SLOW OXIDATION
By Dr. Lawrence Wilson
© July 2023, L.D. Wilson
Consultants, Inc.
All information in this article is for educational
purposes only. It is not for the
diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.
Table Of Contents
Definitions: reduced glandular effect, more yin, hair and blood definitions, a more parasympathetic body chemistry, exhaustion stage of stress, reduced chaos.
History
Symptoms
III. IDENTIFYING SLOW OXIDATION
Hair mineral patterns
Blood tests
Other tests
Diet
Lifestyle
Nutritional Supplements
Procedures
Variants Of Slow Oxidation
Combinations
Quantification
Energy Centers
References
Definitions.
1. A state of body chemistry in which there exists a reduced adrenal and thyroid glandular effect. This is often not revealed on blood or other tests.
About 85 to 90% of
adults have a slow oxidation rate.
Very few babies and small children have a slow oxidation ate.
2. A more yin body type, according to
macrobiotic terms and Chinese medicine.
3. On a hair mineral analysis (only
when the hair has not been washed at the lab), a calcium/potassium ratio
greater than 4 AND a sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17.
4. On a blood test, the pH tends to be
more alkaline. However, the
overall pH of the body is usually more acidic than that of a fast oxidizer.
5. One of the most important metabolic types in development science, characterized by reduced sympathetic nervous system activity, causing more parasympathetic activity by default.
In other words, it is
not a healthy parasympathetic state, but rather one that occurs because the
sympathetic nervous system no longer functions and the body flips into more of
a parasympathetic state.
6. An exhaustion stage of stress, according to
the stress theory of disease proposed by Hans Selye, MD.
7. A reduced level of chaos in the whole body system.
History. The term slow oxidation was coined by George Watson, PhD in the book, Nutrition And Your Mind, Bantam Books, 1972. Dr. Watson used odor tests and later, the pH of the blood, to determine the oxidation rate.
Dr. Paul C. Eck applied the concept to his nutritional research soon afterwards. He found he could use hair mineral testing to assess the oxidation rate accurately and simply. We use his method and it works well.
Dr. Eck also figured out that slow oxidation is identical to an exhaustion stage of stress, with a more parasympathetic-dominated nervous system, in many cases.
There is an exception, called sympathetic dominance, that is also common. For much more on this interesting autonomic imbalance please read Sympathetic Dominance on this website.
I added the connection with a more yin body chemistry and less chaos.
Symptoms. Those with a slow
oxidation rate tends to be tired, apathetic, depressed and even
despairing and suicidal if their oxidation rate is very slow. Some are emotional as their copper
level rises. Some are also
anxious, although fatigue and depression are more common. Many use stimulant foods, drugs or
other methods to keep going.
Their blood sugar and blood pressure tend to be low, at
least until later in life when they can develop arteriosclerosis and diabetes,
which raise these levels. They are
often cold and do not sweat easily.
Their brains often work slowly, and many have brain fog, spacey
thinking, and slower thinking.
They usually have dry skin and dry hair, and many complain of constipation. They often gain weight on the hips and legs, while the upper body may be smaller. Most have underactive thyroid glands, especially the women. They are prone to osteoporosis, cancer, infections, skin problems, and many other health conditions.
Interestingly, most health conditions can occur due to fast or slow oxidation. The medical name for the condition is the same, such as arthritis, osteoporosis or cancer. However, the physiology and pathology are different, and the corrective program for each type must be different as well.
For example, one can have a fast or a slow oxidation cancer, heart attack, arthritis or diabetes. Medical science does not distinguish the difference in most cases, but they are different, and each requires a different corrective program.
1. Chronic stress. Some adults or some older children have
a slow oxidation rate because they are under stress of a type that forces their
bodies into slower oxidation. Here
are some possible stress factors that can cause this:
Dietary factors include the use of stimulants such as caffeine in any form, sugar, or hot spices.
Many slow oxidizers
crave sugar because they have difficulties keeping their blood sugar level
up. However, it worsens their condition.
Vaccination. Vaccination is a horrible
practice that is ruining the children today! Mercury, aluminum and other toxins in vaccines can easily
overwhelm the body of a child, and even an adult and help push a person into a
slow oxidation metabolic state.
Please read the facts in the Vaccination
article on this website, and avoid all vaccines. Please do not be swayed by your doctor or the media.
Many medical drugs suppress the adrenal
or thyroid glands, or otherwise sedate the body and contribute to slow
oxidation. These include blood
pressure drugs, some heart drugs, sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and
others.
Some nutritional supplements can slow
the oxidation rate such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, choline, inositol, vitamin
D and others. These
must be used carefully by those with a slow oxidation rate.
Some recreational drugs are sedatives
or nervous system depressants.
They include marijuana and pain pills.
Some toxic chemicals such as certain
pesticides have a suppressive glandular effect. Excess toxic metals in the body can also act as a stressor
that pushes a person into a slow oxidation rate. These are discussed below.
Other causes are lack of rest, too much work, fears, depression for other reasons, or discouragement.
3. Dietary factors. Some people remain in slow oxidation because they do not eat enough protein or cooked vegetables. These foods help speed up the oxidation rate.
Some people also eat
too much fruit and sugars that damage the glands and eventually slow the
oxidation rate.
4. The slow oxidizer personality. Some people enjoy having a slow oxidation
rate, though it is largely unconscious.
They are often plodders, and some are chronically depressed or
apathetic.
5. Toxic metals. Too many toxic metals in the body definitely cause a slow oxidation rate. Most slow oxidizers have copper toxicity, but they also are often high in many toxic metals because they cannot eliminate them well. This may not be revealed on any tests – blood, urine, feces, hair or others, beause the toxic metals can lodge deep in the organs.
Most slow oxidizers also have plenty of the ÒamigosÓ. These are toxic, oxide forms of aluminum, iron, or manganese. They also include oxide forms of chromium, selenium, copper, cobalt, boron, molybdenum, lithium and cobalt. Rarely they include oxides of calcium and magnesium. These are widely distributed in the environment and are in our food.
They are powerful irritants that can cause a slower oxidation rate. They accumulate in the kidneys, the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, nervous system, brain or elsewhere.
Some people are born with too many toxic metals. One can also acquire them from food, drinking water, vaccines, from oneÕs occupation, or other places.
A proper development
program will help reduce slow oxidation, though it may take many months or
several years of following a properly designed development program.
6. Tension in the body. Many slow oxidizers have neck and
back tension and adhesions that help keep them in slow oxidation. These may require chiropractic, Rolfing
and the spinal twist daily to help relieve them.
7. Infections. Most slow oxidizers have many chronic infections. This is because they have difficulty fighting them off due to a low body temperature, reduced glandular activity, and reduced immune response.
III. IDENTIFYING
SLOW OXIDATION
HAIR MINERAL PATTERNS
High hair calcium and magnesium levels. Most slow oxidizers have an elevated hair calcium and magnesium level. This is due to reduced adrenal and thyroid glandular activity. Thyroid activity lowers tissue calcium levels.
Low hair sodium and potassium levels. Most slow oxidizers have a low hair sodium and low hair potassium. Low aldosterone is the most common cause.
Degrees of slow oxidation. A good method of assessing mild, moderate and extreme slow oxidation is to use the following criteria:
Ca/K < 30 = Mild slow oxidizer
Ca/K 30-100 = Moderate slow oxidizer
Ca/K > 100 = Extreme slow oxidizer
NOTE: This replaces the method of assessing the degree of fast oxidation found in the book, Development And Hair Mineral Analysis, editions 2010, 2014 and 2016.
A very visual
pattern. On a hair
mineral analysis, the pattern of slow oxidation is one of the easiest to
identify. The first two mineral
levels are higher than the second two minerals on a calibrated hair mineral
chart from Analytical Research Labs.
Visual difficulties. In some cases, slow oxidation is not easy to recognize visually. The difficulty occurs when all four macrominerals are elevated. This is called a four highs pattern.
In these cases, one cannot tell visually if slow oxidation is present. One must calculate the ratios to assess the oxidation type, as explained in the beginning of this article under Definition Of Slow Oxidation.
Factors that can skew
the hair mineral readings:
1. A water softener. This falsely raises the hair level of
sodium or potassium. If one has a
water softener on oneÕs shower or bath, one must wash the hair with spring,
distilled, reverse osmosis or unsoftened tap water twice before sampling the
hair for a hair analysis. The two
washings can be during the same shower or bath.
2. Washing the hair at the hair analysis laboratory. Most hair analysis labs wash the hair at the lab with alcohol, detergent or acetone. This will wash out some of the sodium and potassium, in particular, as these are very water-soluble minerals.
This will change the oxidation rate, in some cases. For accurate assessment of the oxidation rate, the hair must not be washed at the hair testing laboratory.
The only labs who do not wash the hair are Analytical Research Labs in
Phoenix, Arizona, USA and Trace Elements, Inc. in Addison Texas. At this time (2018), we prefer
Analytical Research Labs for more accurate testing.
3. Release of toxic calcium on a retest. This can rarely cause the calcium and
magnesium levels to rise sharply, at times, on a retest mineral analysis. This is not completely an artifact,
however.
4. Release of toxic potassium on a retest mineral analysis. This can cause a faster oxidation rate. This is not entirely an artifact, however.
BLOOD TESTS
Blood serum mineral levels may, but usually do not correspond to the levels of these minerals in the hair. This is because the serum mineral levels are kept extremely stable, and are affected by meals and other short-term factors.
The hair is a storage and excretory tissue. Minerals that the body is deficient in are retained, or not permitted into the hair. Minerals that are in excess in the blood are often pushed off or stored in non-essential soft tissues such as the hair.
OTHER METHODS TO
IDENTIFY SLOW OXIDATION
Some doctors and nutritionists attempt to identify slow oxidation using questionnaires or symptoms. We do not find these methods to be accurate.
IV. CORRECTION OF
SLOW OXIDATION
The keys to correction
are:
1. The slow oxidizer diet. This requires loads of cooked vegetables with each meal, at least 3 times daily. It also requires 4-5 ounces of protein twice a day, for most adults. It is a low-fat diet. Also, eliminate fruit and sweets entirely, if possible. These upset the blood sugar, upset digestion and are not helpful, at all.
The cooked vegetables
are needed to remineralize the body with the alkaline reserve minerals. If a person will not eat plenty of cooked
vegetables, the program will not work well. For details, please read The Slow
Oxidizer Eating Plan on this website.
2. Nutritional supplements for slow oxidizers. This always includes a special multi-vitamin for slow oxidizers, a calcium/magnesium supplement, and either zinc or a formula called Limcomin. A supplement of omega-3 fatty acids and 5000 iu daily of vitamin D are also critical, or one can eat 3-4 cans of sardines per week to obtain these nutrients. The program must also include a supplement of kelp and TMG or trimethylglycine, and a digestive aid. Slow oxidizers need all of these.
One must also avoid
most other nutritional supplements because they are too yin, and a body in slow
oxidation is usually very yin, to begin with.
3. Lifestyle. A relaxed and faith-based lifestyle is very helpful to
restore the nervous system, rest the body, and keep the emotions and thoughts
calm and balanced. We never recommend
vigorous exercise for slow oxidizers, as it can be dangerous.
VARIANTS OF SLOW
OXIDATION
One can have a slow oxidation rate with a normal or
elevated sodium/potassium ratio, or the sodium/potassium ratio can be low.
One can also have slow oxidation along with a four highs
pattern, or with a four lows pattern.
IMPORTANT HAIR MINERAL
PATTERNS THAT INVOLVE SLOW OXIDATION
1. Sympathetic
dominance. This is an autonomic nervous system imbalance that is often
found along with slow oxidation.
The indicators for it are a potassium level of 4 mg% or less, or a
sodium/potassium ratio greater than about 5. For details, please read Sympathetic
Dominance on this website.
2. Step down pattern. This is a
very positive pattern, also called stepping into life. It is sometimes seen with a slow oxidation rate. The first four macrominerals on an ARL
calibrated chart look like steps moving down from the left to the right. It indicates that a person is beginning
a new chapter in oneÕs life, in most cases.
3. An oxidation
rate surge. This is a sharp increase in the oxidation rate on a
retest. It is usually a helpful
pattern. It may be due to kidney stress,
or to something else such as other stress, excitement or something else.
4. An oxidation
rate collapse. This is a sharp decrease in the oxidation rate. It is often due to the elimination of a
toxic metal that was keeping the oxidation rate slow or somewhat slow.
QUANTIFICATION OF SLOW
OXIDATION
This is not too important. If one wishes, a rough and somewhat arbitrary way to do this is to divide slow oxidation into mild, moderate and extreme. Criteria are:
1. Mild slow oxidation = Ca/K - Na/Mg less than 5.
2. Moderate slow oxidation = Ca/K - Na/Mg between 5 and 30.
3. Extreme slow oxidation = Ca/K - Na/Mg greater than about 30.
(These criteria are new (2016) and different from what is in the Development And Hair Mineral Analysis textbook).
THE ENERGY CENTERS AND
SLOW OXIDATION
Many people who are stuck in slow oxidation have an imbalance in the first energy center. This can mean they are not well grounded.
Other articles about Oxidation on this site are: The Oxidation Types, Fast Oxidation,
Four Lows Pattern, Metabolic Typing, Understanding Yang and Yin, Autonomic Balance, Understanding Stress and The Metabolic Packs. Many other articles discuss slow oxidation in relation to various diseases and health conditions.
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