Why Are We Full of Heavy Metals?
An Ancestral Lens
Burned out women are minerally deficient
It’s no secret that many women are depleted, and many of us come from lineages of depleted women. Over the last hundred years life has become busier and food less nutritious. Women’s responsibilities expanded and many became ‘super moms’ who did it all - often sacrificing their own well-being and nourishment to do so. Whether by choice or due to necessity, many women have burned the candle at both ends. Many of us are the product of generations of mothers that have been pouring from an empty cup. This is our ancestral maternal (mitochondrial) lineage. We were role modeled burned out, anxious, stressed mothers, and birthed with their depleted mineral imprint.
Mineral deficiencies lead to increased metal toxin loads
When the body is deficient of necessary minerals like Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc it will hold on to heavy metals. Certain metals ionically mimic minerals, for example Lead will plug in for Calcium when deficient in the bones. The body is intelligent and this is meant to be a temporary back up system, but given the increasing levels of depletion many are chronically retaining metals in place of preferred necessary minerals. Heavy metals contribute to metabolic dysfunction, fatigue, thyroid issues, autism, autoimmune diseases, ADD, dementia, fertility issues, genetic defects, alzheimer’s, parkinsons, cancer, and more.
Depleted women pass more metals to their children
Each child requires ~4lbs of minerals from their mother’s body as they develop. This is why indigenous cultures recommend waiting 2-3 years between kids to allow mom to replenish. If mom is depleted the growing baby will grab whatever it can in order to build itself. Children of depleted mom’s will be born with higher levels of heavy metals.
By replenishing minerals we eliminate toxic metals
Eating nutrient dense diets and using HTMA to supplement minerals according to bio-individual needs allows the body to absorb preferred minerals. As the body replenishes its mineral reservoirs it will naturally release the backup heavy metals.
Our bodies know how to detox metals ~ but they need enough resources to do so, and the elimination pathways need to be open. This process is most efficient when under minimal stress.
Mineral balancing requires a lifestyle shift, a return to Self
As one retraces on their Mineral Balancing journey they will peel back layers of their life experience, eventually accessing the opportunity to work through mineral and metal patterns (aka conditioning) they received from their lineage. Patterns such as collapsing, operating from a chronic state of fight or flight, pouring from an empty cup, numbing, hiding, people pleasing, staying in misaligned lifestyles and situations; as vitality is replenished women can no longer live in states of disharmony.
This is ancestral healing of our mother (mitochondrial) lines.
Moms do the best they can
Mothers do not exist in a vacuum. Everything outlined in this post is reflective of our society at large. Ask any mother you know if she felt adequately supported during/post pregnancy and it is rare to hear a “yes.” Women alone should not be shamed or blamed for getting into states of burnout due to improper role modeling, unrealistic societal pressures, toxic environments or a lineage of not knowing any better.
With more resources and increased awareness we have a responsibility to do better for our future generations. Nourished women will pass more nourishing minerals to our babies. Depleted women will pass more metals to our babies.
Addressing this is everyone’s responsibility.
mineral balancing terms
Retracing
“When the body rebalances itself, it will "unwind" in the reverse order of the way it became unbalanced. When a person goes through this process, her body will literally retrace itself through many of its former metabolic conditions.” ~ Dr. Paul Eck
Retracing is often referring to current life patterns - I propose that retracing patterns from our parents, grandparents and beyond is ancestral healing for our mineral heritage. Meaning our children will not receive the same deficiency or toxin patterns when we balance our minerals.
Paralleling
When two people, often mothers and their young children, show similar mineral patterns on their HTMAs. It is believed children mirror their mother or parent to assist in the healing of both the parent and child, which has bigger implications for the whole family dynamic.