Applied kinesiology testing of nutritional products, food, and chemicals has proven to be a valuable clinical procedure when used in the framework of complete applied kinesiology and standard diagnostic procedures. It is unfortunate that some take this one phase of applied kinesiology and proceed to test for apparent nutritional needs and allergies without placing other important parts of the puzzle in perspective. Limited testing can introduce many errors into the conclusions developed. Here are a few of them.
The most common problem occurs when nutrition or chemicals are tested by someone who, in fact, is not using or does not know applied kinesiology and is simply using manual muscle testing for chemical evaluation. An excellent example is using manual muscle testing to show the "harmful effects" of refined sugar. This is the individual who finds that when refined sugar is chewed, or sometimes even held in the hand, it always causes the subject's latissimus dorsi or another muscle to weaken. This is simply not the case. Under some conditions, depending upon the physiological needs of the body at the time, sugar will cause a weak muscle to strengthen. Sugar by no means always causes weakening in all individuals. This inaccurate and poor quality muscle testing is the simplest form of obtaining improper information from manual muscle testing. It occurs when the examiner predetermines the results of the test with previously held concepts. Muscle testing should always be done without the results being preconceived.
Another abuse of manual muscle testing to evaluate chemical factors is the simplistic approach of muscle testing for nutrition or allergies without combining information of the patient's history, standard examination, and/or laboratory and other specialized tests as indicated. There are two problems with this limited approach.
When a muscle is weak in the clear and it appears to strengthen when the patient chews a nutritional substance, it is only one indication that nutrition may be required. A complete examination should include an evaluation of the patient's digestive system, dietary intake, physical examination, laboratory, and other diagnostic procedures as indicated. It may very well be that the individual has a digestive deficiency that is causing multiple nutritional deficiencies. Adding multiple supplements when food is not adequately being absorbed is not treating the primary cause of the condition.
Sometimes that which is believed to improve function is actually hiding the applied kinesiology indicators that would help correct the basic underlying cause. A case in point is an individual with digestive disturbances from an apparent lack of hydrochloric acid, indicated in applied kinesiology by bilateral pectoralis major (clavicular division) weakness. Taking hydrochloric acid clears this bilateral weakness; if the HCl is given, it hides the indicator for a temporal bulge or other cranial fault. A cranial fault may be causing entrapment of the vagus nerve, thus causing hypochlorhydria that is responsible for the digestive dysfunction in the first place. The proper approach is to correct the cranium and any other factor that is causing the hypochlorhydria. In some patients normal production of HCl cannot be achieved and supplementation must be given. First try to get the patient’s system working without supplementation.
Glandular substances are used effectively as nutritional products in applied kinesiology. Before recommending their use, one should evaluate the total glandular system. When only one or two factors are evaluated, the nutritional product indicated may be for a secondary factor. Proper treatment may be to another glandular dysfunction that is primary and in turn causing the secondary problem. Testing only one gland and not recognizing the interaction within the endocrine system is using manual muscle testing in a limited, simplistic manner that does not incorporate the full scope of applied kinesiology.
Another problem that may be encountered with chemical testing in the framework of applied kinesiology is prescribing nutritional complexes before other factors adversely influencing the body have been corrected. It is frequently noted that a new patient will respond to numerous nutritional tests evaluated by manual muscle testing. If, however, the physician will refrain from immediately prescribing nutrition and make structural corrections — such as spinal subluxations, fixations, cranial faults, foot disturbance, etc. — there will often no longer be a need for the supplementation. This is even true prior to changing the diet, which — if needed — should be primary to supplementation. The immediate use of nutrition as noted above may even cover up some of the structural corrections that need to be made.
The optimal goal is to return the patient's body to normal function. Often the use of nutrition is an allopathic method of getting the body to do what the physician desires rather than releasing the body to control itself in a normal manner. This is especially true of megavitamin dosage. Long-term nutritional use, especially that of high dosage, may cause side effects. The proper use of applied kinesiology in evaluating nutrition is made within the total framework of applied kinesiology and includes standard diagnostic procedures that confirm the need for the nutrition.
I am certain you have new patients tell you that they have been muscle tested by a friend or by a nutrition sales person. Some of the thoughts you have just read have been modified into a patient handout that can be downloaded and given to the patient who thinks the one trick pony of muscle testing to evaluate nutrition is ok.
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