Salt

Salt is not the terrible substance we always hear about. Stripped down sodium chloride may be, but natural salt is much different.

Salt is essential for life. The crystalline structure of salt is electric not molecular. Salt conducts the electrical system of the body, which allows the nervous system, heart, and lungs to function. Without salt, we could not think or function. Good quality salt has minerals, and while it does not contain vitamins or proteins, salt with water and light can create highly geometrical structures biochemically identical to vitamins and proteins (Hendel, 2003:99)

I have found many, if not most, children I see in my practice with autistic spectrum disorders crave salt. I believe this is because they are deficient and craving minerals. Out of the 94 natural elements of the periodic table, crystal salt contains all of them with the exception of the inert gases. Our bodies are craving these minerals and looking for them through salt. Though the stripped down table salt most of us consume have none of the minerals - therefore the salt cravings continue.

Table salt as I mentioned, is the worst. It is completely devoid of any micronutrients except the bare minimum – sodium and chloride – and is depleting as a substance. To make matters much worse, table salt is coated with aluminum (a highly toxic metal) as an anti-caking agent, and then sprayed with maltodextrin (a sugar) to neutralize the bitter flavor. Sea salt is next, it’s better, but make sure you use the naturally evaporated salt, not the stripped, bleached sea salt. Celtic salt is popular among the DAN! Community, and it’s a very good option. Crystal salt is the best – specifically Himalayan Crystal Salt. It contains the highest number of trace and nutritive minerals and has a crystalline structure that has beneficial energetic properties.

So if your child craves salt, do not hold back on it, but make sure you only use a high quality Celtic or crystal salt. There is a great book called Water and Salt: The Essence of Life by Hendel and Ferreira.

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Salt