells that is crucial in carrying on the functional activities in our cells.  These mineral salts are:

Calcium Fluoride (Calc. Fluor,), Calcium Phosphate (Calc. Phos.), Calcium Sulphate (Calc. Sulp.), Phosphate of Iron (Ferr. Phos.), Potassium Chloride (Kali Mur.), Potassium Phosphate (Kali. Phos.), Potassium Sulphate (Kali. Sulph.), Magnesium Phosphate (Mag. Phos.), Sodiu Chloride (Nat. Mur.), Sodium Phosphate (Nat. Phos.), Sodium Sulphate (Nat. Sulph.), and Silicic Oxide (Silica).

There are 5 principles that underlines the reasons for and the use of tissue salts:

1. Disease doesn’t occur if cell metabolism is normal;
2. Cell metabolism is normal if cell nutrition is adequate;
3. Nutritional substances are either of an organic nature or an inorganic nature, when it comes to the body’s cells;
4. The ability of the body’s cells to assimilate and excrete, and further utilise, the nutritional material is impaired if there is a deficiency in the inorganic mineral / tissue salt, constituent of cellular tissues;
5. Adequate cell nutrition can be restored and cellular metabolism can be normalised by supplying the required tissue salts to the organism in a well divided assimilable form.

It should be noted that tissue salts are not pharmaceutical drugs – you do not need a doctor’s prescription for it, nor are there any side-effects or harm done, when using them.  They are vital cell foods and in harmony with the body.  For example, Magnesium Phosphate (Mag. Phos.) can be given to babies that suffer from colic.  Tissue salts can also be taken up to 3 times a day, depending on the severity of the symptoms, and can also be used during pregnancy.  When in doubt – consult your health practitioner!

Let us have a quick look at the use of each of the 12 tissue salts:

1. Calc. Fluor:  present in the surface of bone, enamel of teeth and in the elastic fibres of the skin, muscular tissue and blood vessels.
2. Calc. Phos:  a constituent of the bone, teeth, connective tissue, blood corpuscles and gastric juices.  Together with albumin it gives solidity to the bones and building of teeth (bone consists of 57% calcium phosphate).  It uses albumin as cement to build up bone structure (good for children to take)
3. Calc. Sulp:  a healer and blood purifier; found in the liver where it helps in the removal of waste products from the blood stream.  It has a cleansing and purifying influence throughout the system.
4. Ferr. Phos:  it is the “biochemic first-aid.”  It carries oxygen, enters into the composition of haemoglobin and takes up oxygen from the air that we inhale via our lungs, and carries it in the blood stream to all parts of the body.  This is a vital force that sustains life and gives strength and toughness to the circular walls of the blood vessels (particularly the arteries).
5. Kali. Mur:  it is used to treat sluggish conditions.  It combines with fibrin, an organic substance.  Any deficiency causes fibrin to become non-functional and the body then discharges catarrh and other similar symptoms that affect the skin and mucous membrane.
6. Kali. Phos:  a good nerve nutrient, that is found in the tissues and fluids of the body; notably the brain and nerve cells.  It has an antiseptic action and counteracts decay in the organisms.
7. Kali. Sulp:  has an affinity with the cells that form the lining of the skin and those forming the internal mucous lining of all internal organs.
8. Mag. Phos:  known as the “anti-spasmodic” remedy, its main function is connected with the nervous system where it supplements the action of Kali. Phos.  A deficiency of Mag. Phos causes spasms and cramps – therefore it is important to help maintain the rhythmic and coherent movements of muscular tissue.
9. Nat. Mur:  the “water-distributer.”  It enters into every composition of every fluid and solid substance of the body.  It controls the ebb and flow of the bodily fluids and its prime function is to maintain a proper degree of moisture throughout the system.  If there is a lack of this salt, cell division and normal growth could not proceed.  Nat. Mur is also linked to nutrition and glandular activity.
10. Nat. Phos:  present in the blood, muscles, nerves and brain cells, as well as in the intercellular fluids.  It neutralises acid and regulates the consistency of bile, as well as promoting the absorption of water. 
11. Nat. Sulp:  regulates the density of the intercellular fluids (fluids that bathe the tissue cells), by eliminating excess water.  It controls the healthy functioning fo the liver, ensures an adequate supply of free-flowing, healthy bile, and remves poison-charges fluids (a normal result of chemical exchanges constantly taking place).
12. Silica:  present in the blood, skin, hair and nails; it is a constituent of connective tissue, bones, nerve sheaths and mucous membranes.  Silica’s action is deep and long lasting.  It acts more upon the organic substances of the body, especially the bones, joints, gland and skin, and is indicated wherever there is pus forming or threatened suppuration, like an abscess or boil.

“Blood is to the human body what soil is to the plant.  It is common knowledge that poor, exhausted soil will produce only weak, sickly plants.  In the same way, poor blood, lacking in essential constituents, will produce weak, sickly bodies, prone to disease.  By enriching the soil, the ill-conditioned plant can be made to recover and flourish.  The recovery of the ailing human body can best be achieved by a similar process – by restoring to the blood the constituents in which it is lacking.  This is Biochemistry,” The Chemistry of Living Tissue.