5 Things I Learned From My Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

I’ve been using blood chemistry for a few years now – and it’s truly one of the most valuable, universal labs out there! But I hit this roadblock with repeat patterns that just wouldn't budge. Frustrating, much?

Then, one summer, I stumbled upon Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA). Now, let me tell you, I wasn't ready for a new test – life was just too chaotic. Yet, there was something about minerals that kept pulling me in. 

After some serious self-study binges, it hit me – minerals were the secret sauce, the missing link in my health journey. I mean, they call the shots for every cell and system in our body. And adding electrolytes and extra salt just was not cutting it.

So I took the next step to learn more, and guess what I found?

I was running on empty! Depleted. Tapped out. Done.

Despite all the things I know, and all the things I do well for my health, my body was struggling –– and my HTMA results showed me WHERE, WHY and HOW to fix it!

5 Things I Learned From My HTMA Results

So many golden nuggets were revealed to me once I did my first hair test, but these were the top 5 most helpful for me and my goals:

1) My Metabolic Type

Ever wondered about your metabolic type (aka "oxidation rate")? It's the speed at which your body converts food into energy. You're a slow or fast metabolizer.

Now, here's my lightbulb moment – I'm a "slow metabolizer." Translation: my body struggles to generate enough energy for the day, thanks to my not-so-enthusiastic thyroid and adrenal glands.

If you're in the slow oxidizer club like me, you might relate – underactive thyroid, a cozy amount of extra weight on the hips and thighs, fatigue, feeling a bit down too often, or struggling to beat infections. Yep, been there, done that. 

2) Nailing Down My Diet

Let's talk about personalized dietary recommendations – the fun part, right? Understanding my metabolic rate opened up a whole world of insights. While I've aced the protein and fats game, my body was secretly begging for more carbs.

Now, I was eating carbs at the time, but clearly not enough. It’s a bit serendipitous because a lovely personal trainer I had hired had nudged me to up my carb game a while ago, but I shrugged it off. Adding more carbs? Not my usual jam.

Then, HTMA stepped in revealing my adrenals and thyroid needed a carb boost. I didn't realize it until the data spelled it out for me.

It's kind of amusing how data can validate those gut feelings and give you that push to switch things up, right? 

3) Burnout Pattern 

Hi, I’m Elishia. I have a cortisol addiction. 

Ok, maybe that’s not new information to me, but here were the facts staring me in the face and showing me how it was keeping my body in a depleted state. Note in the photo below how the majority of my minerals are below optimal. My cells were gasping for nutrients. And one of the biggest mineral burners is stress. 

My test results showed me that if I didn’t change up some of my lifestyle tendencies towards stress management, then my minerals would stay depleted, my metabolism wouldn’t increase,  and my adrenals and thyroid were not going to recover anytime soon.  Here was the data telling me I need to prioritize time to de-stress, focus on rest and relaxation. 

This is actually quite hard for me. It turns out a lot of my clients also have a similar personality as me: intense, productive, driven, perfectionist, type A. Maybe you can relate?

4) Hypothyroid Pattern 

Let's dive into my Ca/K ratio in the right photo – it's off the charts high. This ratio shines a spotlight on the thyroid gland, a key player in regulating metabolic rate. 

Now, when potassium (K) takes a dip (left photo), the thyroid hormone struggles to get into the cell and do its job effectively.

All the efforts I put into supporting my thyroid were falling short, as reflected in both my blood labs – consistently low thyroid numbers – and my list of symptoms: weight loss resistance, icy cold hands and feet, fatigue, parched skin, and a tendency towards constipation.

5) Tanked Adrenals

Now, shift your focus to the Na/Mg ratio – notice how it's strikingly low? This ratio is a telltale sign of adrenal dysfunction, perfectly aligning with my fatigue, low stamina, and weight rollercoaster. My body was hitting the brakes, struggling to maintain the pace – I was depleting minerals at an alarming rate, and my body was reluctantly downshifting.

This low output from my adrenals became a stumbling block, slowing me down and impacting my overall vitality. 

HTMA Helped Craft My Personalized Wellness Plan

So, armed with this treasure trove of information from my HTMA, what's the game plan?

1. I devised a custom supplement blend based on these results – one product, taken twice a day, precisely catering to my body's needs. 
2. Adjusting gears, I rescheduled my workouts to late morning/noon, ensuring I had time for a wholesome protein and carb rich breakfast and morning sunlight to support my hormones. 
3. To amp up my nutrition game, I kicked off batch cooking healthy carbs for the week, sop I could effortlessly integrate them into every meal. 
4. I took a step towards embracing tranquility and introduced an evening wind-down routine with a sunset walk, giving priority to rest and relaxation. 
5. Lastly, my hubby became my accountability partner for sticking to my game plan, showing unparalleled enthusiasm (he clearly knew I needed it). 

Now, I'm committed to running this plan for the next 3-4 months, eagerly anticipating the outcome. Stay tuned – I'll be back with the results of my retest! 

Ready to See How HTMA Testing Can Help You?

If you're a data geek like me and know that seeing results is the ultimate motivation, or if there's that nagging feeling that there's more to uncover, HTMA is like Sherlock Holmes for your well-being. It's the secret sauce to tailor-fitting recommendations that scream, "This is just for you!".

Revitalizing your body's energy and stamina isn't just a step; it's the foundation for improved digestion, increased energy, enhanced mood, balanced hormones, and so much more! This lays the groundwork for true healing.

Kickstart your HTMA testing today!