In Pursuit of Healthy Balance

This is part two of a four-part series reviewing a variety of companies that are bringing personalized nutrition to the non-medical community. For each company reviewed in the months ahead, I will be the guinea pig, taking the test, waiting for the results and following their recommendations for two months before reporting my findings here. We’ll learn together how these tests work—and perhaps if this test is right for you.

One of the first things we learn in nutritional science classes is that when we eat, food is converted to energy, which is then utilized for every single function of the body. What we don’t usually learn is that the body is pretty much all just kinetic energy held together by more energy—at least according to current quantum physics research.

Bio-resonance therapy holds the idea that the energy (or electromagnetic field) of the body can be measured in frequency and as such can give very specific information about the health of an individual person at an atomic level. Despite skeptics in the medical field, some form of bio-resonance testing has been going on since 500 BC and continues in varied forms today, including the EKG.

Perhaps with half a mind to prove that it was worthy of skepticism, the personalized nutrition company I chose to review for my second experiment bases all of their recommendations on the results of bio-resonance screenings. Spoiler alert: I was actually pretty impressed.

AT A GLANCE

Company: Balanced Health*

CBHEnergetics.com

What They Are and What They Do: Balanced Health is the brainchild of certified holistic health practitioner and nutritionist Samantha Stupak, who found her life’s passion after four years of debilitating chronic Lyme Disease. She developed a system of using bio-resonance to test hair and saliva samples to identify specific stressors or points of weakness within the human body. The company then tests those same samples on a broad range of specific remedies that are meant to help naturally bring the body back into balance.

Cost: Balanced Health has a variety of scans available. Prices range from $40 to $215. According to Stupak, “We always encourage people just to start with the Full Scan if they can, as it gives someone the whole picture and will arm them with the most information to make as many changes in their life as possible to start to feel better.”

The Full Scan runs $215 and includes a consultation with a practitioner to go over your results and explain diet and lifestyle recommendations. There are discounts available when you purchase multiple scans (three or more) but if budget is tight, they offer phone consultations to determine which of the other scans might be best for you.

The Test: I took the Full Scan twice, once at the beginning and again at the end of my two-month experiment time frame. The test kit comes in a small box with clear and simple instructions on how to gather the hair and saliva samples and a pre-paid mailing envelope to send it all back.

During our consultation, Stupak told me the way it works is that there is “hardware that is connected to software” that tests the electromagnetic field or bio-resonance of the hair and saliva. The measurements come out in frequency, or hertz. They then expose the samples to frequencies of hundreds of foods, toxins, hormones and nutrients to see if there are changes.

The Recommendations: Results come in the form of a detailed report, complete with graphs showing body system stress levels, lists of sensitivities, nutrient imbalances, notes and a list of remedies that could restore balance. According to Balanced Health, I was showing almost chronic stress in nearly six systems, had a pretty good list of food and environmental sensitivities and was fairly low in several vitamins and minerals. Since the test was done shortly after the holidays, none of that really surprised me. But here is the thing: The results were surprisingly consistent with blood serum tests that I had had done a few months before and showed some sensitivities that I already knew I had (namely dairy and gluten).

The next step was to set up an appointment for a phone consultation with a practitioner, which was easily handled in about three minutes online. After speaking to Samantha Stupak herself (I didn’t know then that she was the founder), I can say that the consult is well worth the price of the scan. She took the time to go over my results in detail, explaining what each section meant and how that might show up in my daily life. (She was spot on!) She then took me through some specific dietary and lifestyle recommendations, based on my chosen diet—Paleo—and the stresses that were shown in my report. She made herself available by email for any questions that might come up and left me with the suggestion to limit the foods that showed up on my “not-so-good” list but to really focus on getting the foods that had the nutrients I was missing.

Results did not come with recipes, but did give a list of foods to hone in on for their nutritional value.

I also bought a version of the remedies they suggested, including a homeopathic detox kit, an endocrine support supplement, a high-dose garlic supplement and a stress-reducing homeopathic. Supplement costs will vary, though if budget is a concern, the practitioner might be able to help find alternative options.

My Outcome: Because I had a very specific list of foods to stay away from, I eliminated dairy, gluten, sugar (even natural sugars and most fruits), some nuts, soy and (sigh) alcohol. Even though I cheated heavily for my birthday about six weeks in, my results were surprisingly convincing. I lost six pounds, was sleeping much better and my digestion was not giving me any problems.

In the follow-up scan, some of the sensitivities had resolved and some of the body systems were showing much less stress. However, there was still work to be done. Stupak mentioned two things I felt were excellent takeaways:

1. Healing is like removing the layers of an onion. Each step is one step closer to optimal health, but it doesn’t happen overnight.

2. Healing takes about one month for every year of chronic physical stress the body has been through. With that formula, it should take me about 10–12 months to really find optimal health.

In a Nutshell: I was so impressed with this company that I actually asked for a discount code for you, dear reader. I think a scan could be beneficial for anyone at any level of health, but particularly if there are chronic issues that are unresolved.

To try the full scan with a $20 discount, use the code EdibleOVC at checkout.

*Disclaimer: Scans are not meant to be used in lieu of a physician’s advice, though they make a great companion to medical advice.