"To prove definitely to myself that I did not need salt during extremely hot weather, I went to
"The college boys gobbled the salt tablets and guzzled quarts of cool water...at lunch they ate ham sandwiches, drank cola drinks, and cheese sandwiches. We rested a half-hour after lunch and continued our rugged hike across the red-hot blazing sands. Soon things were beginning to happen to the strong, husky college boys...first three of them got violently ill and threw up all they ate and drank for lunch...they got dizzy and turned deathly pale and a great weakness overcame them. They quit the hike cold! They were driven back to Furnace Creek Ranch in poor condition. But the hike went on with seven athletes. As we hiked, they drank large amounts of water and took salt tablets. Then suddenly five of them got stomach cramps and became deathly ill. Up came the water and some of the lunch—these five had to be driven back to the ranch.
"That left but two of ten hikers...it was now about 4 p.m. and the merciless sun beat down on us with great fury... almost to the second, the last remaining salt-tablet athletes collapsed in the hot burning sun and had to be rushed back for medical care...
"I felt as fresh as a daisy! I was not full of salt tablets and I was not full of food because I was on a complete fast. I drank only the warm water. I finished the 30-mile hike in around 10-1/2 hours...and I had no ill effects whatsoever! I camped out for the night and next day arose and hiked another 30 miles back to the ranch without food or salt tablets.
"The medical doctors gave me a thorough examination and found me in perfect condition."
~Paul Bragg p. 16-17 The Miracle of Fasting
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