In the past two issues of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, I presented information about how common mineral dysregulation is and what effect it has on our health. In this installment of the series, I will lay down some basic principles of the Root Cause Protocol, designed by Morley Robbins. 

The Root Cause Protocol is a list of steps to follow, with the purpose of balancing minerals and reducing inflammation. The primary mission is to manage iron levels and iron storage in order to reduce iron’s inflammatory effects on the body. I encourage you to reread the first two installments of this series of articles, for more background information on why you would follow this protocol.

Phase 0

Phase 0 is a list of “STOPS.” There are several supplements to be avoided, such as iron, vitamin D, zinc, and calcium, as discussed in the second installment of this series.

Phase 0 also includes avoiding things that I regularly recommend avoiding, like high-fructose corn syrup; highly refined, commercial oils; and high-carbohydrate and processed foods. I strongly believe that everyone would be healthier if they avoided consuming highly refined, processed foods. 

Phases 1-3

Phases 1-3 include many “STARTS.” The recommendations included in these phases are about adding certain foods and/or supplements to your diet, such as whole foods, trace mineral drops, whole-food vitamin C, cod liver oil, bee pollen, and others. All of these foods/supplements support basic nutrition and help to manage iron’s inflammatory effects.

Phase X

Phase X is a list of a few “STARTS,” things to do outside the realm of diet and dietary supplements. The two most important ones are donating blood and getting enough sunlight. Donating blood helps to guide iron out of the tissues, where it causes inflammation, and back into the blood. 

Getting sunlight is the safest way to get vitamin D. As mentioned in the previous installment, taking vitamin D supplements can increase the storage of iron in the tissues. That’s why vitamin D supplements are also listed as a “STOP” in Phase 0.

By putting these phases into action, you can get your minerals balanced and decrease inflammation in your body. To learn more about this program and the science behind it, you can sign up for The Root Cause Protocol mailing list. They will send you a very complete instruction manual free of charge. 

I have been incorporating much of this information and some of the recommended products into my Nutrition Response Testing work. So far, I have been pleased with the outcomes. 

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