Top 12 Remarkable Findings on a Hair Mineral Analysis
By Dr. Heather Kneale
Hair analysis is much more than a test for minerals.
From a small sample of hair, you can learn about your metabolic rate, immune system, adrenal and thyroid glandular activity, carbohydrate tolerance, energy levels, what food to eat, supplements for your body chemistry and more!
1) Measures your energy level
We need energy to do what we want in our life. Energy is needed to take care of our family, play with our grandchildren, start a new business, share our talents, think clearly….just to name a few.
I started this program 13 years ago due to debilitating fatigue and a diagnosed pneumonia that I was told was incurable. Just brushing my hair was exhausting. My day was going from the couch to the bed and back to the couch again. Crippling fatigue was with me always.
My 1st hair test revealed extremely low energy. After a year on the program, I started to get a good day here and there and it just continued to improve from there. Eventually, fatigue was something in my past!
Many minerals are required for the production of energy within your cells. When energy is low, the body systems can break down. When energy production improves, symptoms and conditions can improve by themselves. The program helps to restore energy.
2) A window into your cells
Hair analysis provides information directly about metabolism at the level of your cells; this is the site of many nutritional processes. Blood and urine are excellent for many types of tests, but they do not measure activity at the cellular level. The final endpoint of all vitamins, minerals, hormones, and others is the cells. With a hair test we can measure the cells directly and know if the vitamins and minerals are reaching their final destination.
Researching to figure out what was wrong with me, I did several blood tests which all indicated that everything was in range. It was quite frustrating as I wanted an answer to why my health was failing and more importantly what to do about it. My first hair test was alarming as calcium was in the 400 range (100 times too high!), magnesium was also extremely high, and potassium was 10 times too low. It may seem odd but I was relieved to have a test show that something was off. These findings where not showing on my blood test since blood maintains the body at the expense of the tissues. Sure, as my body could no longer compensate we would eventually see the imbalances in the blood; it was so nice to start working on my health and knowing what I needed according to my cellular reading from a properly performed hair test.
3) Your visual hair analysis patterns
We use a system of interpretation that yields a lot more information when we evaluate your visual patterns on a properly performed hair mineral analysis. Dr. Eck (founder and biochemist of ARL) calibrated charts used to assess these visual patterns.
A hair analysis pattern is a combination of mineral levels and/or mineral ratios that reveal how your body is responding to stress.
One visual pattern is the oxidation rate. Another is the four low pattern. Others are a four high electrolytes, calcium shell, hill, burnout patterns, and many more. Our experience with over half a million tests is that they are valid and extremely useful. There are at least 70 visual patterns that can be seen on a hair mineral analysis.
CASE STUDY: Client, Steven Q, 37 years old, started the program in 2008. On his first test it showed a 4 low pattern. He was addicted to drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. He suffered from extreme joint pain throughout his body, as well as anxiety, arthritis, ADD, dandruff, depression, extreme fatigue, headaches, hostility, irritability, low self-esteem, mood swings, mind racing, and weight loss. After five months on the program his joint pain and muscle cramps disappeared. He felt calmer and experienced less mental symptom. He had more energy. On his second hair analysis he came out of a 4 low pattern and released a whole lot of cadmium (10 times more than his previous test). Cadmium can be related to arthritis and joint pain.
4) Determine your oxidation rate
The oxidation rate refers to the burning of foods in your body and how your body converts the foods you eat into energy. Some people metabolize carbohydrates and fats at a more rapid rate than others. The hair analysis can reveal your oxidation rate. It is most helpful when trying to understand hundreds of symptoms and is used as a guide for your dietary and supplement recommendations.
Anxiety, irritability, aggressiveness, and gaining weight in the stomach area are common signs when someone is in fast oxidation.
Fatigue, sweet cravings, low blood sugar, depression, low blood pressure, constipation, gaining weight on the hips and legs can be due to slow oxidation. Global Nutritional Healing programs help to balance your oxidation rate. Click here for more information on the oxidation rate.
5) Your autonomic nervous system assessment
Hair mineral analysis can evaluate and guide the correction of the activity of your autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates many functions in the body. There are two branches of the autonomic nervous system which are the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic branch activates the brain, muscles, thyroid, and adrenals and enables the body to respond to stress. The parasympathetic branch activates the liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, small intestines and colon. Problems with this nervous system are very widespread and can cause hundreds of symptoms such as digestive issues, inability to eliminate metals, poor sleep, blood sugar problems and others.
Most people are quite revved up due to our fast pace of living and trying to fit everything in. This can show up on a hair test and we can help correct it.
6) Your glucose tolerance
Many minerals are involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates including manganese, zinc, and chromium. These minerals along with the NA/K and the CA/MG ratios which are ratios identified on the hair mineral analysis also provide information about glucose tolerance. Even toxic metals interfere with glucose metabolism. Insufficient carbohydrate metabolism reduces cellular energy production and can lead to many serious health conditions. The program can help improve diabetes, hypoglycemia, or other glucose issues.
7) Detect toxic metals in your hair
Hair analysis is one of the few accepted methods to detect chronic toxic metal poisoning in your body however, it is not a drug test.
Toxic metals can contribute to heart problems, degenerative diseases, fatigue, depression, anxiety, infections and at least 1000’s of more symptoms! Metals that are deeply buried may require a year or more before they are revealed on the hair mineral analysis. Two common toxic metals are aluminum and cooper:
Aluminum toxicity: Sources- cookware, aluminum cans, under arm deodorants, cosmetics, water supplies.
Symptoms- flatulence, headaches, dry skin and mucous membranes, tendency for colds, decaying teeth, anemia, burning pain in head relieved by food, heartburn, loss of memory, and mental confusion.
Copper toxicity: Causes and sources: zinc deficiency, congenital (from mom), birth control, vegetarian diets, and adrenal gland issues. Adrenal activity is needed to stimulate production of ceruloplasmin, the primary copper-binging protein. Decreased adrenal activity can cause insufficient ceruloplasmin production in the liver. Because of the insufficient ceruloplasmin, copper can accumulate in your body and cause problems. 70-80% of hair tests show weak adrenals glands.
Common signs of copper toxicity: adrenal insufficiency, any phobia, allergies, hair loss, anxiety, arthritis, autism, yeast infections, high cholesterol, fears, headaches, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, hypothyroidism, infections, inflammation, panic attacks, PMS, schizophrenia, and anemia: can contribute to an iron deficiency that does not respond to iron therapy. Copper is required to convert iron so that it can be utilized. We call this type of anemia a “copper anemia” because a copper imbalance is the cause of the anemia.
8) Assess your organ and gland activity
Mineral levels and ratios reflect the activity of your glands such as the thyroid and adrenal glands. By calculating your ratios on a hair mineral analysis, organ and glandular activity can be assessed. The adrenal and thyroid glands are the main energy producing organs in your body. They work together to produce energy.
If both of these glands are underactive, you can experience fatigue or lack of energy and many other symptoms.
If they are overactive, you can experience energy but only for a limited amount of time as it is unstable. On the program the goal is to help these glands so that they are functioning at optimal levels so you have the maximum amount of energy to enjoy your life.
9) Understand your behavior
Hair mineral analysis is a powerful tool to identify and correct biochemical causes of any mental and behavioral conditions. Minerals control neurotransmitters and their active chemicals. All toxic metals are neurotoxic. We’ve helped many clients with depression, anxiety, phobias, insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, attention deficit disorder, learning disorders, and many more.
Case Study: K.C. age 67, started program in February 2010 due to schizophrenia and obsessive/compulsive disorder. She heard voices constantly and took medications to help her cope. Her first hair test showed an elevated zinc level (this is a hidden copper toxicity indicator). After four months on the program, her retest showed copper toxicity. It was twice the ideal level. She also showed mercury eliminating. After six months on the program she was no longer hearing voices and she felt mentally and physically better than she had in decades. We can heal at any age.
10) Any dietary problems you might have
The test contains a number of indicators revealing your diet is inadequate or imbalanced.
For instance low protein intake is often seen with low phosphorus in most cases. Low phosphorus is related to arthritis, fatigue, fragile bones, tooth decay, and weak muscles.
Excessive carbohydrate intake can be related to a high CA/MG ratio and can be related to sugar problems in your body.
Eating fish is related to mercury toxicity which has many symptoms such as hair loss, loss of appetite, blushing, depression, skin problems, fatigue, hearing loss, insomnia, memory loss, migraines, mood swings, nervousness, thyroid dysfunction, vision loss and others.
Nickel is found in hydrogenated vegetable oils, commercial peanut butter, teas, margarine, and others. Possible conditions associated with nickel are heart problems, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, skin problems, muscle tremors and others.
M.C. 48 years old, showed eight times the acceptable amount of nickel on her hair analysis. She was drinking a lot of tea and eating commercial peanut butter; both of these products contain nickel. She had symptoms of nickel toxicity which were skin issues and nausea.
11) Reduce the guesswork for your nutritional therapy
Ever found yourself walking through a supplement isle and think you could use every single one?
A hair mineral analysis offers a method of reducing the guesswork in recommending you a food plan and supplements based on what your body currently needs.
For instance, a very low calcium and magnesium level with an elevated sodium and potassium level on a hair mineral analysis indicates an alarm stage of stress in which the body excretes calcium and magnesium. One would need more calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin A. Giving excessive vitamin C or B vitamins can worsen the body chemistry.
A pattern unique to this program is the 4 low pattern. Dr. Paul Eck discovered that these clients needed calcium, magnesium and zinc. Giving a 4 low client B vitamins, adrenal or thyroid glandular products, large amounts of vitamin C, or Vitamin E does not work for these clients and can make them not only feel worse but cause a greater imbalance in their body chemistry (exactly what we do not want to do).
12) Monitor your progress
Comparing the results of repeated hair mineral analysis over a period of time is an excellent way to monitor your changes in body chemistry and to also make sure that the program is still correct and you’re heading in the right direction. We recommend getting retests every 4 to 6 months.
M.L. 68, just emailed me this week. Below is a copy of her email which she allowed me to share:
Today my new rheumatologist at Stanford told me there is no sign of my lupus now, all the labs are normal. Is that amazing or what!? Kidney function is normal.
I may have told you that my cardiologist at Stanford told me my arteries are clear now and I don’t need to see him regularly but call him if I have a problem. I’m dumping doctors left and right.
Best to you, M.L.
Utilizing a hair mineral analysis, Global Nutritional Healing programs continues to support those who are seeking a deep level of healing.