The important of minerals + HTMA

minerals for health

Many people don't truly understand how critical minerals are for normal health and development.

Minerals are a delicate balance in your because they’re cofactors. This means a shortage or excess in one can create the opposite in another.

Did you know that most of us are probably deficient in one or more minerals like zinc, magnesium, selenium and potassium?

Here are just some key areas of our health in which minerals play a key role.

IMMUNITY

  • Zinc – General immunity and viral infections (found in oysters, beef, Swiss chard)

  • Iron – Overall immunity (beef liver, turkey, seaweed, leafy greens)

  • Manganese – General immunity (nuts, dried foods and leafy greens)

DIGESTION

  • Zinc – Critical for making stomach acid to break down food properly

  • Trace minerals – Regulate enzyme function, needed for all chemical reactions (eat a wide variety of foods)

  • Selenium – Affects the gut flora, modifies gut inflammation preventing leaky gut (fish especially salmon and tuna and shrimps, Brazil nuts, mushrooms)

  • Magnesium – Important in preventing constipation (fatty fish, dark chocolate, avocado, nuts)

HORMONES

  • Selenium – Production and conversion of hormones (brazil nuts, fish, pork, eggs, sunflower seeds)

  • Iodine – Vital for thyroid hormone synthesis or production

  • Boron – Supports the metabolism of steroid hormones ie testosterone, oestrogen and DHEA

BRAIN HEALTH

  • Calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, iodine and copper – All play critical roles in the creation and release of neurotransmitters and myelin (protective coating), fluid/electrolyte balance, and blood pressure

DETOXIFICATION

  • Molybdenum – Utilized body in detox pathways of the liver (legumes, nuts, leafy vegetables)

  • Selenium – Critical for detoxing environmental toxins like heavy metals such as lead and mercury

HTMA

This is an amazing tool I sometimes use is called Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.

HTMA provides information on many vital aspects of health, including not just our physical but also mental health. It's a window into all our systems and how they're working together via the analysis of significant, toxic and other minerals and their ratios.

Here are just some health issues that HTMA testing can show

  • Metabolism – Whether you’re a fast or slow metaboliser i.e. if your cells are producing energy effectively (ATP)

  • Inflammation – Copper, selenium and other imbalances can increase cell-damaging free radical and oxidisation levels, a key factor in disease

  • Thyroid function - Your calcium, selenium and other mineral ratios outline if imbalances are causing your thyroid to over or under express itself, in turn impacting your hormones, weight and energy levels

  • Anaemia - If you’re unable to improve your blood iron levels despite taking a supplement, balancing a faulty iron to copper ratio may be key

  • Mental health – Anxiety and depression have been linked to mineral and nutrient imbalances, and heavy metal toxicity. Balancing and detoxing these can improve these conditions along with the related condition, Pyroluria. Powerful!

  • Hormones – Minerals have an important impact on your sex hormones and their balance, which can negatively impact pregnancy, growth and development, not to mention your vitality. Your zinc to copper ratio can be key

  • Other information provided includes on gut and bone health, allergies, infections, blood pressure, hyperactivity, blood sugar and more

In short, this great new tool gives me access to mineral ratios I've never had before. As a bonus, it's the most affordable test giving bang for your buck.

How do I balance mineral ratios to improve health?

Through diet, strategic supplementation, drinking clean water, heavy metal detoxing and more.

CHILDRENS HEALTH, FAMILY HEALTH, FOOD AS MEDICINE, GENERAL HEALTH, IMMUNITY, MENS HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, THYROID HEALTH, WOMENS HEALTHGutsy by Nutritionminerals, HTMAComment