The speed of response to a nutrition program varies dramatically. A nutritional ‘quick-fix‘ may relieve symptoms in 10 minutes. Other cases require five years or more of a full nutrition program. Why do some people respond rapidly while others have more difficulty? A number of limiting factors affect how well a person responds to a properly-designed nutrition program.

Biochemical Energy

Healing requires energy. Toxic substances must be removed from the body. Nutrients must be absorbed and utilized. Glucose and hormones must be able to pass into the cells to be effectively used. Those who respond rapidly have their energy system basically intact, or simply are missing one nutrient or factor. When that one factor is supplied, they respond strongly.

When the energy system of the body is further out of balance or damaged, healing is slower. We often refer to these people as being in ‘burnout’. Rebuilding the energy system is their key to healing. Not only is the supplement program important, a healthy lifestyle conserves and frees up energy for healing. The more energy that is made available for healing, the more rapid the progress.

Layers Of Adaptation

As a person becomes ill, organs, glands and even minerals compensate for each other in an effort to maintain optimum health. If the kidneys become weakened for example, the skin or the liver take over some of the kidneys elimination functions. If zinc is deficient, cadmium or copper can substitute in some of the zinc enzyme binding sites. Glands compensate for one another. Psycho­logical adaptation also occurs. A person who feels out of control may compensate by trying to con­trol others. The process of compensation or adaptation is a basic survival mechanism of the body.

Permanent healing requires unraveling layers of compensations and adaptations. This requires time and often involves passing through a series of retracing or healing reactions as the body readjusts. If a person responds very quickly, it indicates he or she did not have too many layers of adaptation. Many people, however, have layer upon layer of adaptations to unravel. This is an important limiting factor that extends the time required to become well.

Hair analyses reveal layers of adaptations by the changes that occur on successive tests. For example, a first test may not reveal mercury toxicity; however, after a year or more on the program, the mercury level may begin to increase. This indicates that mercury was always present, but the body had not begun to eliminate it previ­ously. Other adaptations had to be retraced and unraveled first.

A first mineral analysis may reveal fast oxida­tion. This is often an adaptation to overwhelming stress. As stress is reduced, the next test may reveal slow oxidation, another type of adaptation. As nutritional stress continues to be reduced, a third or fourth test may reveal a balanced pattern.

Generational Healing

Hair analysis research reveals that many of our health problems stem from nutritional imbalances and other conditions we acquire at birth. While the concept may appear strange at first glance, at times we must correct nutritional imbalances that have been present for two or three generations. This can require extra time and effort because the body and even one’s personality may have developed around these congenital imbalances. For example, individuals born with high copper and low zinc may have been irritable and nervous from childhood. They may assume that is their ‘natural’ personality. As their chemistry changes through nutritional balancing, they may have to adjust their self-image and identity that is no longer determined by their aberrant chemistry.

The Limits Of Science

No honest person can claim that he or she has all the answers in the field of biochemistry and nutrition. Hair mineral analysis, when properly performed and interpreted provides many clues for correcting body chemistry. However, nutrition is still a research science. At times, adjustments are necessary in nutrition programs. This can affect the speed of healing.

Healing And Holism

While nutrition is a critical factor in health, other factors are important as well. These include diet, lifestyle, environmental toxic exposure, mental stress, foci of infections such as hidden tooth abscesses, and structural imbalances. Other subtle factors can play a role in health, including electrical imbalances in the body, inherited weak­nesses, spiritual and emotional factors and the strength of the desire to be well.

All these factors enter into the equation of how fast and how completely a person will become well. Some of these can be difficult to assess. At times, other therapies besides nutrition are required. It may be important to consider healing on many levels because this is often most beneficial.

Conclusion

Healing will always be an intensely individual matter. For this reason, testing to determine individual needs is so important. It is also the reason that broad classifications of diseases such as arthritis and allergies are often less useful than assessments of the needs of each person. Some arthritis responds in several days, while other cases are more intractable.

By taking into account the individual nature of healing and becoming aware of many possible factors that could be of help, we can do the most for ourselves and our clients.