Nutrition Response Testing, Crazy Voodoo or Alternative Care Wonder?

I have this friend. In her holistic healing practice she determines what ails you by pressing down on your arm, which is held firmly out to one side, while she touches other parts of your body.

Yup. Sounds like voodoo magic to me.

That's what I first thought when I met Kim Shirk of Holistic Healing and Nutrition. As a practicing Physician's Assistant, she began telling me about her new private practice, with a focus on healing the causes of our chronic diseases, allergies, and pain, instead of treating the symptoms.

She sparked my interest.

Kim explained that she had been trained in a modality called Nutrition Response Testing. NRT is a non-invasive, precise, and scientific technique that uses your autonomic nervous system (involuntary reflexes like blinking and breathing) to determine nutritional deficiencies.

I still had no idea what that looked like in terms of diagnosis. So she showed me.

Using just her hand she quickly, yet meticulously placed it on different points on my body. Forehead, lymphnodes, neck, stomach, liver, uterus...the whole she-bang. Each time she touched me with one hand, her other would slightly press down on my arm, which was extended from my body.

This technique basically looks for a reaction from my neural pathways in my autonomic nervous system.

Say what?

The analysis is done through testing the body’s neurological reflexes and acupressure points.  The neurological reflexes are derived from the part of the nervous system whose job is to regulate the functions of each and every organ. The acupuncture points are selected from the ancient Chinese system of acupuncture, which is thousands of years old.

Ahh, I see now.

This part is called the "analysis", which shows, "how the different points on the surface of the body relate to the state of health and to the flow of energy in each and every organ and function of the body."

One eye-brow raised at the thought of someone being able to "see" health issues in my body, simply by touching me.

The second part of the NRT process is a "personalized health improvement program." Once your practitioner determines where your energy is "blocked", which prevents healing, you are given a whole foods supplement program.

Instead of a chemically concocted drug plan, you are "prescribed" specific supplements containing the whole vitamin complex that will help create an open pathway for healing.

Ohh....OK this is starting to make sense!

I know you may think that this kind of medicine sounds pretty out there, but the overall response when I asked friends and acquaintances if this was the real deal was a resounding, "YES!"

One of them, 24-year-old Celia, was kind enough to share her experiences with Kim and her NRT practice.

What was the initial reason you sought out care with Holistic Healing & Nutrition?

I was having very bad issues from being on birth control ..... dizzy spells, extreme nausea, fatigue, depression .... no matter which pill I was put on.  I reached out to Kim for help, wondering if she could help at all with it.  I also have GI problems, joint pain and joint swelling issues stemming from my Lupus which I was curious to see if she could help with too. 

Were you always someone who tried "alternative" health treatments?

I was not always so open to alternative medicine.  However, after I had my daughter I was much more aware of what I did with her which made me re-examine myself.  I was having an extreme bout of GI trouble and after test upon test no Doctor could come up with an answer so I gave Acupuncture a try and had great success.  After that, I was definitely more open to other options outside of traditional medicine. When I turned to Kim for treatment I felt like I had exhausted all "traditional" medical options with no results and was ready to give anything else a try.

 What impressed you most about your care?

The personal attention and care.  Appointment after appointment I always feel like she is listening to me and really working to help me better myself as a whole, not just looking for a symptom and writing a script for it.   

 What is the major difference in the treatment you received compared to traditional medicine?

RESULTS! Haha! No, but really, I've had medical problems my entire life.  I've seen Rhuematologists since I was 3 years old, have had tests after tests run, seen specialist after specialist, and never seem to feel like any good comes of it.  This treatment wasn't necessarily about finding out what exactly was going on in my body, but rather WHY it was happening and what she could do to fix it with whole food supplementation.

 How quickly did you begin to notice a change in your health after starting your treatment plan?

I noticed an ease in my dizzy spells, nausea and fatigue pretty quickly....probably within a week or two.  Bigger issues like swelling in my fingers and toes that lingered throughout the day took a little while longer, maybe a month or so.  Before I started seeing Kim I wasn't able to wear my wedding rings all day.  If I could get them on in the morning by midday I would need to take them off due to swelling and inflammation in my fingers.  I now can wear them all day, every day with no problem. 

My biggest result, I must say though, was one I never even spoke with her about!  I was in a car accident 10 years ago which left me unable to put any sort of pressure on my left wrist.  At times I wake up and can't even use my hand because it hurts to badly to spread my fingers.  I've had bone scans, MRI's, X-rays, months of physical rehab ... you name it, I've had it .... to find out why my wrist was affected so much and Dr's could never figure out what exactly was causing me so much pain.  There was no break, no tear, no sprain, no nothing .... just a lot of mystery.  After 10 years it's just become a part of everyday life.   

Well, a week ago I was at the gym stretching and noticed as I stretched my wrists out my left felt different .... it wasn't aching while I stretched.  So i decided to do a plank (the position you do to start a push up in which your whole weight of the body is on your hands) and to my ABSOLUTE SHOCK my wrist didn't hurt one bit!  A few days later I was even able to incorporate 4 rounds of 10-second wall assisted hand stands with NO PAIN, not even pain later in the day!!!! This is such an amazing result that I never even thought possible.  Only three months of Nutrition Response Testing has done what 10 years of "traditional" medicine could not .... my left wrist is completely pain free.   

 Since this kind of treatment is not covered by insurance, was cost ever a factor in your care?

I definitely was.  Thankfully Kim understands not everyone has financial resources to pay a lump sum up front and is willing to work with you so that you get the care you need.  

 How has your health improved since being under Kim's care?

The biggest and most noticeable [change] right off the bat is my hormone levels are back in check.  I was having such a bad depression spell when I first saw her and that was one of the first things to level out.  I am back in the gym multiple times a week and my joints don't ache and throb like they used to.  I just feel so much more in control of my body.  I am so young, only 24, to be having so many joint and GI problems.  I finally feel my age health wise! 

 Were you ever skeptical about nutrition response testing?

No honestly.  I saw how much acupuncture did for me and knew traditional medicine wasn't working, so I figured why not just put my faith in and see where it led me.  It wasn't going to make things worse, that's for sure.  

 Why would you recommend Holistic Health & Nutrition?

It's a way to take back your body and your health in a natural, simple way.  There's no invasive testing, there's no harsh drugs being put into your body, no whacky side effects, just whole food supplements making the way for your body to do what it does best if given the chance ..... heal itself.  It might sound funny to others, but I've seen and felt the results and couldn't be happier.

I know for some (especially in the mainstream medical community) it may be a crazy notion that our bodies, if given real food, moderate exercise, and nutritional supplements for deficiencies, actually have the power to heal themselves, but for Kim's Holistic Healing patients NRT isn't "alternative" care...it's essential.

Would you ever tried Nutrition Response Testing? If you have already, please share your experiences!

Keeping an open mind in Granolaville, 

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