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COPPER TOXICITY

DISCOVER HOW THIS EPIDEMIC

MINERAL IMBALANCE MAY BE ROBBING YOU

OF ENERGY, EMOTION, LIFE, & OPTIMAL HEALTH

(BASED ON THE WEBSITE WWW.COPPERTOXIC.COM)

RICK D. FISCHER

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Copyright © 2017 Rick D. Fischer

All rights reserved. No part of this book (or website www.coppertoxic.com) may be

reproduced, copied, or resold in any form other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied

in articles and reviews – without the prior written permission of the author.

This book is an E-book version of the information provided at www.coppertoxic.com, the author

of which is the same as this E-book.

This E-book is available by donation or purchase ONLY. This E-book may not be resold or

redistributed. If you believe you have received an unauthorized copy of this E-book, kindly

contact info@coppertoxic.com, or make a donation to support the time and effort that has

gone into this research and, more importantly, the cause.

Medical Disclaimer: The author of this book is not a doctor. The information contained herein is

based on first-hand experience, hundreds of case studies, the author's own extensive training in

HTMA, working as a practitioner with those affected, and decades of research into mineral

balancing and copper toxicity by leading doctors and other professionals. HOWEVER, this

information is presented solely for informational purposes to help people better understand the

potential health implications of excess copper. It is not intended to provide medical advice, it is

not intended to diagnose any condition, and it does not replace the advice of your physician or

other health care provider, provided they understand both the physical and psychological

effects of copper toxicity and the detox process. The author assumes no responsibility for any

possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, dietary modification or action which

results from reading, following, or interpreting the information contained herein, or from the

failure to first consult with a licenced medical professional specializing in copper toxicity. The

reader is therefore encouraged to speak with a medical specialist trained in copper toxicity

and detoxing before starting any new therapeutic technique, diet, supplementation program,

or detoxing protocol.

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“When medical science comes to understand the implications of a copper imbalance, it may be referred to as the scourge of the late 20th century. It is one of the

most commonly encountered imbalances that we find on tissue mineral tests today. Many of the most prevalent metabolic dysfunctions of our time are related in some way to a copper imbalance. Copper toxicity is a much

overlooked contributor to many health problems; including anorexia, fatigue, premenstrual syndrome, depression, anxiety, migraine headaches, allergies, childhood hyperactivity and learning disorders.”

~ Dr. Paul Eck and Dr. Lawrence Wilson

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“It's unthinkable that so many people are suffering, physically, emotionally, or

energetically, by a condition that has been known and written about for over 4

decades, but which conventional medicine still has so very little understanding

of, or in some cases even refuses to recognize. The research and compilation of

information on www.coppertoxic.com, and on which this book is based, is

dedicated to a forever beautiful woman and her dream of helping women and

girls with nutritional knowledge, health, and personal growth. It is dedicated to

every woman, man, and child, struggling, knowingly or unknowingly, with

copper toxicity; and to those who's loved ones may be affected.

I hope through this research we as a community can offer greater support,

guidance and understanding to those experiencing copper toxicity and its

symptoms; providing people in general and women in particular with vital

nutritional knowledge that can unlock a door to the rediscovery

of their highest and healthiest potential, while also reducing the risk

of associated symptoms in our children and future generations.” ~ Rick Fischer

Acknowledgments

Beyond the author's own experience, training in advanced HTMA, hundreds of case studies,

and working with clients, much of the information provided here is based on the life work

of several pioneering doctors and experts in this field. A few of these individuals who have given

us so much knowledge and deserve recognition include:

Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, PhD., MD (physician, biochemist, specializing in orthomolecular psychiatry

focusing on schizophrenia, author of Mental and Elemental Nutrients...)

Dr. Eck (widely considered the authority on the science of balancing body chemistry through

hair tissue mineral analysis and founder of Analytical Research Labs)

Dr. Watts, PhD (Dr. Ecks past partner at ARL, and founder of Trace Elements Inc (one of the two

top hair testing labs in the U.S.), as well as its Director of Research)

Dr. Hans Selye Ph.D., MD (pioneering endocrinologist, Nobel prize nominee, acknowledged as

the "Father" in the field of stress research)

Dr. Rick Malter, PhD (licensed nutrition counselor, licensed psychologist, leader in the field of

copper toxicity and HTMA for the past 40 years, author of "Shrinking the Judge")

Dr. Lawrence Wilson, MD (a student of Dr. Eck who, for over 30 years, has focused on nutritional

balancing science and copper toxicity research).

Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman (pioneering leader in the field of nutrition, columnist, functional and

integrative medicine advocate, and author of "Why Am I Always So Tired")

Dr. Weston Price (considered the "Isaac Newton of Nutrition, medical researcher, and author of

"Nutrition and Physical Degeneration")

...and many others, not mentioned here, who have devoted their work to bringing greater

awareness and understanding to copper toxicity and mineral imbalances in general.

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SPECIAL OFFER from www.HTMATEST.com

This offer is not valid if you received this book as a bonus as part of an HTMA package

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Copper Toxicity…………………………………………………………. 7 Terminology …………………………………………………………… 8 Copper Toxicity vs Deficiency ………………………………………. 9 Most Common Symptoms ……………………………………………. 10

Chart: The Flow & Effects of Copper Accumulation ……………………… 11 Copper's Effect on Adrenal Function and Energy ………………………… 12

Adrenal Burnout and Relationships ………………………………….. 14 Evidencing Adrenal Burnout on an HTMA …………………………. 16 A Word of Caution When Taking Adrenal Support … ……………. 17

Copper's Connection with Estrogen / Hormones and Birth Control ….. 18

Estrogen Dominance ………………………………………………….. 22

How Diet Affects Copper ……………………………………………………… 24 Copper Sulfate on Our Crops ………………………………………….. 29 Organic vs Inorganic Copper ………………………………………….. 29 Drinking Water (Copper Piping) ……………………………………….. 30

Impact on Emotions, Relationships, and Mental Health .…………………. 31

Why Copper is Called the 'Emotional Mineral' …………………… 31 The Calcium Shell ……………………………………………………….. 33 The Cortisol - Oxytocin - Serotonin - GABA Connection ……….. 35 The Damaging Toll on Relationships ………………………………... 38 The Emotional Impact of Detox ……………………………………… 39 A Silent Link to Alzheimer’s ……………………………………………… 42

Testing ………………………………………………………………………………. 44 Blood and Urine Testing ………………………………………………….. 44

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis …………………………………………….. 48 The Slow Metabolizer vs Fast Metabolizer …………………………. 53

Detox and Healing…………………………………………………………………. 55

How Long Should One Expect Copper Toxicity Detox to Take ….. 55 More Words of Caution Before Taking Zinc and Adrenal Support… 56 Beneficial Nutritional Considerations …………………………………. 60 Additional Considerations That May Assist Detox ………………….. 65 What to Expect and Look Out For During Detox ……………………. 69 How Emotional Programming Can Block Correction ………………. 74 The Gift of Healing …………………………………………………………. 75

Why Copper Toxicity is So Poorly Understood ………………………………….. 77

References …………………………………………………………………………….. 83 About The Author ……………………………………………………………………. 84

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WHAT IS COPPER TOXICITY?

Copper Toxicity is a build up of stored bio-unavailable

copper in the body that at high levels affects many of the

most common physical and mental conditions we're seeing

today. Copper is an essential mineral in the human body

and in bio-available form plays many important roles.

However at high unbound levels, a simultaneous

toxicity/deficiency condition is created. Copper becomes

toxic when it accumulates in the body's tissues in excessive

amounts (Pfeiffer, 1975; 1987), while also becoming more

and more bio-unavailable which then impairs and in many

cases reverses its beneficial attributes. A high level of

unbound copper becomes a powerful reactive toxin to

both the body and mind, leading to a number of symptoms

including brain fog, chronic fatigue and adrenal burnout,

hypothyroid, depression, panic attacks, and at later stages

is linked to the numbing of emotions, paranoia,

hallucinations, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, even cancer.

Copper toxicity is a major factor in many of today's most

prevalent conditions, and should at least be an essential

route of investigation for any of the above mentioned

symptoms.

Rates of copper toxicity have been steadily increasing over

the past half century due to increasing exposure to various

estrogens, certain birth control methods, high copper diets,

stress, copper piping, and many other environmental,

dietary, and lifestyle factors. Copper toxicity goes vastly

unrecognized however due to an over-reliance on using

blood to measure copper status, along with the myriad of

articles being written that blindly promote the idea of

copper deficiency without making the key connection

that most copper deficiency (and associated symptoms) is

the result of excess copper exposure. In essence, the higher

the degree of copper accumulation, the higher the degree

of bioavailable deficiency. There is also a widespread

denial of copper toxicity (perhaps the most far reaching yet

“Virtually all MDs, including psychiatrists, still have not heard

of this health problem. They practice medicine and psychiatry

with an incredible lack of awareness that such a serious

health problem even exists. They claim to be practicing “evidence

based medicine”, yet they are practicing without the most

basic evidence – real laboratory data showing the presence of

excess (toxic) copper that has a profound effect on both the

physical and mental health of the vast majority of their

patients. Ever since Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD first wrote about the

devastating health effects of copper toxicity in 1975, it has been a challenge for him and

others among us to get the message out to the public and

health professionals. Until medical doctors and other

“health” care practitioners begin to study the mind/body’s

mineral system especially as it is reflected in HTMAs, the medical

/ mineral disconnect will remain. Without HTMA data,

medical doctors will not recognize the epidemic nature of

the copper toxicity problem.” ~ Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D.

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misunderstood health epidemic of our time) which only

further suppresses those affected from finding real answers.

TERMINOLOGY

Copper toxicity may sometimes be referred to as

hypercupremia, though it is a misleading term since

hypercupremia literally translates to mean 'high copper

concentration in the blood' even though blood levels are

almost entirely irrelevant in assessing copper toxicity.

Symptoms of copper toxicity can very much exist even when

blood levels are normal or low. Another erroneously used term

being used recently, copper dysregulation, while it eludes to

the body's inability to regulate copper due to low

ceruloplasmin, is a narrow-minded view that fails to address

the bigger picture of why we have this epidemic in the first

place, not to mention completely ignoring copper’s proven

toxic attributes at high levels. Copper toxicity, as research has

shown since the 1970s, is far more than just a dysregulation

issue that can be ‘fixed’ by regulating ceruloplasmin. Our

modern epidemic of copper toxicity is largely the result of

ever increasing exposure to copper with each new

generation over the past half century, a concept of

paramount importance that is trivialized by using the

term ‘dysregulation’. Copper toxicity, in the context of this

site, differs somewhat from Pyroluria (a genetic condition in

which the individual produces excess kryptopyrrole which in

turn causes B6 and zinc deficiency). Copper toxicity, though

sharing some similarities with Wilson's Disease, is different in

that the latter is an inherited & rare genetic disorder which,

like copper toxicity, causes copper to collect in the liver, brain

and other body tissues, but has a more dire prognosis than

copper toxicity, and for which a different treatment

approach is required.

“High cellular copper levels, along with related sulfur

deficiencies, can be considered to be one of the most

prominent causes of many physical and mental health

problems" [1]

“One of the most common and important imbalances that we

see in clinical practice with trace minerals is excess copper

and deficient zinc.” ~Chris Kesser

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COPPER TOXICITY vs DEFICIENCY Before discussing excess copper symptoms, the relationship

between excess copper and deficient available copper

needs to be understood. Many people who are copper

toxic, after searching online, discover they have symptoms

that resemble copper deficiency. They will also likely come

across the slew of online articles out there that ad nauseam

promote the idea of copper deficiency and associated

symptoms - yet very few of those authors understand

that most copper deficiency in the West is actually caused by

copper toxicity! And that distinction makes a world of

difference - the difference between leading the public to

believe that more copper consumption will do them well,

instead of helping people understand that too much copper

exposure is at the root of many of their health symptoms. True

dietary copper deficiency in the West is rare. Though a

minority of the population do have a true deficiency, the

majority of people have a deficiency of bioavailable copper

stemming from excess exposure / accumulation. Excess

copper acts as an excitotoxin, and as the copper level builds

up, the adrenals eventually weaken from over stimulation. This

in turn leads to an eventual decline in the liver's production of

ceruloplasmin (a protein which binds to copper to make it

bioavailable); and without adequate ceruloplasmin to bind

to the copper, excess copper then gets stored in a bio-

unavailable form in soft tissue - creating a deficiency

condition. In other words, the more copper the body

accumulates (toxicity), the more likely the eventual

deficiency of bioavailable (usable) copper. Dr. Malter, Ph.D,

one of the leading researchers in this field for over 40 years,

uses the great analogy of copper toxicity being akin to being

stranded in the middle of the ocean and dying of thirst. There

is lots of water all around, but none of it is in a form that can

be used to drink. As a result, the copper toxic patient's

symptoms may simultaneously reflect that of both copper

deficiency and toxicity. (Again though in a small percentage

of the population, a true copper deficiency does exist).

"If there is excess copper in the body, then a wide array of

psychological and physiological symptoms and conditions can

also develop like Tourette’s, schizophrenia, bipolar, mania,

autism, asperger’s, anemia, hair loss and much more. Extremely high copper levels can result in

a psychotic break." ~ Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed

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MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS fatigue and exhaustion, adrenal depletion

hypothyroid

emotional numbing / apathy /

despondence

concentration and memory problems

racing mind (feeling wired but tired)

nausea

panic attacks

depression

hair loss and/or whitening of hair

brain fog / spaciness

high anxiety

irritability

ruminating negative thoughts

personality change

loss of sex drive

OCD and Relationship OCD (ROCD)

withdrawal / isolation

chocolate cravings

allergies and mold sensitivity

lowered immunity

The diagram on the following page is adapted from the more detailed version

available at www.coppertoxic.com, and shows the flow and effects of copper

accumulation.

insomnia

increased PMS

constipation

anemia

(manic) mood swings

despair, hopelessness

suicidal thoughts

joint aches and pains

depersonalization

candida / yeast infections

hypoglycaemia

headaches

reduced metabolism

confusion, disorientation,

paranoia

decreased self awareness

ADD

pseudo bi-polar disorder

schizophrenia / disperception of

self or others

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Figure 1: The Flow & Effects of Copper Accumulation

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COPPER'S AFFECT ON THE ADRENALS AND ENERGY Though copper assists with energy production, this is only

one side of the energy coin. As copper builds up, it has a

stimulating effect on the adrenals, giving one a sense of

increased energy. However, as the person takes on more

and more, this 'wears down' adrenal function over time, and

eventually fatigue and exhaustion can set it. Eventually this

can potentially lead to full blown adrenal burnout. Initially,

aldosterone increased which enhanced brain activity and

led to the 'racing mind' symptom, common as copper

begins to accumulate. The person might take on new

projects and load their plate with tasks. However in doing so

they are only further adding to their own stress and further

wearing themselves out. The accumulation of excess

copper presents a continual source of internal stress, which

takes a further toll on the adrenals. Under stress (from any

source), the body loses both zinc and magnesium (calming

minerals), while boosting sodium and intensifying the

individual's short fuse reactions to stressors. In turn, with zinc

spiralling lower, copper accumulates further. Eventually the

body is no longer able to respond to the stress. If the body is

unable to properly eliminate the copper, and so long as the

exposure to copper continues, it will eventually lead to

exhaustion / adrenal burnout, along with a crash in sodium

and aldosterone. At this point the person has little energy

left to do anything. The more exhausted the adrenals

become, the less the liver is able to produce ceruloplasmin

needed to make copper bioavailable, and so

biounavailable copper then accumulates faster and faster

in the liver (primarily) and brain (secondary).

Stress from any cause contributes to copper imbalance.

Stress depletes the adrenal glands and lowers the zinc level

in the body. Whenever zinc becomes deficient, copper

tends to accumulate.

“Burnout causes emotional and physical devastation that

cripple’s the person’s personality and human potential ... The person whose life has been

gutted by stress-damage usually does not know what hit him –

and usually has no idea what is really wrong with him... When

you go into burnout, unless you pull out of it and realize what

actually happened to you - you can go into a state of

disillusionment that can last the rest of your life."

~Dr. Eck

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Full adrenal burnout is a significant game changer that can

have life long affects on the patient. The obvious symptom is

an overwhelming sense of debilitating fatigue, often with a

period of complete and utter exhaustion. Resentment,

withdrawal, dizziness, loss of libido, slurred speech,

depression, insomnia, frustration, lost interest in relationships,

moodiness, poor concentration, and irritability are all

common symptoms.

Beyond the obvious symptoms above, the point of adrenal

burnout will cause a significant worsening of the copper

toxicity condition, due to ceruloplasmin production

decline. Ceruloplasmin is a glycoprotein produced in the

liver, and it is responsible for the transport of 95% of the copper

in the blood plasma. As the adrenals speed up initially,

ceruloplasmin (Cp) production is usually fine, as the adrenal

activity assists with Cp production. However, upon burnout,

this all changes, and the previously adequate Cp levels now

dwindle and become deficient. Without ceruloplasmin to

bind to copper, copper is essentially bio-unavailable in the

body, regardless of how much excess copper is being stored.

This post-burnout Cp insufficiency means that stored bio-

unavailable copper now begins building up even faster,

adding an even greater burden to the liver and adrenals, and

in turn exacerbating the aforementioned symptoms of

burnout. Energy also takes a further hit. Without adequate Cp,

copper is incapable of completing the electron transport in

the mitochondria (where our energy is produced). In the

exhaustion stage, copper is not being used nor eliminated,

and it further stores in the tissues. Under stress or sudden

increases in adrenal activity, copper leaks out or 'dumps' from

storage, and this can heighten PMS type symptoms, insomnia,

headaches, joint pains, skin rashes, anxiety, panic attacks,

paranoia, and depression, among other problems.

"In the fall of that year I went

into total breakdown…Gittleman talks about adrenal burnout in

zinc deficiency as a total exhaustion of the adrenal

capacity to respond to stress. Deep burnout produces a

bone-shuddering, unrelenting fatigue that is beyond anything I would have imagined… Burnout

was only part of what was going on. There were also waves of a

kind of feverish delirium that made it very hard to focus on my

surroundings or communicate with others… I remained in a

free-floating kind of fugue state for years. It is part of the

disorientation of the condition that I don’t know now exactly

when I came out of it...there is such a high level of confusion,

distractibility and anxiety in certain people today that they frequently cannot focus on the

information that could help them. Such observations lead me

to look into the area of zinc deficiency and adrenal burnout

in their situations." ~ Laurie Warner, MA, CNC

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ADRENAL BURNOUT AND RELATIONSHIPS The lack of energy resulting from adrenal exhaustion / burnout

can have a profound effect on relationships as well. When

exhaustion, depression, and anxiety take over, it's impossible to

be the spouse you want to be for your partner, and shame and

doubts creep in. Often, the patient is not even aware of what

their feelings really are. The lack of energy reduces awareness

to the true extent of the problem. In fact, at this stage many of

the symptoms associated with copper toxicity are the same as

those common with adrenal burnout, and the issue is just as

much about the burnout as it is with the copper. If copper

toxicity is accompanied by adrenal exhaustion/ burnout, the

previously mentioned symptoms can be further amplified. It is

highly improbable for a person who has experienced adrenal

burnout, especially when copper toxicity is also at play, for

emotional thinking to be rational in the period following

burnout. The following conversation is taken from an interview

with biochemist, HTMA and Nutritional Balancing pioneer and

world's foremost expert on trace mineral relationships, the late

Dr. Paul Eck, as can be found in the 1985 book 'Energy: How it

Affects Your Emotions, Your Level of Achievement, and Your

Entire Well-Being' by Chatsworth and Eck:

Dr. Eck: Exactly! When a person undergoes a severe stress, or a series of minor stresses, the body’s reservoirs of zinc become severely depleted. The end-result is an ever-increasing build-up of copper in the tissues. Excessive tissue copper leads to a depression of both adrenal and thyroid activity. It is at this point that burnout ensues. Recovery from burnout occurs only when excessive tissue copper has been eliminated and tissue zinc reserves fully restored. Partial recovery from burnout occurs when tissue copper levels are diminished. Full recovery occurs only when excess tissue copper has been completely eliminated. Although a person may indeed have tremendous amounts of excess copper stored in his tissues, it may not immediately appear on a tissue mineral analysis until the body releases this copper from storage reservoirs. HV: I have noticed that people in burnout retire into their own world. Now they may be just as talkative as before, but somehow they are more distant. The person’s spontaneity seems to be gone, they seem to be more artificial. It seems as though there is always an aura of repressed anger about them – as though they are ticked off and you don’t know why. You wonder if it’s at you or if it’s at everything. You never know. You can’t even talk to them about it

"Copper toxicity reduces the ability to cope normally with

stress and the inability to respond adequately can provoke

many fearful emotions, including anxiety and panic."

~ Theresa Vernon, L.Ac.

"The unfortunate consequence of all this fatigue-induced

irritability can often be negatively felt in our

relationships with those closest to us... Many women have

missed out on important milestones in their loved ones’

lives due to debilitating fatigue that has left them unable to participate in even the most

basic daily tasks...We feel too tired to keep up with the

demands of life, so we feel overwhelmed. Feelings of

overwhelm often result in losing sight of the bigger picture and

difficulty seeing workable solutions to the problem at

hand. Overwhelm spirals into feelings of guilt, frustration,

disappointment, and, eventually, anger, resentment, and

depression." ~ Michelle L. Brown, CTNC

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because they will not talk about it. They will even deny that it is true. Dr. Eck: This is true. People in burnout will withdraw. They hesitate to communicate; you have to be so careful what you say to them, and often they won’t cooperate or want to work with anyone. They act as if they want to do everything on their own without anyone’s help. If you try to get too close to them they push you away. Even though they need your help, they may act as if they don’t, and even act as if they resent your ‘interfering’ with them. HV:The person might think that their relationship with their partner isn’t satisfying and that they need a different person. Dr. Eck: This is true. It is very easy to blame everybody else when you are in a state of adrenal exhaustion. One of the first insidious signs of burnout – even before chronic fatigue – is that all of a sudden the person is not as sexually aroused as he used to be. He doesn’t think about it as often and he doesn’t participate in it as often. What we are saying applies even more to women than it does to men. HV: The person is no longer the same person that he was before. He becomes unapproachable. Dr. Eck: It shouldn’t come as a surprise that burnout breaks up so many marriages. People in burnout have trouble making emotional commitments to others. They are too sunken into themselves. They can’t even take care of themselves. What do they have to give to others? They don’t have enough energy to make a deep commitment to almost anyone or anybody. Often the person has no real idea of what has gone wrong with their life... They may become functional to a point where they return to work and enjoy things more. However , the devastating effects of a severe burnout are usually permanent. Even without experiencing full adrenal burnout, adrenal fatigue

presents its fair share of symptoms. In her book 'The Everything

Guide to Adrenal Fatigue', Dr. Maggie Luther lists the following

symptoms of adrenal gland dysfunction as:

difficulty getting up in the morning

strong salt cravings or strong sugar cravings (usually one

or the other, not both)

daytime fatigue that is not relieved by any amount of

sleep

lowered or no libido

difficulty handling stress, decreased productivity

increased emotional symptoms including anxiety,

irritability, depression

trouble recovering from illnesses, chronic infections

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lightheadness when standing quickly, ongoing ringing in the ears

worsening of symptoms if meals are skipped

lack of focus, "brain fog", memory loss

exhaustion in the morning, crashes in the early

afternoon, energy bursts after dinner at night

Energetically, just as the person's physical energy decreases,

or changes, so does their 'vibrational energy', or

frequency. This can also affect relationships because the

ability to connect energetically to the person they once knew

diminishes. As Dr. Lawrence Wilson states, "Relationships often

suffer when one person in the relationship goes into adrenal

exhaustion".

EVIDENCING ADRENAL BURNOUT ON AN HTMA

As copper rises, it has antagonistic and synergistic effects on

various minerals as explained visually on page 11. One

mineral that excess copper depletes is potassium. On an

HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) we can clearly see the

effect copper has on the adrenals by assessing the

corresponding levels of potassium (and sodium). Low sodium

and potassium is a clear indicator

of adrenal burnout/exhaustion.

When we see such low potassium

we know that not only is there

insufficient adrenal function, but

that as a result there will also likely

be insufficient ceruloplasmin

production. Along with the low

sodium and potassium

(exhausted adrenals) there is the

possibility that copper won't show

up as high in the hair (or in blood

either for that matter), simply

because that excess copper is

tightly stored in tissues with

insufficient energy to release it.

Figure 2: HTMA Profile showing adrenal exhaustion, yet still

with clear evidence of copper toxicity showing.

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A WORD OF CAUTION WHEN TAKING ADRENAL SUPPORT Adrenal support will be required to help release excess stored

copper as well as raise ceruloplasmin. HOWEVER, this

requires the patient (and practitioner) to be aware of two

possible and very important consequences.

Adrenal support can give a person a relatively quick sense

of restored energy, enough to make the person think they

have recovered. Any such quick improvement is merely a

false sense of improvement, as to properly restore adrenal

function takes at minimum 6 months to a year or more,

including giving the body sufficient rest and following proper

healing protocol. For those who are suffering from severe

adrenal burnout, the process can take two years or more.

The danger is that adrenal support can lead a person to quit

their program too early, believing themselves to be fine, even

though they have merely just begun the process. Don't be

fooled - feeling better quickly does not mean your adrenals

are rejuvenated.

Adrenal support will mobilize stored copper. Attempted too

quickly (or strongly), and without sufficient detox pathways,

this bio-unavailable copper will simply be stirred up, possibly

aggravating symptoms further, and getting redeposited in

other locations, including the brain. This underscores the dire

importance that any copper detox using adrenal support

must be done very gently and cautiously. The supervising

practitioner also needs to inform the patient of these possible

detox reactions while not misleading the patient into thinking

they are fine after just a few weeks. It also underscores in a

general sense, when investigating how to heal adrenal

fatigue, the importance of understanding one's mineral

status and the role imbalance plays in contributing to the

fatigue.

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COPPER'S CONNECTION WITH ESTROGEN / HORMONES AND BIRTH CONTROL For some women, the copper IUD experience is without any

significant symptoms, and most OB/GYN's insist there is no

possible connection with the IUD or that an increase in copper

levels or psychological changes can occur. The copper IUD is

promoted as a safe option because it's "non-hormonal".

However, copper IUD risks are not being fully disclosed to

patients, and the product is certainly not as innocuous as those

promoting it make it sound. As far back as 1975, Dr. Carl

Pfeiffer in his book Mental and Elemental Nutrients made the

connection between the increasing prevalence of copper

'toxicity' and use of the pill and IUD. After copper IUD insertion,

both blood tests and hair tissue mineral tests will likely show an

increase in copper levels. These studies (46, 47, 48) support that

evidence, while hundreds of thousands of HTMA profiles

(including the sample profile shown in the TESTING section)

verify this connection. Of course, some blood elevation in of

itself does not necessarily lead to problems (initially), as for

many women their diet contains enough zinc to balance the

increase in copper, while their detox systems are strong enough

(for a while) to maintain proper regulation. That said, it will not

take much searching online to find forums filled with thousands

of women who's lives and health have been utterly ruined after

having their IUD put in (several cases and stories are included

at www.coppertoxic.com), and numerous class action law suits

have been filed as a result (that alone should be a clue as to

the dangers). Copper builds up slowly in the body. For many

women symptoms first begin appearing 2 or 6 months after

insertion, for others though the time period may be much

longer, years to decades before they notice anything, or

connect the dots. Side effects of copper IUD as copper

accumulates usually begin with increasing brain fog and

fatigue, often paired with a racing mind. Eventually, once the

liver is overloaded, copper will then start accumulating in the

brain, and severe shifts in personality can occur as a result of

increasing bio-unavailable copper and calcium and changes

"Birth control pills and copper IUDs - these two birth control

methods definitely affect copper metabolism in the body. While some women can handle them,

others experience depression, anxiety, personality shifts and

many horrible side effects from them, either acute or chronic.

This aspect of [birth control] has probably caused more

disasters in women’s health than any other."

~Dr. Lawrence Wilson

"TMA studies frequently reveal elevated tissue copper in

women taking oral contraceptive agents which has

been confirmed by others, as well in women with copper

intrauterine devices." [2]

"The continued use of oral contraceptives has been, and

will continue to be, an important factor in influencing

copper homeostasis in women."

~ Karl E. Mason, PhD, [3] (Note: this warning was given to

us back 1979!)

"In a fair number of these women [on the Pill]...problems

are often stated by other members of the family who have

observed a total change of personality.”

~Dr. Philip Ball testifying on the side effects of birth control

at the Nelson Pill Hearings, 1970

19

in neurotransmitter production. The period 2 to 5 months post-

insertion is a common time for many when metabolism begins

slowing and energy, behaviour, and reactions begin

changing, especially with increasing depression and

irritability. For some people, the simple decision to use

a copper IUD can change their entire life trajectory, destroying

important relationships, and beginning a cascade of health

issues that can take many years to rectify.

The copper problem has significantly worsened in the years

since the birth control pill was introduced. Since that time,

more and more females have become copper toxic (and we

see this with the evidence provided through HTMA data). The

mother's excess then gets transferred in utero via the placenta

to the fetus during pregnancy, leading to elevated levels in

the male population as well. Young girls entering adolescence

are especially at risk since their own estrogen build-up will

further increase the vulnerability to the problem - this is why it's

so important to acknowledge this issue and proactively test

female children early. The birth control pill affects copper by

way of estrogen. Anything that raises estrogen (as the pill

does) increases copper retention, and in turn, many of the

direct psychological effects of copper (especially depression

and anxiety). In fact, the 'science researchers' seem to finally

be catching up to this connection with a study published in

2016 (something the pioneers of HTMA and copper toxicity

research have already known about for 40 years, trying for

decades to get the medical community and public to listen).

This study [6, 7], the largest of its kind with over a million women

tracked over 13 years, showed the direct link between

hormonal contraceptive use and significantly increased rates

of depression. Most people however just think of the Pill's

connection to estrogen, without making the copper

connection. When the copper connection is made,

considering excess copper's direct link to increased rates of

depression and copper's effect on raising tissue calcium and

lowering magnesium (which in turn increases the risk of blood

clots [39]), questions raised by cases examined in articles such

"One of the effects of Xenoestrogens is to reduce the excretion rate of copper from the body. All estrogens cause

copper accumulation, xenoestrogens look like

estrogens to our biochemistry and hence also cause copper

retention. These patients have very high copper levels."

~Dr. Igor Tabrizian

"Excess copper can cause dramatic imbalances in two key

neurotransmitters, and may lead to depression or

behavioural/learning issues. For example, 68% of all ADHD

kids have a tendency for very high levels of copper. Excess

copper can cause inattention, anxiety, and hyperactivity.

Copper is especially problematic for women because estrogen

and copper are proportionately related. If you're high in

estrogen, you'll be high in copper."

~William J. Walsh, PhD

"When copper accumulates in the brain, this is the racing

mind, the paranoia, the anxiety, the fears, the phobias, tired but

wired...when you see women with their PMS, it's the copper

accumulating in the brain causing a lot of the depression,

anxiety, paranoia" ~ Dr. Robert Selig

20

as this one would certainly find clearer answers, and those

researching why youth mental health cases are exploding in

schools (example) might stop scratching their heads. How

many more have to suffer before this nutrient connection is

made!?

The estrogenic effect of the oral contraceptive pill, combined

with the fact that the synthetic progesterone does not have a

true progesterone effect, means that minerals such as

magnesium, zinc, and B6 diminish while copper rises [8]. On

that note, consider the unstable (negative) emotions

associated with pregnancy, or post-partum, or with

PMS. During pregnancy, estrogen rises, increasing copper

retention. The serum copper level almost doubles during

pregnancy! After giving birth, if the mother is not able to

detox her copper load (either through natural and healthy

liver and bile functioning) or through breast-feeding, much of

her elevated copper level remains stored in her body, a

contributing factor to depression / PPD, and anxiety. In fact,

women with a history of PPD have significantly higher serum

levels of copper[9]. (It would be interesting to see how even

more prevalent this connection would surely be if proper HTMA

testing had been done for that study). Many of the emotional

symptoms of PMS are also copper induced as estrogen rises

during the cycle. Estrogen rises up until ovulation at which

point progesterone takes over as the dominant hormone and

helps bring down estrogen (and copper). But when the

woman is estrogen dominant (low progesterone) or already

copper toxic, the cycle build up of estrogen leads to a further

increase of copper along with its correlated emotional

symptoms. Studies have clearly shown that zinc deficiency

resulting from increased copper occurs during the luteal

phase - when PMS symptoms occur.[10] Copper increases

sodium which aggravates PMS symptoms, while lowering zinc

and vitamin B6 - two nutrients which help reduce PMS

symptoms and are both also essential for serotonin production

(our happy hormone).

"Blood clots and blockage of blood vessels are one of the most serious side effects of

taking oral contraceptives and can cause death or serious

disability." ~Merck (package insert for

Desogen tablets) [49]

"It has been shown that women with a history of postpartum

depression (PPD) exhibited significantly higher Cu level

than those without PPD history." [29]

"I will not treat a woman more than once, if at all, if she is using

an IUD because it’s a certainty that it’s causing some, if not all of, her problems. I haven’t seen

an exception yet." ~Dr. Stephen Gangemi, DC,

DIBAK, DCBCN

21

The majority of women on the pill have negative side effects

[11], but because this all-important mineral connection is so

rarely discussed (even denied!) in medical circles and by

prescribing physicians, women often don't associate their

symptoms with the pill, or even more so with the ‘non-

hormonal’ IUD. Nor are they being given fully informed

consent when they are prescribed the pill or the IUD -

something (informed consent) every woman surely deserves to

have! This book is not meant in any way to discourage the use

of birth control, but rather help women understand the effect it

can have on their mineral balances so that they can

proactively take steps to maintain a healthy balance and

body.

"Women recently have been encouraged to substantially increase their dietary intake of calcium in hopes of preventing osteoporosis in their old

age. TMA data strongly suggest that most women today are slow oxidizers. Adding significant amounts of calcium to their dietary intake

will very likely exacerbate tendencies toward hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency (characteristics of slow oxidizers). Increasing calcium intake

will further slow the rate of metabolism of these women and allow for greater accumulation of toxic metals in the body. Increasing calcium

intake in a slow oxidizer will especially allow for increased accumulations of excess copper. This phenomenon will be intensified by the use of the

birth control pill or by estrogen replacement therapy during and after menopause (Mehta & Eikum, 1989). The accumulation of

excess copper will lead to greater storage in the liver and in the brain. The excess copper accumulation will further slow the rate of

metabolism with both psychological and physical problems manifesting more frequently (Malter, 1985). This process may be

leading to a major iatrogenic health disaster."[5]

"Another troubling discovery we have made during our research is that women are often unable to identify the side effects they

are experiencing from hormonal birth control, because

they are not fully informed. Around 60% of

women go off the Pill in the first six months due to unwanted side effects. Sometimes these

medications are tolerated well, but many times the side effects

are insidious, like depression, anxiety, lack of libido, or

headaches that can too easily be ascribed to just being a

'teenager' or a 'moody female'. Many women will begin taking an antidepressant without ever

realizing that their symptoms were brought on by their birth

control." [4]

22

ESTROGEN DOMINANCE

Estrogen dominance is a major issue which really throws off our

mineral balance and leads to increased copper

retention. The following are some of the more common

symptoms of estrogen dominance:

*cramping *bloating

*bleeding and clotting *mood swings

*Fibroids *memory loss

*Endometriosis *weight gain

*PCOS *brain fog

*Fibrocystic breasts *hair loss

*breast tenderness *insomnia

*increased irritability *fatigue

*osteoporsis *PMS

*hypothyroid *headaches

*slow metabolism *hypoglycemia

Note the similarity between those symptoms and

the symptoms of copper toxicity. While oral contraceptive use

is one contributing factor to estrogen dominance, largely

adding to the problem is the increasing prevalence of

xenoestrogens in our environment and lifestyle. Xenoestrogens

are manmade chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body.

Pesticides are our biggest source of xenoestrogens, both from

crops and produce as well as eating meat from animals which

previously consumed those crops. Growth hormones given to

much of the (non-organic) livestock and poultry we eat is

another source. PCB's, PVC's and plastic food and drink

containers also give chemicals which mimic estrogen in the

body. Even stress contributes to excess estrogen, while

estrogen in turn mimics the shock phase of the stress reaction.

Dr. Hans Selye, MD (the ‘father of stress research’) explained

how estrogen causes the pituitary to secrete hormones which

impair the ovaries from producing progesterone while at the

same time stimulating cortisol production. For women as they

enter their late-thirties, progesterone levels begin to decline

more quickly than estrogen, further contributing to estrogen

"One of the effects of Xenoestrogens is to reduce the excretion rate of copper from the body. All estrogens cause

copper accumulation, xenoestrogens look like

estrogens to our biochemistry and hence also cause copper

retention. These patients have very high copper levels."

~Dr. Igor Tabrizian

"The Estrogens in [birth control pills] do have Estrogenic effects,

but the progesterone (being synthetic) tends not to have true

progesterone effect. Another version of Estrogen dominance.

This explains why zinc and magnesium fall and why copper

rises while on the OCP (oral contraceptive pill)." [8]

23

dominance in women. In fact, between the ages of 35 to 50,

while estrogen drops about 35%, progesterone drops by up to

75% [44], leading to more and more to estrogen dominance as

menopause approaches. A zinc deficiency then allows copper

to accumulate further, especially with the presence of

estrogens and xenoestrogens which impair the body’s ability to

excrete the excess copper. Once again, the more estrogen

(regardless of source), in men or women, the higher the rate of

copper retention in the body. We've already seen through

scientific studies of wildlife how frogs and fish are switching

gender due to this rise in estrogens. Women are becoming

more and more estrogen dominant, especially in the Western

world, and some experts link this increase of estrogen to the rise

in rates of breast cancer, infertility, autoimmune diseases,

etc. This most definitely further impacts the number of people

who currently and who in the future will be diagnosed as

copper toxic.

"Excess copper can cause

dramatic imbalances in two key neurotransmitters, and may

lead to depression or behavioural/learning issues.

For example, 68% of all ADHD kids have a tendency for very

high levels of copper. Excess copper can cause inattention,

anxiety, and hyperactivity. Copper is especially problematic

for women because estrogen and copper are proportionately

related. If you're high in estrogen, you'll be high in

copper." ~William J. Walsh, PhD

24

HOW DIET AFFECTS COPPER This section discusses the effects of copper toxicity on the gut

and digestion, as well as how a plant based diet contributes to

copper toxicity. This discussion should not be taken in any way

to knock the virtues of veganism / vegetarianism, as copper's

affect on gut health affects everyone, regardless of dietary

preference. The information here is presented with evidence

from a nutritional / mineral perspective, further backed up by

HTMA data, to inform, educate, and serve. Remember

that, even diet aside, excess copper can build up for everyone

from drinking water through copper piping (discussed later in

this section), as well as from glyphosate sprayed on crops

(which tends to chelate zinc), fungicides such as copper

sulphates also used on crops (as also discussed further below,

and which contain oxidized copper that cannot be used by

the mitochondria and is toxic to the body), congenitally, birth

control methods, and a number of other sources. Diet,

however, is a key contributor that needs to be acknowledged

as part of a complete discussion. For the vegan reader, this

section is not to dissuade from the plant based diet, but rather is

offered as a source of further empowerment for the individual

by providing a greater understanding of the biochemical

effects of minerals, while encouraging proactive action through

proper testing and added supplementation.

The vegetarian diet, and even more so the vegan diet, puts

one at significantly higher risk of having elevated levels of

copper. How 'toxic' the copper accumulation becomes on

your body depends on how long you've been following a plant

based diet, the strength of your detox pathways, stressors in

your life, and if other sources of copper (such as the birth

control pill or IUD) are also contributing. Everyone reacts

differently, and elevated copper levels do not necessarily

translate into symptoms, initially. However, almost across the

board, through HTMA data looking at the tissue level of copper,

we see the copper toxic pattern as typical in the long-term

vegan/vegetarian person.

"We have observed through

TMA studies that vegetarians appear to have a greater

tendency to retain copper than non-vegetarians."

~Trace Elements Inc

"Once digestive vigor has been reduced and copper buildup

has affected liver function, foods high in copper, or those that

interfere with zinc, can be troublesome. Gittleman states

that vegans, who often combine plant protein sources to

increase protein intake, can be especially susceptible to

copper toxicity." [12]

"Ironically, animal meat is the main food high in zinc which

could correct the excess copper. But a person like me,

who stayed away from red meat for the past 10 years and leaned

into a vegetarian diet, tends to accumulate more and more

copper unbalanced by zinc. Then, to make us extra

crazy, our body begins to crave high copper foods, so we eat

more of them. I was inhaling avocado, nuts, beans, chocolate,

sugar and tea every day. Growing just a tad more

coppery, zippy and fatigued as I munched along, oblivious."

~Diane Stallings RN, Nutritionist

25

Zinc is required to keep copper in check; without enough zinc

copper will accumulate. The best zinc sources in terms of

absorption are found in meats. Without this zinc, excess copper

builds up in tissues which then interferes particularly with the liver

and digestion, among other systems as well. A vicious cycle is

then created, because as liver / bile function and digestive

processes decline, meat protein becomes less tolerable,

solidifying the belief that one feels better eating plant foods.

Zinc is also very important for metallothionein (MT) synthesis.

One of MTs vital roles is to bind to copper for enhancement of

utilization or for removal and excretion. Without adequately

absorbed dietary zinc, MT synthesis is impaired, further allowing

copper (along with other toxins and metals) to build up. [15]

Phytates, common in plant foods, further compound the

problem by interfering with zinc absorption. The copper zinc

ratio in plant foods is already high to begin with, and the

phytates (and oxalates) just make it worse. Without adequate

zinc, the individual lacks the ability to retain potassium.

Adequate potassium is necessary for hydrochloric acid

secretion in the stomach - a deficiency of which will develop a

distaste for animal protein. No matter how much potassium the

individual eats through vegetables and fruit, it is not being

retained. This lack of available potassium is a common cause

behind many vegetarian complaints including apathy,

underweight, digestive issues, and depression. The answer is not

to simply eat more potassium, but rather help the body make it

usable by strengthening the adrenals and metabolism.

Otherwise, the vegetarian will continue to crave stimulants such

as chocolate (high in sugar, copper, and oxalic acid) or

running/jogging which temporarily whips up the adrenal glands

making the person feel temporarily 'more alive'...all the while

depleting their energy reserves further and allowing copper to

rise. These are just some of the dangers of veganism (and to a

slightly lesser extent vegetarianism) that are often over-looked

but should at least be understood.

"Disruption of the copper-zinc

ratio is an overlooked contributor to intractable

fatigue that follows excessive reliance on a plant-based diet.

The result is toxic accumulation of copper in tissues and critical

depletion of zinc through excretion. This condition usually

goes unrecognized because copper levels in the blood can

remain normal. Also, most doctors are unprepared to meet

with extreme zinc deficiency and its baffling effects on many

systems of the body. Hair mineral analysis, competently

used, is the tool which can unravel the complexities of this

growing problem. In particular, it is becoming clear that plant-

based diets, and lighter diets generally, cause serious

nutrient imbalances and long-term damage to digestion and

cellular metabolism that are not easily corrected." [12]

26

Two additional problems the vegan/vegetarian faces is

potential sulfur deficiency and taurine deficiency, both of which

then make proper detoxing even more difficult. Sulfur is found in

certain vegetables (i.e.: garlic, onions, beans) as well as in

meats. It is most abundant however and in a more usable form

in meat. This creates a serious problem for many vegetarians

and vegans as sulfur is essential for liver detoxification and

removing heavy metals. Without enough meat-based sulfur

sources in the diet, vegetarians will be even more prone to the

build-up of heavy metals (and copper), as well as experience a

much harder time chelating those metals. The case with

Taurine is similar, especially as Taurine is also sulfur-

containing. Taurine is a meat-sourced amino acid not found in

plant foods which is critical for the production of bile. Bile is the

primary means through which the body eliminates excess

copper. Taurine (and sulfur) deficiency means bile production is

impaired, hindering the natural detox process and further

allowing copper (and other toxins) to build up.

Of course much of this imbalance won't show up in a blood test.

Unless there is a current and direct exposure to copper (such as

an IUD), most vegetarians / vegans have too low a metabolic

rate for the elevated copper to show up high in a blood test. At

times, when metabolism is low and the body is exhausted, it

won't show up in a hair test either (though other indirect

indicators can be used in the HTMA to determine the copper

status).

However, a quick search through online forums will turn up a

large percentage of vegetarians/vegans (and ex-

vegetarians/vegans) sharing stories of their battles with copper

toxicity, many of them eventually realizing their health was more

important than their principles, however virtuous. Many too,

about 50%, drop out of the vegan diet due to declining health

[12], though this mineral connection to the cause of their health

decline is rarely made. Though veganism is thought to be

healthy, unlike vegetarianism it has no historical basis and is

founded on ideology, not on human physiology. Vegetarianism

"Restoring and maintaining liver detoxification is one of the most important aspects

of healing. Sulfur, mainly in the form of sulfur-containing amino acids - mainly taurine, methionine and cysteine - are

absolutely needed for the detoxification pathways in

the liver. We find that most vegetarians…cannot remove toxic metals as well because

they are low in the sulfur-containing amino acids."

~ Dr. Lawrence Wilson

"The great majority of vegetarians suffer from long-

term copper toxicity. This is true even if all tests indicate

a low copper level. The vegetarian’s metabolic rate is

too low to cause a proper elimination of copper. Not

enough copper may be released on a regular basis to

show up in a blood test or even in a hair analysis test. Of course, sometimes the copper

level in the hair will be high, but it doesn’t have to be. In

some of the worst cases I have seen, the copper is tightly-bound in tissue

storage sites. It may take three years on a nutritional correction program before

the person will even start releasing his excess copper”

~ Dr. Paul Eck

27

on the other hand does have a much longer history, and can

be considered slightly more healthy. However when the

underlying mineral patterns are analyzed, we quickly see that

both diets are deplete in key nutrients. DHA for example,

essential for good health, energy, and neurological function, is

non-existent in the vegan diet. As Mara J Kahn points out in her

deeply researched book 'Vegan Betrayal: Love, Lies, and

Hunger in a Plants-Only World', "DHA is really a problem with

vegans … In fact, two of the founders of veganism, as they

became older, suffered from Parkinson’s disease. They had

their DHA tested and it was zero." B12 deficiency is a huge

problem among vegans, as is the lack of retinol. Animal source

retinol is essential for the liver and the production of

ceruloplasmin - the key protein that binds to copper to make it

bioavailable. Many vegetarians and vegans who have been

diagnosed as copper toxic have returned to a meat diet, as

taking that step becomes almost essential in order to properly

heal and re-balance minerals.

Copper toxic individuals very often will also have gut concerns,

including candida and yeast, low HCl, poor nutrient

absorption, gluten sensitivity, even leaky gut. One of copper's

roles is that of an anti-fungal, and when in balance, helps to

control fungi and yeast / candida in the gut. However, with

toxic levels of copper, much of this copper is in a bio-

unavailable form stored in tissues, and is not serving its role in

controlling the candida / yeast, or other parasites. This, along

with the anaerobic GI environment that's created, allows

candida, fungi, yeast, parasites and bacteria to flourish.

Meanwhile, as mentioned above, copper toxicity (by way of

lowering zinc) also reduces hydrochloric acid production.

When hydrochloric acid (HCl) is low, the healthy gut flora are

weakened (and zinc is lowered further - a vicious cycle). HCl

helps kill off pathogens and is required for the absorption of

nutrients such as calcium, iron, and various vitamins. Reduced

digestive enzyme production occurs and the intestine

becomes overly alkaline, giving a nice home to pathogenic

bacteria. Copper toxicity leads to low HCl by way of slowing

"There is a predisposition in this country to kinds of virtuous

extremes, and I lived this life myself. I was a vegan, I was a

vegetarian, I was non-fat, I was low-fat, I was anorexic, in short

I thought that if animal foods would kill you and fats would

kill you, the less the better and zero must be ideal. This is

obviously nonsensical thinking. It's black its white. It's rigid.

It's extreme. And it's not virtuous...

Little by little I started to eat these foods (traditional - meat,

poultry, raw milk, etc) again and in time came back to being

a moderate omnivore, a conscientious carnivore, a

traditional foods person, and restored my health along the

way.... ... I was...gloomy and irritable, I was depressed in the

winter, in short I was a sickly person with a big personality

and I had no idea that my virtuous diets were making me sick until little by little I added

traditional foods back." ~Nina Planck (Food Writer)

28

metabolism and reducing sodium and potassium levels, two

minerals which are required in the production of HCl. The

destruction of gut function and the collapse of one's

metabolism are hallmarks of copper toxicity.

Long term copper-induced zinc deficiency will increase the

permeability of the gut lining, contributing to leaky gut and

food intolerances. "Research has shown that both

metallothionein and zinc play powerful roles in preventing and

restoring the damage in the gut barrier. Damage to the

intestinal barrier can lead to serious conditions, such as leaky

gut, colitis and Crohn's Disease."[15]. We already know that

copper lowers zinc, and zinc is important for metallothionein

synthesis. For the vegan / vegetarian, they do require extra zinc

supplementation. However, it alone may not be enough. This is

because, when the body is under stress or suffering from

adrenal weakness, the zinc level can drop further even when

supplementing - allowing copper to accumulate further. A

whole body / endocrine system approach is required to

understand which supplements (and in what amounts) are

optimal.

It's becoming increasingly difficult for people to get unbiased

and scientifically founded facts on nutritional choices,

especially when some of the most widely referenced 'nutrition

facts' websites are run by vegan organizations with a clear bias

toward pushing the plant-based diet. To be clear, the author

here is not suggesting any one diet over another, but rather is

an advocate for people having informed choice and receiving

full disclosure. The goal here is to support vegans and

vegetarians by providing awareness into potential pitfalls so

that those pitfalls can be avoided down the road. With

awareness, intelligent supplementation, and some flexibility, the

risk of copper toxicity can be reduced.

"It is tragic that Americans who have been inspired to adopt healthier diets have been so

harmfully misled by the anti-animal foods dogma, often

against their better instincts. I myself was led into this trap in

the mid 1970s, and have only found my way out of it in the

last few years. Although I found the Weston A. Price Foundation material when it first appeared,

and benefited from many of its suggestions, I was unable to

consistently expand my diet, or even tolerate any fat, until I

learned to recognize and apply the lessons of the copper-zinc

imbalance. In fact, this imbalance could very well have

killed me. ~Laurie Warner, MA, CNC

29

ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF COPPER INGESTION

1. COPPER SULFATE ON OUR CROPS Copper sulfate is a fungicide which is used against bacterial and

fungal diseases on a wide variety of fruit, vegetable, nut and field

crops. (It’s also added in some pools, hot tubs, and municipal

drinking water supplies to control yeast, bacterial or algae growth).

Focusing here on crops, copper sulfate, though numerous studies

show it is toxic to humans and the environment, is approved as a

pesticide under the USDA National Organic Program [31]. While the

official pesticide information website on copper sulfate tries to paint

it as being harmless (suggesting that ‘excess copper is excreted

and not often stored in the body)’, this site [32], though somewhat

dated, offers a somewhat more telling perspective. Since copper

sulfate is derived from ‘natural sources’, it's allowed to be used on

organic produce, even if it’s no less harmful than synthetic

pesticides. In fact, the Committee on European Communities noted

in their recommendations to Parliament in 1999 that copper sulfate

was even more dangerous than the synthetic alternative. Some

wineries in France (and other countries) have even stopped

growing organic wine because of copper in the soil. Even though

much of the spray is usually washed off the produce, it then ends

up going into the soil, affecting the next batch of crops. “Typically,

each spray with a copper-based fungicide results in an application of 1 to 4 lb.

of copper per acre (raising the topsoil concentration from 0.5 to 2 ppm), and

often several copper sprays are made per season. Thus, under a heavy copper

spray program, toxic topsoil levels could be reached in a matter of decades.”

[33] In other words, even those of us who try to live healthy and

clean by eating organic fruits and vegetables may be at risk of

toxic copper accumulation from even just this one source alone,

especially in places where soil levels are not properly monitored.

2. ORGANIC VS INORGANIC COPPER It's one thing to ingest copper through diet, it's another to be

exposed to copper through copper sulfates and other sources.

Food source copper is organic copper, bound to organic protein

30

molecules, and not exhibiting as severe side effects as inorganic

copper. This does not invalidate the above discussion of the vegan

diet contributing to copper overload. Even though the copper is of a

healthy organic kind, the lack of taurine and/or high quality

absorbable zinc contributes to the accumulation of copper, which

then eventually takes a toll on the adrenals and liver and eventually,

due to lowered Cp, lowers the bioavailability of the copper. Also, due

to the vegan's higher crop consumption, they are generally more

prone to inorganic copper sulfate exposure as discussed above.

Inorganic copper (the kind found in drinking water, most copper-

containing supplement pills, or the copper IUD) is not bound to

anything. Unlike organic copper, inorganic copper largely bypasses

the liver and enters the free copper pool of the blood directly. This

copper is potentially toxic because it can penetrate the blood/brain

barrier [34].

3. DRINKING WATER (COPPER PIPES) With no proteins to bind to in water, the drinking water flowing through

copper piping in homes leaches copper off from the pipes. This

copper then combines with sulfates, carbonates and phosphates to

form copper sulfate, copper carbonate, or copper phosphate. This

inorganic copper is at its highest level during the first run of the tap in

the morning. If your home has copper piping (aged piping being the

worst), it would be wise to test your water, and also to run the water for

a minute before using the water for your morning drink or coffee

maker. Not doing so could be exposing you to high levels of inorganic

copper. The use of copper piping in homes of developed countries,

along with increasing use of The Pill, both gaining mainstream and

widespread use in the 1950s/1960s, are perhaps the two biggest

causes of the copper epidemic that has been increasing over this past

century. Just how dangerous is this increased inorganic copper? Well,

in addition to everything else explained throughout this book, the

information provided in the Alzheimer's section of this book may be of

particular interest.

31

THE IMPACT ON EMOTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, and MENTAL HEALTH

"Copper toxicity often leads to the destruction of relationships.

Sometimes they don't realize it because their feelings are numbed so

much by the buildup of excess calcium and copper, they're not even

aware that their feelings are numbed, deadened, and cut off, and

they're basically operating at a cognitive level and not a feeling

level, and yet cognitively they can convince themselves that they're

thinking their way through their emotional life. And that's simply not

the way it works, psychologically. I would venture to say that divorce

courts are loaded with people who's relationships were destroyed by

copper toxicity. Because the role of copper toxicity impacting the

emotions, thought processes and behaviors is not understood, it leads

to a lot of animosity and anger and resentment, and revenge - a lot

of flare ups of the Judge psychologically - that ultimately winds up

destroying the relationship." ~ Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D.

The accumulation of copper to high bio-unavailable levels

contributes to adrenal burnout, the numbing Calcium Shell

effect, estrogen/PMS symptoms, destruction of hippocampus

cells affecting memory and emotion, depletion of NGF,

changes to key neurotransmitters, and an increased sodium to

potassium ratio – all of which can play havoc on relationships.

WHY COPPER IS CALLED THE 'EMOTIONAL MINERAL' Copper, at a healthy level, helps in the release of endorphins

that contribute to normal feelings of love and

euphoria. Ancient cultures made this connection, and

manufacturers today of certain copper products use these

concepts as a benefit in their marketing, including calling

copper a 'love mineral'. What they fail to recognize is that the

human population today is far more prone to copper toxicity

than it was thousands of years ago, and when copper

accumulates too much in the body, the reversal of 'love' is

created. The higher that the bio-unavailable copper level

becomes, especially when compounded with adrenal

exhaustion, the more that feelings of love are diminished and

numbed... at the same time that the risk for depression,

"Copper toxicity has been observed in association

with major psychological problems including

hyperactivity, depression, attention deficit disorder,

memory problems, anxiety and panic attacks,

violence, and emotional deadness.

~J.Casper, L.Ac

"Anyone who becomes highly copper toxic will begin to

experience a deadening of his/her feelings."

~’The Strands of Health', by Dr. Rick Malter, PhD

32

irritability, and even violence increase. Excess copper indeed

affects the emotions, but not in a warm, loving way that could

easily be misinterpreted by the connotation of 'emotional

mineral'.

The dichotomic emotional effect of copper is perfectly

summarized in the book 'Energy: How it affects your emotions,

your level of achievement, and your entire well-being' , an

excerpt from which discussing the destructive role that copper

and adrenal burnout play on relationships, is provided on page

14.

While it's true that copper increases the 'emotional states' of

humans, this should not be confused with feelings of love and

positivity. Emotions also include depression, anxiety, fear, anger,

resentment, etc. Science shows that high levels of bio-

unavailable copper trigger those negative emotional states

(fear, anger, irritability, etc), while at the same time deadening

positive feelings of love.

Though copper mostly accumulates in the liver initially, once the

liver is overburdened, copper then gets stored in secondary

storage locations, including the brain. Copper stimulates the

diencephalon or old 'emotional' brain (the part of the brain

based on quick emotional decisions such as anger/fight and

avoidance/flight). Zinc on the other hand is needed for the new

brain (cortex) - the brain associated with the “higher emotions”

such as reasoning, compassion and love. As zinc drops and

copper rises, these higher emotions are weakened and the

person tends to revert to using the old brain - triggering a wide

array of negative emotions and behaviours. Copper toxicity

causes "excessive emotions of many types such as anger, rage,

frustration and others"[16] Additionally, copper is largely

deposited in the limbic brain which contains the hippocampus

(affecting memories and emotions) - the cells of which have

been shown to die when deprived of zinc. Copper is also a

key factor in PMS symptoms. We already know estrogen's

intimate connection to copper as we talked about in the

"Mental diseases and symptoms linked to high inorganic copper

levels are low-histamine schizophrenia, postpartum

psychosis, depression, senility, autism and hyperactivity.

Paranoia and hallucinations are prevalent in younger

schizophrenics and depression in older ones." [50]

"An adequate copper level is what gives a woman her

'warmth'. Copper is involved with the production of estrogens

- the female hormone. Women who lack 'AVAILABLE' copper

tend to be cold and sometimes either secretly or openly hostile

to men." ~ Chatsworth & Eck

33

Estrogen section. As estrogen rises during the premenstrual

cycle (or during pregnancy), copper rises. Not only does

this lead to copper induced zinc deficiency during the

luteal phase (when PMS symptoms occur), but it also in turn

increases sodium. This increase of sodium increases the

Na/K stress ratio, and the individual becomes more prone

to short fuse reactions to even the slightest

stressor. Meanwhile, calming nutrients which can ease PMS

symptoms such as zinc, magnesium, and B6 are, not

coincidentally, reduced as copper increases. Copper

toxicity and magnesium deficiency (the former contributing

to the latter) are the two biggest contributors to depression

and anxiety.

With the drop in the zinc level as copper increases, so too

drops the level of NGF (nerve growth factor). Elevated NGF

plays an important role in early stage romantic love (first 1-6

months of a relationship) [3]. Copper toxicity occurring to a

partner during this early relationship phase can really play

havoc as heightening copper lowers zinc and in turn NGF,

suffocating those feelings of love. Added to this, high

copper also leads to a state known as the 'calcium

shell'. This rise in the tissue level of calcium is a defence

mechanism against increasing and overwhelming stress

which aims to reduce the adrenal response but in doing so

blocks feelings and awareness, potentially leaving

one emotionally numb.

THE CALCIUM SHELL One of the symptoms of copper toxicity that can result at

higher levels is a calcium shell. Physically, the calcium shell is

excess soft tissue calcium that forms a 'shell' around the

outside of the cell, slowing down nutrients from entering

and exiting. The psychological effects are just as important

to understand. In most cases, a very high level of calcium

"Excess copper in the system

can cause paranoia." ~Gabriel Cousens M.D., M.D.(H.), N.D.(h.c.), D.D.

"The present data indicate that serum copper is a 'trait

marker' (remains constant regardless of successful treatment) of unipolar

depression.” ~[1]

"...as a person's stress level increases and intensifies, s/he is more likely to develop a calcium

shell, especially if s/he is in a constant highly stressful

situation," [ie: demanding job, intense academic pressure...]

"This is because, under stress, a person tends to lose magnesium

and zinc from their cells and tissues. As magnesium is lost from cell and tissue storage,

more soft tissue calcification is likely to occur and the Cal/Mg

ratio will increase. These mineral changes lead to

increased muscle tension, more unstable blood sugar levels,

diminished awareness of one's feelings, and lower energy

levels. Depression and anxiety may also increase in frequency

and intensity. Since zinc antagonizes copper, a drop in

zinc allows copper and calcium to increase even more."

~'The Strands of Health', by Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D

34

on an HTMA is a result of copper imbalance. The stress caused by rising bio-

unavailable copper in the body allows calcium to rise as a form of defence

against the stress. A calcium level above 165mg% is indicative of the calcium

shell pattern. It creates a numbing, deadening effect along with apathy,

withdrawal, rigidity, and being somewhat out of touch with reality. The calcium

shell dulls the emotional response, while also slowing the previously racing mind

down, giving the individual a sense of normalcy, though in reality it is not at all a

sign of healthy improvement.

The following offers a great background and is taken from clinical psychologist

Dr. Rick Malter's article in The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Volume 9,

Number 2, 1994: "The Slow Oxidizer has elevated tissue levels of calcium and magnesium. A person's sense of awareness may be affected by tissue levels of calcium and magnesium. The higher levels of calcium and magnesium in the Slow Oxidizer tend to be associated with emotional blocking and deadening of feelings. The excess calcium and magnesium provide a natural barrier between outside stimuli and the inner emotions. The high levels of calcium and magnesium tend to provide a protective shell at the cost of emotional blocking and deadening of feelings. This allows a person to more easily cope with stress or abusive situations because awareness is blocked and feelings are deadened. A high tissue level of calcium tends to block natural cellular functioning, especially that involved in energy production. Lowered cellular energy production tends to be associated with emotional blocking, numbing of feelings, depression, low self-esteem, pessimism, and feelings of inferiority. The more need there is for emotional blocking and deadening of feelings, the more the TMA calcium will tend to exceed magnesium. As the Ca/ Mg ratio increases, blood sugar problems will increase along with neuromuscular problems such as spasms. In alcoholic or other dysfunctional families, there seems to be a strong tendency for a child to develop a calcium "shell" as a natural self-protective mechanism which helps to constantly deaden feelings of vulnerability and anxiety. In chronically unpredictable and threatening situations, these feelings would become intolerable without the aid of the calcium shell. However, this calcium shell can become a chronic entrenched mineral pattern affecting glucose metabolism and neuromuscular functions. By adversely affecting glucose metabolism, the high Ca/Mg ratio also tends to predispose the individual to a higher risk of alcoholism or other addictions. Thus, TMA profiles allow us to observe and explain how psychological stress within a dysfunctional family can affect critical mineral patterns which then increase the person's risk to repeat the addictive and dysfunctional behavior. Over an extended period of time from childhood to adolescence, a high Ca/Mg ratio may become chronic and entrenched. Psychologically, a chronic high Ca/Mg ratio tends to be associated with denial or covering up a problem with which the individual cannot or will not deal. [18]

35

Along with the high Ca/Mg ratio as mentioned in the quote

above, comes an associated high level of sugar in the blood.

This then affects neurons in the brain and further suffocates

emotional awareness. At extreme Ca/Mg ratios > 20:1,

emotions and deeply buried problems can become so

suppressed that the individual finds himself in a state of

continuous false euphoria.

Another key concept is the inherent psychological tendency of

the slow metabolizer. The slow metabolizer's mineral pattern is

easily evidenced on an HTMA profile, generally showing high

copper and calcium, with reduced sodium and potassium. The

more extreme this pattern, the more the tendency for

introversion, depression, despair, and lowered emotional

expression [19]. These personality 'symptoms' can of course

also have a profound impact on relationships.

THE CORTISOL - OXYTOCIN - DOPAMINE -

SEROTONIN - GABA CONNECTION

A high copper level induces stress, anxiety, and fears. When a

stressor happens that brings up some past emotional pain,

cortisol is triggered to help us do whatever is necessary to avoid

that pain again. With proper rationalizing, we are able to tell

which current 'dangers' are real, and which aren't (most aren't -

our current fear is almost always a reflection of some past

programming projected on to some future event that hasn't

even happened). Under normal conditions, oxytocin steps in to

regulate these bad feelings while the (neo)cortex part of our

brain rationalizes that the triggered fear or anxiety is not

real...and we get back to life as normal without over-

reacting. This isn't the case however when copper levels

become high (or during detox) - fears from the past may be

brought to the surface, and the neocortex is weakened and

the brain's ability to determine if the fear is real or not is

compromised. The natural response may then be to run

"Sequentially, you get higher and higher and higher levels of

copper concentration, which now will affect brain capacity,

processing, and thinking and make anxiety and depression worse. This is what we see in

post-partum depression and in post-partum psychosis. Many

times, you hear the stories about women who have shot their husbands and drowned

their children, et cetera. If you notice, most of these women have had multiple children,

usually three to four, sometimes even five, before these events have occurred. These women

were copper-toxic females who could not get rid of copper, it

affected their brain functioning, their nerve-conduction and in

actuality caused a huge electrical short-circuiting of

mental processes. We’d be amazed at the knowledge of

how many individuals who are in prison systems are there

really because of a poor detoxification process involving

copper." ~Dr. Albert Mensah

36

away from whatever or whoever even innocently triggered that

past emotional pain.

As copper builds up higher and higher, the adrenals get

weaker and cortisol production then slows. When cortisol

production is low, especially near adrenal burnout, you are

'constantly going into hypoglycemia, which can result in

depression, irritability, mood swings, poor concentration, poor

memory, dizziness, fatigue, sleepiness and many more

unpleasant effects.'(51) Also keep in mind that as the body

approaches adrenal burnout while facing hypoglycemia, it

increases adrenalin in an attempt to correct the

hypoglycemia. Adrenalin is an anxiety and panic hormone,

and the reactions of anxiety and panic can amplify then when

copper is mobilized and enters the bloodstream (ie: through

detox). Subsequently, when adrenal function is jump-started

through an aggressive detox protocol, cortisol production once

again rises. In addition to the diminished feelings of romantic

'love' and compassion brought on by the calcium shell and

neocortex, the newly heightened cortisol level kills memories

and emotions even further, all of which can profoundly lead to

relationship issues and emotional changes.

Oxytocin, known as the 'love hormone' or 'cuddle hormone' is

important for behaviours including sexual arousal, recognition,

trust, and bonding. As stress goes up (internally caused by rising

copper (and other toxins), along with weakening of the

adrenals and increasing amounts of bio-unavailable copper,

our bodies in time become more and more oxytocin deficient.

In other words, as copper toxicity builds up and the adrenals

become exhausted, oxytocin levels generally drop, and the

sexual arousal, recognition, trust and bonding that once existed

between partners can become diminished. Symptoms of

oxytocin deficiency can include generalized depression,

heightened anxiety, social isolation, mistrust, resistance to

intimacy affection and relationships, phobias, panic attacks,

and sleep difficulties to name a few. Meanwhile, other

neurotransmitters also come into play…

"The main hormone that mediates stress response is

cortisol which is directly toxic to nerve cells in the part of the

brain (the hippocampus) that mediates memory and emotion -

it kills them." ~ Dr. Andrew Weil

"Copper also affects neurotransmitter production.

It actually pushes the conversion of dopamine, that

lovely, warm, fuzzy feeling neurotransmitter into that

excited neurotransmitter, norepinephrine. So, all that

norepinephrine cause the heart to race, it can cause anxiety, it can later cause

depression and it can later cause adrenal fatigue."

~Dr. Albert Mensah

37

Serotonin is a calming neurotransmitter and helps control

anxiety. Serotonin receptors seem to be directly involved in the

normal function of hippocampus in mood regulation and

memory formation. Serotinin also influences sexual desire and

some social behaviour. The problem is that copper oxidizes

serotonin and therefore stops it from doing its job. Furthermore,

if serotonin is under-methylated, serotonin becomes inactive

and further depression ensues. Zinc, B6 and Vitamin C are all

essential for serotonin production, yet all three of these nutrients

are reduced in the presence of excess copper. Consider the link

between depression and low zinc:

'A meta-analysis published in December 2013 in Biological

Psychiatry analyzed 17 studies and found that depressed people tended

to have about 14 percent less zinc in their blood than most people do on

average, and the deficiency was greater among those with more severe

depression.' [43]

GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) is one of the body’s most

inhibitory neurotransmitters, helping to maintain calm and

relaxation - balancing against glutamate (the body’s main

excitatory neurotransmitter). Excess copper, by way of slowing

the thyroid and impairing cellular energy production, inhibits the

conversion of glutamate into glutamine and GABA, resulting in

high glutamate levels. This in turn contributes to copper's excito-

toxicity effect along with symptoms such as impaired speech,

high irritability, anxiety, aggressiveness, GI inflammation, and

neuronal destruction. It should be noted that depression has

long been associated with deficiencies in serotonin, dopamine,

and GABA [52] ...all of which are impaired by excess copper.

[Consider this information (and copper's link to estrogen and the

Pill) in the staggering increase in the rates of depression and use

of anti-depressants. Anti-depressant usage has increased 65%

between 1999 - 2014 [42], with twice as many women on the

medication as men. And not surprisingly, the biggest benefit to

the medication is the placebo effect. Anti-depressants further

throw off the body's delicate mineral balance, and certainly do

nothing to teach about, address, or rectify the copper

connection.]

"It is well understood that neurotransmitters play a role in

psychiatric conditions... when copper is elevated, dopamine

levels decrease and norepinephrine levels rise.

Having these neurotransmitters out of balance can result in a

whole range of problems including anxiety, panic,

paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, ADHD, and

autism." ~Courtney Snyder, MD,

Psychiatrist

38

THE DAMAGING TOLL ON RELATIONSHIPS

Even independent of each other, copper toxicity and adrenal

burnout both individually can lead at more advanced stages

to withdrawal, apathy, irritability, anxiety, memory problems,

and depression. When both are experienced together, the

results are amplified, and it can be devastating on

relationships. The highly copper toxic individual shuts down

emotionally (compounded by the calcium shell, and especially

even more so if adrenal burnout occurs). Often, the patient is

not even aware of what their feelings really are. The lack of

energy reduces awareness to the true extent of the

problem. In fact, many of the symptoms of copper toxicity at

this stage are the same as those commonly seen with adrenal

burnout, and the issue is just as much about the burnout as it is

with the copper. If both are present, the symptoms can be

amplified. It is highly improbable for a person who has

experienced adrenal burnout, especially when copper toxicity

is also at play, to be acting as one's true self emotionally in the

period following burnout. Too many factors are acting

together to make a person shut down. This short discussion from

the 1985 "Energy" book provides an excellent starting point in

understanding the relationship withdrawal commonly occurs

during adrenal burnout. The effects of copper and the

calcium shell then add to this withdrawal.

Sexually the person is not only mentally, but also biologically

forced to withdraw when burnout occurs - the body is trying to

preserve its energy and so the sex hormones, being not as

critical, are put on the back burner. It can seem to the patient

that they no longer desire their partner, not understanding that

this feeling is simply a survival mechanism and not their true

self. The closer and more intense the relationship, and the more

intense the copper-induced burnout, the more intense the

opposing negative withdrawal reaction often is toward that

person. Relationship OCD and paranoia

become common. Many of the stories and cases presented

on www.coppertoxic.com underscore this change in

“A tired person is fearful, and an exhausted couple is more prone

to doubt each other. One partner wonders ‘Will she (or

he) always love me as I am?’ and the other is thinking the

same. As the fatigue settles in, the joy goes out of being

together. You get so tired, you don't want to be touched and

you don't enjoy touching — much less lovemaking. You can

get so on edge that just the turning of the pages of the daily

newspaper or the squeaking of a chair can irritate you. You are

so tired you can't enjoy anymore the little kindnesses you used to do for each other. You get too exhausted to even

do them, and when totally exhausted, to even care.

Apathy replaces joy, and life becomes boring. People start

wondering if they really are meant for each other. They

wonder what happened to the original feelings that got them

together. Fatigue and exhaustion can do all of this and

more. It can help destroy a marriage that should have

lasted forever." ~ Colin and Loren Chatsworth,

“Since copper raises the hair and tissue calcium level,

women, in particular, with very high copper levels or hidden

copper on their hair analyses, often lose interest in sex. Their

energy declines and the body can become a bit “numb”

because excessive tissue calcium tends to render the nervous

system less sensitive.” ~Dr. Lawrence Wilson

39

personality and damage to relationships. Forums across the

internet are also filled with stories of how the Pill and IUD have

devastated relationships. Is it not a tragedy that a product

such as the Pill or IUD, designed to bring people closer

together, is effectively contributing to tearing those same

people apart!

Unless this connection is properly understood, a person can

very easily misinterpret their increasing sexual and emotional

withdrawal from their partner as a relationship issue, rather than

a consequence created by adrenal burnout and the emotional

cataract created by heightened copper and calcium.

THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF DETOX

Not only can relationships be challenged due to rising fatigue

and the calcium shell as copper accumulates, but the process

of detoxing can be equally damaging to a partnership. It is

known, with any kind of detox, that symptoms get worse before

they improve. Copper detoxing is no different. However, the

negative impact of a copper detox can be greatly diminished

when:

The detox is done slowly and gently over months / years

HTMA is used to monitor progress and stress response

Counsel is given to the individual beforehand educating

the patient on the potential psychological reactions that

may occur.

When these steps are not taken, the outcome may not be a

positive one. The untrained practitioner will typically attempt to

detox copper by boosting the adrenals and administering zinc.

However, giving EITHER too much zinc or too much adrenal

support too quickly (ESPECIALLY in a person with adrenal

exhaustion) will worsen the detox effect and psychological

reactions. With adrenal exhaustion, the body is too weak to

process the toxins being released through such support, and

“In Phase C of Adrenal Exhaustion, the body can

become extraordinarily sensitive to stressors. Mundane activities may act as triggers in this phase while they normally

do not behave as triggers in early stages of Adrenal

Fatigue… The first symptoms to show up usually represent the organ system to be turned off

first as it is not required for basic survival. Reproduction is considered a luxury and not a vital function when survival is

at stake. Libido as a result is lowered. Sex drive becomes non-

existence. “ ~ Dr. Michael Lam, M.D., M.P.H.,

A.B.A.A.M.,

"Copper is one of those bad boys when it is leaving your

system....if it’s coming out too quickly. You can indeed control the rate at which elements like

copper are removed from the system through detoxification.

And that’s extremely important, because believe me, you don’t

want somebody or a family member calling you saying,

“What did you do to my wife? She is not the same person

and…” I’ve had that happen before. So we have to be very

careful." ~Dr. Albert Mensah

"Remember this one final thought: Emotions change

minerals and minerals change emotions. Your emotional life is reflected in your minerals, just

like moonlight is reflected on the surface of a lake. It also

works in reverse. Your mineral balance will be reflected in your

emotional life, and in your ability to give love."

~Dr. Paul Eck

40

without adequate detox pathways being opened first, the

mobilized copper gets redistributed in the body, often raising

the load in the brain and amplifying psychological

reactions. This is addressed further in the Healing section, as

well as exemplified in the 1995 article shown on the following

page. Remember again that copper mobilization into the

blood stream of a burnt out individual can exacerbate anxiety

and panic reactions. Also too, copper antagonists such as zinc

and manganese (as well as stress) can cause copper to come

out of storage which can then cause symptoms such as

anxiety, OCD, mood swings, and much more. In terms of

relationships, it's important to understand the powerful negative

role that an improperly advised detox can play on a person,

and on a relationship.

During the process of detoxing (and as toxins are released from

the liver), old fears, traumas, and relationship hurts may

surface. These can be projected onto the current relationship -

at the same time that negative emotions are amplified, the re-

stimulated adrenals increase the Na/K stress ratio and in turn

reactions to the slightest stressor, the rationalizing neocortex is

weakened, anxieties rise, and feelings of romantic love are

erased by the numbing 'emotional cataract' effect of the

calcium shell. A need to ‘get away’ can take over the mind.

The article on the following page was written back in 1995 by

Registered Dietician Renee Nataro who, through hTMA research,

quickly came to understand the characteristics of copper toxic

individuals. The characteristics she describes are common when

copper is mobilized ('dumped') too quickly causing the Na/K stress

ratio to rise, as well as the pseudo-inversion of Na/K that reflects

the intracellular loss of potassium that can also occur during an

intense copper dump.

“Can a HTMA save a marriage? Yes, it can. When it exposes the

ravages of copper toxicity, stress overwhelm and rampant

magnesium loss, you better believe it can save a marriage.

When minerals are being brought back into balance,

when NMDA receptor hyperactivity is being quelled,

when the amygdala is no longer on rapid fire ready to pounce at the slightest provocation, when the blood sugar roller coaster is levelling out, a person can begin

to express their virtues instead of their vices. A person can

regain their composure as well as their dignity instead of

remaining a wrecking ball. Anything which interferes with the mineral system of the body also interferes with its psycho-

spiritual system.” ~Abdul Saad, BSc (Hons),

MPsych (Clin)

Many people who have been out of balance for years have been

unable to express their negative emotions, such as resentments,

fears, anxieties, angers, and hatred. They have stored all of their emotional hostilities and

anger in their tissues in the same way that money is stored

in a bank. When some people start to improve, many of their

hidden repressions and hostilities can come pouring

out. This could possibly strain a loving relationship. The best

thing to so when this happens to a close loved one is to just let it

pass and sit out the storm." ~Eck & Chatsworth (1985

'Energy')

41

42

A SILENT LINK TO ALZHEIMER'S As of 2017, the Alzheimer's Association website continues to

state "At this time, there is no treatment to cure, delay or stop

the progression of Alzheimer's disease". While there may be no

'cure', there is certainly enough evidence to suggest that

progression can be delayed - if medical research chooses to

look at the contribution copper plays in this epidemic, and if

the public becomes educated on daily lifestyle influences that

are affecting their copper levels. Unfortunately, just as with the

Pill or IUD, discussion of copper is almost all but ignored, in this

case as evidenced by not one single mention of copper in this

otherwise excellently written and comprehensive 84 page

report on A.D....even though we know the following:

We know that copper antagonizes zinc, and we know that zinc

deprivation causes cell death in the hippocampus, where

memories are recorded. “In Alzheimer's disease, the hippocampus is

one of the first regions of the brain to be affected, leading to the confusion

and loss of memory so commonly seen in the early stages of the disease.”

~Dr. Ananya Mandal. At the same time, excess copper causes

neuronal toxicity while zinc deficiency causes neuronal

damage [35]. Alzheimer’s is characterized by degeneration

and/or trauma of neuronal structures [36].

Dr. Rashid Dean, PhD, a research professor in the University of

Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Department of

Neurosurgery, has shown in his study that “over time, copper’s

cumulative effect is to impair the systems by which amyloid beta is

removed from the brain. Amyloid beta is a main component of the

amyloid plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients” [37].

Amyloid beta is a small protein clipped off a larger one by the

beta secretase enzyme. The Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences journal concluded in 2013 that “Copper

appears to be one of the main environmental factors that trigger the onset

and enhance the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by preventing the

clearance and accelerating the accumulation of toxic proteins in the

brain.” [37]

"A large body of clinicopathological, circumstantial, and

epidemiological evidence suggests that the dysregulation of copper is intimately involved

in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.” [41]

43

It could be argued that the rise in the prevalence of

Alzheimer’s rates, which really is a 20th century phenomenon,

loosely corresponds with the rise in rates of copper toxicity. Dr

George J. Brewer, MD, offers the following, I would suggest

accurate, comment: “Scientists these days like to talk about the

complexity of AD. They formulate drugs or agents designed to lessen the

amyloid-beta burden in the brain or to attack biochemical aspects of the

neurofibrillary tangles. [I have] long suggested there is a simpler line of

attack: prevent AD by eliminating ingestion of inorganic copper. This

concept, however, has yet to enter the conversation of the scientific

community…It is our belief that the leaching of copper from copper

plumbing into the drinking water is a major causal factor in the AD

epidemic.” [38] To further corroborate this, Sparks and Schreurs,

in a published 2003 study [39, 40], found that the addition of

only 0.12 parts per million of copper to the drinking water of

rabbits greatly enhanced the AD-type pathological changes

in the brain, along with marked decrease in performance of

previously learned tasks. They also later found that copper in

drinking water at even 1/10 the U.S. EPA limit destroyed the

blood-brain barrier receptors (LRP receptors) responsible for

clearing amyloid beta from the brain, resulting in the hallmark

accumulation of amyloid plaques. “It is clear that copper (II) is

extremely toxic. It is as toxic to the brain as lead, but in a

different way. Lead acts quickly to cause damage, including

brain damage. Copper (II) acts over many years to cause

cognition loss."[45]

Alzheimer’s Disease, just as with depression, schizophrenia,

anxiety and other emotional and mental health issues, could

be much better understood if we started looking at the

connection they share with mineral imbalances, specifically

copper. Of course there can be other causes to these

conditions as well, this fact being acknowledged. However,

given the very clear connection that copper toxicity plays in all

these conditions, it seems ludicrous how quickly damaging

pharmaceuticals are prescribed without even giving

consideration that a simple mineral imbalance may be the

cause.

"The web of evidence tying ingestion of inorganic copper as

a causal factor in AD is strong, and includes AD animal model

data where trace amounts of inorganic copper in the drinking

water markedly worsened AD, human studies where ingestion

of copper supplements, along with a high fat diet, is associated with a marked loss of cognition,

human studies showing a markedly higher mortality in

elderly women ingesting copper supplements, as well as other data. It is likely that a high fat diet works in conjunction with

ingestion of inorganic copper to increase the risk of AD."

~Dr. George J Brewer, MD

44

TESTING In this unit we discuss testing for copper toxicity. A large reason

why copper toxicity (and mineral imbalances in general)

remains so misunderstood is due to the over-reliance on blood

testing across most of the allopathic medical community (and

even on the holistic side as well). Below we'll address, first, the

wrong (yet most common) approach to testing, followed by

what should be considered a much more accurate method.

To begin this discussion, one fundamental key point must be

addressed and understood: Excess copper gets stored in the

cells and tissues, NOT the blood!

BLOOD AND URINE TESTING Blood is merely a transport system; it is not where minerals get

stored.

Imagine a highway leading through a busy town. On an

overhead bridge is a camera. If the camera takes a snapshot

of the highway at a busy time, is that proof that the town itself is

crowded? Not necessarily. What if all those cars are simply

passing through town and never stopping? Likewise, if the

camera takes a snapshot of the traffic and the highway is

empty, does that mean the town is empty? Of course not! The

snapshot could be taken at night when the crowded town is

sleeping, or there could be construction on the highway which

has closed the access road. In both scenarios, the snapshot of

highway traffic is a very poor indicator of what is truly

happening in the town. Blood is similar. It carries the various

metals / toxins / minerals / nutrients either to where they're

needed, or it will take them to be excreted. However, along the

way, and especially if the body's detox pathways are not

perfectly efficient, some of those minerals and metals and

toxins get stored in the cells and tissues.

"The transport system of the

blood absolutely does NOT provide a reliable correlation of

tissue mineral levels at the cellular level."

~Rachel Neumann

"Excess of copper does not necessarily show up in the

blood. In an evaluation of 30 patients with normal serum and

urine levels but unusually high hair copper levels the following

symptoms were present: apprehension, poor

concentration, severe depression, insomnia,

irritability, memory lack and profound mental fatigue, in

addition also somatic (bodily) problems."

~http://www.health-science-spirit.com/mentaldisease.html

45

Let's take lead for example. If a person were to have a

significant acute exposure to lead, and he were to be tested

for lead within a week of exposure, likely his blood test would

show a high level of lead, and doctors would catch it. Now

let's say the blood test instead was done two months after his

lead exposure. Do you think the blood test will still show a high

level of lead? While it's possible some small elevation may

appear, more likely than not the blood serum will show

normal, in other words - the lead is gone. Is it really

though? Has is magically all disappeared? Of course not! This

is because, not only is blood merely a transport system, it is

also homeostatic. The blood must return to a tight nutrient

range in order to protect the body; if it didn't we would

die. With too much of a mineral or metal the blood will

attempt to remove it, either through excretion, or by storing it

away in tissue. And so, 30 to 40 days after that acute lead

exposure, the serum can appear completely normal even

though toxic levels of lead have been deposited and stored

away in tissues of the liver, bones, hair, teeth, etc.

Another very obvious example would be with potassium. Let's

say you were to eat a bag of bananas the morning of your

blood test. Likely your blood serum would show high

potassium. However that's just a snapshot in time, when in

reality your cellular potassium may be dangerously low. We

can see the caution here in how looking at a blood test to

determine mineral needs can be dangerous - based on the

blood test the practitioner would say avoid potassium as your

level is too high, while the person wise enough to look at the

tissue level (through HTMA as we'll discuss later) will clearly see

the body's true deficiency of, and requirement for, potassium.

The same warning is true for the body's two most important

minerals, calcium and magnesium. Severe osteoporosis can

develop without significant calcium changes appearing in

the blood. Meanwhile the magnesium level can be affected

by something as simple as how long or tight the tourniquet is

applied - magnesium will rise due to tissue hypoxia. Not only

46

that, but the body will rob the cells, tissues, and bones of

magnesium in order to maintain a 'healthy' blood level of

magnesium. What this means is that the blood status of

magnesium can appear completely healthy even when the

cells are completely starved of magnesium. Similarly, when the

blood level of calcium drops to low, calcium is robbed from the

bone to boost the blood level – the blood level still appears fine

even though deficiency is happening in the bone. It is insanity

that doctors continue to rely on the blood level of these

nutrients, especially when you add to the fact that less than 1%

of the body's magnesium is even in the blood to begin with!

In terms of copper - blood's homeostatic nature will ensure that

excess copper is quickly removed from the blood, but this

doesn't mean it magically disappears from the body. If a

patient is being exposed to an immediate source of copper,

such as a copper IUD, chances are the blood may show an

elevated level. But once that IUD is removed (or the

immediate source of exposure taken away), the blood will

naturally return to normal, even though loads of toxic bio-

unavailable copper is now stored in the body's tissues. In fact,

we might even see the blood serum level of copper being low

in a copper toxic person. If copper has accumulated and is

tightly stored in the tissues, and adrenal function is too weak to

mobilize that stored copper, it's not going to show up in the

blood!

With this background, why on earth are so many practitioners

still so reliant on the mineral level that shows up in the blood,

without ever stopping to examine the tissue level? As a direct

result of such practice, misdiagnosis runs rampant. Not only is it

ignorant and irresponsible, but also dangerous, and as long as

people continue to focus on serum blood results, the mass

confusion surrounding this epidemic will only continue. There

are so-called 'experts' online who are so focused on blood test

results, and their trusting audience then spends a fortune in

time and money getting all the suggested blood panel lab tests

- serum this, plasma that - only to discover even more confusion

47

as they try to interpret the results, once again ignoring that

copper excess is stored in tissue, not blood. Blood is certainly

invaluable for many markers of disease and health conditions,

but NOT when it comes to measuring mineral status! At best, if

the timing is right, a blood test may catch copper toxicity, but

certainly far more often than not it will miss it. Copper toxic

individuals very often receive blood tests results that show

'normal' and are falsely diagnosed as 'healthy'. As Dr. Eck points

out, "If you have high levels of a certain mineral, like copper,

held tightly in storage, why on earth would you expect the

copper to show up in the blood - unless it is being released?!"

Copper needs to be bound to a transporter protein (either

ceruloplasmin or metallothionein), otherwise it becomes bio-

unavailable, does not enter the cell where it needs to be, and

instead gets accumulated in a bio-unavailable form in the

body's tissues. The problem again with the standard blood serum

testing procedure is that it ignores not only the accumulated

bio-unavailable copper stored in the tissues, it also ignores

the copper content within the cells. The following quote is by Dr.

Carolyn Dean, MD, ND speaking about the inadequacy of

serum tests. While in the quote she is referring to magnesium, the

same is very much true for copper: "A serum test for magnesium

is actually worse than ineffective, because a test result that is

within normal limits lends a false sense of security about the

status of the mineral in the body. It also explains why doctors

don't recognize magnesium deficiency; they assume serum

magnesium levels are an accurate measure of all the

magnesium in the body."

A urine test on the other hand shows what the body is excreting.

When the body is excreting copper, then elevated copper

levels will show on a urine test. If the urinalysis is performed during

this time of excretion, it will catch the copper toxicity problem,

and it can also be useful for showing how much copper (or any

mineral/metal) is being excreted. But once again, what is being

excreted is very different from what is being STORED. The stored

copper is NOT being excreted, rather it is tightly stored in various

48

organs and soft tissue of the body, particular the liver and the

brain, yet won't show up in a urine test. Even urine challenge

testing usually only reaches superficial areas of toxicities and

can miss much of the tightly stored copper. Not only that, but

chelation can also stir up and redeposit toxins in vital organs,

while also being excessively hard on the kidneys (since this

method forces toxins out through the kidneys rather than

through the bile).

HAIR TISSUE MINERAL ANALYSIS The central issue of copper toxicity is stored copper in the cells

and tissues. If we want to know the stored tissue level, blood tests

and urine tests certainly aren't the answer (though they may in

some cases be useful as a secondary source of information if

you suspect copper toxicity or are on a detoxing program). Of

course one could do a liver biopsy which would provide

excellent evidence of tissue levels, however being both

expensive and invasive it is not a viable or realistic option for

most. Hair, however, being a form of soft tissue, provides a

great window into what is happening inside the body at the

tissue level.

As copper passes through the blood, either to be utilized,

excreted, or stored, it gets picked up in the hair follicle. An inch

or so of hair taken closest to the scalp provides approximately a

three-month window into the mineral and metal status of the

body. As such, it is not prone to the hour to hour fluctuations that

affect the blood reading. More importantly, the hair reflects the

tissue level, which is what we want to know in terms of our

minerals status. Another major advantage that Hair Tissue

Mineral Analysis offers is data on the key ratios between mineral

pairs as determined through the exhaustive research in the

1970s and 80s by Dr Eck and Dr Watts, the pioneers of the

Science of Nutritional Balancing. When it comes to rebalancing

minerals, or assessing mineral status, looking at any one mineral

level in isolation explains very little. Take magnesium, for

"[HTMA] may be the most

important health test that

exists… Only when you and your

doctor know for sure your

mineral status and important

ratios can you adapt your diet,

minerals and supplements to

work toward proper balance."

~Dr. Robert Thompson, MD

49

example. If the hair chart shows high magnesium, is it really

high? Not necessarily, as stress depletes magnesium and most

people are magnesium deficient. However, if we look at the

ratio between sodium and potassium, known as the stress ratio,

and we see a high Na/K ratio, we know that the individual is

under a lot of stress, and that the high magnesium level is

representing an intracellular loss of magnesium which shows up

high in the hair but indicates magnesium deficiency. This is just

one example of the importance of looking at the bigger

picture, and not just one mineral level in isolation. The same

can be said for assessing the copper status. A copper toxic

individual can have either high (overt) copper showing up in

the hair, or he may have low (hidden / latent) copper.

Therefore, we MUST look at what is happening with the other

mineral levels and ratios in order to determine copper

status...and the correction of copper. For example, when

copper appears low in the HTMA, we can look at other key

indicators such as a high calcium, low potassium, a Ca/K ratio

over 10, low molybdenum (<.003), low Na/K, and a number of

other levels and ratios to understand what may be happening

with copper. This underscores the importance of the HTMA

practitioner understanding these various markers, otherwise they

could easily look at the low copper level and suggest the client

needs to consume more, when in fact doing so would only

compound the problem.

Though this may all sound very complex (and it is…especially

when copper is ‘hidden’ on the HTMA as it commonly is), the

trained HTMA practitioner is able to deduce a goldmine of

information from an HTMA profile, including:

adrenal strength

thyroid function

other mineral deficiencies and toxicities

heavy metal toxicities

inflammation

various reasons for fatigue

mental health issues (including markers for depression,

anxiety, ADD, and a host of others)

.

“Without HTMA data, medical doctors will not recognize the

epidemic nature of the copper toxicity problem.”

~ Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D.

"Excess copper has a distinctive effect on the HTMA mineral

pattern and on the overall mineral system. A high soft

tissue calcium level, a low potassium level and a very high

Ca/K ratio are the major mineral effects of an elevated

copper level. The thyroid slows, diminishing energy production, often producing depression and ADD types of symptoms. When even more copper builds up in

the brain, schizoid and psychotic reactions may

also manifest. " ~Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D

50

liver and kidney impairment

blood sugar imbalances

metabolic rate

and, most importantly, a safe and full nutritional

approach to correcting the copper toxicity

issue. Correcting copper toxicity is nowhere near as

simple as simply taking more zinc (rather, doing so can

actually make things worse!).

Unfortunately, most allopathic doctors tend to negate HTMA, as

the nutritional approach to healing health conditions at the

source is overshadowed by the pharmaceutical approach to

simply bury symptoms. Most doctors are not adequately trained

in nutrition, let alone the intricacies of how mineral imbalances

affect physical and mental health. They are obsessed with

measuring the blood level of minerals, without stopping to

question what the cellular level is - the level that actually

matters! Many broader thinking practitioners are now adopting

HTMA as they learn the importance of it. While this is certainly a

step in the right direction, it also necessitates a warning. At

present, any doctor is able to open an account at a testing lab

and request a test. This presents a problem if that practitioner

attempts to diagnose or prescribe based on the charts, without

adequate training. This does happen frequently though, and

the unsuspecting patient sees poor results. The doctor (and

patient) then dismiss HTMA because it 'failed'. However this is not

the fault of the test, but rather a lack of dedication on the part

of the practitioner to verse himself in this essential testing

tool. HTMA charts appear deceptively simple, yet are infinitely

complex. No amount of medical training qualifies an individual

to be able to quickly assess an HTMA chart, without having

been trained in HTMA as well. Please ensure that the HTMA

practitioner you are working with has indeed been trained in

HTMA and is experienced in dealing with copper toxicity.

Copper toxicity is among one of the most misunderstood

conditions in the world today, largely due to the resistance of

many in the medical field to adopt HTMA into their toolbox. The

.

.

51

very fact that blood testing is still done so prolifically as the

primary determinant of toxicity - with almost no mention of HTMA

- goes to show a most basic lack of understanding behind

copper toxicity on the part of practitioners. As long as blood

remains the primary go-to screening tool for mineral imbalance,

the true extent of copper toxicity will never be

recognized. Sadly, HTMA has a history of vicious smear

campaigns directed against it, aimed at suppressing this most

important of screening tools, and as a result has cost people

dearly who could have otherwise benefited from proper testing.

In 1985 and again in 2001, JAMA published two studies which on

the surface seemed to dismiss the accuracy and reliability of

HTMA, and these results were widely publicized, and to this day

are still being widely referenced as justification for not using

HTMA. The tragic irony is that the hard data from the studies in

fact validated the excellent accuracy of HTMA, as well as

copper toxicity in the samples, however neither the author nor

the editors were able to recognize it as they themselves did not

understand how to use HTMA or what to look for. The studies,

when using the data from approved labs, in fact validated the

very opposite of what the authors claimed. However, to arrive at

the finding that HTMA was not reliable, the authors of the studies,

in one case used a mere 2 person sample size, in another

used an illegally operating lab to obtain skewed results, and in

both cases violated almost all proper sampling and testing

protocol and were run by people untrained in HTMA. In fact, the

doctor behind the first study, who continues to run a number of

websites nicely disguised to mislead the public and attack the

consumer's right to informed choice, has been shown to have

almost zero credibility, and in fact a California Appeals Court

declared him to be "biased and unworthy of credibility”.

However, given his title as a ‘doctor’, those that don’t take the

time to research further fall victim to his writings. The authors of

the aforementioned studies (and the media) also largely ignored

the thousands of peer-reviewed references [20] that support

HTMA, or the fact that HTMA is used routinely by various heads of

government and world class athletes who have access to the

very best medical care. Those who dismiss HTMA are doing so

.

.

.

52

based on their own lack of understanding, reluctance to learn, or

ulterior motive. Dismissing HTMA as pseudo-science shows

complete ignorance on the person making such a claim, and

begs the question 'what is their agenda?'. Though human hair

has been accepted as an effective tissue for biological

monitoring of toxic heavy metals by the US Environmental

Protection Agency and is being used for this purpose throughout

the world, when it comes to copper toxicity suddenly this fact

becomes ignored.

When correcting any condition through nutrition, or when taking

supplements, we must recognize that nutrients do not operate

independently from other nutrients. Having a clear picture, as

presented through HTMA, is essential prior to supplementation,

and makes supplementation and corrective guidance much

more practical, meaningful, manageable and

safer. Understanding one's various mineral levels should be an

essential first step to any dietary, weight loss, or health restoration

program. Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, tested through either ARL or

TEI labs (labs that do NOT pre-wash the hair samples), and

assessed by a practitioner trained in understanding mineral

ratios, is the best approach. Other labs that wash the hair sample

(which most other labs do) are not recommended here as the

washing procedure throws off several key levels and ratios.

HTMA provides essential indicators that, when properly

interpreted, can show the presence of a hidden copper toxicity

problem, and provides the evidence-based information

necessary to properly detox copper while balancing other

mineral levels at the same time - a necessary part of the process.

Any other approach to treating copper toxicity without this

'bigger picture' of other various minerals is really taking a blind

approach to treatment, and dangerously exposes the patient to

other mineral levels being thrown off in the process which in turn

can greatly exacerbate the psychological and physical

changes that occur in the patient. This underscores the

importance of frequent monitoring of mineral levels throughout

the detoxification process, something that can only be

accurately achieved via HTMA.

"The HTMA is the window into our physiology, our psychology,

and revealing our pathology." ~Dr. Robert Selig

53

THE SLOW METABOLIZER VS FAST

METABOLIZER (OXIDIZER)

Oxidation types (metabolic types) are based upon the work of

Dr. George Watson, Ph.D, who was able to detect distinct

patterns and differences between what he termed slow

oxidizers and fast oxidizers (a similar concept to slow

metabolizers and fast metabolizers). These patterns are easily

identifiable through an HTMA profile, and also show a clear

connection with the three stages of stress (Dr. Hans Selye). For

simplicity sake, there are two main metabolic types, slow and

fast. The fast metabolizer, with an overactive thyroid and

adrenals, is releasing energy too quickly, running himself out of

fuel. The slow metabolizer is releasing energy too slowly –

basically he doesn’t have enough. The slow metabolizer will

typically have elevated levels of calcium, magnesium and

copper (with low sodium and potassium), while inversely the fast

metabolizer will have elevated sodium and potassium (with

lower calcium, magnesium and copper). Infinite combinations

result of course within these two broad descriptions. What's

important to understand however is that almost all copper toxic

individuals represent as slow metabolizers. Copper not only

leads to a slowing of metabolism, but the slowing metabolism in

turn spirals the copper accumulation higher as the copper is not

being used as quickly as it would be in a Fast type. Simply put,

copper accumulates as metabolism slows down. Sluggish

adrenals and thyroid will allow copper to build up. As

mentioned though, copper is also a major reason why these

glands slow down, so it's a vicious cycle. Traits of slow

metabolizers often include fatigue, depression, apathy, low

blood sugar, adrenal insufficiency, and hypothyroid. These traits

are clearly explainable through the various mineral ratios

presented on the HTMA profile. The more extreme the slow

metabolizer pattern is, the more apparent symptoms such as

depression, despair, withdrawal, and apathy / emotional

numbness become.

"With slow oxidizers, one gets biounavailable copper

problems. Here one has a combination of too much free copper floating around, but a

deficiency of available or bound copper. This may be due to

adrenal exhaustion causing impairment of ceruloplasmin

synthesis in the liver, and perhaps deficiencies of other

copper transport proteins such as metallothionein."

~Dr. Wilson, M.D

54

Understanding one's metabolizer type (and the key ratios shown

on the HTMA) is paramount to creating a healthy recovery

protocol and nutritional program. Although specifics will vary

person to person, slow metabolizers often need more potassium,

zinc, vitamin A and Vitamin C, while avoiding calcium, copper,

and Vitamin D.

Figure 3: The above shows copper toxicity in a slow metabolic pattern on an HTMA. Not all

patterns will be this obvious as sometimes the copper toxicity issue is hidden with a low

copper reading. However here we can see without any question the extreme level of copper,

combined with exhausted adrenals and sluggish thyroid as indicated by the low Na and K

readings and K in relation to Ca. This patient's primary symptoms included depression,

anxiety, brain fog, racing mind, allergies, and substantial fatigue /low energy, all which can be

seen with this pattern. Up until this test the patient had a 2 year history on a copper IUD

preceded by 12 years on the birth control pill.

55

DETOX & HEALING

Depending on the extent of accumulation and the body's

natural ability to detox, the detoxing of excess copper is often a

complex, long term endeavour. It most often involves the

integration of numerous approaches, including removal of the

source of excess exposure, specific nutritional support, and

even some element of emotional healing and growth. For some

it can seem like an endless process, and not all are wiling to

make the journey, resisting and denying the physical and

psychological work involved. However for those who commit

to their healing, the eventual 'detox' of copper is often

described as a gift offering a heightened sense of self-

awareness and appreciation, along with improved energy and

health. Though the specific healing protocol will vary from

person to person determined by their individual mineral pattern

as shown on their HTMA, there are certain generalities that can

be explained here. This site is not meant to diagnose, nor is it

meant to 'cure'. The hope is that the information compiled here

will give you guidance in your healing journey, but the

importance of working with HTMA and a practitioner well-

versed in copper toxicity cannot be understated.

HOW LONG SHOULD ONE EXPECT COPPER

TOXICITY DETOX TO TAKE?

Depending on severity, it should be expected to take

anywhere from 6 months to several years to correct a copper

imbalance [21] ... and this assumes the patient is undergoing a

properly constructed and monitored nutritional balancing

program. Removing excess tissue copper is required, which in

turn requires sufficient adrenal strength and bile production,

and all of this requires a long term commitment.

Typically, vegetarians/vegans and those on raw food diets take

the longest to recover, not only because the copper has been

"Correcting a copper imbalance

can NOT be done

in 2 weeks or even 2 months."

~Dr. Lawrence Wilson

"In the case of copper, a mineral

almost all burnout victims

accumulate, this by itself can

take three or more years to

eliminate. Sometimes we have

had people on a nutritional

correction program for up to

two years before any of the

stored copper starts releasing."

~Dr. Paul Eck

56

building up in the body over a long period of time, but also

due to their reduced adrenal and metabolic function,

paired with possible resistance in adding meat back into the

diet. Vegetarians will have further difficulty in adequately

detoxing copper due to their lack of Taurine, an amino acid

not found in plant foods yet which is critical for bile

production. Even for the meat eater, the balancing of

minerals takes many months, and commitment to the

program is necessary. The greater the adrenal

weakness/burnout, the longer the process will take. Adrenal

restoration can take 9-15 months for a fast oxidizer and 15-

36 months for a slow oxidizer [Eck], and this needs to take

place before copper can be properly

regulated. Attempting to detox too quickly can result in

serious reactions both physically & mentally. Note: if

symptoms were exacerbated by a copper IUD, removal can

often lead to a very quick return to 'feeling better'

(increased energy, improved libido, less brain fog, etc),

though this is not a reflection of having detoxed or 'healed'.

WORDS OF CAUTION BEFORE TAKING THE

'TYPICALLY RECOMMENDED' ZINC AND

ADRENAL SUPPORT

As the heavily copper toxic individual will most always

present with adrenal exhaustion, the most common

approach is to immediately target the adrenals to restore

the person's energy. Zinc is also very commonly

recommended as it is the most well known copper

antagonist (getting depleted as copper goes too

high). Though there is some merit to such an approach, it

can also be a very dangerous approach. When copper is

mobilized too quickly through adrenal support and other

copper antagonists such as zinc without first ensuring an

efficient biliary tract system and sufficient bile production,

the mobilized copper simply gets stirred around and

"Insomnia, increased fears and

paranoia are common during

the detox as the dumping of

copper causes copper to enter

the blood stream which causes a

sodium potassium inversion...If

you're not prepared for the

copper dump, you'll have

unbearable insomnia, anxiety,

panic attacks..."

~Dr. Robert Selig

57

redeposited, resulting in potentially undesirable

psychological, emotional, and/or physical reactions. In fact,

giving zinc to the copper toxic individual is initially rarely

recommended, and at amounts greater than 20mg-25mg

can often make things much worse, bringing on both

physical and psychological effects of a copper dump.

As copper is mobilized from storage sites and enters the

blood, adrenalin secretion is increased. Adrenalin is an

anxiety and panic hormone, and this is one reason why

during copper dumping (when blood copper is elevated),

these psychological reactions can amplify.

Too strong and quick an adrenal boost can also bring on

serious copper dump symptoms. Often the patient will stop

the program, either because the symptoms of copper

dumping initially are too intense, or because, paradoxically,

they actually begin feeling better due to their increased

energy and believe they've healed. Adrenals react quickly

to support, and energy can return rather soon, giving a false

sense of improvement. This is where one must understand

that this quick return in energy does NOT represent a proper

restoration of adrenal function. Stopping the detox process

at this point is like giving up on a weight loss program as soon

as you lose the first pound. For women in full burnout,

recovery can be expected to take one to two years on

stringent adrenal therapy.

An important to understand danger with offering adrenal

support formulas without monitoring mineral levels through

HTMA, is that the adrenal support will increase one's sodium

level. As sodium increases, the sodium to potassium

ratio increases. Considering that copper dumping further

depletes potassium, this will really increase the Na/K stress

ratio and in turn the stress response - leading a person to

more extreme reactions and a shorter fuse than would be

normal, and rash decisions / over-reactions could result. It

can be very difficult to get through to a person in this state.

"Copper is one of those bad boys

when it is leaving your

system....if it’s coming out too

quickly. You can indeed control

the rate at which elements like

copper are removed from the

system through detoxification.

And that’s extremely important,

because believe me, you don’t

want somebody or a family

member calling you saying,

“What did you do to my wife?

She is not the same person

and…” I’ve had that happen

before. So we have to

be very careful."

~Dr. Albert Mensah

"I have talked to so many people who say, “Well, I read that zinc was good, and I did

this and that.” And I said, “You know what you did? You

actually activated detoxification mechanisms

that now cause your depression to get worse."

~Dr. Albert Mensah

58

Once again, the patient should always be made fully aware of

what negative psychological symptoms may appear once

detox begins so that extreme over-reactions and potentially

damaging decisions can be avoided during this time. Not

doing so is certainly not in the best interest of the patient, and

could be considered gross negligence.

The aforementioned is also true for doing exercise while

detoxing copper. Anything what whips up the adrenals, which

exercise does, will result in potentially similar physical and

psychological reactions of a copper dump as explained

above. If any of these circumstances are occurring without

adequate liver and bile functioning, copper gets stirred up and

largely redeposited, often in secondary locations including the

brain. This can really impact one's awareness and perception,

especially in combination with the calcium shell, adrenal

support (which can increase one's sense of short term energy),

and a lifting of brain fog (which is often the result of copper

accumulation in the liver, but which can be 'improved' as

copper gets mobilized and redeposited elsewhere).

Adding too much zinc too quickly into a detox program can

aggravate mental symptoms in a very inconspicuous way. First,

it's important to understand that zinc has been shown to have

an antidepressant effect[22]. Thus, as copper accumulates

and the Cu/Zn ratio becomes more and more imbalanced, the

tendency for depression increases - a very common trait of the

copper toxic individual. Then, if too much zinc is added into

the detox program, due to it's antidepressant effect, it can

make the person feel better, like a weight has been lifted.

However, under the surface, that zinc has also mobilized

copper, and this in turn can amplify on the one hand

depression and other negative effects of detoxing, but on the

other hand it can increase the calcium shell effect as a

protective mechanism, further shutting a person down and

decreasing their awareness of what has happened. Through

this tinted lens of the calcium shell, zinc's antidepressant effect,

and the energy boost given by adrenal support, the individual

" Many symptoms can occur when excess copper is

eliminated from the tissues. One may experience headaches,

usually of the migraine type. Extreme fatigue, acne, skin

eruptions on the head, chest and thighs, free floating anxiety

feelings, spaciness, fears and disorientation may occur. Changes in the menstrual

period are common, including irregular periods, cramps and

symptoms of premenstrual tension. Men may experience

testicular pain. The elimination of copper can also cause joint

pains. Nausea, digestive disturbances, anorexia and

discomfort in the area of the liver may also occur during

copper elimination." ~Analytical Research Labs Inc

59

may feel better and decide that their healing is done.

Unfortunately, the zinc has done very little to actually lower the

copper level, especially considering that zinc's antagonist

effect on copper is only at the intestinal level [1]. In other

words, consuming zinc with a high copper diet is helpful to

prevent a copper build up, but once that copper has

accumulated and become stored in tissues, zinc will have a

very weak effect on lowering copper - rather it will just stir

things up, especially if there is inadequate bile to help

eliminate the copper.

This underscores the importance of supporting the liver and

ensuring adequate bile production before any copper

antagonists (such as zinc) or adrenals stimulants are given. If

the liver is weak / congested, then there is likely low bile flow.

Bile is necessary to excrete the excess copper. This is why

working on the liver and bile is so important. However, a

caution is needed here too. With the 'cleansing' of the liver can

also come the release of a lot of negative emotions. In

Traditional Chinese Medicine, long ago buried negative

emotions are stored in the liver, and these can be released

along with the toxins during a detox. Being mindful of these

consequences beforehand can be helpful to reduce the

psychological reactions that may otherwise appear.

Herein is the challenge with detoxing copper - anytime you

begin a detox, you whip up the bad stuff. This underscores why

the detox must be approached slowly and cautiously.

60

BENEFICIAL NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

While this section (and book) should not be used to treat or

diagnose any condition, the following provides some

generalities that may be considered when working to detox

and heal.

1. Identify where the source of copper toxicity is coming

from and as best as possible, remove the source. While

this may not be entirely possible, certain sources are

obvious and can be adjusted. If a copper IUD is

causing the toxicity, remove it. If it's the birth control

pill, look into what other options might be available. If

your home has copper piping, avoid drinking the tap

water. If your diet is plant-based, it will serve your health

to consider, even in small gradual amounts,

incorporating some organic meat back into the diet.

Without first removing the underlying key source of

exposure, it will be very difficult to ever properly heal

and recover.

2. Have an HTMA test performed and properly analyzed.

This will provide the evidence-based guidance

necessary for establishing a nutritional balancing

healing protocol. How much adrenal support, thyroid

support, zinc, potassium, calcium, etc your body needs

can be seen through HTMA data. If your doctor

cautions you against using HTMA in favor of blood

testing, that in itself means they do not adequately

understand the complexities of copper toxicity nor how

to properly treat it.

3. Adjust mineral and vitamin supplementation

accordingly, through an HTMA-based supplement

program. While the HTMA practitioner can offer you

more specifics, some general considerations are:

a. The copper must be made more bioavailable

"The correct approach consists of

making copper (or calcium) more

bioavailable by supplementing the

proper co-factors, with the best

choice being those whose levels are

lowest ratio-wise to copper - and as

mentioned above - may include

Vitamin C, chromium, sulfur (MSM),

molybdenum, nickel, or (rarely)

zinc. The avoidance of foods high in

copper is important as well. This will

take care of the medical conditions a

practitioner was originally

consulted for, and at the same time

prevents the potential development

of new medical problems elsewhere

related to excessive copper intake.

Chromium has to be considered first

when trying to normalize copper,

since it is its associated trace

element. Following a close second is

Sulfur, usually supplemented in the

form of MSM, whose main action in

addition to helping restore cartilage

formation is the lowering of

copper!" [1]

61

through supplementing the proper co-factors and raising

ceruloplasmin (if appropriate)

b. Copper elimination channels must be open and bile must be

flowing. This is a great hindrance for the vegan/vegetarian due to

their lack of meat-sourced Taurine. Taurine supplementation will be

essential in this case, as are other supplements that can support

bile production.

c. Adrenal support and zinc, while both can be beneficial, must be

used with extreme care as too much can cause undesirable

physical and psychological reactions as already discussed. In

fact, zinc is rarely used to detox copper. It should be considered

more of a preventative for future copper accumulation. If zinc is

supplemented for copper toxicity, it must be introduced slowly,

beginning with no more than 10mg to 25mg. Likewise, while

adrenal glandular and adaptogenic herbs can be great for mildly

weak adrenals, once a person has gone into burnout these

supplements become over-stimulating and in fact should be

avoided, or used very cautiously. Though they can help restore

energy at first, they can lead to increased irritability and anxiety, an

increased calcium shell, and, in the long term, even worsening

fatigue.

d. The liver must be supported. Only once adrenal function and

adequate DHEA production is restored can the liver then produce

adequate ceruloplasmin necessary to bind to copper to make it

bioavailable. Just as importantly, liver support is also required to

help make sufficient bile which in turn is necessary in order to get rid

of excess copper. Improving overall mineral balance will in turn

assist the health of the liver and adrenals, alongside the production

of ceruloplasmin.

e. Digestive support (which most copper toxic slow metabolizers

need) is also required. As digestive function improves so too will the

efficacy of nutrient intake.

62

f. Look at your magnesium level. Copper toxicity

depletes magnesium, and deficiency causes a

myriad of symptoms (including clouded thinking,

irritability, depression, anxiety, panic attacks,

hallucinations, and personality changes). It also

further adds a toll on the adrenals. So while

magnesium is important, just like with zinc or

calcium, adding in too much of it can worsen

symptoms [24].

g. It cannot be overstated that taking too much of

any copper antagonizer or boosting adrenals

too quickly can lead to significant detox

reactions including severe PMS type symptoms,

emotional withdrawal, flu-like symptoms, or the

many others that are mentioned in the section

below. Detox must be approached gently.

h. Vitamin C, Sulfur (MSM), and Chromium should

be considered a first line of defence against

normalizing copper, followed by the minerals

manganese, molybdenum, iron, keeping in mind

that these must be given as suggested through

HTMA data and should be given gradually.

i. Whole Vitamin C is different from the typical

'ascorbic acid' version of Vitamin C typically sold

in stores. The former is the whole molecule, while

ascorbic acid is just one part of it. While both

are beneficial in terms of lowering copper and

helping to chelate it from the liver and the brain,

Whole Food C (which contains Tyrosinase as well

as copper ions which the liver needs to produce

ceruloplasmin) helps to raise ceruloplasmin

levels, while synthetic ascorbic acid unbinds

copper from ceruloplasmin. The adrenal glands

also require large amounts of Vitamin C, and as

copper stresses the adrenals more, the greater

the need for Vitamin C in order to help eliminate

the excess copper. Stress depletes Vitamin C

“Over 30 years ago, Hoffer and Osmond discovered that Vitamin C

was helpful in the treatment of certain, not all, schizophrenics. We

know today, from hair analysis research, that the type of

schizophrenia that responds favorably to massive doses of

vitamin C, is what we refer to as copper-induced schizophrenia. It is

the accumulation of excessive amounts of copper in the brain,

which is responsible for this particular type of schizophrenic

behavior. Vitamin C causes copper to be chelated and removed from

liver and brain reservoirs." ~ The Eck Institute of Applied

Nutrition and Bioenergetics, Ltd

63

from the tissues, especially from those of the adrenal cortex.

j. Other beneficial minerals and vitamins not already mentioned,

depending on one's HTMA, may include Potassium, Phosphorus,

Vitamin A (retinol form rather than beta-carotene). The following

antagonistic (to copper) nutrients may also be advised: Vitamins

B1, B2, B6, folic acid, inositol, and choline.

k. In cases where the patient shows a high calcium level or low

potassium (as is common with copper toxicity / slow metabolizers),

oral Vitamin D supplementation should be avoided as it will make

the negative side effects even more pronounced by further raising

calcium and depleting potassium (further slowing the thyroid,

lowering energy, lowering emotions, and increasing depression). It

will also raise the sodium potassium ratio (which threatens the stress

response, and lowers (calming) magnesium.

l. Calcium is also usually best avoided as it will further increase the

calcium shell and further slow metabolism. Though it can help

alleviate symptoms, it is doing so by numbing the person's

awareness and feelings.

4. General diet: It's widely accepted that vegetarian/vegan diets

exacerbate copper toxicity, and vegans/vegetarians should strongly

consider slowly reincorporating animal meat back into the diet (despite

the strong resistance to this that will naturally be felt by many with copper

toxicity). It will be almost impossible to properly detox otherwise. This is not

meant to promote meat - the modern Western meat based diet is far

from healthy and plant based diets have great health benefits, certainly

short term. However, if you are hoping to fully recover from copper

toxicity, despite personal objections to eating meat, it is of paramount

importance to add at least some meat back into the diet. This does not

need to be a lifelong commitment. Certainly though it can help speed up

and make more effective the period of detox, and could be the make or

break decision determining a proper recovery - physically and

psychologically. Organically raised grass fed meat is recommended.

Organic or not though, foods that have high enough zinc levels to

counterbalance the high copper should be increased, these being red

meat (best source) such as beef, lamb, and venison, chicken, eggs and

pumpkin seeds. Likewise, high copper containing foods should be

reduced or eliminated - these being notably shellfish, nuts and seeds

(except for pumpkin seeds), soybeans (tofu, tempeh, miso, etc.),

64

legumes, wheat germ (though also high in zinc, remember

that the phytic acid greatly impairs the utilization of that

zinc), coconut, avocado, chocolate, coffee, and leafy

greens. To help recover and detox, these foods should be

limited. Finally, a note regarding cod liver oil and

desiccated beef liver, two items sometimes misguidingly

suggested by practitioners. Cod liver oil does provide a

great source of retinol, but it also is high in Vitamin D,

which in turn lowers potassium. If the patient's potassium is

low, this should be avoided. Beef liver contains a high

amount of copper, and for the copper toxic person, even

½ mg of copper can have adverse effects.

5. Sulfur rich foods (such as eggs, garlic, onions) are

highly important to help with detoxing toxins in general.

6. Other foods and herbs that can generally help the liver

and the detoxing process include: Fermented foods,

Turmeric, Pomegranates as well as Brassicaceaes

Vegetables, Milk Thistle (very important for liver detoxing),

Stinging Nettle (nettle infusions), Flax, Dandelion Root Tea,

Kombucha Tea, and Diatomaceous Earth (both of which

bind to and help remove heavy metals from the body),

Castor Oil packs, and St. John's Wort. The latter, St. John's

Wort, also is effective with decreasing serum estrogen

(high levels of which as you'll recall are a major cause of

copper retention).

7. Remember that it is not just about correcting the copper

level. Your recovery will also be determined by the

balancing of other key minerals and ratios. Those minerals

that are deficient in relation to others will need to be

increased through diet and supplementation, while other

minerals in excess may need to be reduced. Keep in

mind there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation that can

be given here - again the detox and nutritional plan is a

highly personalized plan that must be properly assessed

and monitored. Without HTMA results to use as a guide,

any supplement or detox program becomes nothing

more than blind guesswork.

65

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT MAY ASSIST DETOX

Here are some additional things to look at to enhance the healing/detox

process:

1. Work to improve ceruloplasmin (Cp) production (with a word of

caution). Ceruloplasmin (Cp) has been mentioned above as the key

protein that binds to copper to make it bioavailable. The lower the Cp

level, the faster copper will accumulate in the liver and the brain as

insufficient carrier protein exists to bind the copper. With adrenal exertion

and as copper increases, Cp levels typically rise. However, as with most of

the other actions of copper, things reverse post-burnout. At this point the

liver is too weak to allow for adequate production of Cp and so, with

declining Cp, copper will then begin accumulating even

faster. However, while adequate Cp is a necessary factor, there is

danger in protocols out there that teach people to focus on raising their

serum Cp levels; using their rising serum Cp level as a measure of progress.

Consider that Cp will also rise together with estrogen (especially

supplemental forms), as well as during pregnancy, lactation, and ...

during inflammation! If you then add more copper as some protocols

suggest (or Vitamin D for that matter) to an already copper toxic person

with low potassium and slow metabolism, you're only further tanking their

potassium level while increasing their Na/K stress ratio, and quite possibly

raising Cp as a result of increased inflammation. Rather than spend time

and money on blood tests that measure Cp, equally or more important is

re-regulating the overall mineral pattern together with reducing physical

exertion and stress. The adrenals will then strengthen, Cp production

occurs, and negative side effects both physical and psychological can

be minimized. Some simple steps to naturally improve Cp levels include:

a. (if you are a slow metabolizer) eliminate Vitamin D which destroys

liver retinol needed for Cp

b. avoid excess calcium and ascorbic acid. Respectively, these

nutrients in excess impair the absorption of Mg and Fe, as well as

the bond between Cu and Cp.

66

c. take cod liver oil and whole food vitamin C which,

respectively, increase retinol and bioavailable

copper

d. increase dietary fat while limiting carbs (fat is

needed for proper copper absorption)

e. add Taurine which helps copper metabolism in the

liver

2. Reduce Stress. Find which areas or events in your life are

causing you stress, and reduce or eliminate them. Taking

on new projects, workloads, or hard exercise (heavy

weights, intense cardio, crossfit, etc) all increase stress

and can bring out many of the negative symptoms as the

stress stimulates copper being dumped from storage.

Other stimulants such as drugs, caffeine, sugar,

glutamates) can have a similar affect and should be

avoided. On the surface, that stress may even give

energy in the short-term, but in the long run it will make

the adrenals even more exhausted. Stressful events of any

kind cause the adrenals to weaken further, making it even

harder for the body to excrete excess copper while

further impairing the utilization of copper. During stress,

stored copper can sporadically 'leak out' from tissue

storage reservoirs, leading to increased anxiety,

depression, PMS symptoms, mood swings, insomnia, joint

pains, acne, and a host of other issues. To avoid negative

detox reactions, it's important to find ways to relax and be

at peace during the process.

3. Sweating / saunas offer a gentler and safer approach

with a less severe effect than enemas. Infrared sauna

therapy is in fact excellent for detoxing copper as well as

other heavy metals and toxins. It also creates

a parasympathetic effect which further helps with bile

secretion, allowing toxins to be excreted.

4. Meditate or do Tai Chi

5. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)

6. Breathwork. Breathwork can be one of the most powerful

anti-anxiety and stress relieving tools you can use. One

very successful method is the "4/7/8 Breath". To do this,

67

begin by fully and powerfully exhaling through the mouth.

Then inhale fully through to the nose to a count of 4. Hold

for 7 seconds. Then release and exhale through the mouth

forcefully for 8 seconds. Repeat this for 4 breath cycles.

Then stop. Do not go longer. Do this twice a day,

consistently each day, for at least 6 to 8 weeks.

Butekyo Breathing can be another useful technique.

7. Get adequate rest (and avoid excessive exercise for the

reasons discussed above)

8. Epsom Salt Baths or Magnesium Chloride Baths (these can

help enhance your magnesium absorption without the

laxative effects as this way it bypasses the gut

9. Coffee enemas are excellent for removing toxins and

especially stimulating bile flow. Just be cautious as you

can't control which minerals it will deplete. In other words,

if you use it to reduce high levels of copper, it can deplete

other minerals in the process. For this reason I do not

suggest coffee enemas when all the minerals are low to

begin with. Otherwise, as long as your mineral levels are

being monitored and adjusted, coffee enemas are

very beneficial for detoxing.

10. Be objectively aware of recent behaviours. Did you make

a drastic decision or did your life take a turn around the

time you began to detox? Decisions which could be seen

as hurtful or have dragged you in a more closed-off

direction are often not your true, higher self, but rather are

influenced by copper, negative energies, and triggers. Try

as best you can to focus on positive, higher conscious

behaviours such as forgiveness, love, kindness,

compassion, openness. Believe in the real you, which is

always positive towards yourself and others.

68

11. Seek support and guidance from those who understand

copper toxicity and the detox roller coaster. Copper

toxicity is very poorly understood. Though people and

practitioners will offer you their advice, they rarely have

true understanding of the extent of changes that copper

can cause in an individual. Make sure the actions you

take are based on advice from those who've taken the

time to really understand this condition.

12. Psycho-therapy, recommended to help reduce the

destructive effects of the superego (also known as the

Judge (Malter, 2001) which copper gives rise to, and

emotional support, are both very beneficial. In fact,

psychotherapy and counselling are highly

recommended to help the individual cope with the rush

of awareness and emotions that may return as the

calcium shell dissolves.

13. Read & Research. In addition to a number of additional

resources in the reference section on coppertoxic.com,

Ann Louise Gittleman's book 'Why Am I Always So Tired'

offers a dietary program that can assist in remedying

copper overload.

14. Investigate your methylation. Methylation, a process that

in most simple terms turns on systems within the body, is

an extremely complex topic with many variants. It plays

a role in many emotional or psychological or brain

development disorders and, in the context of toxic levels

of copper and other minerals and metals, converts these

toxins into water-soluble compounds which can then be

more easily eliminated. It is therefore a key component of

being able to properly detox. As copper rises, zinc

decreases. Inadequate zinc inhibits the methylation

process, which blocks proper detoxification.

69

WHAT TO EXPECT AND LOOK OUT FOR DURING

DETOX

As one eliminates copper through detox (even one properly

monitored), patients will often experience the effects of copper

"dumping". The dumping is simply the elimination of copper.

Though many people have elevated copper, not all will

experience the following detoxing effects. These effects apply

more so to individuals who have accumulated a significant

copper level. For those people, often the copper detox

symptoms are frightening and very uncomfortable, and if the

patient is unaware of what is happening they may stop

treatment as it is too unbearable. Conversely, patients may also

stop copper toxicity treatment if they feel they have improved

by a sudden increase in adrenal strength / energy. By

understanding that copper dumping and the associated

symptoms are part of the detoxification process, patients (and

their partners) are better able to endure what they are

experiencing. Dumping usually occurs in cycles, and life can feel

like quite a roller coaster for some time. Detoxing is NOT a quick

process, and can usually take 6 months to a year or more,

with many up and down cycles, until the health of the mind and

body are restored. Women generally have a rougher and

harder time detoxing than men, due to their higher estrogen

levels and monthly cycles.

It should be noted that aerobic exercise, stimulant drugs, and

increases in stress while detoxing can further exacerbate

symptoms of copper elimination. These activities increase

metabolic rate and cellular energy production which in turn can

trigger copper dumps from cellular storage. Exercise, by

stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, also reduces bile

secretion, causing copper to get stirred up but blocking its

elimination [25]. The detox process usually brings to the surface

some of the worst symptoms of toxicity, both physical and

psychological. The importance of proper monitoring and

support throughout the detox process cannot be over-

.

70

stated. As noted, not everyone will experience severe copper

elimination symptoms - it depends on the extent of the copper

accumulation and the aggressiveness of the detox

approach. In addition to the symptoms pointed out in the

quote by Dr. Casper to the right, other symptoms of mobilization

and detox can include flu-like symptoms, decreased libido,

acne, spaciness, disorientation, digestive problems, nausea, joint

pains, and emotional detachment especially when

accompanied by the calcium shell.

The stimulating effect of exercise is so powerful that it can

actually allow an adrenal burned out person to feel fit and

healthy, even as key mineral reserves are being dangerously

depleted. The following excerpt is from the 1981 Healthview

Newsletter Issue 27-29 in discussion with Dr. Paul Eck:

"When you are fatigued, and cannot, or will not, do anything

about it, the body often dulls your sensitivity. It reduces your

awareness so you can continue to function. Often the person

has no idea of the trouble he is in until you pull him out of it. This is

frequently true of heavy exercisers. One reason for this is that

exercise can give people a sense of physical and mental

euphoria which is not warranted by their physical condition.

Vigorous exercise can cause a release of narcotic-like

substances from the brain and pituitary gland. This is why runners

say they get a "natural high." ...The person is getting an exalted

and exaggerated sense of well-being that is frequently NOT

supported by a solid mineral base. What concerns us about

heavy exercise is that it is so stimulating. It has the ability to

prevent people from feeling bad when they should feel bad. It

has the ability to block out awareness of an underlying fatigue."

"The mobilization and removal

of excess copper can cause

psychological and physical

symptoms, including; PMS,

fatigue and exhaustion,

allergies, brain fog, headaches

and migraines, mood swings,

cry easily or for no reason, cold

hands and/or feet, depression,

dry skin, chocolate cravings,

feeling out of control, paranoia,

despair and hopelessness,

arthritis and calcium spurs,

constipation, tachycardia or

bradycardia, poor

concentration or memory, short

attention span, spaced out,

eating disorders (anorexia,

bulimia, overeating), anxiety,

panic attacks, yeast infections

(candida), aching or cramping

muscles, hypoglycemia,

insomnia, mind racing,

obsessive thoughts, cysts,

mononucleosis, low blood

pressure, hypothyroid."

~ Julie Casper, L.Ac .

71

As a result, a return to exercise too quick and too hard in a

copper toxic burned out individual can further support a false

sense of improved wellness and cause them to abandon further

treatment. The exercise, just like adrenal stimulants, also raises

sodium over potassium, increasing the stress response, further

losing magnesium, further increasing the calcium shell, and

further complicating the process of counseling the individual.

As one begins to detox, it's not uncommon for the copper level

on the Hair TMA to show up at an even higher level than before -

this is simply the copper being mobilized. The copper released

from storage into the blood as a result of detox is now free,

unbound copper. Without adequate ceruloplasmin or minerals

such as molybdenum to bind to the copper, the mental

symptoms will worsen. This can also affect the ratios with other

minerals (such as magnesium and calcium), and lead one

further into a calcium shell. This is why changes in perception

and personality are not uncommon during the detox phase. The

calcium shell also helps slow down the previously racing mind

while also numbing the patient to what is happening around

them, both of which lead to a false sense of improvement. In

effect, though some symptoms have "improved", other

symptoms (psychological) are less obvious to the patient and

can get worse. This is why detox must be done in a slow, gentle,

and monitored way. Relationship struggles / break-ups are

common during this time (online forums are filled with these

cases, and this is discussed more in the Relationships section). It

is so important to keep this in mind if you feel your relationship

heading down the same path. Remember that you are not

yourself during this time. As copper stimulates the old brain and

weakens the neocortex, selected parts of reality and the

perception of certain people and beliefs can get distorted,

compounded by the rise in calcium which creates an 'emotional

cataract'. Over time, as copper is eventually eliminated, the

calcium shell (which previously had numbed the emotions and

blocked awareness of what was happening), begins to break

apart. This breaking of the shell may be experienced suddenly,

or in some cases gradually, with little sparks of old awareness,

"One of the key things you first

have to understand is who you

are biochemically and how

the wrong detox mechanism

can affect you psychologically

and psychiatrically."

~Dr. Albert Mensah

“When the shell breaks up, it is

often described in the person's

own words as a wall or a plate

glass coming down or

disintegrating. Or, it may be

experienced like a dam

breaking and a flood of blocked

feelings rushes in an

overwhelms the person."

~The Strands of Health,

Dr. Rick Malter, Ph.D

72

memories and feelings slowly peaking through as the shell

disintegrates.

Another thing that can happen during detox is something

known as "retracing". Retracing stems from a subconscious

association of memories with biochemical patterns, similar to

how hearing a certain song brings back memories of that time.

The following is an excerpt taken from an article [26] written by

Analytical Research Labs:

"The first factor that can cause emotional reactions is the

association of memories with mineral patterns. It is well known

that thoughts and memories may be triggered by such things as

odors, music, or specific locations that remind the person of

something from the past. What is less well known is that

memories can also be associated with specific biochemical

patterns. As we rebuild and rebalance the body chemistry a

person may pass through a mineral pattern of 20 years ago.

Suddenly, thoughts or feelings from that time can flood into

consciousness. The change in body chemistry unlocks, releasing

feelings that were dormant or subconscious. To suddenly

experience these feelings can be frightening inasmuch as they

can occur out of the blue, when one thought they had finished

with or forgotten a particular situation or emotion."

It's imperative that the overseeing practitioner helps the patient

understand the long-term commitment required for copper

detox. When the patient quits detox too soon (either because

they 'feel better' or in some cases due to the unpleasant effects

of copper dumping), the liver may have lightened its copper

load and adrenal function may have improved, but the work

has not yet been done to detox the stored copper that in the

latter stages accumulated in the brain. The person can wind up

being left in a pseudo-reality state psychologically as a result

with selectively altered perception and diminished awareness

of what's happened. Though the patient feels better and a

blood test shows "normal", there could still be large amounts of

bio-unavailable copper in the brain. Furthermore, other mineral

73

levels will likely also still be out of whack, causing a wide range

of psychological effects. All of this can only be properly

determined through HTMA, and this underscores the

importance of being monitored constantly via HTMA

throughout the often lengthy detox process, as well as the

importance of working with a practitioner that, beyond just

treating the obvious physical symptoms, understands the strong

psychological connection copper has to the brain and

thoughts. Without such proper guidance or HTMA testing, the

patient can easily believe they are fine and determine they no

longer need treatment.

There are a number of additional resources on the web which

explain in more detail what one can expect, including

http://www.arltma.com/Articles/CopperElimDoc.htm, and the

numerous links at www.coppertoxic.com/references.html. The

book "The Strands of Health" by Dr. Rick Malter Ph.D offers not

only one of the most comprehensive descriptions of Hair TMA

testing, but should also be mandatory reading for all who are

navigating their way through copper detox, both patients and

practitioners alike, in order to understand the importance of

precise mineral balancing and the consequences of not doing

so properly.

Lastly, like with any detox, it's imperative that you be aware of

how it will affect your emotions and spiritual energy. Excess

copper's close linkage to the emotions and feelings of

depression, anxiety, and paranoia are troublesome enough. On

top of this though, understand that lower energies are being

released (and surface) during this detox time. If one is not

careful, these too can play havoc with one's life path and

relationships.

“Lower emotions such as

resentment, grief, sadness, and

anger will surface to be

released during the cleansing

process…A big mistake is to feel

these feelings, then start

attaching a mental story to

them, creating a “drama” and

becoming upset about the

emotions, or projecting the

cause of them onto others in

your life, or taking some

unnecessary action.”

~Niki Gratix

74

HOW EMOTIONAL PROGRAMMING CAN

BLOCK CORRECTION

As copper rises, so too does sodium, while conversely

potassium levels decrease. The ratio between sodium

(Na) and potassium (K) is known as the 'stress ratio'. As the

Na/K ratio is allowed to rise, the intensity of stress rises, and

one's ability to handle stress becomes less. The slightest

irritation can cause intense agitation, and the person may

act out in a reflex over-reaction that bypasses higher

cortical intellect function. Balancing this ratio is essential to

correcting a copper toxicity issue. The challenge is

that emotional issues from childhood may block the

correction of this ratio and even over-ride the effect of

supplementation because the issues are imprinted in the

brain and nervous system at a subcortical cell and tissue

level. (Some resources that may help in this regard are

offered at

http://www.integrativehealthcoaching.ca/emotional-

healing.html). Further compounding this challenge is that

by this stage the calcium level has also risen to form a

"shell" effect that numbs the emotions and selectively

blocks the person's awareness of their behaviour and

reactions. If the calcium shell is an ingrained pattern since

childhood as a protective mechanism, it may be very

difficult to resolve this pattern through mineral balancing

alone.

Indeed, beyond the HTMA and correcting nutritional

imbalance, a big part of healing is spiritual in nature -

identifying beliefs and possible childhood traumas that

have not only led to the current condition, but are also

blocking further healing. Protective mechanisms may

have been learned in childhood in times when expressions

of love were met with pain, and those self-preservation

adaptations are now getting in the way of self care and

self love as adults. Counseling to overcome fear and

"A high tissue level of calcium tends to

block natural cellular functioning [and]

tends to be associated with emotional

blocking, numbing of feelings,

depression, low self-esteem, pessimism,

and feelings of inferiority. The more

need there is for emotional blocking and

deadening of feelings, the more the TMA

calcium will tend to exceed magnesium.

…In alcoholic or other dysfunctional

families, there seems to be a strong

tendency for a child to develop a

calcium "shell" as a natural self-

protective mechanism which helps to

constantly deaden feelings of

vulnerability and anxiety. …This calcium

shell can become a chronic entrenched

mineral pattern. …Psychologically, a

chronic high Ca/Mg ratio tends to be

associated with denial or covering up a

problem with which the individual

cannot or will not deal." [5]

"A great deal of energy is expended to

hold on to resentments, frustrations,

anger, guilt, rage, shame, and fears.

Whatever energy may be built up by

taking vitamins and minerals may

continue to be drained and wasted in

holding on to emotional conflicts and

feelings that are not adequately dealt

with.... Mineral patterns may remain out

of balance because there is an internal

psychological resistance to change. Until

the person works through and resolves

the emotionally conflicts, mentally, he or

she will be blocked in changing their

related adverse mineral pattern....When

the emotional conflict is finally resolved,

a tremendous amount of energy is freed

up and a significant mineral pattern

change may then take place."

~Dr. Rick Malter Ph.D (Excerpt from

"The Strands of Health")

75

anxiety, healing one's emotional history of abuse or trauma, and

helping the person move into a renewed state of self-love can

be most helpful.

THE GIFT OF HEALING

Copper toxicity perfectly demonstrates the intimate connection

between mind and body, between biology and psychology,

each influencing the other. Beyond the physical symptoms,

we've also seen how excess copper plays a powerful role on

emotional/mental health. It can also play a role in our spiritual

growth. Excess bio-unavailable copper gets largely stored in our

tissues, which also is where an energetic memory of our fears get

stored. As copper gets stirred up and mobilized through detox,

so too can old belief systems from our parents and childhood,

along with traumatic memories and fears. If we're not careful,

we then approach the continuation of healing as if we're driving

a car and deciding which way to turn based on what we see in

the rear view mirror. We need to be mindful of this

influence. We can also consider the view of Traditional Chinese

Medicine which says that anger gets stored primarily in the

liver. Many experts regard depression as a form of repressed

anger. As one cleanses the liver through detox, these long-

buried negative emotions of anger, fears, or traumas which we

don't want to look at may come to the surface together with the

toxic load. Awareness of this possibility can hold a key to

continuing the journey, or giving up.

This is an opportunity therefore to examine how past hurts and

beliefs may be affecting one's current behaviour, and to let

them go so they no longer control and sabotage our lives. Did

you inherit non-supportive beliefs from your parents? Are you

now acting in a similar way or pattern as one or both your

parents? Is there a trauma to deal with? As for fear, it is the

greatest enemy that stops us in our evolution in life. Sometimes

the greater our spiritual evolutionary 'reward' (awakening), the

greater the fear that one must conquer first...and in the context

"Individuals with an abuse

history, or a history of trauma,

also form neural units that do

not serve them for health,

wellbeing, and a peaceful

life. This is one reason why

individuals have a difficult time

correcting their mineral

balance without healing their

emotional history, and/or

spiritual levels. We are much

more than a body."

~Rachel Neumann

"The main thing that is

preventing you from waking up,

the main thing that is

preventing you from finding the

joy, and the main thing that is

preventing you from living your

life here now, fully, is your

fear. So you could be doing

everything you want to be

doing, but if you do not address

the fear, you're not going to

wake up…. We all want to stop

judgement, the negative

emotions, culturally it's not

acceptable to say what I feel, to

show that I'm insecure, that I'm

angry, that I'm not happy, all

these things stay repressed in

our body. Where do these

repressions go? They stay in

your tissues. Every single

experience you've had in your

life starting from your birth, the

memory of your birth, the

trauma, or even if it's the

experience of fear, it's in your

tissues."

~Mada Eliza Dalian

76

of this topic, copper toxicity may be the catalyst that calls one

to that challenge of growth. Forgiveness, of yourself and others,

becomes the next step. In this light, a quote from the book 'A

Course in Miracles' is well suited: "The world we see merely

reflects our own internal frame of reference...Projection makes

perception. We look inside first, decide the world we want to

see and then project that world outside, making it the truth as

we see it. We make it true by our interpretations of what it is we

are seeing...We have distorted the world by our twisted

defences, and are therefore seeing what is not there. As we

learn to recognize our perceptual errors, we also learn to look

past them or 'forgive'... Forgiveness means no longer living in the

fearful past...Forgiveness is the most powerful healer of all... "

It can be helpful to take a step back and question your

reaction to people as well as nutritional guidance offered

during your detoxing process. If you've closed off a part of your

life or an approach to healing during this time, that could be a

clue to where the biggest hurt or fear exists, and thus the most

important, albeit hardest, area to examine. Not to be confused

with the way things may appear to be normal while under the

influence of the calcium shell or other imbalances, those who

put in the effort to truly heal themselves physically and mentally

(arduous and long as the process often is), invariably refer to

copper toxicity as the catalyst to their greatest spiritual growth

and self-awakening.

77

WHY COPPER TOXICITY IS SO POORLY UNDERSTOOD

Most doctors remain unfamiliar with copper toxicity or show little interest in it

because treatment is based on nutrition, not pharmaceuticals; the latter

approach provides profits, the former does not, nor is nutrition adequately

taught in medical school. Furthermore, when it comes to assessing copper

status, almost all doctors and researchers rely on blood test results (and studies

based on blood testing). This ignores one of the most fundamental aspects of

copper toxicity - excess copper does not get stored in the blood! Blood levels

have almost no correlation to stored tissue levels! Articles strewn across the

Internet promoting the one-sided benefits of copper only further muddy the

waters of understanding. Only through properly interpreted HTMA testing (Hair

Tissue Mineral Analysis) can the public ever truly come to understand the

prevalence of copper toxicity, how it’s impacting their health, and how to

properly approach the complex rebalancing of minerals in the body “Until

medical doctors and other “health” care practitioners begin to study the

mind/body’s mineral system especially as it is reflected in HTMAs, the medical /

mineral disconnect will remain. Without HTMA data, medical doctors will not

recognize the epidemic nature of the copper toxicity problem." ~Dr. Malter,

Ph.D.

The rest of this section explains, in significant detail, the various causes and

effects of copper toxicity. Hopefully this work will shed light and clarity on a

topic which affects so many, yet on which so much false information has been

relayed by practitioners or continues to be written about online. The Internet

today is flooded with articles that:

dismiss altogether the concept of copper "toxicity", instead suggesting

that most of the population needs to consume more (when in fact the

standard diet of the Western world sufficiently supplies the recommended

daily intake for all age groups), and failing to educate the reader that

most copper deficiency in the West is a result of excess copper exposure

(as explained on the Symptoms page of this site).

deny (or fail to mention) that birth control methods like the pill or copper

IUD could lead to the presenting symptoms,

espouse only the 'benefits' of copper (such as being healthy or stimulating

for the brain, energy, thyroid...), leading the reader to believe we all need

78

to consume more - despite excess copper over time leading to mental

illness, adrenal burnout, slowing of the thyroid, and much much more...

promote the Ayurvedic benefits of drinking from copper vessels. Though

such practice served a sterile-water-storage benefit in ancient days

(since copper does in fact provide antimicrobial properties), what fails to

be mentioned is that our biochemistry today (mineral profile) is very

different than it was thousands, or even hundreds, of years ago). We

know today that copper being leached from copper piping in homes is

harmful and are moving away from such practice; certainly not toward

it!

promote their copper-containing products (using copper as a selling

feature) using such phrases as 'copper toxicity is rare', 'excess copper is

excreted', or in the case of excess, copper can be 'removed by chelating

agents or by the consumption of high levels of zinc'. Ignorant advice that

is wrong, wrong, and downright dangerous!

portray copper to be a 'love mineral' without expanding on the fact

that excess copper is a major cause of emotional shutdown, depression

and broken relationships,

promote blood testing as the standard way to determine copper status

(despite the fundamental fact as mentioned that excess copper gets

stored in tissue and NOT the blood, meaning that blood provides almost

NO reliable correlation to the tissue mineral level at the cellular level),

base arguments on studies which use blood (which of course most studies

do and therefore are very misleading), or on the two widely publicized

studies from 1985 and 2001 on HTMA that intentionally aimed to dismiss

the benefits of HTMA through faulty testing and manipulation of results),

refute the benefits or accuracy of HTMA testing - despite thousands of

peer reviewed references supporting HTMA and it being the single most

important test to determine copper toxicity and provide the guidance

necessary for intelligent evidence-based nutritional rebalancing. [Given

the efforts that have gone into suppressing HTMA, could it be that this

simple non-invasive 'alternative' test threatens the profits of big-pharma

since money is made off drugs and disease rather than health and holistic

self care?]

Without mentioning site names (their promotion is not deserved) it is important

for people to understand the caution necessary when researching this topic. By

79

far the majority of websites and blog articles out there written about copper are

presenting blatantly false or misleading information. A few examples:

A popular medical website widely used for diagnosis of various conditions

makes no mention of HTMA but instead promotes urine and blood testing

as the best ways of diagnosing copper toxicity (the reasons why such

advice is dangerously flawed are addressed on the Testing page of this

site). The same medical website also makes the incorrect claim that

constant fatigue has a weak or unproven link to copper toxicity. Again,

this is a reflection of a complete lack of understanding behind how

excess copper directly affects and weakens the adrenals, leading to

fatigue.

One of the world's leading providers of online medical health information

states the primary cause of copper toxicity to be the consumption of illicit

drugs or prescription, over-the-counter, alternative medications or drug

overdoses. They fail entirely to make any mention of the MUCH more

prevalent and important causes of copper toxicity, nor do they make any

mention in their discussion of the key symptoms of fatigue, adrenal issues,

or influences on mood and mental health. Quite frankly, their explanation

of copper toxicity is misleading at best and void of any substance or truth

on the topic whatsoever. How can the public ever be properly informed

when such mainstream medical sites purport such astonishingly false

information?!

A doctor-authored 'science based' site promotes copper as the

protective, anti-aging, love mineral. The site suggests people do not need

to worry about copper excess because the body does a fantastic job

regulating levels, citing "with amazement" how numerous studies show

that copper "magically" disappears out of the blood. It completely fails to

make mention of where this excess copper goes (ie: into tissue and

accumulating in the body)!! Furthermore, copper toxicity can have a

powerful impact on the emotions - though not always good. Whereas

the article hypes copper as the mineral of love, the fact (which the article

misrepresents) is that copper at high levels can eradicate feelings of love

and cause depression. In fact, we know, anyone who becomes highly

copper toxic will experience a deadening of their emotions! Misleadingly,

the article goes on to imply that copper is great for mental health,

completely ignoring the EXTREMELY significant negative psychological

symptoms that present with high levels of copper stored in the brain

80

(including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, ADD, depression, anxiety, the list

goes on!) The article then goes on further to make such false claims

as "the only dietary source of copper that a person should worry about is

in contaminated water" (implying that diet plays no role in copper toxicity

and adjusting one’s diet therefore would not make any difference!), and

that "copper provides preventative benefits for ALL conditions except

one (Wilson's Disease)". The amount of blatantly false information in this

one article alone is astonishing, yet tragically people read and trust this

kind of literature because it’s authored by a doctor, and as a result the

public continues to be dangerously misled.

A national public service information site from the U.S. that claims to offer

"objective science based" information, states "The human body adjusts its

internal environment to maintain copper equilibrium" and that copper

rarely gets stored in the body. Hundreds of thousands of HTMA profiles

very clearly disprove that! Once again though, people believe such

falsehoods because it comes from a so-called 'trusted' source.

Sexual health and official birth control option websites make little to zero

mention of the ‘copper connection’ to the common symptoms of copper

toxicity that arise from the birth control Pill and copper IUD. Young women

go to these sites (and to their doctor’s) expecting reliable information, yet

without receiving full disclosure to symptoms, their physical and mental

health is being put at risk. Women so often realize something is wrong but

they simply can't get their doctors to listen, and information (or lack

thereof) being relayed from sexual health officials sure doesn’t help the

matter.

a copper-based health product, in their sleek marketing, uses misleading

attribution from a random selected article that claims copper to be a

new 'gold standard in saving lives', without disclosing copper's negative

effects, and attributing the quote as coming from one of North America's

leading healthcare research and publishing services.

Another one of the ‘world’s leading online independent health platforms

with over half a million members and millions of visitors each month offers

a discussion group for women complaining of negative symptoms that

started after inserting their IUD. These women are looking for answers,

trying to understand what’s causing their symptoms. Yet, when copper

toxicity was brought up and a link provided where people could learn

more, publication was denied by the site administrators. To this day,

people continue to post, seeking answers, but the public is effectively

81

blocked from receiving this information. The same is true for one of

Facebook’s largest health ‘advocacy’ groups - mention of copper

toxicity has been quickly attacked and dismissed by the administrators,

and people continue to be led astray by dangerous protocols that ignore

consideration of copper toxicity.

Countless more websites (including one of the world's top 10 most visited

natural health websites) talk about all the benefits of copper (it helps

increase energy, is good for healthy brain function, assists emotional

health, supports healthy metabolism, helps thyroid activity...) ... and lead

the public to believe most of us are deficient in copper and therefore

should be increasing our intake! They do not understand that most

deficiency is caused by a toxicity issue, NOT by a lack of copper in the

diet. Second, the benefits mentioned are only true at a normal, healthy

level of copper. As copper builds up and becomes bio-unavailable in

large quantities, those aforementioned benefits REVERSE!!! Copper

increases energy? At a basic level, yes...but too much copper leads to

adrenal exhaustion! Healthy brain function? It's a marker in over half of

schizophrenics, and a key factor leading to Alzheimer's! Emotional

health? Too much copper leads to the numbing of emotions and

damaged relationships, as well as being a leading cause of depression

and anxiety. Supports metabolism? It leads to a slowing of metabolism!

Helps thyroid activity? Copper raises calcium and lowers potassium,

leading directly to a slowing of thyroid activity! And again we see even

more websites claiming that the body is able to self-regulate the level of

copper. Anyone who studies the interrelationship of minerals and uses

the hard evidence provided by HTMA testing knows how absurd such

claims are.

Tragically, the Internet and social media has become a breeding ground of

erroneous information, much of it influenced by a small number of individuals

(including doctors) who have the power and a platform to convince large

trusting audiences, and this is the unfortunate environment the public is left to

navigate through. It's becoming increasingly difficult for people to know what

to believe, especially when some of these so-called 'experts' flat-out deny the

concept of 'copper toxicity'. Not only does such ongoing ignorance deny what

so many have painfully struggled through, it also suppresses greater awareness

of the condition and the chance to address the sources of exposure. How

many more people have to painfully lose their health or a loved one because

82

of ignorance surrounding copper toxicity, or their practitioner not understanding

that the blood copper level is a fluctuating and highly unreliable marker, or not

understanding the effect birth control pills, copper IUDs, copper sulfates,

estrogens, copper piping and high copper diets have on people, physically

and psychologically. How many more stories do we have to hear of young

women being prescribed anti-depressants, without even an investigation into

her copper level and associated mineral imbalances? To deny copper toxicity

is to deny an individual's right to possibly finding the one answer that could save

their life or transform their health. Too many lives have already been hurt or

destroyed as a result of medical ignorance, and the health of our future

generations, especially our young women, is most at risk. Those of us in the

health care and holistic healing communities have a duty and owe it to the

people we serve to promote proper understanding of this epidemic. It's time we

move into a new paradigm of health, recognizing the interconnection between

our environment, food choices, and minerals levels, and how those interrelated

minerals influence, and indeed control, our health, even our personality. The

science, research, and hard evidence has existed for over 40 years; it's time we

recognize the toxic nature of copper on the body resulting not from mere

internal 'dysregulation' but from the large number of sources from which we are

receiving over-exposure (copper sulfates, copper IUDs, copper piping,

xenoestrogens as examples). Leaving outdated medical and nutritional beliefs

behind, let's open ourselves to knowledge which can truly serve the greater

good of people. When women receive fully informed consent to birth control,

when nutritionists understand the essentiality of program design based on a

client's individual mineral profile and not fad dietary beliefs, and when the

medical system allows for greater conversation on the role mineral imbalance

plays in disease, what are the possibilities for our world in terms of reducing

illness, increasing human energy, and saving relationships and lives?

The research on this site is the summation of 40+ years of research specific to

mineral balances and copper toxicity. There is no longer a lack of research, or

evidence. The evidence is clear and factual, especially through HTMA data.

The hope is that through this website and furthering the life's work of pioneers in

this field including Drs Eck, Watts, Pfeiffer, Malter, Wilson, and others, the tide will

eventually be turned in favor of awareness and proper understanding for the

benefit and healing of all those affected.

83

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rick Fischer is a Certified Health Coach, advanced H.T.M.A. Practitioner, nutritional

educator, author and speaker. His life was profoundly impacted by copper toxicity -

witnessing how it affected his beloved fiancée and subsequently losing her to the

psychological effects of a post-adrenal burnout copper detox administered under the

guidance of a physician who, like so many, relied on blood testing and failed to

understand the powerful psychological effects of adrenal burnout and the mobilization

of excess copper. He vowed not to allow this heartbreaking loss not serve a greater

purpose. He has since devoted his life to furthering the research in this field, and

bringing increased support, awareness and understanding to the copper toxicity

epidemic which silently affects so many, and yet is so widely misdiagnosed or

mistreated. The more he researched, the more he began hearing similar stories from

others who also had their lives, health, or relationships devastated as a result of adrenal

burnout, copper toxicity, and/or the subsequent detoxing process when incorrectly

administered. Given that much of this research has been around for over 40 years, it’s

shocking that lives are still being affected today because of medical ignorance and

even denial surrounding copper toxicity or the benefits of tissue mineral testing

(hTMA). Rick is a passionate advocate for advancing awakened nutritional awareness,

providing informed consent for women on birth control, helping those affected by

copper toxicity, and improving education in the role mineral imbalances play in

physical and mental health, energy, and relationships. Delving far deeper than the

content contained herein, Rick is currently also co-authoring a ground-breaking and

heavily researched book on copper toxicity, due out around 2020.

Rick’s work can be found at:

www.CopperToxic.com

(Copper Toxicity’s most comprehensive online resource, and the basis for this e-book)

www.TheHealingWorkbook.com

(Interactive guidebook for healing and life transformation)

www.HTMATEST.com

(All about Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)

www.IntegrativeHealthCoaching.ca

(Portal site for Rick’s consulting practice)

www.MineralMastery.com

(Online nutrition education focused on minerals)