Wendy reads the results of the hair mineral analysis of Not Just Paleo Podcast host Evan Brand. Find out on today’s show what his test reveals!

I thought this would be a great show so that Evan’s listeners could find out exactly what it’s like to get their hair mineral analysis results and what to expect during this session. Stay tuned and listen as Evan Brand gets his Hair Mineral Analysis results!

>>>> Listen Now <<<<

What is a Hair Mineral Analysis?

A hair mineral analysis is an incredibly powerful tool in revealing your heavy metal toxicities, mineral deficiencies, adrenal and thyroid function and so much more. A hair mineral analysis is a basis upon which a customized Myers Detox protocol is designed. This is one of the best programs I have encountered to recover your health, energy and vitality. The hair is tested because it is one of many places the body dumps excess minerals and heavy metals for storage away from vital organs. The amounts of minerals deposited in the hair reveal all kinds of things about your body chemistry. Get your own personalized Myers Detox protocol designed today!

Follow Along with Evan Brand’s Hair Mineral Analysis

It’s helpful to view a hair mineral analysis as the results are read so you can understand what Wendy is saying!

Transcript

Why do people need to detox?  Why is it so important today?

Everyone today has toxic levels of aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel and others. It’s just a matter of what degree. Copper is an essential mineral but most people have very high toxic levels of copper like I did when I first started the program. Everyone has mercury toxicity.

Another reason people need to detox is that there are 100,000 environmental chemicals in the world today because of industrial dumping and manufacturing. The EPA has done studies and established that we have over 700 chemicals on average in our body. These are coming from our personal care products; they’re in the air, food, and water. You cannot escape them no matter what you do or where you live. We also are getting heavy metals from our air, food and water as well.

This is why people need to do a life-long, comprehensive detoxification program like nutritional balancing for at least several years. At the very least they need to get in a near infrared sauna a few times a week. You have to continually detox because you’re accumulating toxins on a daily basis.

What is Myers Detox?

Mineral Balancing is a program that was developed by Dr. Paul Eck over 40 years ago. He was a brilliant biochemist that performed over 100,000  hair mineral analyses and correlated them to various health conditions. He kind of cracked the code relating to what a hair test will show when someone has a certain health condition like adrenal fatigue or thyroid dysfunction. He voraciously studied minerals and heavy metal’s effects in the body. So he learned through experimenting with various methods of supplementation how to balance the body’s biochemistry to the point where all of your minerals are balanced – where they all rise to ideal levels. This was no easy feat but he eventually figured it out. When you reach the point where all of your minerals are balanced, you enjoy tons of energy, vitality, clear thinking and vibrant health. All because your minerals are balanced.

What does a Myers Detox protocol entail?

It essentially uses diet, lifestyle, supplements, and detoxification protocols. The diet is basically eating meat which is very mineral rich, and lots of cooked vegetables which are also very mineral-rich. You take about 7-10 supplements that are all specifically based upon your hair mineral analysis to heal your body chemistry at the time of testing. The program recommends detox protocols like near infrared saunas and coffee enemas. You can find lots of info on my site myersdetox.com about those. The coffee enemas are an optional aspect of an NB program, but highly recommended. They really help manage detox symptoms and get your liver working really well. Then we teach you healthier lifestyle practices like getting adequate sleeping, exercising, meditating and things of that nature.

What does a hair mineral analysis reveal?

A hair mineral analysis is a great tool that reveals your heavy metal toxicities, mineral deficiencies, adrenal and thyroid function and so much more.

The hair is tested because it is one of many places the body dumps excess minerals and heavy metals for storage away from vital organs. The amounts of minerals deposited in the hair reveal all kinds of things about your body chemistry. A hair mineral analysis is the basis upon which a customized Myers Detox protocol is designed.

The overall idea or reason to do a hair mineral analysis or start a NB program is that you want to start thinking about your health and working to improve your health before you get sick. A hair mineral analysis can give you a crystal ball and preview into your state of health because it shows health issues and body chemistry imbalances before you manifest symptoms. One thing to be aware of is that once you present with symptoms or illness like mcancer, for instance, you’ve been sick for years.

Is Hair Mineral Analysis accurate?

Like any test, no test is 100% accurate. Hair mineral analysis is not always 100% accurate. Of course, if the client does not follow hair sampling instructions correctly, the results can be skewed, for instance if they use a dandruff shampoo with zinc. But the test is accurate enough for the purposes of telling something what supplements they should be taking and what heavy metals they are dumping into the hair.

The accuracy of the test also depends upon which lab it is sent to. Just like medical tests, there are great testing companies like metametrix and companies that do a really poor job. I send all my hair tests to Analytical Research Labs, who I think is the best hair mineral testing company in the US. The key issue and debate surrounding hair testing and whether it’s accurate really is simply about whether the hair is washed or not. The detractors are not really making this distinction. There have been a couple studies as to the efficacy of hair testing, but they were all washing the hair so of course the testing was not accurate. These studies were simply designed poorly. The test is not going to be accurate if you wash the hair with harsh solvents, which is what most companies do. This washes away the water-soluble minerals.

There are only two companies in the US that don’t wash the hair. ARL is one of them. They don’t wash the hair so we get an accurate result. It’s one of those issues where all companies that do hair mineral analyses cannot be compared. You cannot say all hair mineral analyses are a waste of time or money. This statement is accurate for most companies that perform this test. There are distinctions that many physicians and other health practitioners are not making when advising clients to avoid them. I ran into this myself when I was asking around about whether I should do it prior to my first hair test. Everyone, including my ND, told me it wasn’t accurate and to not bother. But I tried it anyways because I’m not big on listening to other people.

Additionally, most companies will do a hair mineral analysis, but then do not offer a program to then correct the imbalances on the test or heal the body. So, what do you do with this information? Hair tests from ARL are unique in that you are given a comprehensive plan with Nutritional Balancing science to heal your health. For this reason, it cannot be compared to any other hair testing company.

My main message to the listeners out there is that you can have a disease-free life. You can heal health conditions. If you are dealing with an illness and you’ve been told there’s nothing more that can be done or there’s no cure. DO NOT take that as the final word. There is always something more that can be done – you’re healthcare practitioner just doesn’t know about it. At the very least, you can improve your condition. All you need to do is remineralize your body, give your body the tools it needs to heal itself with proper nutrition, and detox the body. When you remove the toxic body burdens that are interfering in metabolic function and that are frankly the underlying causes of most diseases we are seeing today, the body can heal. Nutritional Balancing using hair mineral analysis from ARL is the best protocol I’ve found to accomplish this. My clients are healing from autoimmune, chronic fatigue, brain fog, all kinds of things for which there is no effective treatment in the traditional medical standard of care.

Evan’s Hair Test Interpretation

Before we go over the test, I want you and the listeners out there to know is that you should not have to feel like they have to remember or understand everything I’m going to be talking about while reviewing the test. The only thing, you Evan, or anyone thinking about doing a NB program have to worry about is following the recommended diet, supplements, detox and lifestyle protocols. You’re just given a sheet with everything simply spelled out. Some people don’t want to know the details about their test – the just want to know is it high, is it low, am I dying – or they don’t want to or have the time to read anything about this program and that’s totally ok. You don’t have to understand everything to follow the program and improve your health. When I first got my results, most of it flew over my head, but I eventually learned everything – obviously – since I’m a Myers Detox practitioner.

Symptoms

The only symptoms you mentioned were Anxiety and Mood swings. These can be hidden copper and other metals being stored in body (poor eliminators).

Metabolism/Oxidation Rate

In nutritional balancing we have what are called metabolic types – either slow, fast or mixed. This is determined by your hair test and you’ll see your oxidation rate at the very bottom of the test. The oxidation or metabolic types are similar in concept to yin and yang body classifications in Traditional Chinese medicine or body types in Ayurveda. By identifying the pattern or metabolic type, one can immediately know a lot about a person.

Evan, you have a Slow oxidizer/metabolism  – When someone is a slow oxidizer we know that someone has adrenal and thyroid insufficiency or fatigue and they have a lot of hidden toxic metals just waiting to be detoxed. Most people are slow oxidizers by the time they find Myers Detox.

The oxidation types are best understood as ways the human body copes with its environment and responds to stress.  The stress may be from within, such as nutrient deficiencies or fatigue. Stress may also arise from a multitude of external sources like a stressful environment, a bad boss or relationship, physical or emotional abuse of a parent, etc.  Basically, slow oxidation correlates with a resistance or exhaustion stage of stress.  Fast oxidation corresponds to an alarm stage of stress. Usually males and children.

Balancing the oxidation rate to a more normal, healthy rate greatly enhances the healing of hundreds of symptoms, both physical and emotional.  This occurs because balancing the oxidation rate increases energy production or energy efficiency of the body and increases the rate at which the body can detox on its own.

Stress Pattern

One of the main things we’re looking at on a hair mineral analysis are the first four macrominerals, ca, mag, na, K. The first four minerals on the hair test reveal our state of stress. So, we know when one has a certain pattern in these first four minerals that this reveals a lot about one’s health and how you feel. There are different names for patterns, three lows, three highs, step down, etc, all which tell us about what’s going on with the person.

These four minerals also reveal our adrenal and thyroid function – which determines our state of stress and energy levels. For anyone who doesn’t know what the adrenals and thyroid are, Let me school you on Energy 101.

The adrenals regulate Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K). So we know when these are low that the adrenals are in trouble. Adrenal fatigue or insufficiency is simply defined as an inability for it to produce the required level of hormones. It produces about 10 hormones like estrogen and testosterone.

The adrenals get fatigued due to stimulants like caffeine, sugar, coffee, prescription and recreational stimulants like amphetamines, aderall, Ritalin, cocaine, diet pills like phentermine, etc. Or simply just going, going, going all the time and not sleeping enough. It doesn’t take much. You can read more about adrenal burnout.

The thyroid regulates Calcium (Ca) and Potassium (K). We know when these minerals are high or low or the ratio of them is off that there is something off with the thyroid. When the adrenals are fatigued, the thyroid is forced to take over and then it becomes fatigued.

A focal point of this program is healing these glands to restore energy and metabolism. Both of them begin to become fatigued due to mineral deficiencies and heavy metal toxicities. These two issues must be resolved for these glands to work properly again. Ladies, this is one of the reasons I’m doing a Myers Detox protocol is to get my metabolism mojo back!

Evan, I’m really happy that you did this test because you’re going to able to head off a few health issues before they start causing you problems. Your test shows a stressed out, burnout pattern and that you have a lot of stored, or what we call hidden, heavy metals.

Three lows 

You’ll see that you have low calcium, na, K, but magnesium is high. So, since you have three of these first four minerals low, you are in what is called three lows.

Causes: Many types of stress.  It is often not simply nutritional stress, but is often a combination of lifestyle or attitudinal stress.  We inherit the nutritional deficiencies and toxicity of our mother’s. So, if they didn’t live a healthy lifestyle, they can’t give you what they don’t have. This is why we’re finding children today are being born very toxic. It’s really a huge problem.

When thyroid and adrenals are not working properly our metabolism or oxidation slows, hence your hair test is showing slow oxidation. The implications of this are that your body has slowed down, preventing you from being able to detox and release toxins so you accumulate more toxicity over time, becoming more tired and eventually becoming sick from this toxin accumulation.

Minerals

Calcium. Your calcium is in a decent range, but it should be higher. Most people have high calcium, which reflects biounavailable calcium building up in the joints, arteries, and soft tissues. This causes joint stiffness, pain, tight muscles, arthritis, etc. We will likely see biounavailable calcium coming out of you on subsequent tests reflected in big leaps in calcium. This shows that the body is dumping it into the hair for elimination.

Magnesium. Magnesium is one of those minerals everyone needs to supplement no matter what the hair level. Your magnesium is high compared to the other four main minerals and it could be high for a couple reasons. One, you’re supplementing with only this mineral so it may be inflated due to this. This test can also show toxic forms of minerals. It doesn’t distinguish between healthy and toxic forms of minerals on the test, but we know when a mineral looks ‘off’ or artificially inflated on a test that it could be a toxic form. It’s not really imperative to know. You can rest assured that over time your body will release all the toxic forms once it acquires the bioavailable and useable forms it needs.

Sodium and Potassium. These are very low, which indicate very low adrenal function. The adrenals regulate sodium and potassium, so we know when one or both of these minerals are low that you have adrenal fatigue. The lower the two minerals, the worse your adrenals are functioning.

Iron. Iron is showing a bit of a high level of iron for a first test. Good that you are pushing it out but we know there is more stored. Are you taking iron supplements? Iron should NEVER be supplemented. So, people go check your multivitamin or your protein powder. If it contains added iron, toss it. Most people also eat too much red meat. I’m Paleo, so of course I advocate eating red meat, but only once or twice a week. You also may want to avoid cast iron cookware unless it’s coated like la crueset. Cast iron gives us a toxic form of iron, but it’s mostly a problem if you cook acidic foods or are cooking with metal utensils that will chip away at the cast iron and cause it to leach in the food.

One of the most prominent problems with high iron is inflammation. This occurs because iron attracts oxygen directly to it.  Then, when it contacts delicate body tissues, the singlet oxygen molecules, termed free radicals, detach and destroy body tissues.  This mechanism is called oxidant damage or free radical damage, a potent cause of inflammation. Iron also stimulates the growth of bacteria and infections because it’s an oxygen transporter.

High iron is associated with diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.  Others include chronic infections, hair loss, hypothyroidism, hyperactive behavior and violence. A big source for iron overload is flour, which is not only contributing to diabetes because of how it spikes blood sugar, but also the iron toxicity. Flour is ‘enriched’ with a toxic form of iron, not utilized very well by our bodies, so it just causes builds up in the liver and starts causing problems.

Iron is also associated with anger and rage. The liver can be saturated with iron, and in Chinese medicine the liver is the seat of iron.  This is also why a toxic, congested liver or an iron toxic liver is associated with anger and rage.  Iron also accumulates in the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with anger and rage.

Copper. Your main complaints of mood swings and anxiety are due to copper toxicity. Your copper looks low on the test, but you have a few hidden copper toxicity indicators. Just because a metal is not high on the test, we know by other metal levels and indicators on this test that copper or other metals are hidden.

One of the main reasons for copper imbalance is adrenal fatigue, which is showing on your hair test. The key feature of copper toxicity is Emotional instability. Copper can really contribute to almost any mental disturbance. I used to have rage and emotional outbursts when I was copper toxic, which has completely resolved now. I’m back to my old self of being cool as a cucumber.

One reason why so most people are copper toxic is due to zinc deficiency. The main cause of zinc deficiency is not eating red meat, which is very rich in zinc. So, for all of us who have been lied to for decades and told that red meat is not heart healthy and should avoid it are….copper toxic. Zinc opposes copper.

This is one thing I love to lecture Vegetarians about because if you’re not eating meat, you are going to become copper toxic and enjoy all the symptoms of that toxicity. The longer you avoid meat, the more copper toxic you become.

The symptoms and conditions associated with copper toxicity include moderate to suicidal depression and anxiety, violence, migraine headaches, PMS, spaciness, brain fog, mind racing, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, anorexia, allergies (even food allergies), obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, phobias, Tourette’s syndrome and schizophrenia.  Others that respond amazingly well to balancing copper include epilepsy, ADD, ADHD, autism, delayed mental or emotional development and many others.

High copper can cause one to lose interest in sex.  Low sexual interest in men is also related to copper, which interferes with zinc metabolism. Men’s sperm and fluids are very rich in zinc.  If zinc stores become depleted, male fertility and male sexual performance will always suffer.  You know there are millions of men out there not eating red meat as advised by their doctors and have to take Viagra. It’s just zinc deficiency and copper toxicity.

Manganese. You show an usually high level of manganese. It doesn’t look all that high, but this is high for a first test and in comparison to your other mineral levels. I have found this to be common in all my clients in Texas. There’s something in the water over there in Texas. You can absorb it by drinking poorly filtered tap water or straight from the tap, from taking showers and especially from taking baths because we absorb more stuff from water when we’re immersed in it.

Manganese toxicity is fairly common.  A big source is contaminated drinking water.  The EPA is not required to report manganese levels in drinking water.  A different form of toxic manganese is found in gasoline, so those who live in cities with heavy traffic may absorb some.  Toxic manganese may also be due to working with metals, particularly welding metals.

Often manganese is high along with iron and aluminum.  You can see on your test that these are all a bit high. They fall and rise together, these three metals. These metals can be used as a mechanism to support adrenal activity, albeit in an imperfect way.

Symptoms associated with manganese toxicity:

• iron deficiency or anemia
• Anorexia
• neurological symptoms and even Parkinson’s-like symptoms
• schizophrenia (often the unemotional or catatonic type of schizophrenia)
• criminal behavior. In fact, there was one study done in a prison where most of the inmates tested positive for manganese toxicity. Toxicity from metals or toxic forms of minerals have a profound impact upon our behavior.

Zinc. Zinc looks good but is likely being propped up due to high copper, so  it may be artificially inflated. The body compensates for the high copper by raising zinc. Zinc is likely much lower, but will eventually balance out as copper reduces and we remineralize your body with zinc.

Phosphorus. Phosphorus looks pretty good. P of 14 is a good vitality indicator so we know overall vitality is good. We still want to see it improve. Low phosphorus is indicative of poor protein synthesis in the body and digestion issues.
Protein synthesis is imperative to regenerate and repair tissues in the body. So, once this program whips that liver into shape and you eat more meat and take the digestive enzymes we give you on the program, this level will improve.

Toxic Metals

Aluminum. You definitely have aluminum toxicity. I know you don’t now but did you use regular antiperspirants for a long time? There’s a lot more where that came from! Everyone has aluminum in them. It has an affinity for nerve cells and concentrates in the brain. It is shown in studies to contribute to Alzheimer’s. Aluminum is one reason of many why half of Americans will experience dementia in its many forms.

Where do we get aluminum toxicity? Aluminum is found in antiperspirants, cheap restaurant cookware, beverages in aluminum cans, tap water, table salt, baking powders, antacids, processed cheese, bleached flour, vaccines and other medications. Another source is teas, especially mint tea. Most teas are VERY high in aluminum.

Other metals.  To the untrained eye, one would think they are free and clear and don’t have to worry about those metal toxicities, but this is far from the case. The other metals are actually hidden and what we call Poor eliminators, i.e. cadmium, aluminum, nickel. We know there are more of these stored in the body.  They’re not eliminating well because you have a slowed metabolism.

One thing I like about your test is that you have very low mercury. Most clients have high mercury because they are eating too much fish with high mercury. If someone has high mercury they’re advised to stick to small low mercury fish like sardines, anchovies, mackerel and herring.

Mineral Ratios

Ca/mg. This is the Carbohydrate Tolerance ratio. Yours is in a good range. Indicates that you are not overeating carbs. You’re being a faithful Paleoista!

Ca/k. This is referred to as the thyroid ratio. It’s high, which indicates reduced thyroid function. calcium and potassium play a vital role in regulating thyroid activity. It’s showing on a cellular level that you’re either not making enough thyroid hormone or you’re making enough but it’s not getting into the cells. There are 7 different ways your thyroid doesn’t function as well as it should, most of which are not tested by the typical thyroid test. So, many that come to me with a normal thyroid test actually show reduced thyroid function on their hair test. This happened to me. I was making enough hormones so my test was normal but the thyroid hormone, or T3, wasn’t getting into my cells where it has to get to create energy. Not to fear. All the different ways the thyroid can go haywire are fixed on a Myers Detox protocol.

Na/mg. This is referred to as the 
Adrenal ratio. This is low, showing adrenal fatigue. Again, blood tests can be normal, but the hair tissue test can show reduced function. It reveals a deeper level of the body chemistry and function.

These two mineral ratios, the adrenal and  thyroid ratios, reveal that you have chronic stress, lowered energy and energy reserves, decreased immunity, poor digestion and perhaps allergic tendencies. The adrenals release cortisol, which suppresses histamines. So, anyone that has allergies, for sure has adrenal fatigue.

Na/k. This ratio is a vitality ratio indicator. It looks good but I’d like to see it increase.

Zn/cu. This is an indicator of copper toxicity if it’s high. Yours is showing some copper toxicity which we can see also by indicators mentioned above. This will improve over time as we get more zinc into you and you detox excess copper.

Your Myers Detox protocol

Supplements

I recommend 8 supplements for you.

Diet

You need to eat the Slow oxidizer diet.

Your diet looks amazing, but I’d like to see more veggies.

Something you also may be dismayed to learn is that slow oxidizers do not burn fat as efficiently for fuel, so I recommend you reduce any added cooking fats to your diet such as coconut oil or butter to 2 tablespoons or 30ml a day.

Drink only spring water.

Detox

Infrared Saunas. Near infrared light sauna therapy is recommended for 30-60 minutes daily for 1-3 years or more. After this one needs to do it 2-3 times a week. You can purchase many different types and sizes of near infrared saunas on the MyersDetox.com.

Most people need at least 2-3 years of daily sauna use to remove the bulk of their toxic metals and chemicals for optimum wellness. After this period it can be reduced to twice weekly for life.  Be sure to rest at least 10 minutes after you shower after using the sauna.

The use of a sauna, and particularly a near infrared lamp sauna, is not essential but will greatly enhance the pace of your healing.  It removes two dozen toxic metals, hundreds of toxic chemicals, and clears many chronic infections including parasites, yeast, fungi and bacteria that most people are unaware they have.  Other sauna benefits are too numerous to list here.

You may construct or buy a near infrared sauna inexpensively. Your sauna can be built into a very small bathroom or even into a small closet.

Coffee Enemas. These are optional but highly recommended .The coffee enema is a superb way to detoxify the liver and the colon.  It is one of the finest methods of detoxification available.  It is also safe and not too uncomfortable when done correctly. This procedure is highly recommended for most people for at least a year or two to remove large quantities of toxins from the liver and colon. It is recommended to do them daily or whenever you have healing reactions. The provide tremendous relief for headaches, nausea and pain. Read more about them and watch a video on my blog post Coffee Enemas. Or listen to this Podcast: Everything you NEVER Wanted to Know About Coffee Enemas

Lifestyle

Sleep 8-10 hours per night.

Meditation – do this 10 minutes daily.

Exercise – limit to gentle exercise 2-3 times per week

Healing Reactions

Now for the fun part. When you faithfully do a Myers Detox protocol, you begin to detox and have what are called healing reactions. Healing reactions are symptoms that accompany changes in body chemistry as deep healing occurs. You can experience…  Retracing is the process where the body goes back and revisits chronic conditions in order to heal them completely. These may include sites of infection or injury. An inflammatory process may occur for a few days at old injury sites. Common sites are the eyes, ears, throat, sinuses, bladder and intestines. You can experience a ton of mucous exiting the body as infections clear. They will pass usually in a few days with supportive measures like more rest and coffee enemas and infrared saunas. Healing reactions will also be caused by toxic metal elimination.

If your reactions become too intense, simply stop the supplements and sleep more. Resume the supplements when the reaction is over.

Retesting

Retests are recommended in 3-4 month intervals. Retesting is essential. As your body chemistry changes, the diet and supplement program should be adjusted to meet your current needs. Otherwise, the program will no longer properly balance your body chemistry and your progress will cease. It is best not to remain on a supplement program more than six months without a retest.

Additionally, each hair test shows a three-month average of heavy metals and minerals in the hair. If you wait too long to retest, you will miss witnessing metals detoxing out of your body and dumping into the hair.