A Reduction in Mineral Elimination Through the Hair is Armoring
On a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Retest, armoring is a worsening of one or more mineral levels to they fall into the poor eliminator ranges. It means the body is having difficulties eliminating sequestered toxic heavy metals and minerals.
Definition. Armoring pattern is defined as:
- A retest pattern. The pattern is found only on a retest hair mineral analysis in which the hair is not washed at the laboratory.
- A reduction in the level of one or more of certain minerals. The minerals involved in this pattern include toxic metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum and nickel. It may also include the level of iron, copper, manganese and/or a number of other nutrient minerals.
- The level(s) decline into what is called a poor eliminator range or very poor eliminator range. The level(s) might or might not have been in the poor or very poor eliminator range on the previous before. If they were, they are now even deeper in this range.
- The person must be following a properly designed healing program. This is important because if a person does not follow a properly designed healing program, then the reduction in the mineral level(s) could be due to other factors.
RELATED TO POOR ELIMINATOR PATTERN
In order to understand armoring pattern, one must first understand poor eliminator pattern.
Poor eliminator pattern refers to very low readings of most minerals, including iron, copper, manganese, lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, nickel, and probably others.
The meaning of the pattern is that the body is having difficulty eliminating the minerals that read very low on the test.
Armoring is basically a worsening of one or more mineral levels so that the levels fall into poor eliminator ranges.
THE MEANING OF ARMORING
Armoring usually indicates a reduction in mineral elimination through the hair, and perhaps through the skin, as well.
In fact, there are two possibilities:
- Elimination of the minerals is reduced. That is, the body holds on more tightly to these minerals temporarily.
- Elimination is not reduced. However, it is shunted to other routes of elimination such as the kidneys and bowel, and away from the skin and hair.
In most cases, we believe that #1 above is more correct. However, the second situation is also possible.
Why would this occur? It could be due to:
- A change in the oxidation rate or some other metabolic change.
- A stress that shuts down elimination.
- In order to retrace or process an old trauma or imbalance of some kind. In this sense, it is akin to “putting on your armor” to handle a situation or event. This is why we call it armoring.
HOW MANY MINERALS MUST OR CAN BE INVOLVED?
Armoring can involve as few as just one minerals. It can involve a dozen or more minerals.
QUANTIFYING THE PATTERN
This has not been done formally. However, two simple principles are:
- The number of minerals involved. The pattern is more pronounced if the number of minerals that decline into the poor eliminator range on a retest is greater. For example, if only 2 or 3 minerals decline into the poor eliminator range, this is a milder armoring up pattern. If 7 or 8 minerals decline into the poor eliminator range on a retest, the pattern is more pronounced.
- The degree of decline. The further that minerals decline on a retest, both in their absolute value and in the change from the previous test, the more pronounced the pattern.
For example, if copper declines from 1.4 to 1.2, this is a mild armoring up pattern. If copper declines from 1.4 to 0.8, this is a more pronounced armoring up pattern.
HOW DOES ARMORING OCCUR PHYSIOLOGICALLY?
It may be caused by changes in the kidneys, the liver, or other eliminative organs. It is not necessarily caused by a change in the oxidation rate or in the sodium/potassium ratio, according to our observations.
ARMORING AND TMG
A consistent observation is that if a man takes 3 grams of TMG (trimethylglycine) daily, then armoring takes place less often. (Adult women should only take 1 gram of TMG daily to avoid becoming too yin.)
It appears that if one takes more TMG, then the body is able to retrace more easily without needing to armor. However, if less TMG is taken, then armoring is needed to retrace and heal certain imbalances or traumas.