"There is no Cure for Muscular Skeletal Injuries,
                         Only BODY Maintenance"
                                                     Kate Montgomery

WHAT YOUR RETESTS REPRESENTS

 The process of correcting body chemistry through hair mineral analysis is somewhat like peeling off old layers of wallpaper so that the walls can be repaired.  In this analogy, your previous hair mineral analysis corresponds to the top layer of wallpaper showing at the time of the test.  Your current retest, after following a nutritional rebalancing program for several months, represents a ‘peel away’ of the top layer and the exposure of another layer of mineral patterns beneath.  Your previous nutrition program was designed to remove the top layer of mineral patterns, and the purpose of the retest is to reveal and correct the under lying mineral patterns that are now coming into view. 

 REASONS WHY INTERPRETATION OF RETESTS IS COMPLEX

             Many types of changes in your chemistry may have occurred since your initial hair mineral analysis.  These changes may include:           

            Retention of a Mineral.  The body may retain a mineral in an organ or tissue for varying reasons, such as an increased requirement of that mineral in the rebuilding of tissues or organs.  When this occurs, the level of that mineral will decline on the retest.  

            Excretion of a Mineral.  The body may release or eliminate a mineral from the body.  The mineral is eliminated first into the blood, from which it goes to the liver, kidneys and hair to be excreted. 

            Mobilization of a Mineral.  A mineral may move out of tissue storage, into other areas of the body where it is needed. It is in this way that a mineral is thus made ‘bio-available,” or available for use.  

            Mineral Compensation.  As minerals are retained, incorporated, excreted and mobilized, other minerals will balance and compensate for these changes in order to maintain critical mineral levels and ratios. 

            Test Mineral values generally go up, or increases, during excretion and mobilization.  Test mineral values generally go down, or diminish, during retention and after excretion.  Test mineral values may go up or down during replacement or compensation.   

             The reason for the complexity of the interpretation of the retest is that all these phenomena are occurring simultaneously in your body. 

WHY HAIR ANALYSIS CHANGES MAY NOT CORRELATE WITH THE WAY ONE FEELS 

            At times, a retest hair mineral analysis may show little change, yet one may feel significantly better, or perhaps worse.  On other occasions, the test shows dramatic improvements, yet one feels the same. 

            To understand this phenomena, it is important to realize that a hair analysis represents 1) deep metabolic patterns, 2) the body’s response to stress and 3) an average of several months of accumulation of minerals in the hair tissue.  

SYMPTOMS IMPROVE, YET THE RETEST CHANGES VERY LITTLE 

            The main reason one occasionally sees little change on a hair test when symptoms improve is that symptomatic improvement may occur first, while deeper metabolic changes take longer to occur.  Since the hair tissue mineral analysis reveals the deeper patterns, one must wait, perhaps six months or more for the deeper changes to be revealed on a tissue mineral analysis.  In other words, a lag occurs between the symptomatic change and the deep correction of body chemistry. 

            Another possibility is that a particular nutrient of a change in the diet has corrected a deficiency, allergic condition or other type of imbalance that results in a noticeable improvement in one’s symptoms.  However, this does not necessarily mean that deep correction of body chemistry has occurred.  In this case, while one feels better, underlying biochemical patterns may not have changed significantly.  This occurs often with drug therapy and with other symptomatic approaches to health care.  It can also occur with nutrient therapy. 

SYMPTOMS REMAIN THE SAME, YET THE RETEST SHOWS IMPROVEMENT 

            Occasionally a retest mineral analysis reveals significant or even dramatic improvement, yet one feels the same.  One reason this occurs is that at times deep metabolic change precedes symptomatic improvement.  The hair tissue mineral analysis is acting like an early indicator of correction.  Improvement of symptoms will follow.

            A related reason is that with a nutritional balancing program, the body often corrects the most important imbalance first.  The most important imbalance may not be related to one’s main symptom, however.  Therefore, one may not feel better immediately even though positive change is occurring.  Some understanding of the correction process is required in order to continue with the program in spite of little apparent symptom change. 

            For example, often the first imbalance to be corrected is a latent and perhaps serious health condition such as a threatened heart attack or the beginnings of a cancer.  These conditions usually have no obvious symptoms and one is unaware of the developing pathology.

            Since there are no obvious symptoms of pathology, one is also often not aware of the correction of the latent pathology.   Therefore, one might think that nothing has occurred after a few months on a program, when in fact an important healing process has occurred. The hair tissue mineral analysis may be the only indicator of the healing.

            For instance, a tissue mineral retest may reveal the elimination of excess cadmium or mercury.  This is an excellent event as either of these can contribute to severe illness. Yet at times one may not feel the benefit, as the changes in body chemistry may be subtle, especially at first. 

            Meanwhile, ones more ‘pressing’ symptoms may not change.  In reality, these may be much less important, however, than the elimination of a toxic metal and will be dealt with later. 

SYMPTOMS IMPROVE, YET THE RETEST LOOKS WORSE 

            This occurs often on a hair tissue mineral analysis.  The main reason is that imbalances in the body chemistry are unwound or uncovered layer by layer.  Often, a superficial layer does not appear that abnormal.  However, a deeper layer reveals hidden toxic metals and other imbalances that are more aberrant.

            This is not a cause for alarm during the process of uncovering, and correcting deeper imbalances.  Usually one feels better as these are uncovered as it means one must no longer spend energy compensation and adapting to underlying imbalances.  Adaptive energy that was tied up in this way is now freed and one often feels better. 

            In those following a nutritional balancing program, blood, urine, and other tests may also be skewed temporarily as the unwinding of layers of adaptations proceed.  One simply addresses the imbalances that are present without placing too much emphasis on the seemingly worsened appearance of the mineral or other test. 

SYMPTOMS ARE WORSE, YET THE RETEST SHOWS IMPROVEMENT 

            The most common reason a retest reveals improvement when one feels worse is due to a healing reaction or retracing reaction.  This may be a temporary flare-up of an old infection or due to the removal of a toxic substance.  A healing reaction may also be a de-compensation in which metabolism slows or the healing of some other previous condition that causes a temporary aggravation of symptoms. 

            Many people are very out of touch with the messages the body is sending.  Many are not in touch with the severity of their biochemical imbalances.  Either they are used to the way they feel or they are used to ignoring or minimizing their symptoms.  As body chemistry begins to improve often one becomes more in touch with one’s condition and this may be perceived as feeling worse.  For Example, giving up coffee, soda pop, or sugar, can cause one’s true fatigue condition to become apparent. One may feel worse for a while although in fact their health is improving. 

EMOTIONAL CHANGES 

            Mental and emotional changes that accompany an improvement in body chemistry can also cause annoying symptoms at times.  These may include increased awareness and increased emotional sensitivity.  This can lead to temporary symptoms of anxiety or fear as one sees aspects of one’s life more clearly.

            Also, changes in the oxidation rate may be healthier, but not necessarily more comfortable.  For example, many slow oxidizers feel anxious when their metabolism speeds up to normal.  Fast oxidize4rs may feel tired or “ too relaxed” when their oxidation rate slows down to normal.  

WHY A RETEST MAY LOOK WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL TEST           

            Sometimes, when a person begins a nutritional correction program as derived from hair analysis data, their mineral levels may appear quite balance, when actually such is not the case.   This occurs because the individual has unknowingly developed various coping mechanisms and compensating mechanisms that ‘cover up’ or ‘mask’ nutrient deficiencies and imbalances.  These coping mechanisms may include the accumulation of toxic metals, use the various stimulants such as coffee, alcohol and strenuous exercise, food habits, and sleep habits, emotions and other subtle mechanisms.  On the retest analysis, some of the toxic metal levels and glandular functions have changed as a result of the nutrient and diet program, and thus previous underlying mineral imbalances are exposed.  Stated simple, the original test was not the true picture of balance, but instead was picture a precarious balance maintained by compensating mechanisms. 

WHY YOU MAY FEEL BETTER THOUGH THE RETEST LOOKS WORSE 

            When underlying nutrient imbalances are brought to light on a retest, some mineral levels and ratios, as viewed by an untrained observer, frequently look worse.  However, you may feel better because other imbalances that were present have improved or have been corrected.  Also, although your oxidation rate may appear to worsen temporarily, energy pathways may have been improved as a result of the program, and account for your improvement in general well being. 

WHY YOU MAY FEEL WORSE OR THE SAME WHEN THE RETEST INDICATES IMPROVEMENT 

            You may feel worse if, as a result of undoing certain mineral imbalances, your body begins to use it newly developed internal energy to re-establish more favorable coping and homeostatic mechanisms.  That energy will be temporarily unavailable for external use and, as a result, you will feel fatigued, 

            Oftentimes, mineral levels, while they appear to be improved, will be associated with increased discomfort due to elimination of excessive toxic metals.  For example, if cadmium (a toxic metal) is being eliminated, a temporary rise in sodium levels may occur in a slow oxidizer, causing the sodium level to appear more normal.  However, the individual may experience the detrimental effects of cadmium elimination more than the beneficial effect of the more balanced sodium level. 

LIFESTYLE AND PROGRESS ON RETESTS 

Lifestyle factors can enhance or impede the rate of progress of the nutritional correction program.  Good eating habits, adequate sleep, moderate exercise, avoiding adverse types of stress, and dealing realistically with emotions such as fear and worry, will greatly improve your response to the program.

            On the other hand, negative lifestyle factors can interfere with progress on the program to the extent that they can counteract the benefits of the diet and supplements.  This is often the case with people who show little improvement over several hair analysis tests.  

A Positive Attitude goes a long way toward change - bio-chemically, physically and emotionally.  Have faith in yourself that you can do this, a commitment to yourself, and know that your value as a person matters.  This is the greatest gift you can give yourself, a move toward self-commitment to a healthier body and mind.  This is not an easy commitment to make.  It takes time and patience to peel away the layers of toxicity that have accumulated over the years.  If you really want to become healthier, this program works. Do this: Wake up each morning, face the East, watch the sun rise, smile, hug yourself, take a deep breath from deep inside you, and know what you are doing for yourself is the best gift you can give yourself – a healthier body, mind and spirit!  Katé Montgomery, ND

 

WHY SOME PEOPLE DON’T IMPROVE 

            There are three major reasons if minimal or no improvement has taken place.

1.      The program, including diets and supplements, wasn’t followed faithfully or as specifically outlined.

2.      The nature of the condition is such that it is not amenable to biochemical correction.

3.      Other factors, such as lifestyle, have overridden and negated the effectiveness of the diet and supplements.

HOW MANY RETESTS ARE NECESSARY 

            Several other questions must be addressed to answer this question, which will clarify the question of how many retests are necessary.           

1.      How long have you not been feeling well?  The longer a problem has been present, generally the longer it will take to effect correction.

2.      How sick or well are you?  We all hear of people who were never sick a day, who then develop cancer or experience a heart attack.  These people were much sicker than they thought they were, and this is the case today with many people.  The body is capable of compensation for a long time- similar to running a car on the reserve gas tank.

3.      What level of health do you desire?  The standard of definition is that health is an absence of symptoms or diseases.  However, it is possible to go beyond this concept, and have abundant energy and high resistance to nay illness.  This will take longer to achieve, naturally, than just getting rid of your symptoms. 

4.      How many of your lifestyle habits are supporting the goals of the program, and how may are opposing it- wearing you out?  The more support there is for the program, the faster your progress.

5.      The body proceeds at its own pace.  Perhaps this is the most important point.  We can’t set time limits because the kind of biochemical changes that must occur are complex, involving r3egenergation and repair of major organs and systems, and replacement of toxic elements with physiological elements in many enzyme systems.  If this process were to occur too fast, the eliminative organs of the body would be overloaded and serious problems would arise.  The body therefore regulates the correction process, and it is not unusual for several years to be required to rebuild bodily health.  IN fact, the slower you get well, the better, because getting well is a form of stress on the body, requiring biochemical energy.  That stress is minimized when the process is slow and even.  Your program is designed to derive the most rapid results without over stressing your body’s coping mechanisms.  

WHEN TO RETEST 

            If you follow the diet and supplement program, another retest should be requested in approximately three months.  In case of severe illness, or if you sense significant changes in your chemistry sooner, such as dramatic changes in food cravings, your doctor may wish to order a retest in 4-6 weeks.  Retests are important because significant change occurs in the body chemistry within several months, which may necessitate adjustments in your nutrition program.  The objective is to keep supporting and balancing the body chemistry, and this can be accomplished most effectively by periodically assessing body chemistry through a retest.