photo courtesy of NutritionalBalancing.org

For all of you wondering about hair testing aka HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)

The cost of getting a hair test varies slightly but in general is very affordable, especially considering that a doctor’s order is not required and it is usually done via mail. In my case I paid $215. It could have been $135 buy I chose to spend $80 for the 50 page interpretive booklet sent directly from the lab. It was so full of good information that I'm really glad I got the booklet, but probably won't spend the extra money next time as it seems like I can now apply the info that I have learned to future test results. The basic lower cost of the test still came with some direct recommendations from the practitioner who ordered the test for me.

HIDDEN COPPER (COPPER TOXICITY)

My results show that I have hidden copper in my tissues, that I am in an "all 4 low, slow oxidizer pattern" and that my parasympathetic nervous system is not functioning properly. My counselor adjusted my diet somewhat and is now recommending a few new supplements, which I an just getting going on.

MY STORY

I had a Paragard for just 10 months. First 5 months were excessive bleeding & exhaustion. Second 5 months, anxiety hell, losing hair & eyesight, insomnia, mind racing, etc.... Got it taken out 2 months ago and symptoms started going away within 2 days. Also did regular detox with infared saunas, coffee enemas & ayurvedic lymphatic massage and have been getting better each and every day with minimal lows. Don't think I have felt the effects of a serious "dump" and feel like that is due to diligent detoxing. In general, doing the hair testing and following the protocols are both low cost but effective ways of at least taking one step forward in getting strong & healthy again.

My first HTMA test results, which shows an "ALL 4 LOW" pattern, low copper and almost normal zinc. This pattern is one of the classic ones that shows "hidden copper", especially when paired with the ratios results of the test (not pictured).

ZINC & COPPER

Having the combination low copper but normal zinc while still suffering from copper toxicity is apparently not prevalent, but is common with a certain percentage of people. This result alone made me grateful that I had chosen to get my hair tested because it dramatically affected what supplements I chose to take and what foods I chose to eat. The guidelines given to recover from this particular imbalance is to AVOID taking zinc and EAT copper rich foods, which is directly opposite of the standard copper recovery advice often given which says to TAKE zinc and AVOID copper rich foods. While many people might benefit from this “one fits all” approach, those of us who are in a different imbalance can get pushed in the wrong direction and getting the test to see your personal levels can guide recovery.

FINDING A PRACTITIONER

There are many different ways to get an HTMA test, but it is essential to find someone who is qualified to interpret it. This is because the results are not read directly, but instead are read by recognizing different patterns of results. I looked through the list of recommended interpreters on one of the HTMA informational websites and even though it is done via mail started with people in my home state of California. There were several whose stories seemed to fit and after speaking to several of them on the phone decided to work with one in particular, both because I had a good interaction with them but also because they were cheaper than many others due to having a home office.

DOING THE TEST

Once you decide on a practitioner, they will send you the kit and instructions for cutting a small piece of your hair close to the roots and sending it to the lab. It was super quick and easy to cut the small sample from near the back of my neck, put it in the envelope, fill out the information and send it off.

PERSONALIZED RESULTS

A few weeks later, I received an email from the practitioner with the lab results, the personalized lab booklet along with two hour long audio recordings of interpretation and recommendations from the practitioner and a printed guidelines sheet.

Having taken a number of other tests looking for copper which had all come back saying everything was “normal”, I was delighted to find out that this test was describing what I was personally feeling!

Follow up:
Each time I pored through the booklet and listened to the recordings I would discover another insight into what was actually going on and as time passed I would start to see those issues correct and fall away.My subsequent 2 hair tests 6 months and a year later both similarly reflected the improvements I was experiencing.

Here's the link to the long detailed article on Hair Analysis with lots of history, background and basic info:

Find a Qualified hTMA Practitioner Nutritional Balancing.org — **Find a Qualified hTMA Practitioner**
Nutritional Balancing.org

Check these links out & please give any feedback if you do or have tried the hair testing.

Would love to know some of your stories around it.

Thanks!

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IUD Awareness Blog

HAIR TESTING for Copper Toxicity or Hormonal Imbalance (HTMA)