An excess of anti-nutrients - substances that stop nutrients being used, or promote their excretion - causes many health problems. Our modern life-style means we have to protect ourselves from the natural effects of exposure to a vast array of chemicals at home or work. One way of doing this is by eating well, for instance organically. What else can we do? Toxins, which accumulate in fatty tissues, may contribute to chronic health problems if the body reaches the stage when it can no longer excrete them. If your job or lifestyle has exposed you to such toxins you are recommended to have a hair mineral analysis (HMA) to check your levels.

In this article I'll be looking at some of the toxic levels an analysis may reveal, what problems they may be linked to and what you might do to reduce your exposure. If you have a disease or illness, which has not responded to conventional treatment, you may wish to explore other possibilities and an HMA is an excellent place to start. So if you are suffering from 'unexplained' problems such as headaches, backaches, weakness or tremors, an HMA may help you to get to the bottom of it.

The section detailing anti-nutrient and toxic mineral levels is a vital part of the hair analysis report. If toxic minerals are found to be in excess, there are many ways in which a nutritional approach can help. Of course it makes sense to do as much as you can to protect yourself from exposure in the first place. One very common substance is aluminum which has been linked with Parkinson's disease by some researchers.

Aluminum has also been found in tangled fibers in the brains of Alzheimer's sufferers. Aluminum may be responsible for symptoms such as poor memory and concentration, skin irritation, hair loss and slow metabolic rate. Common sources of aluminum in our daily lives * Aspirin, some deodorants, antacids and toothpaste tubes. * Consumables such as processed cheese, table salt (for smoother pouring), baking powder, instant coffee, tea bags, powdered milk. Aluminum is added to foods (E173) as an emulsifying, bleaching or anti-caking agent and to flour to bleach it.

Many food additives are harmful, but are still added to enhance appearance and shelf-life - hence profitability. Check the labels and avoid additives where possible. Buy fresh, organic food and consume it before it deteriorates. * Many water authorities add aluminum to the water supply to clean it, so drink filtered or bottled water - ideally from glass, not plastic bottles * Aluminum is often present in packaging such as aluminum foil and cans.

Many cooking utensils are made from aluminum and it is particularly harmful to cook fruit and vegetables in aluminum pans as the cooking water will become acidic and take up more aluminum. The vitamins and minerals in wholesome food can help protect you from toxins and aid detoxification if necessary - for instance, vitamin C (found in fruit and vegetables or easy to take as an inexpensive supplement) fights against toxic metals. Iron deficiency enhances the uptake of aluminum from the diet. Aluminum is soluble in water and more readily absorbed by man in acidic conditions. If iron is deficient there will be less hemoglobin made and the blood will be more acidic so more ready to take up aluminum. People who are anaemic often have raised levels of aluminum.

It's far better to get iron from your diet than from a supplement as iron supplements may make you constipated. The following foods are just some that contain iron: parsley, dates, almonds, prunes, cashew nuts, raisins, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pork, cooked dried beans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pecan nuts. What steps can you take to prevent the ingestion of aluminum from your food? Calcium and zinc reduce the uptake of aluminum from the diet so eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, Brewer's Yeast and seafoods. Avoid as many as possible of the sources above. The importance of eating organically grown foods to minimize the risk of ingesting other toxins from pesticides, cannot be emphasized strongly enough. Can you remove aluminium from your body? Fibre and pectin (a soluble form of fibre found in carrots, apples, the pith of citrus fruits and bananas) help remove toxic metals from the body, as do foods which include sulphur containing amino acids (the building blocks for protein).

These include onions, garlic and eggs. It is important to include in your diet, plenty of vitamin C, which you will find in fruit and vegetables. Finally, if a Hair Mineral Analysis shows an excess or imbalance of aluminum, the recommended supplement program that comes with your report, will be designed to correct the imbalance.

The prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London was where Joy Healey qualified in 2000. You can learn more about Hair Analysis, view an example report, and see how to buy online, at http://www.4-hair-mineral-analysis.com