The Calcium Shell

One of the symptoms of copper toxicity that can result at higher levels is a calcium shell. Physically, the calcium shell is excess soft tissue calcium that forms a 'shell' around the outside of the cell, slowing down nutrients from entering and exiting. The psychological effects are just as important to understand. In most cases, a very high level of calcium on an HTMA is a result of copper imbalance. The stress caused by rising bio-unavailable copper in the body allows calcium to rise as a form of defence against the stress. A calcium level above 165mg% is indicative of the calcium shell pattern.  ​ It creates a numbing, deadening effect along with apathy, withdrawal, and rigidity. The calcium shell dulls the emotional response, while also slowing the previously racing mind down, giving the individual a sense of normalcy, though in reality it may not be a sign of healthy improvement. 

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 Calcification also goes beyond the obvious - our bones and tissues.   Excess calcium can also calcify the pineal gland - our third eye that connects our physical body to the astral plane.  Indeed, the pineal gland has the highest calcification rate among all organs and tissues of the human body [71].  With that pineal gland calcified, logic, self awareness, and perception of the universe around us diminish. A person becomes closed, shut down, rigid, yet not necessarily aware of the reasons why.  In some people, this calcium shell can last for decades, in others it’s not as severe, and usually in time it eventually ends up dissolving, so to speak, along with a re-opening towards people and activities which may previously have been kept shut out.   Understanding this concept means first accepting that our minerals affect far more than just our physical body, and the reverberations of this extend far beyond that which is taught in standard nutrition or psychology.  

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The following offers a great background and is taken from Dr. Rick Malter's (Ph.D.) article in The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Volume 9, Number 2, 1994:

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"The Slow Oxidizer has elevated tissue levels of calcium and magnesium. A person's sense of awareness may be affected by tissue levels of calcium and magnesium. The higher levels of calcium and magnesium in the Slow Oxidizer tend to be associated with emotional blocking and deadening of feelings. The excess calcium and magnesium provide a natural barrier between outside stimuli and the inner emotions. The high levels of calcium and magnesium tend to provide a protective shell at the cost of emotional blocking and deadening of feelings. This allows a person to more easily cope with stress or abusive situations because awareness is blocked and feelings are deadened.

A high tissue level of calcium tends to block natural cellular functioning, especially that involved in energy production. Lowered cellular energy production tends to be associated with emotional blocking, numbing of feelings, depression, low self-esteem, pessimism, and feelings of inferiority. The more need there is for emotional blocking and deadening of feelings, the more the TMA calcium will tend to exceed magnesium. As the Ca/ Mg ratio increases, blood sugar problems will increase along with neuromuscular problems such as spasms.

In alcoholic or other dysfunctional families, there seems to be a strong tendency for a child to develop a calcium "shell" as a natural self-protective mechanism which helps to constantly deaden feelings of vulnerability and anxiety. In chronically unpredictable and threatening situations, these feelings would become intolerable without the aid of the calcium shell. However, this calcium shell can become a chronic entrenched mineral pattern affecting glucose metabolism and neuromuscular functions. By adversely affecting glucose metabolism, the high Ca/Mg ratio also tends to predispose the individual to a higher risk of alcoholism or other addictions. Thus, TMA profiles allow us to observe and explain how psychological stress within a dysfunctional family can affect critical mineral patterns which then increase the person's risk to repeat the addictive and dysfunctional behavior. Over an extended period of time, from childhood to adolescence, a high Ca/Mg ratio may become chronic and entrenched.

Psychologically, a chronic high Ca/Mg ratio tends to be associated with denial or covering up a problem with which the individual cannot or will not deal. TMA research allows us to see how regulatory minerals can be affected by psychological and emotional factors which then have a profound physical effect. In the case of an elevated Ca/Mg ratio, the associated physiological craving for sugar, alcohol, or other substances can lead to an addictive pattern." [21]

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Along with the high Ca/Mg ratio as mentioned in the quote above, comes an associated high level of sugar in the blood. This then affects neurons in the brain and further suffocates emotional awareness. At extreme Ca/Mg ratios > 20:1, emotions and deeply buried problems can become so suppressed that the individual finds himself in a state of continuous false euphoria.    

Another key concept is the inherent psychological tendency of the slow metabolizer. The slow metabolizer's mineral pattern is easily evidenced on an HTMA profile, generally showing high copper and calcium, with reduced sodium and potassium. The more extreme this pattern, the more the tendency for introversion, depression, despair, and lowered emotional expression [37].  These personality 'symptoms' can of course also have a profound impact on relationships.  See, calcification goes beyond the obvious - our bones and tissue. If we go a little more esoterical yet still backed by science, excess calcium can calcify the pineal gland - our third eye that connects our physical body to the astral plane.  With that pineal gland calcified, logic, self awareness, and perception of the universe around us diminish. A person becomes closed, shut down, rigid, yet not necessarily aware of the reasons why.  In some people, this calcium shell can last for decades, in others it’s not as severe, and usually in time it eventually ends up dissolving, so to speak, along with a re-opening towards people and activities which may previously have been kept shut out.   Understanding this concept means first accepting that our minerals affect far more than just our physical body, and the reverberations of this extend far beyond that which is taught in standard nutrition or psychology.  These are powerful concepts taught further within the Mineral Mastery training course on minerals.

Bringing down the calcium shell involves both stress management as well as targeted nutrient therapy. Zinc, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin K2, and iodine can all be helpful in bringing down this calcification...but the employment of these nutrients must be based on and guided by one's overall mineral profile as seen through HTMA.  Also to consider is what's happening with sodium and potassium as, in a depleted state, calcium becomes insoluble in blood and increases tissue calcification.  Addressing the calcium shell, as with copper toxicity itself, is never a one-size-fits-all approach. This underscores the importance of not just guessing at supplementation but working with HTMA and a trained practitioner in this field.