Doctors Can’t Solve Your Health Concerns? You Might be in Four Lows Pattern

A person who is intense, driven, hard working, have a difficult time relaxing, frustrated, negative and cynical at times is likely in a four lows pattern. This is unrecognized by the medical community and once solved and addressed following a mineral nutritional balancing program the person literally gains a new lease on life.

One of the most important and interesting patterns on a hair mineral analysis is four low electrolytes or four lows. Its discovery and how to handle it is one of the most important contributions to modern health science by Dr. Paul C. Eck.

We do not understand all the physiology of the four lows pattern, as yet. For this reason, this article is more empirical or clinical than it is theoretical.

Definition. A four lows pattern is present on a hair mineral test when the hair levels are the following:

1. Calcium less than 40 mg% or 400 ppm.
2. Magnesium less than 6 mg% or 60 ppm.
3. Sodium less than 25 mg% or 250 ppm.
4. Potassium less than 10 mg% or 100 ppm.
5. If the calcium, magnesium, sodium and/or potassium readings are at their ideal levels (40 mg%, 6 mg%, 25 mg% and 10 mg%), a person may or may not be in a four lows pattern.

NOTES:

1. For accurate assessment, the hair sample must not be washed at the laboratory. Washing the hair at the laboratory always lowers the sodium and potassium readings. This makes it difficult, and usually impossible, to discern this important pattern. Most hair analysis laboratories wash the hair at the laboratory.
2. All four of the macromineral readings must be in the ranges shown above. If even one of the minerals is outside this range, then it is not a four lows pattern! In that case, the material in this article does not apply.

The accuracy of the pattern is quite amazing. These ideals, so far, apply to people of any age, both sexes, and all of the races of humanity. It is as if his ideal mineral values are part of the design specifications of a human being.

TWO DISTINCT SITUATIONS

These are:

1. Four lows pattern on an initial hair mineral analysis.
2. Four lows pattern on a retest if a person has been following a properly designed healing program.

These have a completely different significance. For this reason, they are discussed in separate sections of this article. Here are more details:

Four lows on an initial hair test. This indicates a collapse and exhaustion, as explained later in this article. It is often a chronic pattern that can last for years if not corrected.

Four lows on a retest only when a person follows a complete healing program. This is a healing or retracing process. It is not a negative situation.

Healing certain issues, especially issues or conflicts involving parents, may require that a person go into a four lows pattern for a time.

This only applies if a person follows a complete healing program correctly. Otherwise, it may not be a retracing process.

INCREASING PREVALENCE OF FOUR LOWS PATTERN

Forty years ago, when we began using hair mineral analysis, four lows was less common than it is today.

Now, it is fairly common. This article will help explain this trend.

WARNING: If a woman becomes pregnant when she has a four lows pattern, she needs to take a pre-natal vitamin-mineral supplement.

II. FOUR LOWS ON AN INITIAL HAIR MINERAL TEST

ANALOGIES THAT MAY HELP TO UNDERSTAND FOUR LOWS PATTERN ON A FIRST HAIR ANALYSIS

Analogies to help understand a four lows pattern:

• A condition of stasis. This means that the body is stuck in a way and not moving ahead very fast. This is vague, and so are the other analogies because the biochemistry is somewhat complex and we don’t completely understand it.
• A car that is spinning the wheels in a ditch and getting nowhere. Indeed, one is just wearing out the motor. People in a four lows pattern on an initial hair analysis may even say they feel like they are spinning their wheels.

Another way to say this is that the car is in neutral and not connected to the wheels and one is racing the engine but getting nowhere.

• A disconnect in the h-p-a axis. This is the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal axis. This idea is similar to the “spinning the wheels” idea above.
• A shut-down sequence. It is analogous to shutting down your automobile when you arrive at your destination. You might close the windows, turn off the lights, and shift into park to get ready to leave the car.
• Somewhat in the tunnel of death. In advanced acupuncture, the four lows pattern is called “entering the tunnel of death”. This is similar to the idea of the shut-down sequence. (Some people report moving through a tunnel during a near-death experience.)
• A state of collapse. The visual appearance of a four lows pattern on a calibrated hair mineral chart from Analytical Research Labs is that of a collapse of the first four minerals. This is also one way to understand the pattern.
• Out in the cold without shelter. Normally, when the body is under a lot of chronic stress, the sodium and potassium levels eventually decrease and the calcium and magnesium levels rise. This increase in the level of calcium and magnesium acts like a form of protection or shelter that reduces the person’s stress. It literally suppresses alarm reactions in the body.

However, with four lows pattern, the ‘shelter’ does not arise, meaning that the calcium and magnesium levels remain low. The effect is that one is out in the cold without shelter and this has implications for the stress level and how to correct the pattern.

The correction is to protect the body with calcium, magnesium, zinc and perhaps other nutrients, just as you would protect a person who was out in the cold without shelter.

• Hiding. In some cases, a person in four lows does not want to emerge from it because it is a state of brain fog that is masking other problems or concerns.
• Paralleling. Some babies and children go into a four lows pattern in order to parallel with a parent. This means they take on a similar mineral pattern because they can be of more help to a parent who is in the same pattern.
• The boat is in dry dock and not able to handle sailing in the ocean. This is not a bad analogy. Somehow the body is restricted in what it can do.

It sounds odd but the correction for four lows is like propping up a sailboat that is beached and lying on its side. You must put certain supports in place to right the boat. Then you can clean it up and refloat it.

• A type of discouragement in which a person doesn’t care much for living or are very hard on themselves and others. This is part of the psychology of four lows.

The high tunnel, discussed at the end of this article, has some of the same qualities.

• Many electrical ‘shorts’ in the body. This is at least part of the reason for the stasis associated with this mineral pattern. The shorts are due, at least in part, to excessive copper in the body, which is a quality of the four lows pattern. It is often a hidden copper, meaning that the hair copper level is often within a normal range.

WAYS TO UNDERSTAND A FOUR LOWS PATTERN ON AN INITIAL HAIR MINERAL ANALYSIS

• At times, an attitude or lifestyle pattern. Some cases of four lows on a first hair analysis are related to lifestyle. These factors include working too much or too hard, being much too hard on oneself or others, being in an oppressed or very stressful situation of some kind, or compulsive or obsessive tendencies that wear out the body.

Attitudes that could drive a person into a four lows pattern and/or keep one there include anger, intense fear, even intense guilt or some other emotion that wears down or depletes the body.

While improving the attitudes and lifestyle are important for all healing, they are most important for this pattern when it occurs on a first hair analysis. Recall that if the pattern only occurs on a retest, it is not important.

•  A yin pattern. This means the body is quite yin in macrobiotic terminology. Yin means cold, expanded, and often quite ill. In fact, four lows can be a death pattern, or end-of-life pattern.
• An autonomic nervous system imbalance. Four lows always reflects an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. This is the automatic and regulatory nervous system of the body.

Using the analogy of the car stuck in the ice or mud, the person just keeps spinning the wheels instead of realizing he is not getting anywhere and should try a different way of living, thinking or acting.

• A type of stalled transition pattern from fast to slow oxidation. This means that the person was formerly in fast oxidation, but the body cannot sustain the fast oxidation. As a result, the sodium and potassium levels have fallen below the ideal levels.

However, the person is not yet in full slow oxidation with elevated calcium and magnesium levels. This is the meaning of a stalled transition pattern. Others are four highs, sympathetic dominance and fast oxidation with a very low sodium/potassium ratio.

This also means that the resolution or outcome as one exits four lows is usually for the person to become a slow oxidizer. This may involve a psychological transition one must make, not just a biochemical one.

• A possible H-P-A Axis Disconnect or “Disengagement Of the Gearshift” Pattern. The four lows pattern can represent a type of imbalance that affects what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or H-P-A axis.

This means the normal feedback mechanisms that control the adrenal and thyroid glandular activity are not working quite right. This may be related to excessive copper, mercury or perhaps other toxins that affect the glands and the feedback system involving them.

• A separate metabolic type. While it is true that a person with four lows on the initial hair analysis can be a fast, mixed or slow metabolic type, Dr. Eck believed that four lows is actually a separate metabolic type. This means that it has qualities and supplement requirements all its own, independent of whether the calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium levels indicate a state of fast, mixed or slow oxidation.

Another stressor has been superimposed upon the basic system of fast, slow or mixed oxidation. This has important implications for the diet, supplements and lifestyle recommendations for this pattern, as explained later in this article.

• People with four-lows do not respond well to most all healing programs. Often, those with a four lows pattern have consulted many doctors with poor results. Figuring out the meaning of four lows and how to help these individuals took a lot of effort and was a tremendous breakthrough for Dr. Eck that took 11 years of research.
• A calcium dysregulation pattern. Four lows has to do with calcium dysregulation, causing the hair calcium to remain very low for some reason. Vitamin D, however, does not, by itself, correct the problem.

THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATIONS AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS

• An interesting observation is that rapes, in general, even severe ones, do not tend to put a person into a four low pattern. This seems unusual because rapes are severe assaults on the body, but so far it tends to be true.
• We always look for and address this pattern first when interpreting a hair mineral analysis.

An analogy is to first get the car out of the ditch where it is stuck, or first refloat the boat, before trying to fix most other problems with it.

• When handled properly, so far we have been able to correct all cases of four lows. In most instances, with a properly designed healing program, the pattern goes away within about six months. Occasionally, it takes up to a few years.

PHYSIOLOGY OF FOUR LOWS ON A FIRST MINERAL ANALYSIS

Two high and two low electrolytes are most common on hair analyses. Normally, on a hair mineral analysis, one may see elevated sodium and potassium levels with low calcium and magnesium levels. This tends to correspond to an alarm stage of stress, also called a fast oxidation rate.

One also may see the reverse - elevated calcium and magnesium levels with low sodium and potassium levels. This is generally an exhaustion stage of stress, also called slow oxidation.

Thus we find that calcium and magnesium levels tend to move in opposite directions to the sodium and potassium levels. In other words, they have an inverse relationship. As one set (calcium and magnesium) increases in the hair (not the blood or urine), the other set (sodium and potassium) goes down.

While the reasons for this are complex, one simple chemical way to understand it is that sodium and potassium tend to solubilize or dissolve out calcium and magnesium from the body, lowering the levels in the tissues. Sodium and potassium are monovalent elements that are highly water soluble.

Calcium and magnesium are divalent elements that are more like metals – forming hard, solid compounds. The two oppose each other as complementary opposites in our bodies in a unique balance of yin (sodium and potassium) and yang (calcium and magnesium). The normal tendency is that when less sodium and potassium are present, calcium and magnesium rise, and vice versa.

Four lows pattern on an initial hair mineral analysis is an exception to the principle above. In the case of four lows on a first tissue mineral analysis, we do not see two high and two low electrolytes. Sodium and potassium levels are decreased, indicating a state of adrenal exhaustion.

However, calcium and magnesium are low, indicating an alarm reaction or a kind of sympathetic state of body chemistry. (This is not the same as a sympathetic dominance pattern.) So this pattern represents a combination or mix-up of the stages of stress to some degree.

An ineffective alarm response in stress theory. One is exhausted, but keeps pushing oneself to try to produce an alarm response. However, it does not work and one just becomes tired out. The adrenal and thyroid glands just do not respond as they normally should. This is a way to understand the pattern from a stress theory perspective.

The reason could be, in part, due to a mental/emotional factor or a lifestyle or attitude, but toxic metals and other chemical imbalances may also play a role.

Why standard nutritional and medical approaches don’t work as well with a first-test four lows pattern. Standard nutrition programs and many medical interventions often do not work as well because most seek to increase the person’s energy by enhancing the oxidation rate. However, this does not work if one is in a four lows pattern.

If a person with a four lows pattern tries to raise the sodium and potassium levels, the body tends to lower the calcium and magnesium levels further. However, since this would be very dangerous, it does not happen and the person does not respond or may get worse.

For example, medical and even holistic doctors often give these clients adrenal support, herbs for the adrenals, B-vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium or thyroid hormones. They may do this to improve their energy level and perhaps if the serum thyroid hormone levels are low. This approach will fail with these people, are the person may become more ill.

SYMPTOMS OF FOUR LOWS ON A FIRST TISSUE MINERAL ANALYSIS

Although one can have many symptoms, the most common ones are:

• Fatigue: This is usually present. However, those who have not been in a four lows pattern for too long may not be in touch with their fatigue and may function very well with few complaints. They may continue to push themselves and use stimulants, activities, worry or other mental habits to drive themselves.
• Allergies: This is common and probably due to a combination of exhausted adrenal glands, low adrenal reserves, possibly increased cell permeability, and perhaps other physiological imbalances and nutrient deficiencies.
• Anxiety, irritability, insomnia, muscle tightness and muscle cramps: All of these symptoms are often due to low levels of available tissue calcium and magnesium.
• Hidden copper toxicity or imbalance. In our experience, everyone with four lows has a copper imbalance, regardless of whether they have other indicators of hidden or overt copper imbalance and usually toxicity.
• Hidden lead toxicity: Other common symptoms include a tendency for lead toxicity because lead will replace calcium as calcium becomes more deficient. The elevated lead will not be revealed on the first several hair mineral analyses due to an inability to mobilize lead from tissue storage. Only later, as the body’s energy improves with therapy will the lead often be revealed. Toxicity with other metals such as copper is also very common.
• Impaired digestion and often food intolerances: This is due to stress, low digestive enzyme secretion and perhaps copper toxicity. Deficient amounts of gastric hydrochloric acid is associated with low levels of sodium and potassium. Food allergies are also often present.

Thus attention to diet and digestion is important. It is also one reason that pancreatin and perhaps hydrochloric acid are important supplements for them.

To assist digestion, excellent eating habits are important. These include quiet, regular, sit-down meals, thorough chewing and eating slowly. Others are avoiding overeating and complicated food combinations, and resting 15 minutes after eating before resuming activities.

• Degenerative diseases: If one remains in the pattern for several years, heart, transient ischemic attacks or TIAs, and cancer may increase. Other symptoms develop as a result of chronic fatigue, chronic inflammation, chronic allergies and digestive difficulties.
• Early and late symptoms. People often spend years in a four lows pattern. It is usually difficult to assess on an initial hair analysis how long a person has been in a four lows pattern.

Early on, there may be few symptoms, although fatigue and allergies are rather common. However, after the pattern has been present for years, almost any symptom can occur because the body is in an advanced state of burnout.

THE FOUR LOWS PERSONALITY (ONLY WHEN THE PATTERN IS ON AN INITIAL HAIR ANALYSIS)

There may be a definite personality tendency associated with the four-low-electrolyte pattern when it appears on a first mineral analysis and is due to stress, mainly, rather than due mainly to toxic metals and nutrient deficiencies or to an illness. The four lows personality characteristics seem to include:

• Intense, productive, driven and often self-critical and/or critical of others.
• Often the adults work very hard and do not know how to relax.
• They enjoy the intense drama of life, although they may not admit it. It is as though they enjoy the sound of the spinning of the car tires stuck in the ditch.
• They are often quite unaware of their personality pattern and how it affects them and others around them.
• Many are frustrated, negative and cynical. They have all given up at some level, perhaps because they have sought help without result.
• They have a definite death wish. They are not happy people, as a general rule.
• They are usually fast oxidizer personalities or stress seekers, whether or not they are aware of it. However, they are tired and unable to maintain this lifestyle and keep up their health.
• They may also have somewhat of a compulsive and perfectionistic tendency in their personality.
• Many are good people who have given up at some level and just ‘hanging in there’, but are not too open to changing themselves at deep levels.

Addressing the personality issue can be important to correct a four-lows pattern when it appears on a first mineral test. One who becomes aware of the personality pattern and makes lifestyle and attitudinal changes will respond much faster.

SABOTAGING THE PROGRAM

Some people with four lows on the first tissue mineral analysis are actually running away from life with their activities, worries, etc. For these people, slowing down is indeed frightening and perhaps painful as old memories and traumas may surface.

These people need large doses of self-love and compassion for oneself. These can help one face whatever comes up and realize that one can get through it, and it is best to let go of old traumas rather than keep them bottled up inside.

Sabotage. Some people with four low electrolytes believe their condition is just getting worse if they slow down, and may consciously or unconsciously fight the program. This just slows their progress.

Perhaps you know people who believe the only way to get a car out of the ice is to spin the wheels fast. Any other approach feels like giving up. Understanding the pattern thoroughly is helpful so that one realizes that slowing down is needed, even if one is unsure what that entails.

If one does not understand this, one is likely to sabotage the program when the feeling of fatigue and relaxation occurs. One may begin using stimulants like caffeine, thyroid or adrenal hormones, stimulant herbs, or taking high-dose B complex vitamins "just to get a boost". This can seem harmless enough, but it is not. I attempt to explain that these may be okay once one is out of the pattern, but until then it only slows down progress.

It is as though, if the car is stuck in the ice, one tells the driver to slow down the wheels, so that one can place a piece of wood or other material under the wheels to improve traction. Just as you are placing the wood, the driver decides to step on the gas again.

A CASE HISTORY OF FOUR LOWS

An attorney consulted us who had the four-lows pattern on his first hair mineral analysis. He began a nutritional correction program and he felt better within a month.

However, instead of listening to the advice about slowing down, this client took on more work, and, in fact, proudly reported he could now work seven days a week. One day he called, concerned because he felt dependent on the supplements.

I again explained the personality connection. However, he refused to slow down. We realized we were unable to do more for him as long as he stubbornly maintained his breakneck, compulsive lifestyle. We consider this case a failure on my part because we could not educate the client sufficiently for him to change his lifestyle. At the time of this case, this article had not been written. Perhaps it will help others like him, of which there are many today.

COMMON CAUSES FOR FOUR LOWS ON A FIRST HAIR TEST (excerpted from Nutritional Balancing And Hair Mineral Analysis, 4th edition, 2010, 2014 and 2016)

To help reverse a four lows pattern, it is helpful to know how and why a person may move into the pattern. Some reasons are described below:

1. END OF LIFE PATTERN.

Causes. A combination of nutritional depletion, fatigue, perhaps, and mental decay.

In particular, the presence of excessive yeast in the body and the buildup of aldehydes (toxins produced by yeasts) can push a person into a four lows pattern.

A mental cause is that doctors may subtly communicate to older people that they are needing to die soon. This happens because the medical doctor cannot really rebuild an older person’s body using drugs, so the only alternative is to let the patient die.

The habit of drugging the elderly just speeds the process along. We all this ‘medical disease’, and it is very prevalent today. As a result of all the above, the seventh center that brings life energy into the body begins to close and life comes to an end.

Whom. Millions over the age of 55-70, or very ill people at any age.

2. LIFESTYLE CAVE IN.

Causes. Feeling overwhelmed, such as from a job loss, becoming ill or disabled, or some other stress such as a divorce. The person is also often toxic from unhealthy diets and other reasons. This adds to the problem, but is not the total cause. All the stress causes a “cave in”.

Whom. This is the most common cause of four lows in America. It occurs in men, as much or more than in women. Most are hard-working, white-collar or blue-collar workers.

How to help them: They can do well on a corrective healing program. The problem is getting them to stay with the program, as it requires more discipline, especially dietary discipline, than most are accustomed to.

3. EXHAUSTED AND DEPLETED.

Causes. Collapse occurs due mainly to nutritional depletion. Many are vegetarians or

have followed raw food or other extreme or deficient diets for years. Other types of stress add to the problem, but are not the major cause.

Whom. Affects men, women and children equally, mainly in Western societies where the diets are mainly refined foods, and the bodies are further weakened by chlorinated and fluoridated water, medical drugs, vaccines, air pollution and other insults to the bodies.

What they need and how to help them. They absolutely require the correct nutrition, along with a few supplements, but not too many, and often they require much more rest.

4. HYSTERICAL.

Causes. A delicate nervous system, along with neurosis, a faulty attitude or excessive stress of another kind, causes extreme anxiety and finally a collapse. Copper imbalance is often prominent, contributing to anxiety, fears and emotionality.

Whom. Mainly women over 25 with delicate nervous systems. However, it could be anyone who cannot relax because they worry constantly, even though they may sleep a lot.

5. SEXUAL ADDICTION AND DEPLETION.

Causes. Collapse is caused by overdoing on sexual activity.

Whom: Less common, and occurs mainly in men and a few women.

What they need and how to help them. They are easy to help with a health program if they will reduce their sexual activity.

6. BLOWN OUT OR STRUNG OUT.

Causes. Collapse is caused by a combination of factors. However, the main one is being ‘strung out’ on a drug. It is most often sugar or caffeine, but it could be due to marijuana, methamphetamines or others. This leads to extra stress, confused thinking and poor quality lifestyle decisions. After a few years of living this way, the nervous system is ‘fried’ or becomes overwhelmed, causing one to collapse into four lows.

Whom. Common among some groups of Americans and Europeans, in particular.

What they need and how to help them. They need a new lifestyle, a clean diet, no stimulants or drugs, and a four lows healing program. Progress will be slow if the body is loaded with drugs. Sauna therapy is most helpful to remove some of them. Advanced cases are more difficult to heal due to the poisoning of the nervous system with drugs.

7. DISEASED, OPPRESSED AND VICTIMIZED.

Causes. Collapse is due to inner stress from fear, starvation, disease and working too hard to survive. This is aggravated by stress from outside the body such as frequent wars, political unrest and often outright oppression by vampire-like governments. This results in epidemics of serious illnesses such as AIDS that further weaken the body until it collapses, often at a young age. Most do not live long lives.

Whom. Very common in developing nations, but it is not seen much in Western capitalist societies that are more prosperous and respect the rights of individuals and women, in particular.

What they need and how to help them. They are quite easy to help if they could afford good food, and if they could rest, which most cannot as they are kept poor and almost in slavery by their corrupt governments.

8. MENTALLY EXHAUSTED.

Causes. This occurs in some cases of multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease and others. The person is mentally very intense, and not mentally balanced. Eventually the nervous system ‘crashes’ due to overwork, lack of rest, nutritional depletion and lack of mental control.

This is very different from a lack of emotional control. Mental control has to do with resting the mind during the day instead of running it full bore all the time. In a few cases, the person’s mentality could be described as “loopy” meaning going in circles and without direction or much clear intent.

Whom. Relatively rare, and seen in cases of multiple sclerosis and perhaps other mercury toxicity syndromes.

What they need and how to help them. This pattern may be difficult to help, especially in long-standing cases. One must help the person to slow down mentally, which they do not like and/or have great difficulty with, thanks to mercury or other metal toxicity and perhaps mental problems. Possibly hiding from life in some way.

VARIATIONS WITHIN FOUR LOWS

DEGREES OF FOUR LOWS

A four lows pattern can be quite mild, with the mineral values close to the ideal. However, it can also be what we call a low four lows, meaning the numbers are very low.

One can also have four lows with a normal or high sodium/potassium ratio. However, a more severe state is a four lows pattern with a low sodium/potassium ratio – and the ratio can vary from slightly low to extremely low.

The calcium/magnesium ratio can also be within the normal range (4 to 9.5) or it can be out of range.

Toxic metals can be present or may not show up. Nutrient mineral levels can also vary.

EMERGING FROM A FOUR LOWS PATTERN

Adults should exit a four lows pattern into a slow oxidizer pattern. Rarely, a person exits into a fast oxidizer pattern. This is called backing out of four lows or coming out backwards. It occurs during some programs and is okay.

However, at times, if this occurs, the person will soon go back into four lows, perhaps bouncing in and out of the pattern several times, until they finally exit into slow oxidation.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO EXIT FROM A FOUR LOWS PATTERN ON A FIRST TEST?

The time required to come out of a four lows pattern varies from several months to several years. Taking TMG and sprinkling tarragon on one’s food will help speed a person through the four lows experience.

CHILDREN WITH FOUR-LOWS ON A FIRST TEST

Possible causes for four-lows on the first mineral analysis of a young child are:

1. A parent or someone else has a four lows pattern and the child is helping the other person (usually a parent) by Paralleling them (see below for more details).
2. A parent has the four-lows pattern and the child picks up the personality tendency from a stressed parent. Usually the parent is demanding of the child, and the child responds with the four-lows type of stress response.
3. The child is very depleted, and was born that way.

The same principles of correction apply: to reduce stress of every kind, rest more, and give only a small supplement program.

For children under age 4, we only need calcium, magnesium, and either zinc or Limcomin if the Na/K ratio is low.

Children over age 3-4 may also need taurine.

Children older than 5 or 6 also need a little supplementary fish oil and perhaps supplementary vitamin D.

VARIANTS ON THE FOUR LOWS PATTERN

Recent research indicates there are variants on the four lows pattern. They include:

1. Low four lows. This is a four lows pattern with extremely low levels of at least two of the four macromineral numbers. One might call it deep in the tunnel of death. Dr. Eck realized that the lower the hair analysis numbers in a four lows pattern, the more severe the pattern, in general. It can be handled with the same type of healing program, but it indicates even less vitality, more toxicity, and it may take longer to emerge from.
2. Four lows with a low sodium/potassium ratio. This is also a more severe four lows pattern that may take longer to emerge from and usually indicates a lower vitality level.
3. Four lows may also be seen with a very low phosphorus reading or more than 3 or 4 poor eliminator patterns. This also tends to indicate a more severe situation.

Combinations. A four lows pattern often combines with other hair analysis patterns, such as fast or slow oxidation, a bowl pattern, a double low ratio, a double high ratio, a hill (rarely), sympathetic dominance pattern, or others.

SOME CHILDREN ASSIST THEIR PARENTS OR SOMEONE ELSE BY GOING INTO A FOUR LOWS PATTERN

This is rather unusual, but now and then we see a baby or young child in a four lows pattern. This is unusual, since it is usually an end of life pattern, and the child may not be that ill.

In these cases, the child may be assisting another person, and to this the child must be in a four lows pattern. This is the best way for the young child to establish good rapport or resonance with the other person. This is always a temporary situation.

III. FOUR LOWS ON A RETEST ONLY

(In other words, the first test or tests did not show a four low pattern, and it only shows up on a retest).

A celebration pattern. If a four lows pattern shows up only on a retest hair mineral analysis when a person is following a corrective healing program, most often it has a very different meaning.

The meaning seems to be that the body goes back into the tunnel or the “repair facility” for a process of re-planning one’s life because life is going to be extended, and life is going to be a lot healthier as well. It is truly a celebration of life and restoration of life.

Resolving relationship difficulties. Often, when a person goes into a four lows pattern on a retest only, it is to help resolve relationship issues. Often they are with a parent, but not always.

Some of these issues are simple and can be resolved within a few months or even less. Other issues are old and deep, and their resolution can take six months or more. The duration does not matter. One must not think that something is wrong if it takes months or a year or more to come out of a four lows pattern on a retest.

Uncommon, except with a properly performed healing program. Four lows pattern on a retest only occurs regularly on a  program, but not often otherwise. In other words, it occurs very rarely if a person follows medical or other natural healing programs.

Analogies to help understand four lows on a retest only. The following analogies may seem corny, but they convey the meaning of four lows pattern on a retest very well.

1. Back in the tunnel. One does apparently re-enter the tunnel of death, but not to die. Instead, a new life planning process takes place. It is as though the person is reconfigured, in some ways, and prepared to live a longer, more full life when a person goes into a four lows pattern on a retest. I know this may sound strange, but that is what people sometimes report.
2. The dog is resting in the dog house. This pattern reminds me of a dog who comes in after a hard day or a fight, and just curls up in the corner to heal for a week or a month, or longer. This is accurate, in that it is a low energy state, and requires mostly rest to move through it in the fastest and easiest way.
3. The car in the repair shop for an overhaul. Retracing a four lows pattern is also analogous to leaving your car at the repair shop for a major overhaul because you have decided to keep the old car, and you have told the mechanic to go over every inch of the car and attend to every possible problem and fix everything for the future.
4. The boat is in dry dock for repairs. This analogy is one of the best. Your boat or ship is taken out of the ocean and placed in dry dock for repairs. The unusual four lows supplement program apparently “shores up the boat while it is in dry dock”. This is like the boards and beams used to keep a boat upright while it is in dry dock, so it can be worked on.

The supplements literally give certain souls the opportunity to refurbish the body and soul to a degree, so it can be once again released into the ocean of life. This is called a spiritual intervention, and it is a wonderful thing.

An elimination of lead. When the body eliminates a significant quantity of lead, one may temporarily move into a four lows pattern.

Diet and supplements for four lows on a retest. These are generally the same as the supplement program required for a four lows on an initial hair mineral analysis. Be sure to avoid all adrenal and thyroid hormones or support products, all vitamins B, C, E, and stimulating herbs.

Re-entering a four lows pattern several times. This is possible. In other words, one may enter a four lows pattern, emerge for a while, and then go back into the pattern once again. This is perfectly okay, and apparently is just what is needed at a particular time. Be sure to adjust the diet, lifestyle and supplement programs accordingly.

Other celebration patterns are the hill pattern, and the step-down pattern or stepping into life pattern. Another one is the coming alive pattern and the up elevator pattern on retests. Others that are usually celebration patterns include any major increase in the oxidation rate on a retest, and, in some cases, any major improvement in the sodium/potassium ratio. A settling down pattern may also be a celebration pattern.

IV. FOUR LOWS ON AN INITIAL TEST AND ON SUBSEQUENT TESTS – THREE COMMON SCENARIOS

WORKING OUT OF FOUR LOWS

In these cases, there are improvements on the hair mineral chart, although they may be subtle. Healing is taking place, but the person is not yet out of the four lows pattern.

The program is working perfectly, but more time is needed to emerge from the four lows pattern. So please do not be discouraged if it takes a while to emerge from the pattern as long as you are following your program.

DIGGING DEEPER

At times, on a retest a four lows pattern will become an even lower four lows pattern. This means that the one or more of the macromineral levels (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium) will decline further on a retest.

We call this digging deeper pattern. It indicates that a person is delving more deeply into traumas or other blockages that caused or contributed to the four lows pattern.

This is not a problem at all. It usually resolves on its own on the next hair tissue mineral retest.

DEEP ANGER PATTERN

In this common situation, a four lows pattern that is present on an initial hair test persists for several years. This occurs even though the person follows a corrective healing program.

So far, in all cases the person is quite negative and cynical. This seems to hold them in the four lows pattern. The program assists them to resolve these issues. Then this is done, the person will come out of the four lows pattern.

CORRECTING FOUR LOWS

CORRECTION OF A FOUR LOWS PATTERN ON A FIRST TEST

Analogies to understand correction of a four lows pattern are:

1. Rebooting the computer. One shuts the machine down and start it up again, and for whatever reason, it works.
2. Putting the adrenals to bed.
3. Slowing down the wheels of the car to get it out of the ditch.
4. Reversing the shut-down sequence and backing out of the tunnel of death.
5. Repairing the boat so the captain can pilot it safely.

Principles of correction

1. DO NOT USE foods, supplements, drugs, herbs or other measures that tend to increase the sodium and potassium levels. Most people in four lows on a first test are tired, so the obvious principle would be to give them foods and/or supplemental nutrients to support their glandular activity.

However, when sodium and potassium increase, calcium and magnesium levels tend to decrease. In those in a four lows pattern, calcium and magnesium are already low. The body does not permit further decreases, as this would be harmful.

For this reason, programs designed to boost thyroid and adrenal glandular activity, or other ways to increase energy production, usually do not work. The person may feel better for a time, and then crashes or just does not respond well.

2. Do not use thyroid replacement hormones, thyroid glandular, adrenal glandular, B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, or herbs to boost these glands.

3. Put the adrenals, and perhaps the thyroid gland, to bed. The correction of four-lows depends on suppressing or turning off the sympathetic nervous system enough so that the adrenal and thyroid glands can rest and rebuild. This is analogous to slowing down the wheels of a car that are spinning out of control.

Another analogy is rebooting or restarting a computer because it is stuck in a loop. It is like pushing the reset button on an electrical appliance. This is a very crude analogy, but it may be helpful.

Lifestyle alone may be enough in a few cases. Resting a lot more, sleeping more, slowing down one’s life and adopting a positive, relaxed attitude could alone take a person out of the four lows pattern, theoretically, though it rarely seems to be enough.

4. More precise nutritional correction, however, is most helpful in most cases. Most of the time lifestyle changes are not enough, in our experience. Otherwise, the pattern tends to persist and can be quite intractable. Dr. Eck figured out how to do this, as follows:

DIET, SUPPLEMENT AND LIFESTYLE PROGRAM OUTLINE

We do not like to provide supplement recommendations without a hair mineral analysis, because at times, programs must be altered. However, we can give the broad outline of the approach to use with supplements.

1. It involves fewer supplements. These always include calcium, magnesium, zinc, a powerful digestive aid, L-taurine, fish oil, vitamin D and kelp. At times, one may need added copper.

Since 2013, we have also added trimethylglycine (TMG) with excellent results. Since 2014, we have added lysine, but only for some people.

In 2015, we added tarragon. However, as of 2020, we no longer recommend it. We don’t need it and it is a little toxic.

The role of taurine. Taurine in a four lows program seems to assist cell membrane function. It is known that as we age, unmethylated phospholipids build up in the cell membranes. These inhibit proper functioning of the cell membranes.

L-taurine (1500 milligrams daily for adults and less for children) can help reverse some of this and perhaps this helps move a person out of the four lows pattern.

Taurine may have other roles as well, such as a sedative action.

Role of lysine. This helps in some cases of four lows pattern. It may lower copper, which is always elevated when a four lows pattern is present. For more details, read Lysine on this site.

2. Certain supplements are needed in larger quantity. These are calcium, magnesium, zinc and Limcomin. The others are used at standard doses.

Some people worry about giving large amounts of these supplements. However, we find that when one is in a four lows pattern, they are well tolerated. As soon as one emerges from the four lows pattern, however, one will feel ill on large doses and the doses need to be reduced.

3. Equally important is to AVOID all other supplements. This includes the optional products selenium and Endo-veggies (dried vegetable capsules). We currently allow Renamide only up to 1-1-1 in most instances.

Warning: Taking stimulating supplements, or those that boost the adrenal or thyroid glands such as B-complex, a lot of vitamin C or E, adrenal or thyroid glandulars, stimulating herbs such as ginseng or others, or extra iodine other than kelp, is harmful for a four lows program.

This is why most of our clients with a four lows pattern have had little success visiting conventional and holistic doctors.

Taking thyroid hormones when one is in a four lows pattern is generally harmful. This is difficult to explain to physicians who rely upon blood tests to assess thyroid activity. It is often true that the thyroid gland is not working properly when one is in a four lows pattern, but taking replacement thyroid hormones will not solve the underlying four lows condition, and actually makes it worse.

We observe that many people are driven into a four lows pattern by taking thyroid replacement hormones or supplements that enhance adrenal and thyroid glandular activity.

People can also be driven into a four lows pattern from taking stimulating supplements or herbs.

4. For children, one must modify the dosages according to weight and age.

5. The diet for a four lows pattern is the same as for other corrective healing programs. However, it is even more important with four lows to eliminate all sugars, fruit, sweets, fruit and other juices except for carrot juice, yin foods, and stimulants such as caffeine and hot, spicy foods. One needs the diet that is correct for the oxidation type.

The procedures. These can be very helpful. The more of the basic program one does, the faster one is likely to emerge from a four lows pattern.

• Lifestyle modification is also very helpful. This includes more rest and sleep, slowing one's pace of life, relaxation, slow walking and deep breathing.
• Mental/emotional correction. Some people with a four lows pattern need to reduce worry, fear, compulsiveness, anger, cynicism and other negative emotions that stimulate the sympathetic system and block healing.
• The attitude of being a victim is often present when a four lows pattern exists, especially if the sodium and potassium levels are very low. In these instances, the articles entitled Victimhood and I Choose are most helpful.
• Humor most helpful. Those in a four lows pattern are often too intense in a way that blocks their healing. It is a “negative intensity” that needs to be stopped. An excellent way to do this is to read, listen or watch a humorous movie, discussion, monologue or something else. We strongly recommend a daily dose of humor for anyone in a four lows pattern.
• Other relaxing therapies that may help inhibit excessive sympathetic or fight-or-flight nervous system activity include massage, gentle chiropractic, or other bodywork such as Rolfing or structural integration.
• Relaxing and happy music can also be very helpful. One example is a song on Youtube called Chick Corea and Gary Burton – Armando’s Rumba. Play it over and over, as it has a happy, relaxed feeling about it.

TROUBLE-SHOOTING CORRECTIVE PROGRAMS

Adverse effects of four lows programs. At times, high doses to calcium, magnesium and zinc can make the four-lows individual more tired for a while. It is wise to warn clients of this possibility. If the fatigue is very annoying, the dosages may be reduced slightly. However, slowing down is often needed to come out of a four lows pattern.

Rarely, someone gets diarrhea from all the magnesium in a four lows supplement program. In this case, reduce the magnesium component of the program only. This is surprisingly rare, however, indicating that these individuals must require enormous amounts of magnesium when in this metabolic condition.

OTHER TOPICS

MOST PEOPLE WITH A FOUR LOWS PATTERN HAVE BEEN TO NUMEROUS DOCTORS

Most have also had many tests, and followed several healing programs without success. The reason for this is that a four lows pattern requires a special program, and it is a reversal of what is required for slow oxidation, for example.

OTHER TESTING FOR A FOUR LOWS PATTERN

I am often asked if one can identify a four lows pattern from blood or urine tests. So far, this has not been possible.

HAIR WASHING

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one cannot identify a four lows pattern from a hair mineral test performed by a laboratory that washes the hair at the lab. Most hair testing labs in America and around the world wash the hair before measuring its mineral content.

Washing the hair always washes out some of the water soluble minerals, including sodium and potassium. The amount removed tends to be erratic, so assessing a four lows pattern becomes very difficult. For more, read Introduction To Hair Mineral Analysis and Effect Of Washing On The Trace Element Content Of Human Hair on this site.

VERY HIGH FOUR HIGHS PATTERN – THE HIGH TUNNEL PATTERN

A hair analysis pattern that is related to a four lows pattern is a high Four Highs Pattern. This pattern is present when all four of the macrominerals – calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium – are well above their idea values.

Calcium must be greater than about 320 mg%, magnesium greater than about 30 mg%, sodium greater than about 125 mg%, and potassium is greater than about 50 mg%. These values are not perfectly precise, as are the criteria for four lows.

This pattern is similar to a four lows pattern in that:

1. Both patterns cause a tentative soul connection with director souls or other souls in the brain. That is, the soul is unable to communicate well with certain souls and therefore unable to conduct its life properly.
2. Both involve an intervention by other beings that assist the soul.
3. Both are evidence of significant damage to the director and mental souls that live in the brain. They may be captured, removed or just very ill.
4. Both are the beginnings of shut-down sequences, although both can go on for years and are not immediate death patterns.

The differences between the high tunnel and the four lows patterns are:

1. High tunnel (high four highs) is less severe than a four lows pattern.
2. High tunnel is easier to come out of.
3. High tunnel does not require a special program, as does four lows. It tends to disappear, on its own, if one just follows the regular healing program that is set up for you.