| As well as eating the right foods, our modern | | | | mineral analysis, this could be caused by permed |
| life-style means you need to protect yourself | | | | hair. |
| from exposure to a vast array of chemicals. An | | | | Copper deficiency symptoms include: anemia, |
| excess of anti-nutrients - substances that stop | | | | blood vessel hemorrhage, hypothermia, |
| nutrients being used, or promote their excretion - | | | | depigmentation of the skin. Some people suffer |
| causes many health problems. When the body's | | | | phobias and compulsions due to the high level of |
| ability to detoxify itself is exceeded, toxins | | | | histamine, exacerbated by a low copper level. As |
| accumulate in fatty tissues and may cause | | | | copper will oppose the effect of histamine, |
| chronic health problems. If your job or lifestyle | | | | individuals with a high level of copper but low level |
| has exposed you to such toxins you are | | | | of histamine may suffer from paranoia and |
| recommended to have a hair mineral analysis | | | | hallucinations,. If the copper/histamine balance is |
| (HMA) to check your levels. In this article I'll be | | | | causing a problem, see the section on balancing |
| looking at one the toxic levels an analysis may | | | | levels of copper. |
| reveal, what problems it can be linked to and | | | | What are the sources of copper? Dietary sources |
| what you might do to reduce your exposure. | | | | of copper include avocado pears, liver, molasses, |
| If you have a disease or illness, which has not | | | | nuts, olives, pulses, shellfish, sunflower seeds and |
| responded to conventional treatment, you may | | | | whole-grains. Other sources include water pipes |
| wish to explore other possibilities and an HMA is | | | | (watch for blue stains in the sink), copper pans, |
| an excellent place to start. Sufferers of | | | | processed food and pesticide or fungicide residues |
| 'unexplained' problems such as headaches, | | | | on non-organically grown produce. Copper |
| backaches, weakness or tremors, can usefully | | | | bracelets, often used to help rheumatism, are |
| undergo an HMA to detect any abnormal levels of | | | | thought to result in copper being absorbed |
| toxins. | | | | through the skin. Your hair mineral analysis result |
| One of the most important sections of the HMA | | | | will determine how useful this is. |
| results is the part telling you about levels of toxic | | | | Can you correct the level of copper in your |
| minerals, or anti-nutrients. If toxic minerals are | | | | body? Calcium and zinc reduce levels of copper - |
| found to be in excess, there are many ways in | | | | which is good if you have an excess, but not if |
| which a nutritional approach can help. | | | | you have a deficiency. In either case, check |
| One mineral which may be raised is copper. Now | | | | whether your multi-mineral includes or excludes |
| although high levels of copper have been linked to | | | | copper. If there is insufficient copper in your |
| problems, it must be remembered that copper is | | | | supplement and you have a deficiency, the |
| actually essential to us. | | | | calcium and zinc in your supplement may be |
| What are the functions of copper? Here are | | | | worsening the deficiency. Switching to a |
| some of the bodily functions, for which copper is | | | | formulation that incorporates copper can be |
| important: formation of red blood cells, connective | | | | helpful. Other ways to increase your copper levels |
| tissue, skin and hair pigments, cholesterol | | | | are eating plenty of the foods listed above and |
| regulation, enzyme production, energy usage and | | | | wearing a copper bracelet. |
| in the correct functioning of the nervous system. | | | | The first priority, if you have a problem with |
| When might problems arise? Although copper is | | | | excess copper, is to avoid as many as possible of |
| essential for health, too high or too low levels can | | | | the sources above. If you do need to reduce |
| cause problems. Continually high levels may be | | | | copper levels, eat plenty of the foods which |
| associated with depression, irritability, | | | | contain calcium and zinc: leafy green vegetables, |
| nervousness, anxiety, phobias, irritability and joint | | | | nuts, seeds, Brewer's Yeast and seafoods. Fiber |
| or muscle pains. Copper levels will rise naturally | | | | and pectin (a soluble form of fiber found in |
| during pregnancy, with use of certain IUDs or | | | | carrots, apples, the pith of citrus fruits and |
| when taking the Pill. Levels may also be too high | | | | bananas) help remove toxic metals from the |
| as a result of a vitamin C or B3 deficiency. | | | | body, as do foods which include sulphur containing |
| Copper reacts against zinc and prevents iron from | | | | amino acids (the building blocks for protein). |
| being absorbed; both of these are vital minerals - | | | | Onions, garlic and eggs are others. It is strongly |
| especially needed in pregnancy. Ceruloplasmin, the | | | | recommended to eat plenty of fruit and |
| copper-containing protein, is produced faster in the | | | | vegetables incorporating vitamin C. |
| presence of estrogen and any biological state | | | | Finally, if a Hair Mineral Analysis shows an excess |
| which increases copper levels is likely to increase | | | | or imbalance of copper, the recommended |
| the need for vitamin C as high levels of copper | | | | supplement program that comes with your |
| have been found to destroy vitamin C. If you | | | | report, will be designed to correct the imbalance. |
| have an unusually high reading of copper on a hair | | | | |