Re: Results of hair elements test.

[Guest guest]

>

> > The all low appearance of the test suggests you would benefit from

> > treatments to improve digestion such as supplemental stomach acid

> > and digestive enzymes. For undetectable lithium, a supplement of

> > 5 mg lithium (orotate or aspartate) can be helpful.

>

> -----Curiously, I am completely unaware of having any gut problem.

> Maybe I should have added that I follow a macrobiotic diet (three

> years from now), which excludes meat, dairy products and sweet things.

> Is is based on brown rice and other whole cereals, beans, vegetables,

> some fish and complements such as seaweed, miso or gomasio.

>

> This macrobiotic diet helped me a lot, but obviously it is not enough

> and the reason is obvious. -----

The important point here is that you are putting very little

minerals in your hair and this probably means you are putting

very little minerals elsewhere where they are needed in the

body. Taking things to enhance the absorption of minerals

can help your body get enough. This can help lots of problems

in your body.

I had no idea how poorly I was absorbing things until I started

taking supplements and trying to fix all my health problems but

it just wasn't helping as much as I needed. It was hard for me

to get enough minerals into me to make a difference. I had an

all low hair test and I also had red blood cell elements testing

that showed many low minerals. I had to get my absorption working

better to start seeing changes.

Hopefully you are eating a good balanced macrobiotic diet with

enough protein and good fats. Keep working on your supplement

program, that will help. I was a vegan for over 10 years - it

was not good for me, but I was not careful about it and did not

get enough protein or fat or minerals, etc. I think I went on

that diet because it helped my gut function better - but I was

basically just removing the foods that were difficult to digest

and I needed those foods. You are probably doing something better

than I did.

I would keep the low mineral issue in mind as you go forward.

It might be more true than you would now imagine.

> > In Hair Test Interpretation, Andy says that high hair zinc may

> > mean more vitamin B-6 is needed. You might try adding some extra

> > B-6 along with the B complex you are already taking.

> >

> > ----------He also says that when mineral transport is deranged,

> >elevated hair zinc invariably indicates a low body burden and zinc

> >supplementation is appropriate. Absorption of zinc is severely

> >impaired in mercury toxicity, and very high amounts are needed. For

> >adults, he recommends 100-200mg a day in divided doses.-------Jackie

> >

>

> --------I think he suggest to take 100mg of zinc at the beginning but

> then low the dose to 50mg when one begins using ALA. Doesn't this

> apply in this case? ------

He does say that somewhere. I think he gives the 100-200 mg amount

somewhere, too. I have taken the higher doses (up to 200),

especially when I'm sick. Zinc is one of the most important minerals

we need because it opposes the toxic effects of mercury. It is also

important for immune function.

I think it is well worth experimenting with mineral dosages as you

go forward and tinker with your supplement program. If I had not

experimented, I never would have discovered how desperately I needed

magnesium. I did not notice benefits from it until I was taking

1200 mg. I am one of those people who needs large amounts of

magnesium.

> > > Location: Madrid, Spain

> > > 1) Current symptoms and medical history;

> > > Male, 40.

> > > Brain fog, coldness, muscular weakness, multiple infections,

> fatigue,

> > > some muscular pain.

> >

> > > These problems slowly started when I was very young (14? 16?

> 18?) and

> > > have increased (with on's and off's periods) to something that

> today,

> > > without supplementation, is quite miserable. With

supplementation I

> > > feel much better.

> >

> > The symptoms above suggest possible adrenal and/or thyroid

problems.

> > If your supplementation fully corrects the symptoms, then you might

> > be okay, otherwise I suggest testing to determine whether hormone

> > support is needed. Many of us do need this. Saliva testing is best

> > for adrenals. For thyroid you need free T3, free T4, and TSH.

> >

> > ------------For thyroid, also test for antibodies.--------Jackie

> >

> >

>

> ------Yes, besides brain fog the problems that most bother me are

> thyroid and adrenal-like so I should take care of them. I am a little

> bit scared of adrenal suppression, so I though trying to support

> adrenals with vit C, licorice and such, trying to avoid HC.

I take HC and I am not suppressed. People are different, though.

If taking HC at the usual " safe " level of about 20 mg per day

suppresses your adrenals, it probably means they need the rest.

I've taken 25-30 mg at times and it doesn't suppress me. I also

take ACE, ashwagandha, licorice in addition to HC at times.

Vitamin C and licorice (and I would include some B5 and B complex

too) might help someone who has a mild adrenal problem. I thought

this made some difference for me when I first started chelating,

but my adrenals kept going down and down anyway. I would really

recommend a saliva test to get some objective idea of how your

adrenals are working. I had no idea how bad mine were.

In the meantime, you can also try other herbal products. I've

found ashwagandha and licorice very helpful. I've also used ACE,

ginseng, and some chinese herbs for adrenals. The latter were less

helpful for me, but from what I've seen, people are different in

what they tolerate and what they respond to and the only way you

find out what works for you is by trying.

> I am also reluctant of using Armour thyroid because I've been told

> that this will add further stress to adrenals... But really I am not

> very sure about this.

If your adrenals are weak, taking Armour will stress them a lot.

It is important to check the adrenals first and make sure they

are supported if needed before you try Armour.

> I will try the saliva test. Regarding T3, I have tried it to be tested

> many times. Even I have found some doctor who asked for it to be

> tested, without success. It seems no one considers the possibility of

> having T4->T3 conversion problems. Moreover, I have been unable to

> find in Spain any drug combining T4 and T3, just only T4.

I don't know the situation in Spain. Maybe there is someone else

in the group (or you may want to check some of the groups that

discuss hormone topics) who knows more. I am in the US and I have

to be very specific when asking for free T3 and free T4. When I

am very clear about it, I can get the right tests, but I have to

check the lab slip every time to make sure they mark the right boxes.

My doctor is getting to be well-trained. Now she actually asks me

if there are any other tests I want :-)

> Just curious: I don't see in the results the characteristic pattern

> expected for thyroid/adrenal problems. Does it mean the problems are

> relatively mild, and so this is why I find such a big relief in things

> like licorice?------

I did not have the characteristic pattern either. I think I did have

the low K/Ca ratio, I would have to go back and check. But my saliva

test was pretty much a flat line (way below normal).

> > > 3) Supplements; medications and chelating schedule at the time

> of hair

> > > test;

> > >

> > > Vit C (as sodium ascorbate): 1 tsp 3 times per day.

> > > Vit E: 400 IU 3 times per day

> > > B-50: 3 times per day

> > > Magnesium: 400 mg three times per day

> > > Zinc: 50 mg once

> > > Chromium picolinate: 200 mcg three times per day

> > > Milk thistle: 3 times per day

> > > Hydergine: 1,125 mg three times per day (Just started few days

ago,

> > > currently slowly increasing)

> >

> > Andy recommends some additional supplements in Amalgam Illness,

such

> > as EFAs, molybdenum, and others. I suggest adding these at some

> > point.

>

> -----Thank you. I forgot to mention I am also using flax oil (about

> 6tsp) and borage oil (1 tsp). Ack!!---

That's not a lot. Do you have trouble tolerating it? (Not sure what

the " ack " is for.)

> > > 5) Other relevant information.

> > > My father was an amateur alchemist and experimented for many

> years at

> > > work (in a small shop where I used to spend many hours) and after

> > > retirement, at home. So since I was a child I was probably

> > > exposed to Hg, which is a main ingredient in any alchemist lab.

> > > His last 10-15 years of live were very miserable.

> > > My mother which is still alive (85) enjoys a very good health.

> She was

> > > 45 when I was born.

> >

> > ---------Your mother must be a good excretor of metals, and

> >probably wasn't exposed as much as your father. Do you have any idea

> >where the arsenic came from?------Jackie

> >

> >

>

> -------My mother was almost as exposed as my father, since she worked

> with him at the shop and clearly more exposed than me. Hope my kids

> have inherited this genes of her!

Maybe she is one of those people whose mineral transport proteins

are resistant to the effects of mercury.

> --------No idea of where the arsenic comes from. But checking against

> the symptoms Cutler describes for arsenic toxic people I don't feel

> described in them: no skin eruptions, I do eat lots of carbohydrates

> and I am not aware of problems because of this, don't have chemical

> sensitivity nor vision problems beyond what is normal at 40. However I

> will add B12 and folic acid and will consider TMG, but I already have

> very low cholesterol. Wouldn't be a bad idea in this case?------

I don't know the effects of those supplements on cholesterol?

> > Interesting. Your hair test agrees that you are very toxic, since

> > it comes close to meeting all three rules. You have lots of

> > chelation ahead of you.

> >

>

> -----Yes, it seems you will have to stand my broken English for a

> while! However, since I have so much improved with supplements, I

> though maybe I was just moderately poisoned! Now I think maybe I

> should be ready for four years of chelation! --------

>

Your English is fine!

I didn't think I was that poisoned to begin with. The fact is

I've been poisoned all my life, since infancy, really. I can

remember worsened symptoms at various times when I had heavy

mercury exposure and lead exposure, too. It is both interesting

and horrifying, and oddly both comforting and discomforting to

discover the deeper reality behind the story of my life.

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