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By Jane Smolnik, ND, Iridologist, M.H.
What if your doctor prescribed for you three to four servings of vegetables and two of fruits each day
to reverse symptoms and heal your body instead of a prescription? Would you comply? You may not
realize how much your diet is impacting your health, even creating your problems. You really do have the
ability to help yourself feel better and be healthy. Symptoms are your body’s warning signs that you have
pushed your body too far – too many insults to the body! Let’s look at what happens when your body’s
natural pH balance tips the scales and becomes acidic.
For most Americans, the typical diet consists of largely acid forming foods and very few fruits and
vegetables to help neutralize all those acids. Fruits and vegetables (with very few exceptions such as
prunes, plums, and cranberries) are the only foods we eat that not only supply good vitamins, minerals,
and fiber, but also leave a valuable alkaline mineral ash for our bodies to use to neutralize all the acid
forming foods we consume such as any sugary foods, processed foods, all dairy products (except goat’
s milk), meats and proteins, breads, cereals, crackers and baked goods, pastas, condiments, alcohol,
coffee, and more.
High protein intake will continually dump toxins and acids into your system. When these acids build up
over years and your alkaline reserves are diminished, many health problems such as muscle aches
and pains, bowel and digestive disorders, and kidney, pancreas and gallbladder complaints will
naturally rise as your cells are bogged down with all these acids! The increased stress and lowered
resistance invites disease.
How does this happen? The body uses organic sodium from the fruits and vegetables to neutralize the
acids. When they are not available, it will call on a back-up system and start taking organic sodium from
the gallbladder to do the job. Only now the gallbladder will not have enough to process the fats and
cholesterol and they will to start to accumulate and solidify. When the gallbladder bile becomes more
acid, it enters the common bile duct into the duodenum and the acid bile burn can masquerade as an
“ulcer” or "indigestion" and “heartburn” which are symptoms of toxicity. This additional acid puts greater
demand on your natural buffer system and calls for more sodium to be reclaimed by the gallbladder.
The cycle continues.
When organic sodium is no longer available, it may then take organic calcium from the bones as a
secondary back-up to help neutralize all those acids. Back and skeletal problems may arise, arthritic
symptoms appear, and osteoporosis may not be far behind.
Using antacids may actually make the problem worse. The stomach is the only place that should be
acid to help digest our foods. When antacids are used, the environment becomes abnormal, and now
the stomach is forced to produce more acid, not less. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a small glass
of water may actually be better. Or start using digestive enzymes with your meals and chew more
thoroughly.
Your body was designed to be healthy and help you survive as long as possible. A continuous high
acid diet may deplete your reserves before you are 40. That’s when complaints start coming in and we
typically call it the result of “getting old”. This is not necessary. Slowly changing your diet right now to a
more healthful balance of acid ash and alkaline ash foods may lead to long term health, even though
you may experience some short-term cleansing signs or discomfort.
The best way to return the alkalinity level of bile back to normal is to change your diet so there is
plenty of organic sodium available to meet it’s needs. I suggest that you slowly start by adding more
cooked vegetables to your usual diet. Have fresh fruits first thing in the morning, before breakfast.
Reduce the amount of protein foods (very high in acids!) you eat each day. Have smaller servings of
beef, poultry, or fish as you add more vegetables to your meals. Have a fresh salad at least once a day
(twice is better). Include at least two different color vegetables with your meals. ‘Green Drinks’ or
capsules that contain barley, wheat and alfalfa grasses, spirulina, chlorella, and other concentrated
green foods are extremely alkalizing. Fresh juices and ‘smoothies’ are a delicious way to reduce your
acid build-up. Snack on dried or fresh fruit, or veggie sticks. And start to reduce your intake of salt,
sugars, coffee, tea, sodas, and processed snack foods. You may need 3 – 6 weeks to slowly and
comfortably change your diet.
Think of all the good nutrients, fiber, and water that's contained in these fruits and vegetables! They
have a very cleansing and healthful effect on your body. Meats, dairy, sugars, baked goods, cheese, and
processed foods have a very constipating effect and slow down everything. You’ll have much more
energy available by changing your diet.
Exercise, relaxation, and all positive emotions such as love, joy, and happiness are also very
alkalizing. Negative emotions, stress, lack of rest, anger, and lack of exercise will contribute additional
acids. Finding a healthful balance in the way you take care of yourself and live your life will go a long way
to having a healthy body for many years to come. Remember, YOU decide how to take care of your own
body. Choose to make educated, healthy choices.
Jane Smolnik is a Naturopathic Doctor, Certified Intuitive Healer, Iridologist and Medicinal Herbalist
with a private practice in Asheville, NC. You can reach her at (828) 777-JANE for a personal
consultation or visit www.ultimatehealing.com.