Motherhood Foundations Course

What + why

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a functional test used to provide a unique cellular reading of the mineral and heavy metal levels in your body. By analyzing small samples of recent hair growth, you can get a snapshot of what your body has been exposed to and what it is eliminating through the hair. This data is valuable for prioritizing which diet and lifestyle strategies will be most effective for addressing your bioindividual needs.

Sampling involves cutting small amounts of hair from a few spots on your head.

Minerals + metals

Minerals are elements that are essential for hundreds of physiological functions, including nerve signaling, muscle contraction, electrolyte balance, digestion, pH regulation, bone structure, blood sugar balance...the list goes on! You can think of minerals like "spark plugs" because they act as cofactors for thousand of metabolic reactions in your body. Mineral balance is foundational to nutritional therapy and essential for health + vitality!

Heavy metals are elements that are toxic when they accumulate in the body. We are exposed to heavy metals everyday via our food, water, and environment. While important to reduce exposure whenever possible, it is also critical to support the body's ability to detoxify + excrete heavy metals. The HTMA provides insight into how to best support this detoxification process.

Key results

Considerations

• Hair should be free of dye, bleach, and/or hair products. If you have recently dyed your hair, please wait a minimum of 3 weeks before collection or make sure hair has been washed at least 8-10 times. It is ideal to wait until the root has grown out and the hair sample is only untreated hair.
• If you use Head and Shoulders, Selsun Blue, or any other anti-dandruff shampoo, please discontinue for 2 weeks prior to collection and note this on your submission form. If it is impossible to temporarily stop, please make sure to indicate use on the submission form.
• Please avoid the use of public pools for at least one week prior to collection.
• Scalp hair should be used whenever possible.
• If you are bald, you may use pubic or beard hair. Clipped fingernails can also be used. Please notify your practitioner if you will be using something other than scalp hair and follow the directions below closely to avoid contamination from sweat.
• Ask a friend or family member to help take your hair sample, do not try to do it alone!

Day of Collection

• Shampoo and condition hair preferably using a clarifying shampoo, but normal shampoo is fine.
• While still in the shower, rinse hair thoroughly with distilled water.
• Collect hair sample 4-6 hours after washing, preferably air dried.
• Please ensure you do not sweat at all after washing your hair and prior to taking the hair sample.
• Take very small sections of hair from 3-4 locations at the base of the skull and cut as close to the scalp as possible.
• Trim the hair sample to only include 1 inch from the root. Discard the remainder of the hair.
• Fold edges on the purple scale and add hair to the high side of the scale.
• Continue to add hair to the scale until it tips like a teeter-totter. Bunching the hair together can help! When the scale tips, you have collected enough hair!

Mailing Instructions

• Add hair sample to small white envelope and seal it. Fill out your name and shampoo.
• Fill out all of the highlighted sections on the included form.
• Put the completed form and small envelope inside the pre-stamped envelope addressed to Trace Elements Lab. The envelope can be sent directly from your personal mailbox.
• Notify Cassaundra that you have placed your sample in the mail. The typical turnaround time is 2-3 weeks from when the lab receives your sample.