The Root Cause Protocol (RCP) is an integrative dietary approach that seeks to address mineral dysregulation, which proponents believe is the underlying cause of many diseases and sicknesses. Minerals and vitamins are crucial for all cellular processes, driving the enzymatic activities within each cell, enabling DNA repair and energy production. This article delves into the principles of the RCP, its dietary recommendations, and how it aims to restore mineral balance in the body.
Understanding the Root Cause Protocol
The Root Cause Protocol (RCP) was developed by Morley Robbins. The core objective of the RCP is to address mineral dysregulation and vitamin deficiencies that lead to bodily dysfunction. Dysfunction, in this context, implies that the body is not operating at its optimal level. The RCP is founded on extensive research and insights into the critical role of minerals in regulating bodily functions. The RCP continues to evolve as more information emerges.
What Causes Mineral Dysregulation?
Stress is a primary driver of mineral dysregulation. Stress can manifest in various forms, both positive and negative. Significant life events, such as weddings, can induce stress. However, negative stressors like deaths, divorces, abuse, job-related pressures, poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity, and social isolation are particularly detrimental.
Stress can disrupt hormone balance, leading to abnormal cortisol levels that affect potassium regulation. It can also trigger behavioral changes, such as increased alcohol or caffeine consumption, both of which act as diuretics and can cause mineral loss through urine or the gastrointestinal tract.
Dietary factors also play a significant role in mineral dysregulation. Poor gut health can impair the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals, leading to deficiencies. Soil depletion, particularly of copper, reduces the availability of this crucial mineral in our food supply. Insufficient sun exposure, often due to the use of sunscreens and sunglasses, can interfere with vitamin D and retinol (vitamin A) absorption. Vegetarian or vegan diets may lack sufficient retinol, which is primarily found in meat-based sources. Furthermore, the fortification of flour with iron in many countries can lead to iron accumulation, especially in males and post-menopausal females.
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Evaluating Mineral Dysregulation
The evaluation of mineral dysregulation involves a comprehensive approach:
- History Taking: Identifying stressors in a person's life and linking them to the development of symptoms is the initial step. Some individuals may have a history of feeling unwell for an extended period, while others may associate their symptoms with a specific event.
- Blood Tests and Hair Analysis (HTMA): These tests are used to establish a baseline and identify specific mineral imbalances.
Treating Mineral Dysregulation: A Holistic Approach
The RCP takes a holistic approach to treating mineral dysregulation, emphasizing the body's innate ability to self-regulate. Instead of simply supplementing deficiencies or suppressing excesses, the RCP focuses on dietary and lifestyle changes to reduce inflammation and support the body's natural healing processes.
Dietary Recommendations
The RCP recommends a whole-food diet similar to that of our ancestors. The principles of the RCP are aligned with the research of Weston Price, who studied the diets of indigenous populations and their impact on dental health. Sally Fallon's book, "Nourishing Traditions," provides recipes based on Price's findings.
Dietary recommendations are tailored to individual needs. Some individuals may require more meat, while others thrive on a more vegetable-based diet. Sensitivities to oxalates and other plant-based compounds are also considered. The RCP aims to correct mineral and vitamin levels to positively influence gene expression.
Key Dietary Components
- Whole Foods: Emphasizing unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods.
- Avoiding Synthetic Vitamins: The RCP encourages obtaining nutrients from food sources rather than synthetic vitamins, which may not be as effective or well-absorbed.
- Natural, Unrefined Salt: Unrefined salt contains trace minerals and is a complete mineral package designed by nature.
- Beef Liver: A nutrient-dense food that provides a wholefood form of vitamin C, B vitamins, and minerals like potassium.
- Cod Liver Oil: A source of vitamins A and D, prepared using traditional methods to preserve nutrient integrity.
Foods to Consider
- Magnesium-rich foods: green foods, flaxseed, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, coriander, cumin, fennel, and parsley and Seaweed.
Considerations for Specific Nutrients
- Magnesium and Calcium: The RCP recognizes that most people consume more calcium than magnesium, but the metabolic demand for magnesium is higher. Balancing these minerals is crucial for reducing inflammation.
- Iodine: Iodine can help convert ferrous iron to ferric iron.
- Boron: Boron helps keep magnesium in the cells. Sources of boron include household borax, magnesium water, supplements, fruits such as prunes, raisins and apples; legumes, including peanuts; and tubers such as potatoes.
- B6: B6 facilitates cellular uptake of magnesium, which both limits excretion and increases its effectiveness.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners should be used sparingly and in moderation. Natural sweeteners with minimal processing are preferred. Avoid agave nectar, highly processed stevia, and sugars labeled "natural cane sugar." Monk fruit extract is considered safe if not combined with artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. High fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and most stevia extracts are not recommended.
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The Importance of Bioavailable Copper
The RCP places significant emphasis on bioavailable copper, which is essential for various bodily functions, including iron metabolism. Copper is needed to load iron into ferritin.
Root Cause Protocol "STARTS" and "STOPS"
The RCP involves a series of "STARTS" (nutrients to incorporate) and "STOPS" (substances to avoid or reduce). These are designed to address mineral deficiencies and imbalances common in the modern diet.
The "STARTS"
The "STARTS" typically include:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Whole Food Vitamin C
- Magnesium
The RCP emphasizes that these changes should be implemented gradually to avoid adding stress to the body. The extra nutrients should ideally be obtained from food sources, and synthetic vitamins should be avoided.
The "STOPS"
Many individuals starting the RCP are already taking one or more of the "STOPS." These should be reduced gradually to allow the body to adjust.
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Other Supplements
Morley Robbins advises caution regarding supplements not listed in the "STARTS" or "STOPS," suggesting that more research is needed. The RCP Community can provide insights based on personal experiences.
The Importance of Addressing Stress
Stress management is a crucial component of the RCP. Adrenal cocktails, designed to nourish the adrenal glands, can help mediate the effects of stress on the body.
How Long Does It Take to Feel Better?
The timeline for experiencing benefits from the RCP varies. Some individuals may notice immediate improvements from incorporating sodium, potassium, whole food vitamin C, and magnesium (Phase One of the RCP). Others may require months to see significant changes due to long-term mineral depletion.
Considerations for Pregnancy
During pregnancy, it's essential to consult with a healthcare provider before starting the RCP. Most of the RCP "STARTS" are safe during pregnancy, except for diatomaceous earth, iron binders, items containing supplemental quercetin, and donating blood.
The Role of Minerals in Detoxification
The RCP favors "strengthening the host" rather than "attacking the guest." The body's natural detoxification system is hampered when energy is low and excess iron interferes with liver function. The RCP aims to provide the necessary minerals and vitamins to support these pathways.
The Risks of Excess Iron
Too much iron can accumulate in the liver, spleen, intestinal wall, and eye. This can lead to chronic infections and other health problems. In an era where iron supplementation is common, it's important to consider that many anemias may not be due to iron deficiency.
A Cautionary Note on Common Misconceptions
Using only a ferritin blood test to determine iron deficiency is not a reliable indicator of iron vitality. Bioavailable copper, expressed via ferroxidase enzyme function, is necessary for loading iron into ferritin.
The Importance of Delayed Cord Clamping
Delaying cord clamping after birth enhances the full download of iron through the cord, benefiting the infant's iron stores.