What is Mineral Balancing?
Mineral balancing is exactly what it sounds like. Making sure the minerals are in balance in the body.
Minerals are often called the “spark plugs” of the body. They are needed to make cellular processes work. When minerals are out-of-balance in the body, systems start to break down and you start to exhibit symptoms.
Who should get a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA)?
Everyone should have an HTMA done every year at a minimum. As a screening tool, it can indicate problems are brewing before you start having symptoms. If you already are having health issues, it can indicate where the root problems may lie and give indications on how to start correcting the imbalances.
Why use hair and not blood?
Hair is used instead of blood for three reasons:
- Over 95% of the minerals in your body are stored in your tissues. (Hair is a type of tissue.) The small amount of minerals in the blood are maintained in tight control. Your body will keep blood levels as normalized as possible, so mineral levels in the blood are not very useful. You may have symptoms long before low levels are detected in the blood.
- The individual mineral levels and their ratios to each other reveal all kinds of things about your body’s biochemistry and health conditions. The body will deposit minerals in tissues (like the hair) in abnormal patterns when it is out-of-balance or in a disease state. (An example of this is bone spurs.) When used for prevention, HTMA can show underlying health issues and body chemistry imbalances before you start to have symptoms.
- Hair sampling is a simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive test you can do at home.
Why is mineral balance important?
Here are some examples of how mineral imbalances affect the body: 
- Zinc is involved in the production, storage and secretion of insulin and is necessary for growth hormones. Folks with prediabetes and diabetes will often have a zinc imbalance.
- Magnesium is required for normal muscular function, especially the heart. A deficiency has been associated with an increased incidence of abnormal heart conditions, anxiety and nervousness. Magnesium deficiency is also associated with migraines, muscle cramps, and blood sugar imbalance.
- Potassium is critical for normal nutrient transport into the cell. A deficiency can result in muscular weakness, mild depression and lethargy.
- Excess sodium is associated with hypertension, but adequate amounts are required for normal health. Many folks with high blood pressure are told to cut back on salt, but salt is needed by the body for many other processes.
- Copper imbalance is one of the most commonly encountered imbalances and is a contributor to many health problems including cancer, weight gain, eating disorders, fatigue, premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, infertility, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, migraine headaches, allergies, ADHD and learning disorders. One common cause of copper imbalance in women is a copper IUD.
- Aluminum is the most common element of the earth’s crust and many people struggle to remove it from their body. Aluminum has been found to be associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, anemia, colic, fatigue, and kidney and liver dysfunctions.
How will my hair test help me?
Metabolism
The first thing you will find out is how fast or slow your metabolism is running.
If your metabolism is slow, we are going to use mineral balancing to get your metabolism back online and running more quickly. This will make losing weight easier.
If your metabolism is fast then you are likely headed into a burnout. We will use mineral balancing to gently slow things down so that you still have plenty of energy but you won’t run yourself into the ground.
Your metabolic rate will also determine what type of foods you should be eating.
Your 4 Hormone Systems- thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones, and insulin
The patterns and ratios of minerals deposited give an intimate look at how your hormone systems are functioning.
An example:
Calcium to Potassium ratio – is related to thyroid function. Calcium and potassium play a pivotal role in regulating thyroid activity. This ratio can show how effectively the thyroid hormone you are making is getting into the cells.
Zinc/Copper – is related to hormone regulation ratio because zinc roughly correlates to our sex hormones (progesterone in women and testosterone in men) and copper roughly correlates to estrogen in both sexes.
Sodium/Magnesium – is related to adrenal function. Sodium and magnesium are directly associated with adrenal function. When this ratio is high, you may be experiencing anxiety, irritability, and anger. When it is low you may be exhausted have low blood sugar, low body temperature and crave sweets & salts.
Calcium/Magnesium – is related to blood sugar regulation and is known as the lifestyle ratio. Calcium required for the release of insulin from pancreas. Magnesium required for both the action of insulin and manufacture of insulin. Stress of any kind can affect this ratio.
How do mineral imbalances affect your hormones and fertility?
Minerals are needed for hundreds of chemical reactions taking place every minute in your body. Without them, those processes are slower or stop altogether. Your body then struggles and has to use backup systems to keep things working. This is when symptoms and hormone problems begin.
A hair tissue mineral analysis can reveal which minerals are out-of-balance, which body systems are struggling, and give direction on how to start rebalancing the body.
Thyroid problems
Thyroid imbalances are one of the most common causes of fertility problems and to problems carrying a baby full term. Some women may have little to no symptoms of thyroid problems. An HTMA can show if there are possibly hidden thyroid issues.
- Calcium to Potassium ratio – is related to thyroid function. Calcium and potassium play a pivotal role in regulating thyroid activity. This ratio can show how effectively the thyroid hormone you are making is getting into the cells.
- Sodium and potassium are needed by the cells to move thyroid hormones and other chemicals into and out of the cells. If your cells can’t absorb the thyroid hormones you are producing, then those hormones can’t do their job. You may have lots of extra hormones running around because they can’t get into the cells.
PCOS-Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
PCOS is an indicator of underlying hormone imbalances, including insulin imbalances.
How can mineral analysis help with PCOS?
- Copper imbalance can lead to PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, estrogen dominance, miscarriages, morning sickness, postpartum depression, and infertility
- Zinc is involved in the production, storage and secretion of insulin and is necessary for growth hormones. If you are low in zinc, this will affect blood sugar regulation and weight loss.
- Sodium and potassium are needed by the cells to move thyroid hormones and other chemicals into and out of the cells. If your cells can’t absorb the thyroid hormones you are producing, then those hormones can’t do their job. You may have lots of extra hormones running around because they can’t get into the cells.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a sign of high inflammation levels in the body. This will lead to adrenal problems and will show up on a mineral test. If it is from digestive problems, there will be specific minerals out of balance.
- Copper imbalance can lead to PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, estrogen dominance, miscarriages, morning sickness, postpartum depression, and infertility
- Zinc is needed for digestions. Your body can’t make stomach acid without it. It is also needed to make digestive enzymes. Poor digestion is the start of inflammation for many people.
- Inflammation will affect the adrenals. Your sodium/magnesium ratio will give us an indication of how bad the stress is and what we need to do to start repairing the damage from the inflammation.
Male Infertility
Male Infertility is often caused by sperm that are damaged or that have not developed properly. Low testosterone can cause low sperm levels too.
- Zinc is crucial for healthy sperm. It is a main component in semen and it is used to protect the sperm while they mature. (Did you know it takes almost 3 months for sperm to mature!)
- Magnesium is needed for proper blood sugar regulation. If blood sugar regulation is poor, this can lead to poor circulation in the testicles and penis, leading to problems creating sperm and having an erection.
- Calcium and sodium are needed for sperm motility
- and more
How do you correct mineral imbalances?
- Improve your diet and adding in foods that will support your body and give it the minerals it needs
- Replenish the minerals you need-both with food and supplements
- Address any digestive problems-you can’t get the minerals you need from your food if you can’t digest your food
- Address stress and inflammation
- Has stress shut down digestion?
- Are you eating foods that are triggering inflammation in the body?
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- Do you need to incorporate some stress relief practices like relaxing hot baths, meditation, or massage into your life?
Mineral Balancing is Powerful
Clients often see tremendous improvements in their health and hormones, have more energy, and feel happier with life overall. Fertility improves once hormones are working better.