What is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis? The Root-Cause Wholestic Living Method

Close your eyes and focus on one part of your body. Breathe in, and listen. How does that part feel? What is it telling you? Is there tension? Does that part feel healthy? Maybe there’s a bit of discomfort in that region.

The body holds many clues to your health. Working with a holistic practitioner can help you dive into these clues and better understand the root issues affecting your well-being. At Wholestic Living, one of the most effective tools we use to gain insight into a client's physical health is called Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA).

What is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis?

Hair tissue mineral analysis, or HTMA, is a safe, non-invasive functional test that allows for root-cause care. The test, or screening tool, involves using a few hair strands to measure mineral and toxic metal levels.

Minerals comprise 4% of the body and are crucial for countless processes, including cellular metabolism, energy production, muscular activity, digestive function, and more. When our mineral levels are depleted, our bodies cannot fully complete these tasks or appropriately deal with toxic metals.

Some essential minerals that HTMA measures include:

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Copper

• Iron

• Zinc

• Selenium

Over time, minerals and metals found in blood and lymph fluid are deposited into the hair during the formation process. As the hair grows out, it creates a telling timeline of the body’s condition over a certain period. This personal blueprint acts as a chart for practitioners to understand potential conditions through clues like mineral imbalances and deficiencies, and excesses of toxic and essential elements.

The invaluable data from HTMA may reveal insight into:

• Heavy metal toxicity

• Mineral deficiencies and imbalances

• Metabolic rate

• Energy levels

• Stress response

• Hormonal imbalances

• Thyroid, endocrine, and enzyme function

• Nervous system imbalances

• Adrenal fatigue

• Protein synthesis

• Inflammation

• Mental health issues

• Liver and kidney stress

• Carbohydrate tolerance and blood sugar imbalances

If this natural guide provides awareness around an issue, a practitioner can take competent steps toward creating a manageable therapeutic protocol that encourages balance and optimal health.

HTMA vs. Blood work

When it comes to testing the health of the body, there are options. The most common testing form is blood work or a blood test. This is likely the test a Western primary care provider will recommend.

But is this always the best course of action?

For some situations, blood work may be the necessary route. Blood work is like a “snapshot” into your current health. It divulges data on the immediate status of the blood and provides information like blood cell count, lipid levels, heart biomarkers, infections, protein levels, and more. You may consider a blood test to learn about health diagnoses like HIV, cancer, or diabetes.

“Blood is homeostatic. That is, blood can balance itself in essential minerals at the expense of cell and tissue reserves of these same minerals.”

– Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D., The Strands of Health, 2003.

At Wholestic Livivng, we recommend having your bloodwork and HTMA done for the most comprehensive and complete picture. Our lead practitioner, Bayan, will review the results to help you develop a wellness plan suited to your needs.

Benefits of Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

One of the most impactful benefits of HTMA is its non-invasive nature. Since the testing only requires a few strands of hair, no needles are involved. This makes HTMA an excellent option for children or others uncomfortable with having their blood drawn.

HTMA also provides a broader timeframe of data compared to blood work, which only gives a glimpse into the body’s present status. There are 3 - 4 months of information on a single strand of hair (To receive the most reliable, recent data, the hair closest to the scalp is cut).

From this data, practitioners can deduct changes and consistencies with hormones and minerals over time and then create an appropriate protocol.

While blood work is often expensive for those that don’t have health insurance, HTMA is a great affordable option for those looking for reliable data. Additionally, there are supportive HTMA options outside of primary care facilities, making it accessible and economical for those that may not have health care coverage.

Other benefits of HTMA include:

• Better at detecting heavy metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic

• Provides information on cell and tissue health

• Results are highly reliable and don’t change from hour to hour (*It’s essential to find a highly recommended laboratory to receive the best results.)

Drawbacks of HTMA Testing

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis suits many clients; however, there are some caveats. Since the hair needs to be sent to a lab, processing the hair and receiving the results takes, on average, 2 - 3 weeks. It may also take a few months to gather the hair sample for clients who have treated or short hair, as the hair needs to be natural (undyed/not chemically treated) and at least 1 - 1.5 inches. The longer the hair sample (closest to scalp), the more information practitioners can gather. This video includes helpful instructions about how to collect your hair sample.

If you find a laboratory that does HTMA testing online, ensure you choose one that states they do not wash the hair first. Washing the hair skews the results and could lead to inaccuracy.

At Wholestic Living, we work with an accredited laboratory to ensure all hair is handled appropriately and results are accurate and received on time.

Finding Balance Through HTMA

HTMA results allow us to build synergistic support on a macro (whole being) and micro (cellular) level to bring the body into balance.

The body has become a master at giving us clues, but they aren’t always easy to read. And unfortunately, so many of our bodies are depleted in minerals due to aspects of our modern lifestyles, including high stress levels, processed foods, soil depletion, medications, and more. For optimum health, it’s important to regularly test and replenish your mineral levels while also addressing the root cause of the mineral imbalance. At Wholestic Living, our HTMA process differs slightly from other practitioners because we also include an herbal constitution assessment on top of the HTMA. This is because HTMA results allow us to build health on the cellular level (at the foundation), while herbs tend to your constitution and overall being (your whole). By combining both approaches, we can build synergistic support on a macro (whole being) and micro (cellular) level to bring the body into balance.

If you want to work with our lead practitioner, Bayan, for your HTMA and customized wellness plan, check out our Wholestic Wellness Bundle. This 1-on-1 program includes one HTMA test, constitutional assessments, customized herbal formulas and supplement recommendations, and more. You can also read our recent blog post, What to Expect When Working with a Clinical Herbalist, to learn what it’s like to be a part of the Wholestic Living community.

A clinical herbalist is not a doctor and does not provide medical advice intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We share experiences and information and strive to educate clients on supportive, holistic techniques and products*