How much hair is needed for hair analysis?
Only about one full teaspoon or 125 milligrams of fresh hair growth is needed for hair analysis, an amount that can easily be collected from the crown and/or nape area of your scalp without being obvious. A scale is provided in the test kit to ensure the correct amount in collected. The newest hair growth (1-1.5 inches) is needed to show what is going on in your body most recently, as hair cut from the ends would show what was happening in your body several years ago depending on hair length.

I color my hair, can I still do hair analysis?
Yes, but because permed, dyed, bleached, or chemically treated can contaminate your results, it is best to collect the new virgin growth between hair colorings for the most accurate results. For example, if you get your hair done every 6 weeks, collect the new growth from closest to the root right before you get your next coloring. If you need to delay your hair test because of hair coloring, that’s okay too!

What if I don’t have scalp hair? Can I use hair from another part of my body for the hair analysis?
Yes — but because hair on other parts of the body grows differently - slower and there is a longer dormant phase, the results are not guaranteed to give you the most recent data on your body. To combat this, I recommend doing a clean shave, and then letting the hair (pubic, chest, facial) grow for about 6-8 weeks so we know your sample includes fresh hair growth.

Why hair instead of blood (what's the difference)?

Blood and hair mineral analysis do not correlate because they are separate compartments of the body with different roles. 95% of your body's mineral mass is actually OUTSIDE of your blood.

Hair is more stable than blood. Blood can change in seconds or minutes depending on the situation. Short term variations like one meal high in sugar or a current stress won't change your ⁣mineral pattern - it takes weeks to do that. Your blood works extremely hard to stay regulated at the expense of your body tissues. A more accurate way to test is through hair analysis, which specifically assesses the whole body's mineral content. In order to maintain life, the body must maintain blood homeostasis. Unless body systems have been over-stressed or failing, blood parameters will be maintained. Hair mineral analysis can be an earlier warning system which blood may not be. Hair testing is more indicative of longer term patterns and can show about 3 months of one's biochemistry from the time the hair grew to when it was cut for lab analysis. Blood tests do have value, however, your annual blood work at the doctor likely won't detect deeper patterns.

Hair tests are more accurate indicators of an individual's overall metabolic health and biochemistry than a blood test. Hair analysis reveals the present adaptations and compensations being made by the body. High or low readings are significant. Irregular ratios are also very revealing. Oxidation rates can be determined which tell how well the body is creating energy and which foods are best being used at the time of the analysis. This information, among other things, can tell a lot about emotions and mental health. Levels of stress can be determined, whether a person is at the alarm, resistance or exhaustion stage. As the level of stress deepens, the body adjusts or makes adaptations which alter the oxidation rate and even the use of various organs.

For example, a blood test of calcium could be 'normal' or show ⁣’adequate' levels of calcium. However, this does not mean the calcium metabolism is good. The blood works hard to stay stable at all times and can do so at the expense of tissue and bone. This proves very true for calcium. If you have adequate blood levels of calcium it could be that your body is pulling calcium from bone or teeth to keep the blood pH stable. Therefore, a blood test can miss that there is an issue in the body worth looking at now in stead of later when it's far more difficult to correct or disease has already set in. ⁣⁣

Hair tests can reveal far more information, not for the purpose of ⁣diagnosis, but for prevention of deeper seated issues and correction of ⁣longer term health patterns. I prefer to use both blood and hair tests, in tandem, for a ⁣fuller picture into the health of an individual.⁣

Can I Pay with Health Savings Account (HSA) card?

Yes, HSA cards are accepted.

How do appointments work/where are you located?

All consultations are done online via video conference or phone.

What if I'm not sure if nutritional therapy is best for me?

No problem, email me and let’s chat! I am happy to jump on the phone to learn more about your needs and determine if working together is a fit.