Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)
tests & Consultations
HTMA testing is an excellent tool for taking a look at your body’s mineral levels. Because your hair sample takes into account the previous 2-3 months worth of time, it gives a better picture of your overall mineral status vs just a snapshot in time. Why is this important? These mineral levels can give incredible insight into underlying reasons for the health issue(s) you are experiencing.
What Can You Learn from HTMA Testing?
I use Trace Elements to complete the sample analysis. I have specifically chosen this lab because they do not wash your hair sample after receiving it. Why is that important? Some labs wash the hair samples in an acetone solution prior to analyzing their mineral content. This can affect some of the mineral levels, giving you less reliable results. Just look at everything they test for! And you can see what an example report looks like here.
Mineral Levels
- Calcium
Magnesium
Sodium
Potassium
Copper
Zinc
Phosphorus
Iron
Manganese
Chromium
Selenium
Cobalt
Molybdenum
Sulfur
14 Additional Trace Minerals
Mineral Ratios & Systems/Organs They Represent
Calcium/Phosporus
(Oxidation Rate)
Sodium/Potassium
(Overall Vitality)
Calcium/Potassium
(Thyroid Health)
Zinc/Copper
(Liver Health/Hormones)
Sodium/Magnesium
(Adrenal Health)
Calcium/Magnesium
(Blood Sugar)
Heavy Metals
Uranium
Arsenic
Beryllium
Mercury
Lead
Cadmium
Aluminum
Toxic Ratios are also included which compare specific “good” minerals to the toxic/heavy metals listed above in this list.
Ok, so you want the test…
What next?
You can choose to order just the test if you’re already experienced with HTMA and mineral balancing or perhaps you’re curious about what your results might show, but you’re not sure you want to pay for a consult just yet.
If you’ve already ordered a HTMA test elsewhere but are wanting guidance on what to DO now, I offer a “consult only” option!
If you know you want both the test and the consult, I offer that option also at a slightly discounted rate compared to purchasing them separately.
HTMA Test Only
Consult Not Included- Lab copy of results from Trace Elements
- Summary of your mineral ratios and how they relate to your current health status
- Option to purchase consultation within 3 months of receiving results
- One hour phone consultation to discuss your results and develop a mineral balancing plan for you (not included)
- Emailed summary of mineral balancing plan (not included)
- Follow-up email support (not included)
HTMA Consult Only
Use Existing Results- You provide a copy of your lab results that are no more than 3 months old
- Summary of your mineral ratios and how they relate to your current health status
- One hour phone consultation to discuss your results and develop a mineral balancing plan for you
- Emailed summary of your new mineral balancing plan that we discuss during the consultation
- Limited follow-up email support for 2 months following your consultation
HTMA Test + Consultation
Get Both & Save!- Lab copy of your results from Trace Elements
- Summary of your mineral ratios and how they relate to your current health status
- One hour phone consultation to discuss your results and develop a mineral balancing plan for you
- Emailed summary of your new mineral balancing plan that we discuss during the consultation
- Limited follow-up email support for 2 months following your consultation
Why not just supplement with the minerals you test low for?
While it seems logical to simply supplement the minerals that show up low on your results, this can spell disaster. All of the minerals are connected to one another through a complex web, so supplementing with one isolated mineral could cause another to be thrown out of whack, and that can cause a cascade of new mineral imbalances. Additionally, sometimes (or dare I say most times?) low mineral levels or mineral imbalances are actually not the root problem. Instead, they signal to us which body systems or organs need more support. Getting those deeper issues resolved allows the mineral levels to naturally balance out over time. I primarily work with clients to achieve results through herbs, whole foods, and whole food supplements.
What about heavy metals?
(AND OTHER TOXINS)
Lots of people are interested in using the HTMA for heavy metals testing. This can be an excellent use for the test! However, it’s important to consider the heavy metals results as part of the bigger picture. I never advise clients to use aggressive chelation protocols to remove heavy metals. Sometimes people are already so depleted by the time they come to me, we can’t even begin working on the heavy metals for several months until they’ve built their nutrient reserves back up, and we address other underlying issues like liver or adrenal health, for example. And sometimes the metals don’t even show up in the initial test because the person’s body isn’t strong enough to try to move them out. Just because they don’t initially show up doesn’t mean they aren’t there! When people ARE ready to start removing the metals, I help guide them through that step. It always starts with making sure that the body has the ability to properly detox (all toxins) so that we’re not just moving metals from one place to another without them actually leaving your body.
How long will it take to heal?
Everyone is Different
Unfortunately there is no one size fits all protocol or manual that can predict how long it will take. I’ve seen estimates that it takes 1 month for every year of unwellness, but that doesn’t take into account people’s differing levels of daily stressors, limitations on their living conditions, etc. or just how complex their health picture is. Someone with multiple health issues, living in a moldy home, with lots of daily responsibilities like a job and children to care for is probably going to take longer than someone with only one or two health conditions living in a home with healthy air, and no responsibility for caring for kids or working a full-time job so that they can dedicate their efforts to healing.
You Get Out What You Put In
During your consultation, we will come up with a plan that works for you. Remember, no one size fits all protocols here! The key is that you actually need to follow through with it in order for healing to happen. I understand that sometimes we want to just “throw everything at it” and hope it all works, but we need to be reasonable about our budget, time, energy, ability, and willingness to follow through with it. The best laid plans don’t do much good if we don’t do them! The clients that I see having the most success most quickly are the ones who follow their plans and retest regularly. I recommend retesting every 3-4 months, but some people stretch it to 6 months and still do well.
Retesting
This isn’t a one and done thing!
Ideally, you will retest every 3-4 months. This gives us an opportunity to see how your body is responding to your mineral balancing plan. I don’t want you on the same plan indefinitely if you’re ready to move on to the next step(s). On the flip side, if we see that your mineral levels aren’t moving much, and you have been diligent with following your plan, we can switch things up to take a different approach. But if you don’t retest, it can be hard to know what the next steps should be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it acceptable for christians to use herbs for healing?
Absolutely! When God created the earth and everything on it, he said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”(Genesis 1:29)
What if I don't specifically have a women's health issue? Can you still help me?
Maybe! One of the lessons I’ve learned along the way is that I cannot be all things to all people, and it is impossible to be an “expert” on everything. That’s why I’ve chosen to specialize in women’s health and focus my continuing education there. However, all health issues rely on underlying good health, which I very likely can help you to improve!
do you take insurance?
No. Because I am not a licensed medical professional, I cannot accept insurance. You MAY be able to use your HSA/FSA account though, depending on your plan.
what if I'm not a christian? can i still work with you?
Yes! It wouldn’t be very Christian of me to exclude you, would it?! Seriously, it’s ok if you don’t consider yourself a Christian. I promise I won’t force my beliefs on you.
are you a licensed medical professional?
No. I cannot diagnose, treat, or cure you of any illness or disease. What I CAN do as a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) practitioner and herbal educator is to teach you how to improve your health based on your symptoms and the information you share with me.
what if i don't know much about herbs and natural remedies?
That’s what I’m here for! No question is too basic. We ALL start somewhere, and I absolutely love meeting people where they are. I will never judge you for “not knowing enough” just like I hope you won’t ever judge me if I’m not as far along in my faith as you are!