Although it is many years since we got rid of lead in our petrol and there is stricter control of lead in everything from cosmetics to house paint, the problem, in my opinion, is still wreaking widespread havoc on health.
Showing posts with label hair analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair analysis. Show all posts
Thursday, November 17, 2016
More warnings about lead poisoning dangers - adults and children (Updated 24/09/14)
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Women with Fibromyalgia Have Lower Levels of Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis
Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis
Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic generalized pain, muscle tenderness, and fatigue
that is most prevalent in women during middle age.
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The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.
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Several studies have explored the
relationship between fibromyalgia and oxidative stress, others investigated elemental
composition of patients with fibromyalgia, but surveyed only in blood and urine samples.
The latter studies, while potentially useful, overlooked the mineral content of hair. Hair
mineral assay can be an effective method to deduce intracellular status.
The featured study
investigates the elemental characteristics in the hair of women with fibromyalgia, and
compared the data with those from healthy age and body mass matched women and found
distinct mineral differences.
This study evaluated the characteristics of hair minerals in female patients with fibromyalgia
compared with a healthy reference group.
Forty-four female patients diagnosed with
fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were enrolled as
the case group. Age and body mass index-matched data were obtained from 122 control
subjects enrolled during visit for a regular health check-up. Hair minerals were analyzed and
compared between the two groups. The mean age was 43.7 yr.
General characteristics were
not different between the two groups. Fibromyalgia patients showed a significantly lower
level of calcium (775 µg/g vs 1,093 µg/g), magnesium (52 µg/g vs 72 µg/g), iron (5.9 µg/g
vs 7.1 µg/g), copper (28.3 µg/g vs 40.2 µg/g) and manganese (140 ng/g vs 190 ng/g).
Calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese were loaded in the same factor using factor
analysis; the mean of this factor was significantly lower in fibromyalgia group in multivariate
analysis with adjustment for potential confounders.
In conclusion, the concentrations of
calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese in the hair of female patients with fibromyalgia
are lower than of controls, even after adjustment of potential confounders.
Kim Y-S, Kim K-M, Lee D-J, et al.
Women with Fibromyalgia Have Lower Levels of Calcium,
Magnesium, Iron and Manganese in Hair Mineral Analysis.
Journal of Korean Medical
Science. 2011;26(10):1253-1257. doi:10.3346/jkms.2011.26.10.1253.
Wednesday, May 06, 2015
Why is Chromium needed when the Hair Tissue Analysis results show high chromium?
Please refer to the image left of a typical slow metaboliser profile of a person who is complaining of constant tiredness. What you see is elevated Calcium, depressed magnesium, sodium and potassium. Iron and manganese are also low relative to calcium. These are the signs of a person who is suffering from fatigue related ailments, including poor, unrefreshing sleep and lack of energy throughout the day.Monday, April 07, 2014
There is a crisis facing women's health: But how do we deal with it?
"There is a crisis facing women's health." At TEDxQueenstown 2014 - Sense of place, Australasia's leading nutritional biochemist Dr Libby Weaver talks about how in today's age women are feeling the pressure of trying to be all things to all people and our current biochemistry has yet to catch up with this change in pace. She shares practical solutions for how modern 'juggling' woman can mend this mismatch with her cavewoman biochemistry.
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Gary:
Well said Libby! Very relevant to Modern Life. TED is great so long as it comes with practical SOLUTIONS! I want less slick talk, less posing and much more practical action. I want stuff that has us rolling up our sleeves. I want sweat and dirt!
On the topic of nutrition for Modern Woman - and Modern Man....
So, how does a woman or man know how much of this or that nutrient, such as zinc, is required to maintain health? How does one nutritionally reverse adrenal fatigue from rushing and juggling life's demands? How does one balance hormones with nutritional therapy? All the while bearing in mind that nutrient requirements do vary enormously with gender, stress, infection, injury, pregnancy, medications, exercise and ageing. And we are all different in subtle biochemical ways, so there is never a one-size-fits-all therapy.
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| Mineral patterns are influenced by hormones and vice-versa |
The solution, in part, is the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis which takes most of the guessing out of nutritional science and helps you and your health professional work out exactly what to do to become healthy and to remain so.
The test is a forensic record of what has been happening within your body during the period over which that length of hair was growing. It helps us identify the root causes of fatigue and illness, so that we can treat causes - not symptoms.
Example:
So, if a person develops a blood clot for no obvious reason, the medical machinery fires into action treating the clot to ensure it does not cause a lung embolism or stroke. Once the situation is stabilised and the clot dissolved, the job is finished - until the next clot a few years later. The reason why: Because the root cause of the clot was never identified and resolved. The hair tissue analysis is one forensic tool that may identify the root cause of the clotting - Chronic adrenal stress, due to a dental abscess, leading to an increased clotting rate.
Examples relevant to Modern Women who are in a rush:
The test is a forensic record of what has been happening within your body during the period over which that length of hair was growing. It helps us identify the root causes of fatigue and illness, so that we can treat causes - not symptoms.
Example:
So, if a person develops a blood clot for no obvious reason, the medical machinery fires into action treating the clot to ensure it does not cause a lung embolism or stroke. Once the situation is stabilised and the clot dissolved, the job is finished - until the next clot a few years later. The reason why: Because the root cause of the clot was never identified and resolved. The hair tissue analysis is one forensic tool that may identify the root cause of the clotting - Chronic adrenal stress, due to a dental abscess, leading to an increased clotting rate.
Treating the causes - not the symptoms!
Examples relevant to Modern Women who are in a rush:
- Adrenal Glands: Patterns are seen in the mineral charts, showing the state of the adrenal glands while the hair was growing (The adrenal glands regulate sodium and potassium within the cells),
- Female Hormones: Oestrogen and progesterone balance (Copper and zinc levels influence the production of these hormones),
- Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands: The balance between the thyroid and parathyroid glands (The Calcium to potassium ratio reveals this). The medical solution may be to destroy the gland(s) which is crazy. Symptoms - not causes.
- Toxins: The test may show historic exposure to toxins such as lead and mercury, sometimes many years after the exposure. These toxins stress the adrenal and other glands.
While the hair tissue mineral analysis is a wonderful test it comes with a huge serious proviso: The test is only as good as the knowledge and understanding of the health professional who is interpreting it. If you are going to get the test done, please ensure that the person doing the interpretation is thoroughly trained in the interpretation of the test. I can tell you here that 99% of doctors have not done the courses, nor have most nutritionists. If an untrained person tries to interpret the results, the odds are they will lead you down the wrong path.
Ask for evidence of training and competency before you proceed.
Ask for evidence of training and competency before you proceed.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Is sea salt really good for you? (updated)
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| Lorraine Moller: In need of a long, cold drink - and a little salt - following her Bronze Medal performance in the Barcelona Olympic Marathon. |
I cut right back on salt intake quite a few years ago thinking it was more healthy, but now I'm starting to think this might be wrong!
I've read of a few runners who overcame Adrenal gland burnout by taking SEA SALT!
Could my low Max Heart Rate and feeling weak and dizzy when I stand up quickly be caused by not taking enough salt! Is sea salt really good for you?
As a distance runner following Lydiard's base training I must be sweating out buckets of salt and trace
minerals.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks Rick
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Gary:
Good questions, Rick.
Humans have salt receptors on their tongues. Its because without salt, we die. Salt helped found civilisations when it was traded for cloth and grains. Roman soldiers were paid in salt which was then used to purchase goods (hence the word "salary").
The problem is that we have adulterated salt by refining it to be just one salt - sodium chloride (NaCl). Natural salt consists of 80 or more different mineral salts with NaCl being the principal one. On its own, NaCl may be considered detrimental to health by causing imbalances between itself and the other salts that are found inside the healthy cell. Refined NaCl salt is what is added during modern food processing.
Pink Himalayan salt is at least 240 million years old. It is what remains of the Primordial Ocean, the ocean from which creatures emerged to colonise the land. Our cells have a salt make-up that is remarkably similar to the primordial ocean. Our tissue salt make-up is quite different to the salt content of the oceans of today. I find this most fascinating - that we have managed to retain, more or less, the salt make-up of the oceans within which higher life evolved many millions of years ago.
For this reason, I encourage the consumption of Pink Himalayan Salt and the avoidance of all other salt. If pink salt is not available then Celtic salt is a good alternative.
There are three fluid compartments inside the body: These are the blood, the water surrounding the cells ("extracellular matrix") and the water inside the cells ("intracellular matrix"). Your trillion or so cells are like individual plants bathed in a hydroponic mix (extracellular matrix), with the nutrients and water (blood) supplied by millions of pipes (blood vessels). The most important compartment, if there is one, is the intracellular matrix where the complex biochemistry of life happens.
Water follows the salt in the body. How much water is in a compartment depends on how much or how little is needed to ensure the near perfect concentration of the complex salt solution necessary to maintain life. If there is an excess of NaCl relative to other salts, then the body will attempt to dump this excess NaCl through the kidneys and via sweating. This will result in dehydration in all three fluid compartments, especially in the intracellular matrix.
Water and nutrients are actively transported across the semi-impervious cell membranes by there being a greater concentration of sodium on the outside relative to the potassium on the inside. If this mechanism is unable to function well due to a mineral deficiency or excess then the processes that nourish and cleanse the cells begins to faulter. The cell may become dehydrated and metabolic toxins will begin to accumulate in the intra and extracellular compartments. Paradoxically, the extracellular matrix may become bloated with excess water. These may be felt and seen as:
- Oedema or bloating, often apparent as swelling of the feet and hands. In skinny people, look for the tell-tale indentation from the elastic of ankle socks towards the end of the day.
- Heavy, tired legs.
- Feeling faint when standing up quickly.
- Low blood pressure.
- High blood pressure.
- Slow, unresponsive pulse
- Difficulty getting up to maximum heart rate.
- Confusion, poor memory, anxiety.
- Fibromyalgia and polymyalgia.
- Adrenal fatigue.
- Poor healing.
- Prone to infections.
- Physical and mental burn-out.
The solution is to take about one rounded teaspoon per day of pink salt. If doing a lot of sweating, then more salt needs to be taken. Add it liberally to food. You also need to take in a little protein about every 2-4 hours of waking. This can be any form including a protein smoothie drink. The adrenals need salt and protein in order to do their job which includes regulating blood pressure.
Feeling light-headed?
Feeling faint upon arising is the cue to take three-four grains of coarse Himalayan Salt. Just toss them into the mouth and wash down with a large glass of water. If you get a nauseous feeling you need to drink more water. Have something to eat, including a little protein.
If you are depleted in minerals it can take many months, if not years, to fully replenish and balance levels and it may be necessary to give extra amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc and selenium. It may also be necessary to supplement with nutrients such as pyridoxine which assists in the balancing of minerals including sodium and potassium as well as promoting red blood cell production, nerve function and balancing various hormones.
Just what is needed and how best to go about replenishing and balancing these is complex and best guided by the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) and repeated the test every 6-12 months. I recommend that all athletes use this test to guide their nutrition and to avoid burn-out.
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Sunday, August 05, 2012
I have a marked improvement and have a better quality of life
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| That "wet" feeling |
"I have been on prostaguard approx 2 yrs along with other vitamins. Originally I did not have a lot of control with urinating and dribbling urine while asleep. Since taking prostaguard for that amount of time I have a marked improvement and have a better quality of life in regards to travel sleeping, day to day etc."
"C"
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Gary:
This encouraging report highlights a number of key points to keep in mind when using so-called "natural therapies" to improve health:
Use good science
Such as the hair tissue mineral analysis and blood tests to eliminate as much of the guessing as possible as to what to do.There are seldom single solutions to health issues
As in this case, multiple lifestyle and dietary measures where used and these were regularly adjusted.Do not panic
These interventions can take a long, long time to kick in. In this drugs dominated world, we have been brain-washed into the expectation of overnight success. This just does not happen. Most diseases of modern living and ageing develop over decades and reversing these processes of decline are seldom overnight. Think in terms of months, if not years.Remain forever vigilant
The natural progression of your health is towards decline, leading to eventual death. So, for example; prostate dysfunction such as described by "C", will tend to get worse. "C" has had a remarkable reversal of this trend. While he now be feeling comfortable and satisfied with where he is at, he must keep his foot on the throat and never let it off. It will surely come back with a vengeance. This vigilance may consist of some simple dietary measures, a few dietary supplements and annual monitoring by blood and hair tissue mineral analysis tests.Getting up just once a night is a way lot better than four times a night and not having the embarrassment of a smelly wet patch is priceless!
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Saturday, June 23, 2012
A once very fast runner halted by an unexplained case of calf pain
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| Lorraine Moller winning London Marathon 1980 |
In 1985 I made 15 ' 04 " / 5000m, then 14 ' 40 " in 1986 in 1987 I was hill, in 1988 2h24' ', then 2h21' in 1989. In 1990 j was stopped by a wound the origin of which we have never found I was hardly I gained(won) a competition of very good level and dices the next day I had my left leg very very heavy to the effort; I made of numerous examination and I eventually made(eventually was made,eventually happened,eventually was) 2years after operated for the syndrome of muscles legs but without result);
I think today that my probleme was purely mechanical but nobody knew how to see; With internet we are lucky magnifical to be able to communicate with people like you which(who) was friend to A.L for which I had a very big admiration. Can be had you a case similar to mine in your knowledge?
In any case thank you and bravo for your blog. Be you the husband of Lorraine Moller? Has the time(period) in 1984 I had seen her marathon AVON in Paris. remember...... sincerely yours Jeff"
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Gary:
Jeff, Wow! You were a fast runner! You must be very frustrated not being able to run freely anymore.
Jeff: Me be not the husband of Lorraine Moller. She be my younger sister.
While I do not have a photo of her winning Paris, the photo above is of her winning the London Avon Marathon in 1980. I have asked her if she has one from the Paris Marathon.
The calf problem you describe is an interesting one that I have encountered many times, mostly in runners, so your inquiry is timely for writing an article.
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| Blood is returned to the heart almost exclusively by muscle contraction. |
At rest, the circulation of blood through muscle and back to the heart is from the action of the heart. As activity begins and increases, the rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the muscles progressively takes over the role of returning blood back to the heart. So, when an athlete is exercising at maximum heart rate, one can presume that that muscles are almost exclusively responsible for flow back to the heart, while the heart is responsible for the flow from the heart to the muscles.
An athlete with healthy blood vessels and pliable muscles will find their heart revs quickly in response to exercise.
With repeated extreme exercise that may span over many years, the muscles become hard and scarred. This is in marked contrast to the soft and pliable muscles of a well-conditioned young person. A soft, pliable muscle will be engorged with oxygen rich arterial blood when in the relaxation phase of exercise. When it contracts, the blood will be forcefully and fully ejected towards the heart.
Muscle that is hardened and scarred will be increasingly resistant to filling with fresh arterial blood. This may be seen as an increase in systolic blood pressure during rest and as exercise intensity increases. The heart must contract with excess force to get the blood into the muscle. When the muscle contracts only a small amount of blood is ejected. The heart will be slower to respond to exercise stress.
This may partly explain why an older athlete's heart is slower to respond to exercise demands. What typically happens when the gun goes off is the young runners take off like bullets, while the older runners tend to gradually wind into the race and, hopefully, mow down the youngsters as the race progresses.
A further factor in the loss of circulation, heaviness and pain may be the gradual process of blockage of the blood vessels that carry blood to and from the legs. This may occur at the groin or the back of the legs. This may include tearing and scarring. Please refer here: http://blog.garymoller.com/2012/06/kiwi-women-are-dying-of-broken-hearts.html. Zinc deficiency is as good as universal in athletes.
Jeff, I am assuming that the surgery you had was decompression of the calf muscle. Here's an article about this syndrome that I wrote in 2007: http://blog.garymoller.com/2007/11/tibial-compartment-syndrome-in-running.html While surgery may have given temporary relief, I am not surprised it has been of no long term benefit.
This problem may typically occur after an intense run in a pair of unfamiliar shoes, such as switching to spikes or racing flats, doing hill-bounding, track work or a road race. Something like this may have set off the first episode of feeling very, very heavy in the calf muscle. That earlier run causes acute spam of the calf, and consequent muscle damage with consequent swelling and, therefore an increase in pressure within the muscle. The restricted blood flow that results will cause the leg to feel very heavy and non-functional when trying to run the next day.
The remedy for your calf muscle dysfunction may be quite simple really!
Here's the action I recommend:
Get a weekly deep tissue massage of the calf muscles
This is painful for the first 3-4 sessions but this should ease dramatically with regular sessions. Each session will last about an hour with attention focusing on any areas that feel hard or deformed within the muscle belly. The muscle will quickly soften and, with each session, blood flow through it will improve.Get these essential nutrients into your body
The muscles need massive amounts of magnesium and co-factors in order to function properly, including to relax and contract. You may also need vitamin C and zinc. A Hair Tissue Analysis removes the guessing as to what nutrients an athlete needs.Question: Should you wear compression stockings or tights?
No! In my opinion - unless you have bad varicose veins. Tight stockings do not allow the calf muscles to fully engorge with oxygen-rich arterial blood, due to the compression effect of the stockings during the relaxation phase of contraction.If there was a survival advantage from having tight skin, then natural selection would have it that all creatures that require the combination of speed and endurance for survival, including Human Beings, would have natural, inbuilt compression tissues in their skin - The fact is they don't and the reason is clear - tight enclosures of muscle compromises circulation.
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Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The evidence grows that cholesterol-lowering drugs do not improve life-expectancy
http://jeffreydach.com/2012/03/27/statin-drugs-revisited-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx
If you, or a loved one are on medication to reduce cholesterol, please think again. While there may be a nominal reduction in heart attack risk, this is more than offset by the "all-causes mortality" due to the many nasty side-effects such as increased risk of cancer, infection, suicide, cardiomyopathy, muscle loss and dementia.
There are many effective alternatives to drugs for reducing heart attack risk such as Coenzyme Q-10, flax and fish oil, magnesium, Ginkgo, vitamin E and Vitamin C.
One of the most effective ways to improve your lipids profile is to cut out all the sugars and refined flour from your diet and replace with protein, natural fat, vegetables, whole grains and fresh fruit. Ironically, that means avoiding most of the processed foods that come with the "Heart Tick"! If it says "99% fat-free" - avoid it like the plague - it most probably is full of sugar, flour and/or toxic chemicals. Excess carbs get converted into fats, including LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
If you do have elevated risk of heart disease, the first step is to have a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis completed. This scientific test will help to determine the most effective dietary and supplementary intervention for your special makeup.
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Sunday, March 04, 2012
Discovering a dental abscess using the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
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| Copper and iron are in balance. No evidence of infection, although there are other health issues. |
In this followup article, I present the case of a fit man in his 50's (Myself).
When looking at the hair tissue mineral analysis charts to the right, keep an eye on the relationship between Cu (copper) and Fe (iron) which I have high-lighted with a red line.
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| While other health issues are improving, note the slight increase in iron relative to copper. Not significant but worth keeping an eye on. |
The down-side of taking iron out of the circulation is the infected person will tend to suffer aches, pains and fatigue. Sometimes they may be diagnosed as suffering "infectious anaemia".
In my case, I was generally in very good health, although aware of a problem with bad breath.
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| Iron has shot up relative to copper. I was off to see my brother (A dentist) who discovered a puss-filled abscess deep in the back of my mouth -Yuck! |
I put this amazing gain in performance down to the freeing up of iron stores for oxygen transport and storage.
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| No more evidence of an infection and I am feeling great. |
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| Although there is a slight difference, iron and copper are fine but I am keeping a close eye on them and am much more diligent with dental care. |
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011
What causes spider veins and how can I prevent them?
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| Ankle spider veins |
"The shorts have been out over the last 6 odd weeks and I have noticed what I think must be spider veins on my thighs mainly.
My Mum had varicose veins below her knees and they are definitely not that although I do have dark thick veins around my shins that poke out a bit. The spider?? veins haven't caused me any discomfort and seem to come and go today you would hardly notice them. The look isn't great but I just wanted to check they weren't a sign of something I should be aware of??
Thank you for a year of steadily improving health, it is marvellous being a year oldre and feeling better."
Anon
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Gary:
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| HTMA recently taken for "Anon" |
When viewing the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) we can detect the suspected causes of spider veins. Please refer to the chart (right) when reading the following.
When there is an excess of calcium relative to magnesium there will be a slow process of deposition of the excess calcium in the soft tissues, including the arteries and veins. This process may be accelerated when there is an imbalance between copper and zinc (a balance is necessary for strong collagen and, therefore, strong blood vessel walls) and where there is the presence of even tiny amounts of heavy metals - arsenic and mercury in this case. A lack of co-factors such as pyridoxine (B6) may also be present.
Toxic elements such as arsenic and mercury increase oxidative stress and bind with nutritional elements such as magnesium, zinc and selenium, rendering them unavailable. The blood vessel walls are the first in line for the damage wreaked by these toxins.
A person's mineral imbalances, including the presence of toxic elements, may be inherited from their mother; but not their father. This is inherited - not genetic.
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| Rakaia River, New Zealand |
Spider veins are the first evidence of hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis). If unchecked, this may lead to poor circulation to the limbs, high blood pressure, impotence, dementia, heart attack and stroke. Being very tiny, the capillaries are easily damaged and blocked, becoming like the stagnant branches of a braided South Island river such as the Rakaia.
This early damage is usually seen about the ankles and behind the knees and thighs. Once a spider vein is formed, there is probably no going back - the ones you can see are there for good. What you see just below the skin is also happening throughout the body - muscles, brain, heart, liver, etc. The most important thing now is to prevent this process continuing and effecting more vessels, including the large ones such as the aorta.
There is no reason why this process of slowly turning to stone can not be reversed and flow improved through blood vessels that are still functioning. Please read the articles here about reversing arteriosclerosis.
Prevention and reversal of this calcification process is a gradual exercise of balancing the nutrients in the HTMA and eliminating any hint of toxins in the body. This involves modest dietary modifications, supplementation with a combination of vitamins and minerals, including adding antioxidants such as mixed beta carotenoids, selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C. Each case is different and guided by their HTMA report.
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
More about Reversing Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Quality of Life
Far from being anti-doctor, I am all for them - with some reservations about specific treatments, as you would gather when reading my articles. Anyway, I went to see my Dr, a long time acquaintance who completed the same University of Otago sports medicine course I went through. It was several years since I last saw him - That was for a gashed forearm following an "unplanned dismount" off my bicycle!
It was time for a cardiovascular health check to see how the blood tests, etc matched with my Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses and general good health.
My doctor is very good at telling me where I am while not necessarily the best at telling me how I got there. So, where am I right now health-wise?
I now have records of blood cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition and blood pressure stretching back as far as 25 years.
During those years up until 5 years ago:
Let me explain what these figures mean:
Blood sugar, insulin and body composition
As we get older, it is usual for insulin resistance to increase. This may show as the blood sugar levels creeping upwards. What this means is we get poor at using fats and sugars. Insulin resistance is regarded as one of the best measures of biological ageing as compared to chronological ageing. This process of gradual decline shows as:
As we get older, our arteries tend to become hardened, brittle and inflexible due to oxidative damage, calcium deposits and progressive clogging with fatty plaque. These processes are present in at least 80% of the population, beginning from a very early age and will ultimately result in diseases such as:
This gradual process of declining circulatory health will show in the early stages as increasing blood pressure, decreasing maximum heart rate during extreme effort, decreasing physical performance, impotence, joint pain, cramping and brain fog. The usual calculation for this if 220 beats per minute minus your age, so at 58 years, my maximum heart rate should be about 162. The sooner the causes of this gradual decline are identified and corrected, the better your chances of success.
Here's the circulation facts for me:
How did I get to where I am now?
In summary:
It is possible to reverse the processes of cardiovascular disease; but it takes time, a lot of patience, some money and scientific testing to guide you on your journey.
I, for one, am enjoying this, the most vain of challenges. You are welcome to tag along with me if you feel up to it!
It was time for a cardiovascular health check to see how the blood tests, etc matched with my Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses and general good health.
Please read what follows in conjunction with this article about reversing cardiovascular disease.
I suggest that you read it first then come back to this one
(there is a link back to here at the end of the the article).
My doctor is very good at telling me where I am while not necessarily the best at telling me how I got there. So, where am I right now health-wise?
I now have records of blood cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition and blood pressure stretching back as far as 25 years.
During those years up until 5 years ago:
- Blood pressure gradually crept upwards to about 130/90 and sometimes higher despite an increasingly low salt diet.
- Cholesterol trended to unhealthy ratios despite an increasingly low cholesterol diet.
- Muscle declined and fatness increased to about 16-17%.
- And, of course, my general well-being and athletic performance did a steady dive!
Over the last five years I have progressively resorted to:
- Liberally salting my food with Himalayan Salt.
- I am currently eating up to six eggs every day (We have a friend with free range chickens), I eat the fat on meat, use butter and drink full cream milk daily (All in relative moderation and combined with physical activity).
- I use dietary supplements daily as per the guidance from repeated Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses.
My latest medical tests as compared to 2002/3:
- Body composition has body fat now at ~10% while muscle has increased by about 3kg.
- Blood pressure in the Dr's surgery was 100/60 (A bit low in my opinion).
- Blood sugar 5.0 (was 5.1)
- Total Cholesterol is 5.8 (was 5.3)
- Triglycerides 0.7 (was 0.9)
- HDL Cholesterol 1.49 (was 1.07)
- LDL Cholesterol 4.1 (was 3.9)
- Chol/HDL ratio 4.0 (was 5.0)
Blood sugar, insulin and body composition
As we get older, it is usual for insulin resistance to increase. This may show as the blood sugar levels creeping upwards. What this means is we get poor at using fats and sugars. Insulin resistance is regarded as one of the best measures of biological ageing as compared to chronological ageing. This process of gradual decline shows as:
- Increasingly fluctuating energy levels,
- Reducing physical endurance,
- Food cravings,
- Gaining fat, no matter what, about the hips and waist,
- Increasing difficulty getting rid of belly and hip fat and
- Loss of muscle and loss of strength.
- Insulin resistance may lead to Type II Diabetes.
- Blood sugar is a steady 5.0 despite being older,
- I have increased muscle without a single visit to the gym,
- Body fat has dropped and is very low for age and gender and
- The time I can go on a bike without the need for sustenance has stretched from 2.5 hours to a remarkable 4+ hours.
- Muscle power has increased dramatically.
As we get older, our arteries tend to become hardened, brittle and inflexible due to oxidative damage, calcium deposits and progressive clogging with fatty plaque. These processes are present in at least 80% of the population, beginning from a very early age and will ultimately result in diseases such as:
- Heart attack,
- Stroke,
- Impotence,
- Diseases of dementia and
- Arthritis.
This gradual process of declining circulatory health will show in the early stages as increasing blood pressure, decreasing maximum heart rate during extreme effort, decreasing physical performance, impotence, joint pain, cramping and brain fog. The usual calculation for this if 220 beats per minute minus your age, so at 58 years, my maximum heart rate should be about 162. The sooner the causes of this gradual decline are identified and corrected, the better your chances of success.
Here's the circulation facts for me:
- Blood pressure is now120/80 or less,
- Libido is at about where it was during my 20's,
- Maximum heart rate is an impressive 180+ beats per minute and
- I am riding "A" Grade in cyclocross racing which is just about as intense a cardiovascular sport you can get (There are "A", "B" and "C" Grades and the "A" is generously populated by some of the best in NZ).
- Total cholesterol has increased. This is healthy because cholesterols are the building blocks for cells and hormones. Too little cholesterol and health fails terribly. High cholesterol is healthy - so long as your body is turning it over fast and so long as the ratios between cholesterols are "healthy". Let me explain:
- Triglyceride at 0.7 is very healthy and well below the threshold of 1.7.
- HDL Cholesterol has increased to 1.49. HDL is the protective form of Cholesterol and is now well above the threshold for healthy (>1)
- LDL Cholesterol (the "unhealthy" one) has increased from 3.9 to 4.1; but this is offset by lower Triglycerides and higher HDL as follows:
- The Cholesterol/HDL ratio (this is the important one) has improved from 5.0 to 4.0 (4.0 or lower is considered healthy).
According to my doctor, I am now in the bottom 5% of the population, for age and gender, for cardiovascular risk.
This is despite all of the extra salt, protein and fatty cholesterol that I have been eating over the last five years. I will qualify this by saying that I have been generally very careful about choosing fresh, natural foods, home cooking, not over-indulging and exercising.
- Annual Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. This test has removed most of the guessing about what to eat and what supplements to take. When repeated, it tells us where the action has been and what changes to make. I could not have achieved what I have without this test. (If you want my help with improving your health, you will probably need to get one of these tests completed and be prepared to repeat it annually).
- Quality and targeted supplementation. The key to supplementation is small amounts, often and for a long time.
Small amounts, often and for a long time
- Going back to traditional foods and home cooking. As a general rule of thumb: If it comes in a packet, has a long shelf life and needs minimal preparation, then leave it out - its not really food. We seldom eat out and purchase raw food which is then prepared and cooked from scratch. We grow vegetables and purchase from local farmers' markets.
- Exercise is less than what I used to do and only as and when I feel like it. I choose to ride a bike for now because it is gentle on joints (Depending on the dismounts!).
- I am constantly seeking ways to reduce stress in my life. This includes taking every opportunity to chill out on the balcony in natural light. I now work from an office/clinic at home, employ nobody and we keep do not waste anything, including energy (Meaning we do not have to work long hours to pay for waste). We take holidays at every opportunity with the theme of getting outdoors, into nature and exploring.
- I expose my body to sunlight. We are not meant to be cave dwellers. Sunlight is actually good for you. My skin health has surprisingly improved since doing this and the sun is definitely invigorating and a wonderful antidepressant.
We are Creatures of the Light - Not of the Night
In summary:
It is possible to reverse the processes of cardiovascular disease; but it takes time, a lot of patience, some money and scientific testing to guide you on your journey.
It is inevitable that our bodies will gradually fall into states of disrepair and eventually fail at which point our toes point upwards and we die. For many people, this process of sad decline is well in hand by 30 years and gaining momentum. Medically, the only hope is to last out the rest of life well preserved by an expensive concoction of toxic drugs! But this is hardly my idea of living and more like waving the white flag of surrender.
Death is more certain than being born and even more certain than paying taxes
It is a sobering fact that every person in human history eventually died. This rather depressing inevitability does not mean that we should give up on trying to stay healthy as we age. To the contrary, Life is throwing each and every one of us the challenge to see how long we can keep the wheels of our cellular machinery screwed on tight and well lubed. Of course, this is one plan that is doomed to fail from the very beginning! Before the beginning, in fact.
The Grand Plan is to die healthy - one morning to wake up dead!
I, for one, am enjoying this, the most vain of challenges. You are welcome to tag along with me if you feel up to it!
_______________________________________
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
I am a 59 year old woman with arthritis in the knees
I am trying to attend a gym about 3days a week, and they suggest I take a multi vitamin, but so many to choose from. I seem to be tired alot.I also have arthritis,and especially in my knees[have just had them xray] and they seem to be on the move again.
I am not on any medication. Have been taking Nutralife High Potency Joint Care,which doesnt seem to be having a effect at the moment and still got another 2 jars left to take yet.
Is there something else I should be taking with these? Only be taking them about 5 weeks.
__________________________________
Gary:
The Nutralife Joint Care may be of benefit but you need to use this consistently for about three months at close to the maximum dose on the label before you will know for sure.
I am generally not all that keen on multi which is very much a hit and miss approach to nutrition. It is much more preferable that a person completes a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and then changes their diet and choose supplements going by what is found in the testing.
Fatigue and arthritis are often associated with an excess of calcium in the diet and a relative deficiency of magnesium, so in the absence of any testing, you could work on reducing your calcium intake by cutting out dairy for a start and take a magnesium supplement daily.
There are a number of other nutrients that may contribute to joint degeneration and fatigue when in deficiency or excess. These include copper, zinc, boron, cobalt and selenium. lack of protein is common. Testing will indicate what, if anything is out of balance.
With regards to joint supplements, the Nutralife Joint Factors 4500 may be better suited for your age and condition; but finish what you have first, or get some Joint Factors and alternate daily.
Please read more of my articles related to this topic by clicking on the key words at the bottom of this post.
I am not on any medication. Have been taking Nutralife High Potency Joint Care,which doesnt seem to be having a effect at the moment and still got another 2 jars left to take yet.
Is there something else I should be taking with these? Only be taking them about 5 weeks.
__________________________________
Gary:
The Nutralife Joint Care may be of benefit but you need to use this consistently for about three months at close to the maximum dose on the label before you will know for sure.
I am generally not all that keen on multi which is very much a hit and miss approach to nutrition. It is much more preferable that a person completes a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and then changes their diet and choose supplements going by what is found in the testing.
Fatigue and arthritis are often associated with an excess of calcium in the diet and a relative deficiency of magnesium, so in the absence of any testing, you could work on reducing your calcium intake by cutting out dairy for a start and take a magnesium supplement daily.
There are a number of other nutrients that may contribute to joint degeneration and fatigue when in deficiency or excess. These include copper, zinc, boron, cobalt and selenium. lack of protein is common. Testing will indicate what, if anything is out of balance.
With regards to joint supplements, the Nutralife Joint Factors 4500 may be better suited for your age and condition; but finish what you have first, or get some Joint Factors and alternate daily.
Please read more of my articles related to this topic by clicking on the key words at the bottom of this post.
_______________________________________
Monday, February 08, 2010
How a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) Intervention typically pans out.
HTMA Charts left: Gary Moller before and ongoing - mercury down while excess soft tissue calcium is now being excreted by the truck load.
How the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is done
When you send in your hair sample, it is first handled by Pacific Health of Auckland, NZ. It is couriered to ICL Laboratories in Sydney, Australia where your details are entered into their database and the sample checked for integrity. The most common fault is not enough hair. The hair is then repacked and sent by courier to ICL's parent laboratory in the USA where it is divided into three samples. Using the most sophisticated testing technology available, the "A" sample is burned in a vacuum using a plasma flame. The light emitted by individual atoms as they are excited is detected by a mass spectrometer. It is very accurate indeed!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Dementia could cost Canada $1.7 trillion
Canadians are developing dementia at such a rapid rate that dealing with the problem will cost a total of more than C$870 billion ($1.1 billion) over the next 30 years unless preventive measures are taken, a report released said.
Canada's Alzheimer Society said more than 103,700 people developed dementia in 2008 in Canada, a country of around 33 million.
By 2038, 257,800 new cases per year are expected, with almost three percent of the population affected.
"If we do nothing, dementia will have a crippling effect on Canadian families, our health care system and economy," said the report, entitled Rising Tide.
"It is the most significant cause of disability among Canadians over the age of 65."
Dementia such as Alzheimer's are progressive, degenerative diseases that destroy vital brain cells.
There is no cure and are few treatments, although drugs can relieve some of the symptoms for a while.
________________________________________
Gary comments:
Contrary to official advice, there is a lot we can do to prevent the so-called dementia crisis.
Let's begin with the chart at the top of this article: It seems for some reason, that the more "Westernised" we become, the more demented we get with age. As I have written in earlier articles about this matter, the answer to preventing dementia lies in our diets and with staying drugs free as we get older.
Drugs
Drugs do not generally cure or prevent diseases of modern living, they merely plaster over the cracks. Drugs for depression, blood pressure and cholesterol control are among the worst for driving cognitive decline - and the most widely prescribed.
Diet
Having completed over 100 hair tissue mineral analyses over the last year, I am of the opinion that the main dietary driver behind the dementia epidemic is too much dietary calcium relative to other minerals, principally magnesium. (The dairy industry will not like this!)
Please refer to the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis chart to the left.
Stress of modern life chews up magnesium and sodium like they are going out fashion.
On the other hand, we are being urged to consume more and more calcium and to restrict our salt intake. While this may be good advice for some, my own testing indicates that a low salt, high calcium diet is bad for about 80% of all adults. By the way, when I am talking about more salt, I do not mean refined salt; I mean natural salt with the best being Himalayan Sea Salt which consists of over 20 different nutritional minerals (This will be available from my website in about a week from now)
When magnesium is low relative to calcium, calcium tends to deposit in delicate soft tissues and not where it should be - such as in the muscles and bone. Instead, it deposits in the arterial walls (arteriosclerosis), the skin (premature wrinkles) and even in the gall bladder and kidneys (gall and kidney stones). It is therefore hardly a surprise that young women who are encouraged to eat lots of calcium fortified dairy and not much else end up being the main recipients of gall bladder removal!
Arteriosclerosis = Dementia
Arteriosclerosis is a process of hardening of the normally elastic arterial walls by way of calcification. The main driver of this calcification is too much calcium relative to magnesium. As the large and tiny arterial walls harden over many years, blood pressure steadily increases. Blood supply to the periphery, such as the feet and even the brain progressively diminishes. Risk of stroke and heart attack increases and eventually happen.
As blood flow to the brain decreases, so does cognitive function. Parts of the brain eventually begin to shut down and die due to lack of essential oxygen and nutrients. Dementia!
Furthermore: An imbalance between the normal calcium to magnesium relationship can lead to cardiac irregularities such as arrhythmia, bradycardia, or tachycardia. This is especially true if potassium metabolism is disturbed leading to ECG abnormalities.
This explains why there is more stroke and heart disease among post menopausal women who take calcium supplements as compared to those who don't.
The Hair Tissue Mineral chart above indicates that this person is at risk of developing one or more of these kinds of ailments later on in life. Right now, the main complaint for this person is extreme fatigue and muscles that ache. This is simply corrected by adjusting diet and taking a few dietary supplements. But it does take time to bring about lasting improvements.
The solution to the dementia crisis is to properly test each person's mineral status early on in adult life and correct any imbalances by diet. Sadly, the nutrition and medical professions appear to have been hijacked by very powerful and persuasive commercial concerns who want us to consume more and more value added dairy products and to take more and more expensive drugs.
What I have explained in this article is hard biochemistry. It is good science and I know it works when applied. Why main stream medicine refuses to embrace these natural health technologies is open for speculation; but I think it comes down to the current business model that drives and controls medicine and monopolises health funding. Natural health therapies, including the technologies like the hair tissue mineral analysis I use run counter to this business model and, thus, never get a look in.
Ces La Vie! This sad situation will not change in a long while and it is unlikely that high quality nutrition status testing will become freely available through mainstream health funding. It is over to each and every one of us to take the initiative. The best first step may be to get your Hair Tissue Mineral test (HTMA) done and then act on the results.
Contact me here with your address if you would like to receive information about how to get a HTMA completed.
Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Is there a link between depression, fatigue and nutrition?
Depression and low copper:
The mineral copper is involved in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. A deficiency of copper can lead to depression.
Fatigue:
High calcium to potassium is associated with an underactive thyroid. Fatigue is often a common complaint associated with low thyroid function.
What can be seen in the chart to the left is this person is very low in many base minerals other than calcium, zinc cromium and sulphur. In nutrition, the ratios between nutrients are almost as important as the concentration of each.
The example here is typical of what comes across my desk, showing what happens when commercial food interests and single issue health lobbyists dictate public nutrition advice. High calcium, low fat, low salt, "heart healthy" diets are not healthy for every one. Some of us need more fat, more salt and more protein: Whereas others need less of these - some or all.
The person, in this case, has chronic health issues, including tendonitis and fatigue and is at risk of becoming depressed. It is all to do with diet.
The solution lies not in toughening up this person by joining a gym and/or counselling. Exhausting exercise may actually make things worse and counselling may only serve to buy some time. The solution, in this case, lies in adopting a low calcium, high protein diet that is low in fats, oils and carbohydrates and one that is high in vitamins and minerals. This includes taking a number of nutrition supplements for several months to expedite the process of replenishment and balancing. While the counselling can commence, the gym is best left till later on.
Contact me if you would like to learn more about this form of nutrient testing.
Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
So why do our tendons turn into bone? Calcific Tendonitis
"First off, Tendons DO NOT turn to bone.
They can become tough, brittle, hard, like a dry crunchy sponge instead of a soft squishy sponge. They can become HARD, but they don't turn to bone."
Read more: http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/calcific-tendonitis.html#ixzz0RFTM0tFq
Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
They can become tough, brittle, hard, like a dry crunchy sponge instead of a soft squishy sponge. They can become HARD, but they don't turn to bone."
Read more: http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/calcific-tendonitis.html#ixzz0RFTM0tFq
Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
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