It may come as quite a surprise to most people that 95% of us have been infected with EBV at some point in our lives and never knew it happened. EBV can cause Glandular Fever/Infectious Mononucleosis. Some people never realise that they have these conditions others of course know all too well about the fatigue and nausea which accompany this condition.

EBV is estimated to cause over 200,000 cases of cancer worldwide each year principally lymphomas, nasopharyngeal cancer and stomach cancers. EBV may be the cause of health issues related to the gut, lung, liver, adrenals, thyroid and spleen. All are characterised by fatigue.

Because of the way EBV invades the immune system it can live in your system for a long time, often remaining dormant, unless your T-cell response is adequate when the infection occurs. It may resurface when the immune system is low because of stress. In a recent webinar given by Gary Moller for InterClinical Laboratories Gary outlined the symptoms of EBV infection;

Abdominal pain (especially in children)
Cough, congestion or runny nose
Enlarged painful spleen
Fever – ranging from mild to extreme
Fatigue – can be debilitating and prolonged
Headaches
Liver inflammation and soreness
Nausea with vomiting and/or diarrhoea in some cases
Paralysis (rare) Guillain-Barre Syndrome)
Poor appetite
Puffy eyelids
Sensitivity to light
Skin rash (often seen in children)
Sore muscles
Sore throat – ranging from slight to extreme
Swollen glands usually in the neck, but sometimes in the armpits or groin.

As a person who has suffered from glandular fever I am well aware of all these symptoms. Since having the disease I never fully regained my energy levels not that they were fantastic before I got it in my mid 20’s. Possibly the reason that EBV infections continue to full on glandular fever is because the immune system is weak due to continuous stress.

Copper Excess results from EBV and Hepatitis A infection
One thing I wasn’t aware of before watching Gary Moller’s webinar was that both glandular fever and hepatitis A infections are associated with a specific mineral pattern or profile. That profile always includes high copper levels (even if the initial test does not show high copper levels they will eventually show in subsequent tests).

Looking back over the many years since I contracted glandular fever I realise that the more stressed I was the greater my levels of fatigue. Looking at my hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) (below) done in 2012 I realised that I was still experiencing the effects of stress from many years prior. This is evidenced by the low sodium and potassium levels. My immune system was still compromised as I keep having the cough, congestion and runny nose symptom of EBV. My profile is a classic one for EBV infection. Since 2012 I have had 3 other HTMA tests all of which have shown excessive copper.

Copper Pipes can Exacerbate the Problem
Part of the problem for me has been to find that there is copper in our water. This was quite a surprise because our water comes from the roof. Pure rain water uncontaminated by city pollution. Testing showed that it was slightly acid. I am still investigating how this occurs given that rain water should have a pH of 7. Being slightly acid it is etching the copper from the water pipes. We now filter our water. The other cause of copper etching is poor grounding of the hot water heater which sets up electrolysis. This I have eliminated as a cause of copper in our water. Potential culprits are food grade poly tanks or our colourbond roof which could be adding extra hydrogen ions into the water.

Puberty, Pregnancy and the Contraceptive Pill can add to Copper load
Copper retention is greatest when estrogen levels rise or stay elevated when women experience puberty or are pregnant or on the contraceptive pill. This can affect liver, kidney, pancreatic, small intestine, spleen and heart function. It certainly adds to fatigue levels if you have also had EBV or Hepatitis A (or any Hepatitis). Painful periods can often be tracked to this problem due to the blocking effect copper has on magnesium a muscle relaxant. Copper deposited in absorptive cells in the small intestine actually inhibit iron absorption. Taking iron supplementation or eating plenty of red meat may not lift serum blood levels much if at all.

Why is copper excess such a problem
Copper excess in the body blocks the following nutrients and neurotransmitters and the symptoms can be many and varied:

Stress and Consequent lowered Immunity leads to EBV infections

Constant stress lowers our immunity and reduces the effectiveness of our digestive system. Low levels of zinc, a natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial leave a stressed individual much more susceptible to viral infections.  Weakened adrenal function or burn out due to long term stress affects the ability of the liver to eliminate accumulated copper.  In a HTMA low sodium and potassium levels are indicative of adrenal exhaustion and poor stomach function leading to poor digestive outcomes. In addition low sodium and potassium effect the electro-chemical gradient between the inside and outside of your cells.  This has the effect of making it more difficult for nutrients to pass through the cell wall.  This is why taking nutrients when a person has adrenal exhaustion can be like pouring water on stone. Nothing happens to change the mineral pattern.

Subsequent HTMA can show little if any change.  The secret seems to be to turn the dial down on the accumulated stress through using kinesiology techniques.  The accumulated stress is affecting physical function and recovery.  In my own case releasing old stress patterns was just as, if not more important than taking the nutrients.  For persons suffering adrenal exhaustion no kinesiology will mean no overall change in the HTMA pattern over time. My second hair test moved me to a Slow 2 which would be the normal recovery pattern but then subsequent tests revealed the same pattern as the initial test as shown below. This is because the energetic body affects the physical body (physiology) and accumulated stress resides in the energetic body re-enforcing physical function.

In order to eliminate the copper it is necessary to regain good adrenal function. The liver also needs support. Any heavy metals and chemical overload need to be eliminated in order to restore good liver function. When liver function has been impaired kidney performance may be sub-optimal and need support.

Nutrients to consider:

A good liver support

Kidney tonic

Chlorella to eliminate heavy metals and chemical toxicity

Vitamins C & E, B6 & B Complex

Zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron, selenium and molybdenum

Plenty of good fats such as omega 3’s & 6’s

Probiotics

Betaine hydrochloride for good digestion especially where zinc is low and adrenal exhaustion is evident. Vitamin B6 is needed for good adrenal function and also to make stomach acid.  It also activates zinc and magnesium in the body.

Vegetarians and Vegans should take Vital Pea protein powder with each meal as these groups are often low in protein. In addition for this group vitamin B12 is a necessity.

Things to avoid

All diuretics such as coffee, tea and alcohol. High sugar and carbohydrate diet as this affects liver, pancreatic and brain function.

Copper excess and Candidiasis

There is a link between excess copper levels and candidiasis infections possibly because copper blocks the action of zinc in the body which is necessary for good immune function. See my article on Candida and how to eliminate it.

Copper excess and Depression and Insomnia.

In order to make serotonin the body must convert tryptophan to 5-hydroxytrytamine. The process requires many nutrients that are blocked by copper such as folate, iron, vitamin B3, zinc, magnesium and vitamin C.  Dopamine is important for motivation and again copper blocks many of the nutrients needed to make it.  Poor digestion caused by stress exacerbates the problems.  These effects often take place over many years and are not noticed until a trigger event occurs.  Everyone look to the trigger event as the cause but the actual cause can be excess copper and low nutrient levels.

Sleeping requires the conversion of serotonin to melatonin.  That process requires magnesium and SAMe. Both are blocked by copper.   δ Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) also quietens the brain but requires vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium and vitamin C to convert L-Glutamine all of which are either effected by or blocked by copper excess.  This is often why people who are depressed cannot sleep.

Changes in Personality Pattern Caused by High Copper Levels

Various commentators have described three patterns of behaviour associated with copper excess. They are not mutually exclusive. From my person experience and from observation of others with high copper levels people can exhibit predominately one pattern but show signs of the others;

Pattern 1

Anxiety/Worry, Agitation, Depression/Low Mood, Insomnia

Pattern 2

Constantly needing reassurance, “Emotional”, “Hypochondria”

Pattern 3

Surly, Aggressive, Angry, Pushy, Beligerent, Abusive, Violent

References for this article:

The Relationship Between Exposure to Epstein Barr Virus & Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis – A focus on EBV, the liver and copper presented by Gary Moller for InterClinical Laboratories on 12 October, 2015

Hormonal Balance – Understanding Hormones, Weight and Your Metabolism by Scott Isaacs M.D. F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E. with Todd Leopold.

The Visual Textbook of Nutritional Medicine by Igor Tabrizian M.D.

Hyper-arousal: is characterised by increased heart rate and breathing (often shallow with intermittent deep breaths), difficulty in sleeping because the pineal gland is reacting to higher adrenaline levels to maintain alertness, jitteriness, racing thoughts and/or anxiety or panic attacks. The threat can be internal, external, real or imagined. The sympathetic nervous system is turned up and won’t turn down.

Constriction: Hyper-arousal is accompanied by constriction of the body and narrowing of our perceptions and focus. We rally all our body parts and mind to focus on the threat. Constantly yelling at a child to sit still and behave will lead eventually to constriction in movement and speech and withdrawal into self. Constriction alters a person’s muscle tone, breathing (often shallow) and posture (often stooped). Blood vessels in the skin constrict as they do in the visceral regions to push more blood to the muscles. A tight and tense person is experiencing constriction and their focus will not be broad but confined to the threat. They will be hyper-sensitive to comments that evoke the experience of the trauma (i.e. hyper-critical parent/boss/partner, abusive parent, physical violence etc.) When this level of protection is not sufficient to contain hyper-arousal or the body becomes exhausted from the process the body uses freezing or dissociation.

Disassociation: The most common and recognisable but yet most subtle symptom of trauma which enable people to endure experiences which are or have been beyond immediate endurance. Rape, physical violence, car accidents, surgery, constant abuse by a family member, constant and unrelenting work stress are examples of when this is most likely to occur. Individuals that have been repeatedly traumatized as young children often adopt dissociation as a preferred mode of being in the world. They can be spacy and lack focus. Not hear everything or anything you say to them. They zone out into another world in order to cope. They find remembering things more difficult and seem to have short term memory issues. There can be a dissociation between parts of the body (i.e. mind and body can be separate, a separation between self and emotions, thoughts and sensations, between self and memory of part or all of a traumatic event). Physical ailments can include headaches, back pain, calf and hamstring tightness, PMS, hormonal and gastrointestinal and immune system problems. “I can’t protect myself therefore I am leaving some part of me to survive”.

Freezing/Tonic Immobility: This is a state where no pain is experienced and is a last resort survival position. The word associated with this state is “numb”. The person accumulates a frozen store of energy that related to the trauma and this can be released much later in response to another stressor. This store of energy can persist in the body as anxiety, depression, somatic dysfunction, and psychosomatic and behavioural problems. These symptoms will persist until the store energy of the trauma is released. The trauma if physical in nature will be held within the body so not only the mind but the body must experience release.

This is one of the most common conditions of modern urbanised man.  Dr G.E. Poesnecker N.D. D.C. wrote in an article for Health and Healing in 1983 that almost everyone experiences an episode of adrenal exhaustion at some time in their lives. He defined two causes for the illness; congenital weakness and long periods of unrelenting stress. People often have a combination of both.  The most common symptoms were described in the article as being fatigue (with or without anxiety and insomnia), low blood pressure which frequently produces dizziness when rising to a standing position, loss of memory and difficulty in concentrating, and a general over sensitivity. To this list you could add “brain fog”, depression, poor digestion and loss of libido and motivation.  Because the immune system is weak in individuals with this condition they are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections and yeast overgrowths like candidiasis which superimpose another layer of complication.  The worst thing though is all the tests to determine whether adrenal function is insufficient will show normal or near normal function. Your doctor, unless he is aware of this fact, will probably tell you to go home and take it easy because it’s really all in your head.  That’s where it started but that advice is not going to get you well again.

My Experience with Adrenal Fatigue

I have to admit to having suffered from this condition mostly due to years of living with constant unrelenting stress.  Although I would appear relaxed and easy going on the outside the inside story was a whole lot different.  Whilst I didn’t seek out stressful situations they were there is spades every day and I wanted to meet every challenge. I would take on everyone’s problems and try and make them right.  I initially enjoyed the challenges but by the time I had been a lawyer for 20 years I was experiencing some of the symptoms listed above and was certainly affected by poor immunity and candida like symptoms.  Those symptoms not only increased over the next 10 years but became chronic even though I had given up the practice of law.

The final straw came in 2009 with the bush fires in Victoria which threatened our home.  The stress both physical, emotional and mental of dealing with that situation and of hearing about those who lost their lives pushed me into a state where I clearly had all the listed symptoms (plus symptoms associated with candida over growth) and was not coping well with life.  I thought erroneously that I would recover given time without changing much in my life after all I had changed my lifestyle some years earlier, ate well and exercised. It should all come back together at some point. It didn’t.

In 2012 I decided to have a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) performed.  It was very revealing.  I was categorised as a fast metaboliser 4 which will mean nothing to you but basically it meant I was burnt out and had reached the exhaustion stage of stress. My adrenals which produce adrenaline (which keeps your fire burning bright), cortisol (which acts as a stress suppressor) and aldosterone (which act to retain more sodium to retain fluid) were barely functioning.  I did not have the tests to determine the level of these hormones but after re-reading Dr. Poesnecker’s article they probably would have been normal.  From my perspective the fire was burning low, the resilience to stress was very low and the body was not retaining sodium.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals for Recovery

You will see from the HTMA[i] chart below that my sodium and potassium levels were in the low zone as is magnesium, iron, cobalt and molybdenum.  Most of the minerals except copper are sub-optimal.  Stress for a fast metaboliser causes a loss of magnesium, calcium, zinc and water soluble vitamins B and C.  Vitamin C and zinc antagonise copper and keep its levels down.  When copper is in excess it blocks the following: magnesium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, manganese, vitamin B₁, vitamin C, vitamin E and folate.  It indirectly blocks vitamin B₆ because that vitamin needs zinc to activate it.

Magnesium and iron are two minerals essential for cellular energy. They are blocked by copper excess. Zinc and manganese are essential for producing insulin along with sulphur and 17 of the 20 amino acids.  The level of stomach acid is reduced with this condition because the person is likely low in zinc and vitamin B₆ and relatively low in vitamin B₁ all of which are needed to make stomach acid. Insulin production could be affected as a result. In my case it was; my blood sugars were at 6.4 or a pre-diabetic state.  Another cause of the fatigue. Vitamin B₆ is vital for proper adrenal function.  In addition when sodium and potassium are low at the cellular level it upsets what is known as the electro-chemical gradient between the inside and outside of the cell making it more difficult for nutrient to pass across the cell wall.

My mineral pattern is typical of many people I have seen with what I would describe as adrenal fatigue.  It is now over two years since my HTMA and it is only in the past few months that I have started to feel like I am overcoming all the symptoms and returning to normal health.  There were times when I felt better only to feel fatigue a few days or hours later.  I went on a supplements regime but found that my body was not absorbing most of them. At a cellular level I was exhausted and this together with other factors prevented utilization of nutrient

I did several anti-candida diets and regimes.  Candida and yeast and moulds will not be controllable whilst the level of copper is in excess as it suppresses the action of zinc the major general of your immune system. Iron is also necessary for good immunity and absorption of this mineral will be impaired by copper excess in the gut. Copper in the absorptive cells ejects iron back into the small intestine.  My iron levels show as low on the HTMA but I ate red meat ate least 3 times a week.  Low stomach acid plus high copper levels lead to low iron absorption.  In addition many of the vitamins and mineral needed to convert amino acids to neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin are blocked by copper.  Low stomach acid contributes to low levels of amino acids and vitamins and minerals in the body – the result depression and insomnia.

In my view chronic fatigue syndrome is probably just an extension of adrenal fatigue and can take a long time to fully recover from. It will require boosting the digestive system, immune system and the adrenals.

It All Starts in Our Mind

So what causes our stress in the first place? That is a matter of our perception of our environment because that is what drives our flight/fight responses and elevates our levels of adrenaline, cortisol and aldosterone.  We may not realise it but we store all our experiences in our sub-conscious mind and that part of us is constantly scanning the environment for anything that looks like a threat.  When it doesn’t quite get a match it will fill in the black spaces in an instant and we are reacting before we can think in most instances. This characteristic is what gives us the ability to drive a car or ride a bike without having to learn it over and over again.  The mind is a great store of learning about our environment.  We learn as children to respond to others in certain ways and we continue often to do so in adult life without much thinking. In fact we learn from our parents how to respond to life and we often don’t reflect at all on that fact and on what has shaped us as humans.  We are to a large extent unconscious or unaware of why we respond and react to situations as we do.  When our unconscious mind gets loaded up over time with more and more stressful situations it cannot cope and neither can our adrenals and other gland.  The mind exists in our energy field and it affects its balance.  The energy field can be affected by the physical and can mould itself to what is our physical state effectively limiting change through nutrition but also changes in our energetic field can impact our physiology. So our mind affects our function. It is therefore essential not just to deal with the nutritional imbalances I have described in this article (which are very important) but also to empty the energetic field of accumulated stress.

[i] HTMA analysis gives an indication of the level of minerals at the tissue level as opposed to what is in the blood.  The blood is the transport mechanism for these nutrients and they are required in the blood to maintain its balance.  Minerals and heavy metals tend to sequester themselves in the tissue and come out into the blood to maintain the blood balance.  Hence blood tests can be near normal where tissue levels are either excessive or deficient.

For thousands of years the Chinese and other early cultures realised that there was an energetic component to us and every living thing not just the physical form.  The acupuncture system which comprises meridians or channels is the outward representation of this energy system. It is in this system that our emotions and thoughts arise and exist. Our emotions and thoughts affect the energetic which affects our physical function.  This is not to say that chemistry and genetics play no part in function.  Of course they play a major role but so does the energetic aspect of our being. Our whole flight/fight/freeze physiological response is triggered based on our perception of our environment.  The hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal axis is activated by our perception of the threats or challenges existing in our environment. That is, our mental and emotional patterns trigger a physical response just like when we are sad that feeling can trigger tears (a physiological response).

The energy is said to flow in a cycle through the five elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood).  I prefer a six element model which comprises a further element called the Air element which sits above the Fire element.  Without air fire cannot occur.  The cycle of energy flows out of the Air element to the Fire element and then to Earth, Metal, Water and Wood.  The element and meridian associations are shown in the table below:

Each meridian has its own psychology and each element is associated with one or more chakras.  Each of the 7 chakras has its own psychology which interplays with the meridian psychology.  Each chakra affects particular glands, organs and body structures.  The emotions and mental patterns associated with each meridian and chakra and the organs, glands and body structures affected are set out below.

Another important thing to understand is that associated with each meridian are particular muscles.  Too much energy in a particular meridian can result in over facilitation (muscle working too hard and not talking to other muscles) of the associated muscle(s).  This can lead to pain states and can be an indicator that an organ or gland is not functioning at its optimum. Too little energy in a meridian can cause muscle weakness and under-functioning of the associated organ, gland or body structure.

It has to be understood that there must be a balance of energy in all meridians.  This is the ideal state but it is never reached. We are always to some extent out of balance energetically..

MERIDIAN/CHAKRA PSYCHOLOGY
KEYWORDS REFERENCE CHART

Physical malfunction of an organ or gland can cause a change in the energy flow in the associated meridian either increasing it or decreasing it. For example if your liver has functional problems then the energy in the associated liver meridian is likely to be excessive. It can also be excessive for emotional reasons as well. If there is too much energy in the liver meridian it must come from another meridian or meridians and will lessen the amount of energy in those meridians. This will affect the function of the organs, glands and body structures associated with the other meridian or meridians. They may be under functioning.

Through kinesiology muscle testing techniques your pattern of stress or what is called the pattern of imbalance is ascertained. The stress can be a physical one. Lack of vitamin(s) or mineral(s) can cause physical stress as can the existence of toxicity which blocks cellular function. Your responses to stress (your mental and emotional stress patterns) can be identified and discussed. Why do I see particular circumstances or people as causing me a stress? How can I better cope with these stressors without always going into flight/fight mode? If I cannot avoid the stress how do I support myself physically so as to minimise the impact of the stress on my health? These are all questions posed in a kinesiology session and often solutions are found some of which you may have been unaware.

Missed factors – nutritional imbalance and toxicity

Where there is physical dysfunction there is often some type of physical imbalance.  Often your medical practitioner will not look to see if you have a nutritional imbalance because when questioned you will say that you eat healthy foods and therefore that aspect should not be causing a problem.  This is a false assumption for several reasons.

People often say they eat healthy foods but actually don’t.
People eat foods from a particular part of the food spectrum which means they may have a vitamin or mineral imbalance. For example vegans may eat healthy foods but be missing sufficient protein and this can also be the case with vegetarians. As a result they are lacking in certain vitamins (like B₁₂) and minerals.
Those who eat meat may be having it in moderation but what they have is high in fats.
Excess sugar in the diet is often difficult to detect when foods are advertised as being good for you and containing x% of your daily requirements of particular vitamins and minerals. Excess sugar can lead to higher levels of inflammation in the body.
You can also eat healthily but then consume too much coffee or alcohol thereby depleting your body of water soluble vitamins (B & C) and mineral (zinc & magnesium).
Blood tests for minerals are not particularly accurate because minerals sequester themselves in the tissue and come out into the blood to keep it in balance. Therefore you may have low or high tissue levels of a mineral but this is not detected. Generally vitamins and minerals work at the cellular level not in the blood.  Mineral imbalances can be a major factor in cellular dysfunction.
The body’s ability to clear toxic metals and chemicals is impaired by vitamin and mineral imbalances and stress. Again these may not be detected in a blood test because they are in the tissue not the blood.

The Effects of Accumulated Stress

From the moment we are born we are accumulating information about our environment and interpreting that information.  Everything that happens to us and our emotional responses is stored in our unconscious mind.  Not only our emotional responses but our mental constructs (beliefs) which follow the event or emotional response.  Think about your unconscious mind as like a huge caldron which gradually fills over your life time.  The higher the stress levels the quicker it fills.  The conscious mind is about the size of a twenty cent piece in comparison to the unconscious mind.  The conscious mind cannot access all at once the information in the unconscious mind.  Think of your unconscious mind as being a large protector scanning the environment looking for threats and matching up information it has stored away to your current situation.  Often you have reacted to a situation without thinking.  This is your unconscious mind at work.  Even if the situation you are presented with doesn’t exactly match something from your past your unconscious mind fills in the blanks.

When confronted each day by the same stresses we start to fill that caldron very fast.  When it overflows it affects our energy system.  Your thoughts and feelings do not, in my view, live the neurons in your brain.  They certainly affect them.  They inhabit the energetic aspect of you and they affect that aspect which then affects physical function.  For example if you have a lot of worry and anxiety, difficulties in communicating your views and also have a belief about yourself that your work performance is never quite good enough it is likely you will develop (among other things) right sided low back pain with one leg shorter than the other.  This is because the caldron which is your subconscious mind will spill the energy into the kidney (worry), large intestine (worth and value) and small intestine (communicating the essence of self) meridians among others.  Muscle associated with these meridians are hip stabilizers.  Digestive issues may add to the problem.

Some of your issues will be in your head – it happens to everyone

When people say to someone “it’s all in your head” it carries the connotation that the person is at best unstable emotionally or mentally and at worse they have significant mental issues.  This statement has a certain stigma attached to it. There is no doubt that some people do have mental health problems. However, everyone has something happening in their head that affects their function. When you have stress whether physical, emotional, mental or spiritual it affects the physical function of the body.  That is because it affects the energetic body which then affects the physical.  So part of just about every health issue is happening between our ears.

Perceptions of our environment drive our function

Just about every aspect of our physiology (function) is affected by our perception of our environment.  We perceive a threat (like a deadline I just have to meet at work otherwise the boss is going to have an explosion) and our limbic system immediately fires off a message to the hypothalamus (master gland) which sends a signal via the nervous system to the adrenal medulla to produce adrenaline.  All that and much more is happening just because of our perception of the environment and our unconscious reaction to the stress. That reaction is happening without our conscious thought.  So much of your life is conducted in this manner.  We think we are thinking but we are actually reacting and our unconscious mind is in the driver’s seat not our conscious mind.

Kinesiology can help you identify nutritional imbalances and to start emptying the cauldron which is your unconscious mind.  It can also help you identify the stress triggers and the automatic reactions you have to situations you confront regularly in your life. Understanding these triggers can put your conscious mind back behind the wheel and reduce your stress levels.

ECZEMA

Eczema is characterized by papules in areas such as the elbows and knees and sometimes on the face and neck.  People can occasionally get these over their abdomen and in other places. They itch and feel dry and seem to get worse if scratched. 

Allergies to Foods?

There seems to be a sensitivity to a variety of inhalants, food and microbial agents. There are two types of eczema; ‘intrinsic’ which is not associated with an immune response and ‘extrinsic’ which is associated with an immune response.  Approximately one-third of people have ‘extrinsic’ type eczema. Finding which food is causing an allergic reaction does not always mean that the person’s eczema is caused by that food. Elimination of the food or foods can in many cases have no effect on the manifestation of the eczema. 

I had never had eczema as a child nor in my 20’s but started to get it in my 30’s and 40’s.  During my 30’s and 40’s I also developed an intolerance for gluten and wheat based products and initially associated the eczema onset with having products containing wheat or gluten.  Elimination of these products didn’t stop me from getting bouts of eczema. The bouts of eczema seemed to coincide more with elevation in my stress levels.  During this time my digestion which had never been fantastic gradually got worse.  Not only that my blood sugar levels were elevated and my cholesterol was rising and I felt a little depressed. I had candidiasis and tinea.  All of these things I now know are associated with either low zinc or elevated copper.

These are the things I did to eliminate bouts of eczema:

• Reduce my stress levels – I ceased being a lawyer and started studying kinesiology. I left city life and went to live at a less hectic pace in the country. I realise not everyone can make such dramatic changes in their lives but there are things that you can do to reduce stress.
• Started taking B complex and zinc. I took the B complex to help me cope with the stresses in my life and zinc because I had noticed that I had white flecks on my fingernails which I was told was a sign of zinc deficiency often relative to copper which blocks the action of zinc in the body. Zinc is a natural antibiotic and is essential for good skin and good digestion as it is needed to make stomach acid and is contained in digestive enzymes required to break down food
• I noticed that the less stressed I became (and this did not happen just because of the events named above) the less intolerance I seemed to have for wheat and gluten. My feeling is that taking the zinc supplementation help here as well because I could breakdown my food better. I also increased my vitamin C intake as this vitamin oxidizes copper in the body and helps you remove it from the body.
• A significant reduction in coffee, tea and alcohol intake as these are diuretics and B and C vitamins are water soluble and are easily eliminate in the urine.
• An increase in magnesium by way of supplementation. Copper blocks magnesium in the body. Our nervous system relies on magnesium to stop it firing; in a sense to relax it. I found that eczema seems to be related to an overactive nervous system which occurs in times of stress and a magnesium deficiency tends to exacerbate the condition.

Is it hereditary?

Many babies and young children have their mother’s mineral profile which they inherit whilst in the womb.  Low levels of zinc and magnesium have in my experience almost always been associated with eczema and this could explain why many texts on the subject talk about eczema being a hereditary condition.  During pregnancy mothers accumulate more copper unless they eat a lot of zinc and vitamin C containing foods or supplement with anti-copper nutrients.  Copper blocks the action of zinc and magnesium in the body along with a long list of other vitamins and mineral.  So mother and daughter can both have the condition.

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

Many years after I had ceased to have bouts of eczema I had a hair tissue mineral analysis performed and found that I had quite high levels of copper and although my zinc levels were reasonable I still had white fleck on my finger nails indicating I had a relative zinc deficiency (i.e. relative to copper).  I also found that my magnesium levels were low.  One of the reason I had the hair test was because I had developed tachycardia (rapid heart rate).  Magnesium is required for proper regulation of the nervous system and is blocked by copper.  Taking magnesium, zinc, vitamin C (as it directly antagonises copper) and a liver support (liver dysfunction is associated with high copper levels) fixed that problem quickly.  I cannot help but think that I had this mineral profile for a very long time and that it largely came about because of my elevated stress levels over a considerable period.

Possible Causes and Treatment 

Although it might not be fashionable to say it eczema is much more likely to be associated with stress and vitamin and mineral deficiencies as it is with allergic reactions to food or other substances.  Food and other substance intolerance can be exacerbated by stress and appear to be the cause but in many instances will not be the cause of your eczema as elimination of the allergen does not get rid of the eczema.  I always look at eczema in these terms even if there are allergies to substances.

In the lists below I have highlighted the symptoms I experienced.  I suggest you do the same.

The above lists are from the Visual Textbook of Nutritional Medicine by Igor Tabrizian (NRS Publications Education Series)

Note: B vitamin and zinc supplementation can make some people feel nauseas especially young children.  Supplements should always be taken with food and in the case of children under the age of 12 should be given with the assistance of a naturopath.  Foods containing these nutrients are listed under Foods and Nutrient Lists in this blog. 

Low stomach acid is prevalent in adults with the condition so supplementation with betaine hydrochloride, zinc and B complex (available from a health food store) is essential.  If copper excess is suspected then vitamin C supplementation is essential and in the case of adults a liver support should be considered.  If you have tinea or suspect you might have candida then read my article on candida (candidiasis).

Case Study

A young man in his early 20’s who was a student. He had eczema when he was born on his forearms and the back of his hands.  Relief was obtained by applying cortisone cream.  The skin looked angry and scarred.  He was not handing stress well. I suggested he change his diet to include more zinc containing foods such as fish and to increase the variety of fresh fruits and vegetable he was eating.  Within 6 weeks of this change his eczema was almost completely gone.  The area still looked scarred but not angry. Did he get his mother’s mineral profile? Probably. 

Like so many other chronic health problem gastric reflux seems to be increasing in its incidence.  The problem seems to affect people in their 40’s and beyond although there are some younger people who have this condition. Many people think this disorder is caused by the body producing too much stomach acid whereas in fact it is generally caused by two or more of the following five things:

1. Failure of the lower oesophageal sphincter (which sits just above the stomach) to remained closed when the stomach is churning, A hiatus hernia can be a major contributing factor here but in my experience this is mostly due to item No. 2;
2. Unrelenting and unresolved stress.
3. Low levels of a hormone produced by the stomach called gastrin,
4. Low stomach acid known as hydrochloric acid,
5. Low levels of zinc, vitamins B₁, B₆, and zinc.

The lower oesophageal sphincter is supposed to remain closed except when food is passing through to the stomach.  This prevents food which has been exposed to stomach acid (pH of between 2 and 3) from going back up the oesophagus.  Unlike the stomach the oesophagus is not lined with mucus cells that protect the underlying soft tissue from being burnt by the acid.  It is failure of this protective mucus layer in the stomach that can lead to stomach ulcers. 

When we get hungry, think about eating something, smell food or start eating our stomach starts producing a hormone called gastrin.  In turn the gastrin stimulates cells called parietal cells to produce hydrochloric acid and something called pepsinogen which helps break down protein.  The more gastrin produced the more acid that is produced.  The other roles of gastrin are to contract the lower oesophageal sphincter during the digestion phase of the stomach and increase the churning motion of the stomach[1].

My experience with gastric reflux is that it is due in large part to accumulate emotional and mental stress factors which affect the lower oesophageal sphincter in its normal function. Prior to addressing any other issues that might relate to stomach acid deficiency these emotional and mental stress factors have to be reduced otherwise the condition is unlikely to improve and may get worse.

Gastric Reflux can be associated with poor digestion

There have been studies which show that stomach acid levels decline with age being at their peak around 30 years of age and declining to less than half that level by age 50.  Why should that be when the basic ingredients of hydrochloric acid are hydrogen and chloride both of which should be abundant in our body especially chloride if we eat salted foods.  The answer lies in the fact that in the process of making and releasing hydrochloric acid the body needs vitamins B_1, B₆ and zinc[2].  When we are stressed we use a lot of B vitamins particularly vitamin B_6.  If we add to that the effect of diuretics like tea, coffee and alcohol it is not surprising that many people in their 40’s and beyond are having trouble with gastric reflux.  Diuretics make us urinate more and because B vitamins are water soluble we tend to eliminate them more easily than fat soluble vitamins. 

Many people are zinc deficient.  Henry Oseicki in his book the Nutrient Bible says that 47 percent of people are at risk of zinc deficiency.  The reasons are that a lot of foods do not contain zinc and the ones that are supposed to have zinc often don’t have sufficient levels because zinc is not in our nutrient poor soils.  In addition many people do not and cannot afford to eat fish and shellfish which are a good source of this mineral.  Prolonged unresolved stress not only leads to B vitamin deficiency but affects the body’s ability to retain magnesium and zinc.  It is interesting to note Oseicki’s observations that 49 percent of the population is at risk of magnesium deficiency.

The answer for many people is to take antacids[3] and prescribed drugs like proton pump inhibitors. Brand names of these proton pump inhibitor drugs include Zoton, Acimax, Losec, Klacid Hp 7, Maxor and Somac.  Whilst these drugs work and are useful to prevent oesophageal damage, prolonged use is not a good idea. The body produces hydrochloric acid so that proteins can be broken down sufficiently in the stomach. When protein matter enters the small intestine other enzymes will break them down further into amino acids and allow the body to absorb them.  Stomach acid levels determine the level of bicarbonate ions released by the pancreas (for proper gut pH) and these pancreatic juices contain the enzymes required to break your food down further so that it can be digested.  The whole cascade of digestion requires good stomach acid. 

In my view taking pancreatic enzymes as a supplement when on antacid type drugs or preparations will not markedly improve digestion. It’s a bit like taking a chisel to a log when you really need a chainsaw (stomach acid). The answer in many cases is to take zinc and B vitamins and probably a separate B₆ supplement, apple cider vinegar before each meal or betaine hydrochloride tablets (available for most nutrient vendors) and to steer clear of diuretics such as tea, coffee and alcohol.  Taking digestive enzymes in these circumstances may also help with problems associated with poor digestion such as bloating, flatulence, burping and irritable bowel.

Signs of Zinc Deficiency

If you suffer from gastric reflux and you have little white flecks on your finger nails you have a relative zinc deficiency.  This means that the levels of zinc antagonists in the body particularly copper, iron and molybdenum maybe high compared to zinc and block the action of zinc to a greater or lesser extent.  Copper tends to accumulate in the body when there is chronic stress and poor adrenal and liver function.  High copper levels can lead to gut dysbiosis (poor gut function such as bloating, flatulence and constipation) and hypothyroidism.  You may still be zinc deficient but not have the outward signs.  Poor immunity can also be an indicator of zinc deficiency.  Amino acids are required to make insulin (17 of the 20) and for the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, dopamine and GABA to name just two important reasons to maintain good protein digestion.

For many years I had this condition.  I would go to bed at night and wake with acid coming up my throat.  The bigger the meal I ate at night the worse it became.  The condition started in my late 40’s and didn’t go away immediately I gave up practicing law.  The reason was that the physical and imbalances and the accumulated emotional and mental stressors were still there.  I had white flecks on my finger nails and didn’t know what that meant.  When I found out and started taking zinc and a B complex the symptoms became less.  Through kinesiology I reduced the effect of accumulated stress from my years as a lawyer.  I may experience gastric reflux occasionally now but it is nothing like it was during and after my law career ended.

[1] Tortora and Grabowski; Principle of Anatomy and Physiology, Ninth Ed. At page 837

[2] Igor Tabrizian M.D., The Visual Text Book of Nutritional Medicine at page 111

[3] Antacids are aluminium hydroxide. Brand names include Alu-Tab, Gastrogel, Diareze, Gaviscon Tablets, Mylanta products, Sigma Liquid Antacid, Mucaine products.  The effect of these preparations is to neutralise hydrochloric acid within minutes and to stop the absorption of phosphorus. Ingesting aluminium in quantity is not a good thing as blocks the action of zinc, selenium, phosphorus, vitamins B₁, C and E and effects sodium and potassium.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines dyslexia as word blindness and its derivation is from the Greek lexis meaning speech or language.

Case Study 1

In 2013 I saw a young girl who had been diagnosed with dyslexia.  She was 6½ years old.  Her mother also told me that her behaviour had been assessed as slightly autistic with erratic and agitated behaviour.  The child had special tutors to help with her learning but there was difficulty in getting her to focus and concentrate.

Her mother also told me that her daughter had a history of ear infections and pneumonia as a very young child.   There had been many courses of antibiotics to deal with these infections.  Her mother had taken her off all dairy product about 10 days before she saw me and she said her daughter was a much different child in terms of temperament.  Ear infections in young children are often connected with dairy allergy or intolerance.  When I looked at her tongue it had a white coat and her mother said that she had been worse with the whole of the inside of the mouth being coated in white.  This is indicative of oral and likely intestinal candidiasis.  She had been taking coconut oil which has can compromise candida.

Before doing any kinesiology on this client I did my own assessment of her dyslexia.  I pointed to a “b” and asked her what letter it was to which she answered a “d”.  When I pointed to a “d” she said it was a “b”.  I then asked her to draw the “b” by pointing at it but not saying which letter it was.  To my surprise she drew a “b” and not a “d”.  The same occurred for the “d”.  However, when I asked her to tell me what the letter was she switched them as described.  This indicated to me that there was a disconnection between sight, speech and comprehension and that dyslexia is not entirely a problem to do with sight interpretation of the letter.

We see all images upside down and our brain reverses the image so that we see it correctly.  Dyslexia seems then to be something more than just a problem with that brain pathway as the “b” would not look like a “d” if that was the case.

Parts of the brain involved in language and speech

The area of the brain which enables us to produce meaningful sounds, to assemble words and sentences is Broca’s area.  The ability to comprehend speech and language is located in Wernicke’s area.  People can have problems with speech and comprehension when there are lesions in these parts of the brain.  However, because of my experience with this client I consider it doubtful that this is the case with most children affected by dyslexia.

I also use muscle testing techniques to test for nutrient deficiency and excess.  I sometimes combine this with hair tissue mineral analysis.  Her mother had arranged separate blood tests for nutrient deficiency and excess and heavy metal screening.  The results appear below.

The first testing I did with this client was for nutrient deficiency and found that her muscle testing responded to zinc.  Muscles that originally tested “weak” tested “strong” or were in a normal homeostatic state after the zinc was placed on her.  The blood tests showed the client to be very low in both zinc and selenium and moderately high in mercury which antagonises both zinc and selenium. See below for how these deficiencies affect learning ability.

Energetic Corrections affect Physical Function

I then used a light therapy technique (a Colorpuncture torch) on several acupoints on the head. I then got the client to repeat the exercise I mentioned earlier of identifying the letters “b” and “d”.  When I pointed to the letter “b” she correctly identified it as a b. Likewise with the “d”.  I have observed that where there is low energy in the energetic system there is lowered function and high energy is an indicator of dysfunction.  Correcting these imbalances can result in changes in physical function.

A week later her mother called me to tell me about the blood test result which confirmed the low zinc assessment.  I had suggested that the client take a zinc drink supplement and this was subsequently confirmed by her doctor.

Dyslexia is a much more complex disorder than just flipping “b” and “d” or not recognising “g”, “p” or “q”.  It includes the inability to remember the sound that letter combinations make, the meaning of words (probably due to some problem with language being committed to immediate, short term and then long-term memory).  Sometimes the letters in words appear scrambled leading to an inability to read things like street signs. It is likely, although not definite, that people with dyslexia are born with the condition and that some or all aspects of dyslexia might be able to be reversed

Some additional information about nutrients and learning

Some effects of Zinc Deficiency

Zinc plays such important roles in the body. Here a few:

1. The effective elimination of heavy metals. This is what Igor Tabrizian M.D. has to say about zinc as a defence against heavy metal absorption;

   “Part of the defence against heavy metal absorption (esp. copper, mercury and cadmium) is related to a protein called metallothionine.  This protein is made up of mostly the amino acid cysteine and contains seven zinc atoms.  The sites of this metalloprotein suggest it’s important as a filter for toxins, but also it plays a part in learning and socialisation.  Defects in this protein cause Autism, copper overload, dysbiosis (gut dysfunction), skin problems and gastritis with wheat and dairy intolerance.” – Igor Tabrizian: The Visual Textbook of Nutritional Medicine at page 108.

2. Immunity. Zinc protects the body against viral infections as it impacts viruses’ ability to attach to cells. Zinc is secreted by every cavity and orifice in the body and acts like a lubricant and antiseptic.  Candida likes blood and will flourish if there is no zinc to kill it off or if the zinc antagonists such as copper, mercury, aluminium and cadmium are in excess.
3. Digestion. Zinc is needed to make stomach acid so that proteins can be broken down.

   Zinc is a component of carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase.  These enzymes are required to further breakdown proteins into peptides and amino acids in the small intestine.  Grains and dairy contain proteins which cannot be broken down unless there is sufficient zinc to form these enzymes.  If undigested proteins escape the gut then this could lead to inflammation somewhere in the body such as the ears and cause unwanted pressure on the immune system, liver and kidneys which display themselves as intolerances or chemical sensitivities.

4. Brain function and language. Zinc is required to make the neurotransmitters serotonin, melatonin, dopamine, noradrenaline and Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA). Poor sleep patterns and depression go with low zinc levels. GABA is necessary to quieten the brain.  Noradrenaline is required for alertness and lack of this neurotransmitter is linked with ADD.  Low GABA, dopamine and noradrenaline are factors in ADHD.  Zinc is also required to enable children to learn abstract concepts, to learn nouns the basis of language.  Multi-tasking requires us to be able to engage in abstract thinking.

Case Study 2

A young female came to me with her mother who told me that her daughter was flipping letters in words.  For instance, she would write the word calm as clam.  She also would write some numbers like 3, 5 and 7 in reverse.  There was also a sensitivity to noise (normal speaking sounds were perceived as amplified).  There were a number of other issues which are not relevant for this case study.  I saw this person 4 times.

The flipping of the letters in the words was resolved.  The area of the brain most affected was the visual association area and there did not appear to be any other factor involved in this issue other than a very difficult birth. 

The areas of the brain associated with numerical processing are close to areas of the brain involved in sound.  Stress in this area called the fronto-parietal cortex appeared to be impacting both sound interpretation and numerical interpretation of some numbers.  Again, the stress appeared to be associated with a stressful birth. When cleared the response to sound changed to more normal and the reversing of the numbers disappeared. 

A principle I work on when doing energy work is that where you have high energy in the energy system you will have some type of dysfunction whether in the brain or body.  Where there is low energy there will be under functioning or in some cases no function.  My experience tells me that people can be born with energy excess and deficit built into their energy field and it does not have to be associated with birth trauma. This may well be the case with children and adults with conditions like dyslexia.  Learning difficulties are quite prevalent but are often mild and largely go un-noticed.

My work in this area is based solely on clinical research conducted by me over the past 16 years and is not based on any other practitioner’s methods.  I have developed an overarching methodology to kinesiology which is not solely directed at people with learning difficulties or any other specific condition.

Much of my clinic practice is based around nutrition as it is my observation and belief that good health cannot be achieved without a balanced diet and good digestion.  Most people have nutrient deficiencies and sometimes nutrient excess which can cause relative deficiencies of nutrients.   For example copper can be high relative to zinc and iron and blocks their action in the body.  This can be a common cause of low energy and fatigue.

Sometimes people are not prepared to alter their diets a great deal. “It’s all too hard with my busy lifestyle” or similar explanations.  These people are often content to take supplements to make up for the deficiencies.  Supplementation can be good when levels of nutrient are very low but so is eating foods containing the nutrients we need.  Clients often ask me to write down for them the foods containing particular nutrients so I have decided to put all this information and more in this article.Remember that minerals are only in a particular food if they are in the environment of the plant or animal.  If the mineral is not in the soil, for example, it will not be in the plant or animal that eats things grown on the soil.  In Western Australia the soils are deficient in zinc so unless it is added to the soil or to the food it will not be in the food.  In New Zealand soil there is very little selenium. Feeding cattle too much grain can also have the effect of depleting them of zinc just as it does for humans.  Milling of grains also depletes the foods of nutrients. Exposure to heat and sunlight also affects the nutrient levels.

Nutrient Food Lists (Excellent & Good Sources)

Vitamin A

Apricots, Tuna, Fish liver oils (Salmon Cod Halibut), Egg yolks, Carrots, Kohlrabi, Mint, Squash, Yellow vegetables, Mangoes & Peaches, Papaya, Kale, Whole milk and milk products, Green leafy vegetables, Butter, Barley grass, Watercress, Prunes, Dried banana, Collard, Chives, Sweet potato, Cantaloupe, Spinach.

Vitamin B1*(Thiamine)

Asparagus, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Liver, Macadamia & Brazil Nuts, Pine, Cashew & Hazel nuts, Walnuts & Chestnuts, Spirulina, Wheat germ, Whole grains (milling loss can be up to 80%), Brewer’s yeast, Rice & Rice Bran, Organ meats, Salmon, Eggs, Legumes, Chickpeas, Kidney and Navy beans, Soybeans & Lima beans, Broad beans & Pinto beans, Sunflower seeds, Flax & Sunflower seeds, Blackstrap molasses, Brown rice.

Vitamin B3

Rice & Rice Bran, Wheat Bran, Peanuts & Almonds, Beets, Brewer’s yeast, Pork, Turkey, Chicken, Veal, Lamb, Fish, Salmon, Tuna, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Mushrooms, Wheatgerm, Millet, Pinto Beans, Cowpeas, Barley, Dates, Sesame seeds, Wild rice, Wheat bran, Sorghum.

Vitamin B6

Avocado, Banana, Brewer’s yeast, Carrot, Chicken, Eggs, Oatmeal, Walnuts & Hazelnuts, Rice Bran, Pecan & Chestnuts, Peanuts, Brazil nuts, Sunflower seeds, Sesame seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Rye, Barley, Almonds, Rice, Figs, Olives, Potato, Yoghurt, Lettuce, Celery, Kale, Buckwheat, Cabbage.

Vitamin C

Aloe Vera juice, Blackcurrants, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Parsley, Citrus Fruits, Mustard Greens, Watercress, Cauliflower, Spinach, Lychees, Turnip & Turnip greens, Orange peel, Capsicum, Guava, Cherry, Acerola, Collard Leaves, Currants, Cantaloupe, Fennel

Okra, Peas, Melon, Loganberry, Blackberry, Pineapple, Fresh beans, Tomato, Sweet Potato, Mung bean sprouts, Leek, Parsnip, Radish, Strawberries, Kumquat, Asparagus, Lettuce

Vitamin D

Sunshine, Sunflower seeds, Alfalfa sprouts, Sunflower sprouts, Mushrooms, Eggs, Seafood, Fish liver oils, Natural cheeses, Butter, Milk.

Vitamin E

Wheatgerm oil, Almonds, Tahini, Sesame seeds, Peanuts, Cucumber, Brazil nuts, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Millet, Wheat, Rice, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Safflower seeds, Oats, Pecan nuts, Apples, Tomatoes, Banana, Oranges, Avocado, Peas, Kale, Spinach, Asparagus, Beef, Corn, Eggs.

Vitamin B15

Vitamin B15 improves the body’s ability to utilise energy from food, helps prevent premature aging, and helps prevent fat deposits in arteries, and may help with mental and emotional problems and it is known to increase the body’s use of oxygen. Possible therapeutic uses: rheumatism, angina, heart troubles, asthma, hypertension, emphysema, alcoholism, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis and high cholesterol.

Apricot kernels, Pumpkin seeds, Rice bran, Sesame seeds, Oats, Wheatgerm, Wheat bran, Rice, Millet, Rye, Barley, Soyabeans, Lentils, Raisins, Fresh fruit, Sprouted grains and legumes, Sunflower seeds, Brewer’s yeast, Fresh vegetables.

Biotin

Is essential for the cellular growth of all body tissue. It is needed for proper utilization of proteins, folic acid, vitamins B5 & B12. Deficiency signs are lack of appetite, sleeplessness, muscular pains and nervousness, dermatitis, mental depression and baldness.Walnuts, Almonds, Peanuts, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Brewer’s yeast, Mushrooms, Raisins, Soya beans, Cucumber, Apples, Wheat, Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Melons, Tomato, Rye.

Folic Acid

Is essential for the health of the entire nervous system, production of red blood cells, the building of body proteins, and stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid necessary for proper breakdown of proteins in the stomach. Proper genetic expression is impaired if folic acid is deficient. It is required for the prevention of blood disorders and for the absorption of iron and calcium. The use of the contraceptive pill rapidly depletes the body of folic acid.Green leafy vegetable, Fresh Fruit, Potatoes, Almonds, Cauliflower, Sprouted seeds, Legumes, Whole Grains, Wheatgerm, Beetroot, Peas, Parsnip, Kale, Broccoli, Pears, Apples, Sweet corn, Soya beans, Lima beans, Brewer’s yeast.

Bioflavonoids

Are usually found with vitamin C containing foods and are essential for the good health and proper permeability of our capillary system. They help maintain a strong capillary system helping to prevent haemorrhages. They also play a role with vitamin C in maintaining connective tissues and building barriers to infection. Bioflavonoids are found in the pith of citrus fruits and in other foods listed.Oranges, grapefruit, apricots, black currants, buckwheat, cherries, lemons, limes, garlic, onions, red wine, rose hips, skins of fruits, vegetables and soy products, sprouted shoots of green plants.

*Lecithin should not be taken if the person has excessive lead levels as it prevents excretion of this toxic metal.

Calcium

Hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, Walnuts, Collard and Kale leaves, Almonds, Parsley, Dandelion greens, Watercress, Chick peas, White beans, Pistachio nuts, Sunflower seeds, Dairy products, Eggs, Green leafy vegetables, Sardines, Soya beans, Buckwheat, Turnips, Beetroot greens, Broccoli, Broadbeans, Rhubarb, Spinach, Okra, Dried Prunes, Swiss chard, Endive, Lentils, Rice bran, Macadamia nuts, Cabbage, Celery, Leek, Lima beans, Pecans, Wheatgerm, Lettuce, Pumpkin seeds, Cashew nuts, Barley, Chestnuts, Oranges, Dried Apricots.

Magnesium*

Kelp, Almonds, Barley, Brewer’s yeast, Figs, Mineral Water, Molasses, Parsnips, Wholegrain cereals, Eggs, Sesame seeds, Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Soyabeans, Lima beans, Walnuts, Millet, White beans, Wheat, Red beans, Pistachio nuts, Pecan nuts, Wild Rice, Rye, Beetroot greens, Spinach, Rice, Lentils, Dates, Collard leaves, Banana, Brussel sprouts, Garlic, Prune, Kale, Raisins, Beans, Blackberry, Loganberry, Carrot, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Leek, Olives, Celery, Asparagus.

*For proper absorption of magnesium, calcium and phosphorus, vitamins B6, C, D and protein are required.  Factors inhibiting magnesium are coffee, alcohol, tobacco, stress and excess copper levels.

Potassium

All Vegetables are a good source of potassium, Soyabeans, Lima beans, Rice bran, White beans, Wheat bran, Pinto beans, Red beans, Pistachio nuts, Chestnuts, Lentils, Almonds, Raisins, Parsley, Sesame seeds, Peanuts, Dates, Figs, Watercress, Pecan nuts, Parsnips, Garlic, Avocado, Watercress, Rye, Cashews, Walnuts, Millet, Collard, Fennel, Broccoli, Kale, Banana, Celery, Pumpkin, Beetroot, Radish, Apricots, Avocado, Citrus fruits, Dates, Milk, Potato, Sardines, Sunflower seeds, Nectarines, Macadamia nuts, Blackcurrants.

Phosphorus

Fish, Meat, Poultry, Eggs, Legumes, Milk and Milk Products, All Nuts, Whole Grain Cereals, All Seeds, Brussel Sprouts, Prunes, Kale, Parsley, Asparagus, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Spinach, Leek, Onions, Broccoli, Collard leaves, Sweet corn, Kelp, Garlic, Figs, Parsnip, Watercress, Potato, Endive, Artichoke, Wheatgerm.

Iron

Almonds, Apricots, Avocado, Rice bran, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Wheatgerm, Soybeans, White beans, Lima beans, Pistachio nuts, Cashews, Raisins, Wheat, Parsley, Lentils, Mung beans, Broadbeans, Chickpeas, Liver, Kidneys, Pine nuts, Poultry, Artichokes, Chestnuts, Beetroot greens, Spinach, Dates, Figs, Fennel, Kale, Barley, Pecans, Macadamia nuts, Turnip, Olives, Coconut, Watercress, Endive, Rice, Collard leaves, Brussel sprouts, Loganberry, Blackcurrant, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cucumber, Leek, Strawberry, Asparagus, Onions.

Copper

Almonds, Avocado, Beans, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Sunflower seeds, Sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Pistachio nuts, Chestnuts, Coconut, Peanuts, Wheat, Soyabeans, Rice, Wheatgerm, Parsley, Spinach, olives, Dates, Apple, Apricots, Beetroot, Broccoli, Pears, Bananas, Oysters, Mushrooms, Chocolate, Lamb, Pork, Prunes, Wholegrain cereals,

Sulphur

Cauliflower, Kale, Brussel sprouts, Snap peas, Cabbage, Cucumber, Okra, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato, Asparagus, Hazel nuts, Raspberry, Leek, Chives, Peas, Celery, Red currant, Spinach, Parsnip, Fish, Onions, Garlic, Eggs, Meats, Horseradish, Hot Chilli Peppers, Blackcurrants, Turnip greens, Carrots, Eggplant, Brazil nuts, Potato, Peach, Soyabeans, Artichoke, Mushrooms, Barley, Apple, Watermelon, Strawberry, Oranges, Pumpkin, Cherries, Rhubarb, Raisins, Limes, Lima beans, Sweet corn, Pineapple.

Chromium

Broccoli, Orange Juice, Honey, Grapes, Raisins, Clams, Apples, Whole grain cereals, Brewer’s yeast, Black Pepper, Asparagus, Beer, Cheese, Eggs, Grape juice, Potato, Prunes, Shrimp, Lobster, Mushrooms, Peanuts, Liver, Yeast.

Selenium*

Butter, Brazil nuts, Tuna, Herring, Alfalfa, Barley, Broccoli, Cashews, Celery, Eggs, Fish, Garlic, Brewer’s yeast, Organ meats (chicken livers), Breast milk, Peanuts, Whole grains, Sesame seeds

Vanadium

Deficiency states of this mineral may be associated with reduced thyroid function, diabetes and insulin resistance. Vanadium is a component of Glucose Tolerance Factor along with vitamin B3 and Chromium. Vanadium may mimic the action of insulin. Vanadium is only required in trace amounts and is contained in the following foods:Black Pepper, Chicken fat, Dill seeds, Corn, Linseeds, Mushrooms, Parsley, Rye, Shellfish, Seafood, Soybeans.

Vitamin E

Almonds, Eggs, Tuna, Sunflower seeds, Soybeans, Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Carrots (not carrot juice), Celery, Swiss chard, Green beans, Parsley, Pumpkin, Spinach, Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Tomato paste, Black currants, Elderberries, Figs (fresh), Gooseberries, Seedless grapes, Kiwi Fruit, Logan berries, Melons, Mulberries, Oranges + orange juice, Nectarines, Papaya, Peaches, Raspberries, Blueberries.

Vitamin C

Grapefruit, Black currants, Elderberries, Gooseberries, Seedless grapes, Kiwi fruit, Logan berries, Melons, Mulberries, Oranges + orange juice, Papaya, Strawberries, Mandarins, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Peas, Sprouted alfalfa.