orthomolecular

That is a new one for me. I have read that latex paint will give off mercury vapor for a while after you paint. So she does seem to have a point about the paint. I do think there are some brands out there that are mercury vapor free but don't know that off the top of my head. Just another example of how many things in our environment that can contribute to the toxicity we deal with everyday. I think essential oils can clear the air of germs. I have used and studied aromatherapy for some time. If vanilla is the real kind, not some snythetic form, then it is a plant extract or an essential oil. But I don't really know how it can help with the out gases from the paint. But it might be possible. Essential oils have lots of active components that can have many different properties. But real vanilla extract is really the essential oil of the vanilla bean. Vanilla is the only food product that comes from an orchid.

I have read that photosensitivity can be a sign of a zinc deficiency. I have a zinc deficiency and have had photosensitivity. (One day there was a sun shower and the combination of sun and clouds that day and maybe the moisture in the air was so bad for me. I had to stop and buy a pair of sunglasses out of desperation. Now, I always try to have sunglasses with me in my car for times like that.) I even considered buying glacier sunglasses with the protective things on the side by the temples because I have had this problem at different times in my life. But good dark sunglasses doesn't really help if you have this problem. I think it is possible that some photosensitivity problems can be from something else other than zinc. Photophobia can be part of the symptoms with migraines. But zinc is easy to rule out by buying some Zinc Status in the health food store.

I would have a problem with the smell of eggs which would make me nauseated. I also happen to like eating eggs for breakfast, but there were times when that was not an option for me. This, I think, was a symptom of my zinc deficiency. These problems you are having will pass at some point. You may have some new problems too, but theyare overall really just temporary. Sometimes it wasn't so bad (no problems with smelling eggs) but I would be such a picky eater though. I hate that because the toughest decision I have to make is what the heck to eat. I like it so much better when deciding on what to eat isn't a big decision. I think your body is going through lots of changes, which is to be expected. I get symptoms or reactions if I take a new supplement that changes my nutrient levels, or if I am experiencing more stress one day, or if I eat a meal later than normal (meaning I take my supplements a little later than normal), even if I get up later on the weekends too. Sometimes small changes in my routine can cause changes in how I feel, changes in my appetite, etc. And there have been times when my appetite changes in other ways. I have a good appetite in the morning, or later in the day, but not consistent throughout the day for some reason. I have noticed changes in my blood sugar too. Sometimes I have a sweet tooth, and then that goes away just as mysteriously as it started. And I am not doing chelation like you, just treating my deficiencies which can cause all sorts of changes for me, still. I try to use that information as best as I can, but I can't always figure out the cause behind everything. I make light of all the changes by thinking this must be how a lab rat feels. These changes can be part of the healing process. I agree with you 100% that sometimes it can feel like you take one step forward then two steps back. But, overall you know that you are making progress. I have gained weight as a result of these changes to my appetite (which I didn't want); but, things have now stabilized for me. Sometimes I feel like weight gain is the least of my problems. Have you considered trying those enzymes by Houston which can help some people with gluten issues? They are a little pricey but they might help you. That is one option. Karen DeFelice's website says a lot of people seem to find those enzymes by Houston work; but not everyone can eat gluten with the enzymes. But since you have a delayed sensitivity it might be worth a try, perhaps, with all the other changes you can have going in with your cravings, your diet, etc. It might be something to think about with the holidays coming up because it can be a tough to stick to a strict diet during this time of year. http://www.enzymestuff.com/basicsproductguidelines.htm

Like the other poster said you could try a naturopath, and you might also look into a nutritionally oriented doctor. A homeopath, one that practices classical homeopathy, would use only homeopathy really. I don't recommend a homeopath unless you know about homeopathy and are prepared for that kind of treatment. A homeopath will want you to stop taking any drugs (if possible), and if any symptoms develop during treatment the homeopath will not want you take any meds for those problems. Most people can get anxious about not using any meds especially if it comes to some type of infection that develops. But that is how a classical homeopath would want to treat you. A homeopath may not do those tests, amino acids, because they don't feel that homeopathic treatment requires that information. (This is probably how most holistic doctors would want to treat you: not treat every symptom that develops with something - meds or supplements - because that only complicates the overall picture.) Now, if you think you have a thyroid issue the brodabarnes.org website can give you a list (for a fee) of doctors in your state that use the Broda Barnes method of treatment, which is not using drugs and is more sensitive to diagnosing a thyroid problem then most doctors. That might be another resource to consider, but they do charge a fee. They will send you a packet of info about natural hormone methods, especially with regards to the thyroid. But you are looking for a holistic doctor. I don't recommend a doctor who works with a nutritionist. I think this may sound promising in theory, but in practice may not mean anything. Nutritionists can not diagnose anything, therefore they do not really treat anything. A nutritionist is only a dietician. If you find a doctor that thinks you need a dietician I would ask you to question why that doctor can help you. (Do you think your diet is really the only problem? Most people don't eat a perfect diet but their problems need more than just changes to their diet.) That is the case for nutritionists in general but there might be some exceptional ones out there. That doctor you went to can be useful for doing the basic blood tests (chem panel, for example) so always get hard copies of those tests so you can bring them to your holistic doctor so they have the basic tests results in hand already to save some time and effort. It is not so much that doctor but our healthcare system that thinks those tests are useless. Sometimes the websites for orthomolecular doctors will have doctors who have a nutrition-oriented practice. Those types of doctors may be helpful to you if you do not have a condition treated only by orthomolecular. The Huxley Institute can provide you with a list of doctors in your area. They are known for providing certification to doctors in orthomolecular training. http://www.restoreunity.org/list_of_ortho_doctors.htm And you can always post what part of the country you are in here to see if anyone has a good doctor in your area that might be useful. Ask anyone you know if they have a good holistic doctor. You might check at your local health food store. Sometimes they have some periodicals, free health newspapers or magazines that might have some contacts for you too. Keep asking around.

One way you can test your histamine levels is to buy some nicotinic acid (the niacin that causes the flush) in 50 mg. dose. If you have high histamine levels then you will experience a flush from only 50 mg. dose. If it takes 100 mg. to cause you to flush then you have normal (or balanced) histamine levels. If it takes from 150 mg. to 250 mg. dose of niacin to flush then you have low histamine levels. To do this test you need to take the dose on an empty stomach. Do not try repeating this test for several hours or it may cause a flush from the accumulation of the two doses. If you think you may have high histamine levels, then you may want to have something on hand to counter that flush. Aspirin, calcium or amylase will help to lower your histamine levels. Usually high histamine types will find the flush uncomfortable. There is nothing wrong with experiencing the flush, so you don't have to counter it if you don't have anything to use. But be aware that you should try this at home and have at least a hour or 1.5 hours to test this so you don't have a red face while out in public. A lot of people say they can match both low and high symptoms, so it is not always easy to figure out your histamine levels from the symptom list. Also, if you are a high histamine type then you should avoid folic acid. Some people may say that b vitamins (in a b-complex) will make them more anxious or depressed or just feel weird. This is another important indication that you may be a histadelic. Only histadelics will have a problem with some b vitamins whereas histapenias do not have problems with some nutrients making them feel worse. William Walsh said that histadelics will feel better if they use SAMe in the beginning. SAMe has advantages over methionine at least in the beginning. But after the first several months you might be better off switching to methionine instead of SAMe because methionine is cheaper. But it is possible that some people do need both SAMe and methionine because their body can't convert the methionine into SAMe for some reason. Dream recall is usually a good indication if you are still having problems with b6 or pyroluria. Sometimes the form of b6 is important and some people need to supplement the p-5-p form of b6. Finding a doctor who is experienced in this field is a challenge, but you have good indications that you are either pyroluric or have imbalanced histamine levels, then it might be worth that effort.

Chemar, Is there a problem with the information I posted? Can you explain what that statment refers to and what the problem is exactly.

I think my muscle tension problems can be the result of low serotonin levels. I get knots or kinks in my neck and shoulder that now will come on quickly. (I say now meaning since starting to treat my deficiencies.) I used to have muscle tension problems (knots and kinds) years ago that somehow went away on their own; those seemed to have been triggered by stress, I think. Since supplementing for my deficiencies, I can feel the changes in my serotonin levels change more quickly throughtout the day, especially if I am stressed. But if I take enough b6 that will usually get rid of the knots and kinks pretty well. I know my serotonin levels can be low because of my severe b6 (and niacin) deficiency. But I don't have any tics or seizures which are associated with a b6 deficiency. But when I get the knots or kinks I will usually feel irriatible, another sign of low serotonin levels. I know my muscle tension problems can be traced back to low vitamin b6 levels which can be the cause of low serotonin levels and tics or seizures. I think the problem may stem from low levels of b vitamins which effect your serotonin levels.

Low VMA (or homovanillic acid) levels indicate low dopamine levels. The tyrosine is being supplemented to boost dopamine levels. Sometimes when you take too much tyrosine it can cause anger or irritiability issues. Usually that is an indication to lower the dose. Tyrosine can also be converted into epinepherine - the flight or fight hormone, which may be the reason for the irritiability. Sorry I have no idea about the other results.

No, I am aware that folic acid and nicotinic acid cause problems for some people. But I was under the impression that most types need to supplement b6 (and I have never heard of anyone reacting to b6). Are you sure that you are reacting to b6, because that is a new one. I think you may react to folic acid. You can ask a doctor to test your blood for histamine levels. This is one possibility. I also know that trying just 50 mg. of nicotinic acid (the niacin form that causes a flush) will indicate a high histamine level if you flush from that dose. You would need to understand more, I think, before trying this test. You may have a flush and it could be unconfortable for you. You might be better off talking to your doctor to have a simple blood test done. I don't know your histamine levels. I do know that people with sulfite problems are usually high histamine types. They need to supplement methionine which lowers their histamine levels; but methionine contains sulfur. The allergies may or may not be present for some types. You and your other family members may all have high histamine levels. It can run in families. If you can find a doctor who treats this then you may be able to help yourself and your family too. But finding a doctor who has experience with this is difficult. You sound like a high histamine type when you believe that your grandmother's vitamin cocktail was probably not all that good for you. You should not take a multi vitamin and a b complex, until you have your histamine levels balanced. You may be able to tolerate low doses of folic acid and niacin after you histamine levels are balanced. But vitamin b6 should not cause any problems for you if you have high histamine levels. You would need to supplement b6 with either high histamine levels or low histamine levels.

That site does have an HTML option. I wanted to post it for you because this document is written by someone (a nurse, I think) from the Pfeiffer Treatment Center, which I think does have excellent information. http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:mAJ6r7...t=clnk&cd=2 I have never heard of anyone having any reaction to vitamin b6. Of course anything is possible. But I wanted to mention to you that usually people with problems with phenols are the high histamine type (histadelic). Histadelics will react to folic acid and nicotinic acid (flushing niacin) and sometimes to b12. And I mean that they may feel more depressed or possibly more anxious because those nutrients actually raise histamine levels in the body. (I don't think folic acid or b12 should trigger a tic, though.) But that is strange that you have a trigger from taking b6. I don't have seizures or tics myself but have read that these two things are symptoms of a b6 deficiency. I do have a severe b6 deficiency though. So I think you may have a reaction, though not necessarily a tic, from taking folic acid. And, you should only take niacinamide (not niacin) if you have high histamine levels (which I think you may have). I am not an expert on this but believe that you can have a build up of the wrong type of sulfur (sulfites) which need to be cleared from the body. And epsom salts is one product some people will use. But it is not the only one. Of course you should really consult with a medical professional to treat this problem appropriately. (It may be a challenge to find a doctor who understands this process.) Sulfur dioxide is used to prevent browning or oxidizing of many foods like french fries, avocados or guacamole, lettuce, wine, dried fruits, etc. You might want to try avoiding these foods if you think you (or your family) have an overload of sulfites already in the body. But you do need to supplement molybdenum (and the right form of sulfur) because molyb plays a role in helping the body get rid of sulfites. Years ago they would use a combo of sulfur and molasses as a spring tonic. Molasses does contain some sulfur. Molasses is surprisingly high in some other minerals too. This post seems like it explains this in pretty simple English. http://www.speechville.com/boards/viewtopi...2ae682069a52708 That post mentions the use of cysteine. Like I said in my earlier post, sulfur-contain amino acids (SAAs) are the best way to get sulfur into your body. I have read that if you don't have enough cysteine then vitamin b6 may not be able to function correctly. Cysteine is basically made by your body when you eat protein containing another SAA methionine, but only if you have enough vitamin b6 in your body already. This may be a catch 22 thing where taking vitamin b6 is not working because you don't have enough cysteine because your body doesn't have the vitamin b6 to make it from methionine. This is the only explanation I can come up with why you would have a reaction to vitamin b6. I know sometimes I can find it hard to wrap my brain around some technical concepts which are presented with lots of jargon and a convoluted writting style. This topic of sulfation is not that well known about by most people. And the information on this topic is still rather limited on the net.

This site says that green stools is not usually something to be concerned about. http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/otherdiseases/a/greenstool.htm Does your son take any taurine? Taurine helps with bile production. Sometimes a change in color or pale colored stools can be related to bile production, or lack of it. Sometimes GI pain may indicate a taurine insufficiency. This site mentions green stools and the role bile may play. http://www.drhull.com/EncyMaster/S/stool_green.html http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtstools.htm If it persist you may talk to your pediatrician about it.

These are are related and require the same mechanism to be removed from the body. Problems with both MSG and salicylates indicate faulty sulfation or a problem with converting sulfites into sulfates so they can be excreted by the body. Sometimes people will say they are allergic to sulfa drugs. Or they may also say they are allergic to certain types of supplements that contain sulfur. This is an indication of faulty sulfation. This is usually a problem with high histamine types who are advised to take methionine a sulfur-containing amino acid (SAA). The best way to get sulfur is really from SAAs. SAAs provide the greatest amount compared to say, garlic, which has less but is very fragrant. It is possible to find some sources of sulfur that will make the problem worse because of that simple issue of converting a sulfite into sulfate. It boils down to the right form of sulfur really. The website (powerpoint presentation) below does mention sulfation and how digestive enzymes may help too. I believe that Houston has a no-phenol enzyme product that you might look into. That website I believe may explain a low or no-phenol diet, which may or may not be another option to consider. www.autismone.org/uploads/Gavin%20Cathy.ppt Karen Defelice has written about the use of epsom salts because they contain sulfate the form of sulfur that does NOT have to be converted to be excreted from the body. Her website is below. Her book Enzymes for Autism does briefly explain about sulfation, as does her website. Her website may have a link or more info on the Houston enzymes. She and her sons use the Houston enzymes. http://www.enzymestuff.com/methylation.htm I am not sensitive myself. I just have a limited understanding of sulfation and how some people have a problem with this.

Chicken skin is mostly fat. You posted about extremely dry skin especially your hands. You may be needing a fat soluable vitamin. Perhaps vitamin E. I believe that all fats probably contain some vitamin E because when a fat goes rancid that means there is no longer any vitamin E in the fat. (Fat rancidity means the vitamin E has been destroyed.) You might look at our diet and the other symptoms for a vitamin E deficiency.

I have never heard of any problems with zinc and calcium. Zinc and magnesium is sold in a product call ZMA for weight lifters. Zinc and magnesium work well together with vitamin b6. Zinc is antagonistic to copper and manganese. I think high doses of zinc may interfere with iron absorption. But I don't believe that taking zinc and calcium together should be a problem. Ananda Prasad MD, a zinc specialist, has said that about 60 mg or 80 mg per day will induce a copper deficiency. When taking zinc in high doses it is advisable to also take come copper and manganese, as these two mineral can be chelated from high doses of zinc. It can be helpful to use the Zinc Status product from time to time when supplementing zinc. Zinc Status tells you immediately if you have a zinc deficiency. Zinc Status is sold in most health food stores as Zinc Status or Zinc Talley in the UK. This test is actually better (more conclusive) than having a blood test check your serum levels. Some people are surprised that they are still deficient in zinc after supplementing a good dose for several weeks, at least. I find Zinc Status is useful to test yourself with from time to time, so you know that the dose you are taking is actually correcting your deficiency. When you deficiency is corrected then you have to realize that extra zinc will chelate manganese and copper. These minerals will need to be supplemented too, at some point.

I have read in Randolph Theron's book on allergies that if you were to go off a food rotation diet, for example, it is always better to make that meal about one food item, if possible, or as few different ingredients as possible. I think the idea was that when your body is dealing with some allergen it may be better able to tolerate it if that is the only thing being digested at that time, but that may just be the impression I came away with.

Excellent point, Claire. Nothing is ever black or white. I have often wondered what a high histamine woman does when she either gets pregnant or is trying to conceive. I have thought that the fetus would need some folic acid but too much might cause problems for either mother or the fetus. But, I guess like anything else in life it is not always so simplistic. Have you considered trying some lipase for your high cholesterol? I have read that it can breakdown the sticky fat deposits in the bloodstream too. This would mean using lipase on an empty stomach rather than taking with food. I am the opposite of you. I like to push the envelope on the doses I take. I find, especially with zinc, if I take too much I will find out soon enough because it will make me throw up. Most nutrients can cause vomitting at higher doses, and when that happens I just start the process over again, after taking a short break. I think it is all about "tweaking" the dose to your exact needs. But if I have any little symptom that persists then I want to figure out what I am missing. Sometimes it may be the dose is too low or something else, like an amino acid or the enzymes. But I like to push the envelope so I know I am getting everything I need. But, I guess, when you are really treating someone else, and that person is a child, you may be more inclined to be cautious. But I don't have to be cautious with myself.

If you have high histamine levels then you should take niacinamide and NOT nicotinic acid. Folic acid will also raise histamine levels too. You should avoid those two supplements absolutely. B12 is another possibility for raising histamine levels but not so obvious. But taking the other forms of niacin is important and not just in 25 mg. But avoid nicotinic acid and folic acid. I have read that folic acid will become trapped because the body isn't methylating properly. I had low histamine levels which are now balanced. I can flush now from only 100 mg. of nicotinic acid and find that I don't tolerate the flush as well as I used to. So, your histamine levels can change and at some point you will flush at a different dose of nicotinic acid. And, I think I read in some notes by William Walsh that even though you feel better and think your histamine levels have improved a blood test may not show that change for some reason. But the flushing is a reliable way to know if your histamine levels have changed. I think it can take as much as 250 mg. of nicotinic acid to cause a flush in a low histamine type. But if it only takes that 50 mg. dose to cause a flush then that indicates high histamine levels.

Flushing is what happens when you take nicotinic acid. Parts of your skin, your face, your hands, your elbows, your neck, etc, get red and irritated and feel warm. Flushing is somewhat like an allergic reaction because it is a sharp increase in histamine levels. Some people find annoying, but other people get used to it. It may only last for about a half hour or so.

I have read that the 24 hour urine collection is the best for neurotransmitters. I think your doctor would do all neurotransmitters not just serotonin. I think this test would be done by a holistic doctor and not likely to be done by your HMO doc. The histamine test can be done by any doctor. A test of a blood sample will show histamine levels. This is a basic test. I believe there is a more complicated one that shows other substances besides histamine, but I don't think you don't really need that one. One simple thing you can try is to get some nicotinic acid in 50 mg. Nicotinic acid is the form of niacin that causes the flushing. (Always look for a warning on the bottle for this flush to make sure you have the right form.) If 50 mg. of niacin causes a flush then that person has high histamine levels. If you don't flush from just 50 mg. you might want to try that test again with TWO 50 mg. capsules, just to make sure. But even the 100 mg. dose of niacin may not cause a flush in a low histamine person. Low histamine types can require about 250 mg. of niacin to have that flush. This test does help, but you do have to wait at least 3 or 4 hours to try testing with a higher dose. I have read in William Walsh's notes, I think, that some people may feel better when their histamine levels are balanced but may not see any change in their blood tests results.

If your son is getting neck strain or muscle pain in his neck I think this may be from low serotonin levels. I have a severe b6 deficiency and can have these knots or kinks in my neck and shoulders. Is that what your son might be experiencing? Low serotonin levels can cause pain or muscle tension problems. Vitamin b6 is useful for this but niacin is critical too. Vitamin b6 is also important for tics. If your son is taking zinc because he is low in zinc, you should also supplement vitamin b6 with the zinc. These two nutrients work well together. But vitamin b6 is critical for proteins to be broken down into amino acids. I use orthomolecular to treat my severe nutritional deficiencies (pyroluria and low histamine levels). I know how you feel when you seem to know more than your doctor does about the symptoms of some deficiencies. I would suggest when you do have the time to research on the web you look for sites that mention the orthomolecular approach because that infomration can be helpful. I wish I could tell you how to find a doctor in your area with training in orthomolecular but this can be difficult. But the Huxley Instistute might have some names for you, although I think some of the doctors on their list are really just nutritionally oriented doctors, not true ortho pactioners. The allergies would indicate an imbalance of your son's histamine levels. It's not for me to say if they are high or low, but a simple blood test can tell you this. This test can be performed by your regular doctor. (This might be something you can look into when you have figured out his problem now.) Ortho uses nutritional supplements to treat the allergies, whatever type, environmental, food or seasonal. The allergies or histamine inbalances would need to be addressed if you want the supplements to work. The supplements can work if you get the whole thing right, but if you are missing one element then you can have these new symptoms appear. The quesiton you asked about it getting worse before it gets better, I find that this can happen for me if I am missing something. When you start supplementing some nutrients new symptoms or new issues seem to surface. This can help you figure out what is missing (specific nutrients), though it isn't always that easy. It requires lots and lots of research to figure out what nutrient may be the "missing link." I agree with the other poster about the digstive enzymes. Enzymes are like a first cousin to nutritional supplements. I realized because of my severe deficiencies my pancreas was not able to produce the proteolytic enzymes that are important. These enzymes especially, proteolytic, can help with the allergic reaction, which is most often a histamine response or some form of imflammation. I think you might research this issue further somewhere down the road. They can test blood levels for elevated amylase and lipase levels to see if the pancreas is functioning properly. Good luck in finding a qualified doctor to help you with this.

I have had this problem my whole life. I have a severe vitamin b6 deficiency. One indication of a problem with b6 is little or no dream recall. I have a condition that requires high doses of nutritional which should only be done under medical supervision. You might try taking some extra b6 to see if this helps, but b6 has a known toxicity so it should be used with caution. B6 is needed for serotonin, which can be converted into melatonin. You might try some melatonin if you haven't already.

Sorry but that is not true that All homeopaths are naturopaths. Homeopaths are homeopaths and I don't think they consider themselves anything else. (Of course some have training in osteopathy, acupuncture, etc., but they would never call themselves a naturopath.) Anyone calling themselves a homeopath has studied classical homeopathy and NOT naturapathy. A homeopath has a diploma in homeopathy but a naturopath would not have this level of training in homeopathy (because if they did they would call themselves a homeopath). There is a huge difference between the homeopathic treatment that a naturopath is cabable of compared to a homeopath. But most naturopathic schools teach a variety of therapies like nutrition, herbs and homeopathy. A naturopath can be viewed by some as a jack of all trades having studied a little bit of herbology, nutritiona and homeopathy. But they may not really be expert in all those fields, but certainly not in homeopathy. http://www.gingernash.com/faq.html What is the difference between a homeopath and a naturopath? Homeopathic medicine is a specific form of therapy that is safe and non-toxic. Naturopaths are trained in homeopathic medicine but our training is far more extensive than homeopathy alone. When practitioners identify themselves as homeopaths it does not necessarily mean they have a medical background whereas a Naturopathic Physician must complete the doctorate in Naturopathic medicine as described above. Although, many naturopaths, osteopaths and medical doctors study homeopathy and incorporate it into their medical practice. The way I see it naturopaths basically study natural medicine which would include homeopathy. And yes, that is accurate that homeopaths may not have any medical background because they look at disease in a completely different way. For homeopaths, it is not about some disease or condition (whch is really a label) but about the precise symptoms.

I never heard of a naturopathic practioner NOT learning or using homeopathy. There are homeopathic remedies used in naturopathic practices all the time. This is common. But there is a huge difference between the homeopathic treatment you get from a homeopath and the homeopathic treatment you get from a naturapath. Naturopaths have much less training in homeopathy and do not really have a full understanding of classical homeopathy, which adheres to the principle of using only one remedy at a time. A homeopath is less likely to mix different types of remedies, like using herbs and homeopathic remedies together, but a naturopath will employ different treatment remedies at the same time. It can take 10 years for a homeopath to be considered "experienced" vs. still relatively new. Homeopathy is a complex subject to study, but naturopaths do not learn it as extensively as a homeopath. These two different practioners use homeopathy in different ways. I am more familiar with classical homeopathy which is what homeopaths do. But a healing crisis is not something to be concerned about. A healing crisis is a good thing. It is part of the healing process. If you don't feel comfortable with the homeopathic process (specifically the healing crisis) then you should not consult with a naturopath. The reality is that you can't go to some doctor and tell that doctor what treatment you want and don't want. No practioner would ever go for that. That is why you need to ask questions before the first appointment. You need to get a clear idea of the approach that person is likely to take with you. Otherwise you wasted an appointment and your money.

Zinc Status works. You are still deficient. I took about 600 mg. of zinc everyday for more than a year to correct my deficiency. It can take an extremely high dose or just a long time to correct that deficiency. The test works and that is why I recommend it to people. Some people think that if they are supplementing zinc then they should NOT have a deficiency anymore. It does not work that way. When you taste that stuff you will know that your deficiency is corrected, but it can come back again, if you miss a dose. Zinc Status is a useful tool for people to have on hand to check their zinc status if they have any type of nutritional problems. CAUTION NOTE ADDED BY MODERATOR: PLEASE NOTE: 600mg of zinc per day is considered a TOXIC DOSE. No-one should attempt to consume such a high level of zinc without comprehensive doctor supervision!

I would end up eating a lot more starch (chips) or sugary foods than I planned to. But now that I am supplementing I don't do that. In the past, at around 3 in the afternoon I would go to the vending machine at work and get peanuts because I knew that eating a bag of pretzels would leave me more hungry than I was to begin with. I know I had a low blood sugar problem or too much insulin production causing that drop in blood sugar. This is something you can help with adjusting your diet. Just don't eat those foods that will trigger that sharp rise in insulin. I don't snack in the afternoon anymore. I have read that zinc and magnesium are the most important for managing blood sugar problems. I think these two nutrients are probably what helped me with my blood sugar problems. Of course there may be other nutrients too but I think for me these two are probably what helped me. I know in ortho the high histamine type has a problem with blood sugar which is not like my problem. They are low in sulfur which is needed to make insulin. I had low histamine levels and corrected this with the right supplements. But at one point, my histamine levels were not low but actually high, and I had this incrediable appetite. So I know that some types can have another problem with hunger and basically burning through food quickly. I do supplement sulfur too, and this may have also helped me with my blood sugar problem. But I think I noticed more of an improvement from supplementing the zinc and magnesium. George Watson has studied that some people have real differences between how their body (specifically their muscles) process sugar. He explains how in the winter most people may eat more fat, and this is helpful. As our metabolism changes because of the change in temperatures outside this can effect how our bodies metabolise sugar. How your body processes sugar in the muscle tissues can actually relate to that observation of how some people are always cold. To explain it simply, when your body burns sugar or fat it produces heat. So if you are always cold when others are comfortable this may be a sign of a sugar metablism problem. (Not low blood sugar but problems with how your muscle tissues get that sugar.) This last explanation may not directly relate to your problem of having low blood sugar problems after eating certain foods, but for others it might be more relevent. Watson says some are fast oxidizers, some slow oxidizers and some are mixed. The fast ozidizers seem to correspond to the high histamine type in ortho, while the slow oxidizers correspond to the low histamine types.