Hair test - high aluminum (barely) and...?

Remind me of your health history?

The thing is, I always first check Cutler's counting rules, because if any of his rules are met, the likelihood is that mercury is affecting the person's ability to use nutrients and then it's a lot harder to interpret the regular minerals (sometimes they're helpful, sometimes not--I see a mix with my daughter, but I can only tell because she has other symptoms of mag and zinc being low).

Here's a link to the MDC page that discusses his counting rules.

http://mothering.com/discussions/sho...435848&page=30

One of the rules is that if 4 or more results go into the red zone (and to me it looks like molybdenum is just at the border, which is the beginning of the red zone), then that's 4, and mercury is likely involved.

See, I'm sitting here feeling bad, cause I'm not sure that's what you were expecting. His rules are statistically based, so there is a small statistical likelihood that's not the answer, but I'd think being in this forum and having health questions that cause you to do a hair test make that less likely.

The aluminum--it's a bit high but not really worrisome, but it usually comes down on its own as we eliminate sources (cooking pans, various processed foods--but you're in this forum, you're not likely feeding your kid kraft cheese-food slices, like that--there are more comprehensive lists around, and it could be on its way down already), and it's usually elevated with mercury.

Mostly toxic element results in the yellow (at least the bottom half of the yellow) aren't worrisome unless the person has symptoms that correspond, but lead is the exception. It's good that his is in the green, it'd be better if it eventually trended lower in the green.

I can look up some of the other minerals, see which are likely to be real and which we just can't know about (I'd doubt copper is actually low, that would be quite odd), stuff like that, and see if any of the ratios are helpful (some ratios like sodium and potassium and stuff can be helpful). But first I'm supposed to be working on our taxes. :

So, did I just mess with your world?

Well, I just don't know. I checked the counting rules already, but didn't think it looked like we really met any of them.

I guess I was prepared to find a mercury problem, but an inconclusive reading is, well confusing.

Health history includes: 5 years of birth control, 10 year vegetarian - until colic-y baby induced dairy exclusion - then TED - followed by WAPF/NT reading and testing/discovery of IgG intolerances to gluten, eggs, beans, nuts... I think that sums it up. Oh - 2 amalgams, home birth, no vax, no abx (I haven't even had any in years). DS probably has posterior tie, we had latch/oversupply issues, he has sacral dimple and we both have KP. Now I think that sums it up!

Oh, and we only use cast iron/stainless - have since pregnancy.

Thanks for responding so quickly - good luck with your taxes! 2 states, right? That is always hard!

The way the pictures show in his book, the tip of that rounded bar is what to look at, and so when looks like that, it counts as a red-zone result. And as a practical matter, this is a spectrum, and with odd health problems and if you had a bar that was close to the red but not quite there, that would still make mercury worth looking at. But from the pic I can see, it looks like the tip of the bar is just hitting the red zone, and that counts.

Family history--for me, lots of people are depressed, we've got anxiety, one person bipolar, lots of alcoholism too but I'm not sure whether that's as related, lots of thyroid problems, lots of seasonal allergies (growing up I thought it was normal to have a kleenex box in every room of the house). It's somewhat easier for me because both my parents are susceptible, otherwise you'd need to figure out which parent you're more like and focus on that side of the family.

Luckily our move was in-state, and Texas doesn't do state income taxes, so it's just one return. I think I just need to find one odd form, and then I may be done. We really need a crossed-fingers smiley.

eta--I figured out the zoom, that looks like it's hitting the red to me (the molybdenum, I mean).