SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

An Important Hair Analysis Pattern

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© July 2011, The Center For Development

Sympathetic dominance is one of the most interesting and common patterns that can be identified on a properly performed hair mineral analysis. It is of great interest because it is a physical, emotional and even a spiritually important human tendency. The latter means that those with this pattern are often of greater than average development of the mind and spirit.

DEFINITION OF SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE ON A HAIR ANALYSIS

Primary indicators.

1. A hair potassium level of 4 mg% (or 40 parts per million) or less. This is the most common indicator. The hair must not be washed at the laboratory for accurate assessment of potassium. This is critical! See below for more about hair washing at the laboratory.

2. A three highs or four highs pattern, along with a sodium/potassium ratio greater than about 3.

3. Three lows or four lows.

Secondary or reinforcing indicators.

1. A hair sodium/potassium ratio greater than about 4. Secondary means that it is not necessary for the pattern to be present. Also, it is not sufficient, on its own, for the pattern to be present. It simply reinforces or strengthens the likelihood of sympathetic dominance when present.

2. A hair calcium/magnesium ratio greater than about 9.5, providing that the hair sodium/potassium ratio is also greater than about 5. This is also called a double high ratio pattern. Once again, this is not necessary for the presence of sympathetic dominance. Also, it is not sufficient, by itself, to say that the pattern is present. It is, however, a reinforcing tendency for the pattern.

THE MEANING OF SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

Sympathetic dominance indicates a person who is over-utilizing his or her sympathetic nervous system. In simple terms, the person is pushing himself or herself, or worrying too much. The sodium and potassium readings on a hair tissue mineral analysis, and to some degree their ratio, have to do with the utilization of this branch of the autonomic or automatic nervous system.

While some use of this fight-or-flight system is normal and even needed, when it is overused chronically, it becomes exhausted. The body flips into a parasympathetic state we call slow oxidation. However, if one keeps on using the sympathetic system after exhaustion occurs, the sodium and potassium levels in the hair keep declining, revealing the pattern we are discussing.

In fact, the person is eliminating in the urine and sweat some sodium and potassium beyond what is ideal. This directly gives rise to the low levels. The pattern also has to do with the level of aldosterone in some instances, and it has to do with more complex mechanisms that come into play when the adrenal glands are very stressed, and depleted nutritionally.

SYMPTOMS

1. More physical activity than is appropriate for them. People who are in a sympathetic dominant mode of behavior often run around too much physically. Many are forever busy. They have trouble just relaxing, sitting still, resting, and being idle.

They often feel compelled, and at times, somewhat obsessive or compulsive, though usually not in a pathological way. In fact, this can be a very positive trait when it is controlled. Many are very caring and thoughtful, for example, but it is taken to an extreme and eventually begins to damage the body.

Some believe they are still fast oxidizers, when, in fact, the body has “burned out” of fast oxidation and is now in slow oxidation.

Many feel they are being “chased by tigers” much of the time. They may have been taught that to relax is a “waste of time” or “unproductive” or “lazy”.

They are doers. Often they identify themselves with their ‘doingness’, meaning their activities, physical or mental, rather than identifying with their beingness. The latter would be more like a very young child who is just happy to be himself or herself and need not run around or do much of anything to be happy.

2. Anxious or worriers. This is a form of run around in the mind

3. Tired, but usually somewhat out of touch with the fatigue and exhaustion. They often feel tired only when they slow down. The reason for this is that the body is often in a “second wind” mode of living much of the time. If they relax, they often feel like going to sleep. This is disturbing for them, so they get up and go again, putting themselves back in a sympathetic nervous mode.

4. A very active mind. Sympathetic dominant individuals are generally smart and have a very active mind to begin with, which gets overactive easily. This can make relaxing, sleeping or just sitting even more difficult.

5. Willfulness. This, of course, is a good thing if it is used wisely. However, the best use of the will for the sympathetic dominant type of person is to will oneself to slow down, relax and perhaps meditate, since that can undo the pattern better than anything else. The use of the will for other purposes, such as planning, moving the body, thinking too much and so forth, tends to make the pattern worse and keep it going.

6. Fearful and perhaps depressed underneath due to fears, worries and fatigue . Some with sympathetic dominance are running away because otherwise they would not feel well.

7. A high copper type of personality. They generally have hidden or overt copper toxicity. This helps explain some of their symptoms such as an active, analytical, emotional aspect of the personality.

8. In Acupuncture, damp heat or a weak yang rising.

9. Reduced libido in some cases. This may stem from hidden fatigue, and an inability to just relax.

10. Often caring, intelligent people.

11. Ungrounded. This goes with the tendency to run around too much or worry too much.

CAUSES FOR SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

Causes for this pattern can come from the spiritual, mental or physical realm.

1. Spiritual imbalances as a cause of sympathetic dominance. Sympathetic dominant individuals are usually quite spiritually oriented or advanced, compared to the mass of the people. One wants to “move on”, so to speak, but does not know how to do this without burning out the nervous system in a fight-or-flight reaction.

This is where meditation of the proper kind can be essential and powerful. It is a productive way to use the will and other mental faculties without burning oneself out.

The same will that gets one into trouble with this mineral pattern can thus be used in a powerful, healing, creative manner. For more information about this, read the article entitled Meditation. Beware of using just any meditation, as many do not have nearly the same effect as the one we recommend. Another article to read on this topic is Mental Development.

Another spiritual aspect of this pattern is that many with sympathetic dominance are somewhat lonely because of the their level of mental development. They react to this by trying to ‘fit in with the crowd’. To do so, they tend to overwork, overachieve, and generally run themselves ragged. Many try to please others, which is always a mistake. As a result, they exhaust themselves.

Another spiritual aspect is that these individuals are generally quite ungrounded and uncentered. They have a strong need for grounding and centering. There are not too many ways to achieve this, and one is the Roy Masters meditation exercise mentioned above and in the article on meditation on this website. Walking slowly is another excellent way to become centered and grounded, and is highly recommended for this reason. Also, learning to maintain strict boundaries and learning basic truths about the world and about people is also most helpful. For this, a starting point is to read the article called Survival on this website, and to implement what it recommends totally, without exception.

2. Mental/emotional causes of sympathetic dominance. This has the most to do with one’s upbringing. Many people are taught not be lazy, to be productive, to not waste time, and so forth. This can become exaggerated into sympathetic dominance. It is a type of compulsive or obsessive quality, we might say.

Another emotional cause may be excessive emotions that are fearful, negative, angry or harmful in some way. For example, fear of poverty, fear of the unknown, fear of self, even, can drive many people to achieve highly or just to keep moving all the time.

Fear. The sympathetic nervous system is the fight-or-flight system. It is the body’s response to fear. Anything that creates fear, whether it be listening to the news, watching a horror movie or war movie, being in the company of harmful friends or family, or a thousand other situations can contribute to sympathetic dominance symptoms.

Anger. Many people with sympathetic dominance are quite angry underneath. This is partially because they are spiritually advanced people who are having trouble handling the world. It can also be for all sorts of other reasons, such as childhood traumas. Dealing with anger, which is always an adrenal response to fear that is projected onto others, is important for many people with sympathetic dominance pattern.

3. Biochemical or nutritional causes of sympathetic dominance. Copper imbalance is always present with this pattern. In fact, a low hair potassium, Dr. Eck found, is always an indicator for hidden copper toxicity. To read more about copper, read Copper Toxicity Syndrome.

Other toxic metals, especially mercury and cadmium, or even toxic chemicals in the body may also irritate and drive a person even when he or she wants to relax.

The three amigos are always present in excess as well. They help support the sodium level, according to our research. Note that they will often not be revealed on early hair mineral analyses. These are aluminum, along with a biounavailable form of manganese and iron that are most likely oxides. These also irritate and stimulate the adrenals or the nervous system, perpetuating the pattern. For more on this topic, read The Three Amigos.

Also, fatigue also depletes vital nutrients such as zinc, chromium, selenium and others. These vital minerals and some vitamins as well are then often replaced by toxic metals such as cadmium, copper and others.

If one follows a nutritional balancing program, however, the toxic metals and toxic chemicals will slowly be eliminated from the body. As that happens, a person often calms down, worries less, relaxes more and the sympathetic dominance pattern disappears.

Many other toxic and physiological minerals can also contribute to the pattern.

4. Physical causes of sympathetic dominance. An interesting cause of this pattern is muscle tension in the body. This may take the form of simple tense muscles or it may cause spinal misalignments and other distortions of the physical body and posture that require handling by chiropractors or osteopaths.

It might also take the form of tight fascia that is addressed by Rolfing or Structural Integration, tight ligaments, bad posture or other structural or physical imbalances.

This is a strictly physical situation for the most part. This also means that anyone with sympathetic dominance should consider physical therapies such as chiropractic and structural integration as part of an overall healing program.

An interesting structural aspect is that a so-called cringing posture will tend to cause this pattern by irritating the sympathetic nerves in the upper and lower spinal area. As the posture changes, the nerves can relax.

SOLUTIONS

The nutritional balancing programs we recommend are geared to correct sympathetic dominance in at least ten different ways, which I will elaborate here:

· Basic good nutrition. Those with sympathetic dominance often have poor eating habits, as they are always somewhat on the run. They also are depleted by their pattern. Also, the sympathetic nervous system interferes with their digestion and their elimination, so these area of their bodies are weakened in most cases. These are specifically addressed with nutritional balancing programs with the right food, good eating habits and the use of supplements such as GB-3 and others.

· Balancing the oxidation rate. This helps eliminate toxic metals and restore the autonomic and other parts of the nervous system to optimal functioning.

· Toxic metal removal. The nutritional balancing program begins to remove All of the toxic metals. For more about how this is done without chelation therapy, read The Danger of Toxic Metals.

· Specific nutrients. We may give specific nutrients to rebuild the brain and nervous system. This, however, is never quite as important as the basic lifestyle changes mentioned above.

· Supplement program special alterations. We give fewer stimulating supplements to these people. For example, I substitute Thyro-complex at 2-2-2 for Endo-dren because Thyro-complex is more balanced and not as powerful a product. Also, I reduce Megapan to 1-1-1 instead of 2-2-2 in all cases.

· We give more parasympathetic-oriented supplements. These may include calcium, magnesium, zinc, ox bile, pancreatin or other supplements such as valerian root, for example, if needed for sleep or relaxation for a while.

· Lifestyle. We recommend a lot more rest and sleep, going to bed early, and making a concerted effort to slow down your thinking, moving, eating, and all other activities.

· Other lifestyle recommendations include learning to start each day slowly, taking slow walks during the day and deep breathing on a regular basis.

· Dietary suggestions. Eliminate stimulants such as caffeine and sugar, in particular. Other suggestions are to eat a little more fats and oils than we would other wise recommend. This helps relax the nervous system and aids digestion, if done correctly.

· Spiritual recommendations. We recommend a particular meditation exercise, the Roy Masters Observation-Meditation Exercise. This will slowly undo the emotional reasons and others, too, for this pattern.

· Other healing modalities. Also extremely helpful is to use a near infrared sauna each and every morning. This may make one tired, but that is because it is relaxing the autonomic nervous system and is very, very helpful. Just rest after the sauna session. A far infrared sauna or traditional sauna are not as good.

· Foot reflexology and coffee enemas. Foot massage is superb to rebalance the acupressure meridians and relax the nervous system. Coffee enemas bring energy downward in the body and are also particularly needed by people with this pattern. They can be life-saving and usually feel very good. These procedures, along with the sauna sessions, are specifically helpful for this mineral and personality pattern.

· Chiropractic and Rolfing. Also consider a program of regular chiropractic manipulation and Rolfing or structural integration therapies as well.

HAIR WASHING PROCEDURE VITAL FOR IDENTIFYING SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

It is critical that the hair not be washed at the laboratory for accurate readings of sodium and potassium, in particular. For this reason, sympathetic dominance will not be identified as accurately if the hair analysis was performed at a lab that washes the hair at the lab.

Only two laboratories I am aware of do not wash the hair at the laboratory. These are Analytical Research Laboratories in Phoenix, Arizona, the one I most recommend, and Trace Elements, Inc. in Addison, Texas.

I do not recommend using a hair tissue mineral testing laboratory that washes the hair in any manner. In my experience, the problems associated with hair samples that are contaminated with dust or other items is much less than the problem of skewed readings due to the chemicals used to wash the hair.

VARIANTS OF SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

1. Double sympathetic dominance. This is present when the potassium level is 4 mg% or less, and the sodium/potassium ratio is greater than about 6 or so.

2. Another double sympathetic pattern. This is when potassium is 4 mg or less, and a four lows pattern is also present.

3. Triple sympathetic patterns. This occurs when potassium is 4 mg% or less, the sodium/potassium ratio is 6 or more, and the person is either in a four lows pattern or a double high ratio pattern is present.

4. Quadruple sympathetic. This occurs when:

- potassium is 4 mg% or less

- sodium/potassium ratio is 6 or greater

- four lows is present

- a double high ratio pattern is present

5. An even more extreme sympathetic dominant tendency is present when the sodium/potassium ratio is extremely high and/or if the calcium/magnesium ratio is extremely high with a high sodium/potassium ratio.

6. Extreme low potassium. A very unusual situation that would indicate an even more extreme sympathetic dominant tendency is if the hair potassium level is less than about 0.8 mg%. This cannot be detected on a hair analysis from ARL laboratory right now, as they do not read potassium levels to the tenths of a mg%. However, it may be possible to notice it on tests from other labs that read the potassium level to tenths of a mg% or to 1 part per million.

7. Burned Out Sympathetic Dominance. This is present when the sympathetic dominance pattern of a low potassium level combines with a sodium/potassium ratio less than 2.5.

This may indicate that a person has been in sympathetic dominance for a long time, or it has been quite extreme, so that now the adrenal glands are quite exhausted, causing a low sodium/potassium ratio. It is not a healthful pattern at all, and is associated with exhaustion, fatigue, depression, and most chronic illnesses.

COMBINATION PATTERNS THAT INCLUDE SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE

Sympathetic dominance is part of a number of other important macromineral patterns on a hair mineral analysis in which the hair is not washed at the laboratory. These include:

1. Wasting One’s Time, also sometimes called Biding One’s Time. (sympathetic dominance combined with a calcium shell).

2. Stress From Within And Without (sympathetic dominance combined with a calcium/magnesium ratio greater than 13.5).

3. Trying Hard To Stay Afloat. (Sympathetic dominance combined with a double high ratio pattern. The latter is a sodium/potassium ratio greater than about 5 and a calcium/magnesium ratio greater than about 10).

4. A Hard Driver. (Sympathetic dominant combined with three or four highs and a calcium/magnesium ratio greater than about 10).

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