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Edema, Calcium Loss, and Cholesterol Plaquing!


The body is an intelligent machine. It is perfect in every way. We have all been taught that diseases and illnesses just happen to us because perhaps we are just unlucky, or maybe an outside microorganism caused our illness. However, these are not the main reasons why people develop health issues. The main cause of 99 percent of all illnesses are from the following – over acidity, toxins, and genetic weakness. The most common of these is acidosis. When one eats a poor diet of acidic foods like animal products, grains, processed foods and dairy products and not enough alkaline hydrating foods like fruits and raw foods - the body becomes highly acidic and inflamed. These acids act as toxic wastes held by the body if the lymphatic system (the body's main cleaning system of acids) is congested and stagnant. Acids burn the glands, organs and tissues of the body – causing major destruction and cell death! Being incredibly intelligent and in order to keep you alive, the body has 3 responses in the presence of this acidosis: they are Cholesterol, Calcium and Edema. Think of these as the body's main antacids. They are what the body reaches for to put the fire out – especially when the glands are weak in the body. If these three responses did not exist, we would die immediately from cell and tissue death. These are amazing responses and we should be grateful that we were created this way, however, it is not good to remain in unawareness. These are emergency responses and they are not without repercussions. We must address the true causative factors to truly fix these issues. Today we will discuss how and when these processes occur and what their effects are on the body.

Let's start with Cholesterol. Cholesterol plaquing is very common in many people – especially in those of older ages (50 and up). Sadly though, I am seeing more and more young people in their 20's coming to me with this plaquing already! This is just showing us the severe weaknesses and health issues of the younger generation today. Sometimes cholesterol shows up in blood serum, while other times it does not. A lot of people have elevated cholesterol levels and then sadly doctors give them medications to try and control it. When in actuality, controlling blood serum levels has nothing to do with what the body uses it for. The body uses cholesterol (LDL in particular) for adrenal cortical steroids. The body uses cortisol and progesterone for acid conditions! This is why doctors are always giving synthetic cortisol for pain and inflammation. There is no need for this because the body produces its own cortisol through its glands. Addressing the root cause through an analysis of the entire body with symptoms and the eyes will show what glands are down in the person causing them these health issues. Using iridology, being the amazing tool that it is, a detox specialist can see whether or not someone is plaquing cholesterol – either in the brain or the entire body. The brain is a vital organ and is the most protected by the body – being that it is the control center that oversees all of the functions of the body. In someone with high acidosis in the head and brain area – we very often see this cholesterol plaquing in the top portion of the iris. This plaquing occurs in someone whose adrenal glands are struggling to produce anti-inflammatory steroids. These adrenal steroids keep the body in check of acidosis to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. However, if the adrenal glands are weak, the body does not have adequate amounts of these steroids – so it then turns to cholesterol as its last resort.

Cholesterol plaquing looks like a white arc over the top portion of the eye (sometimes it is fuzzy around the edges), and it makes the iris appear almost almond shape instead of a circle. Cholesterol acts as a buffer of acids. Substances that are fatty in nature (lipids in the body) are considered alkaline and buffers. However, the swelling of the walls of the arteries from this cholesterol plaquing trying to fight acids is deadly. If we see someone with an iris completely surrounded by a cholesterol ring, it is a stroke or heart attack waiting to happen. If cholesterol is seen completely around the iris, it means plaquing is occurring all throughout the body. This is a very serious issue and this person would absolutely need to detox. Sticking of these lipids (fatty fluid) around the tissues of the body leads to these obstructions and poor circulation. In the end, if one does not take responsibility for detoxing the body of all acids through diet and herbs, then cholesterol plaquing (particularly in the head/brain area) can cause serious health issues like Alzheimer's, dementia, blindness, heart attacks and death. To clear acidosis from the head, one must focus on draining the lymphatic system in the brain and head area. To do this, one must open up the sinuses to drain. Very often the people that have acidosis in the head/brain area are those that also have acidosis in the neck area. It is impossible to have congestion and acids in the head, without having it in the neck as well. This is when we see people also have issues with their thyroid gland (either being overactive or under-active). Overactivity is the first stage of acidosis. This is what we call the acute or subacute stage of congestion. After some time, this overactivity if not cleaned out will turn into under-activity as the last stage. These stages are known as chronic and degenerative. It is much easier to clean out acute and subacute stages as tissue destruction has not occurred yet. The foods that will drain the head and brain area will also drain the neck area. The greatest food for cleaning these areas are citrus foods – lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits. Following a raw diet and fasting on these highly astringent fruits will pull on the lymphatic system to start carrying the acids and cholesterol away from the brain and out of the body.

The body's next response to extreme acidosis is edema. Edema is an unpleasant one. It is an attempt by the body to rehydrate the cells through water retention. Dehydration is always an acidosis issue. Edema occurs in the presence of acidosis when one's kidneys are not filtering properly. It makes itself known in the worst way possible. Some types of edema are dangerous, while others warp the body. The legs and feet are the most common locations to experience severe edema. Some people experience extreme edema that poking them in the skin will create a pit and it will take some time for the skin to bounce back again. In these types of people, cleaning the kidneys is essential so you don't hold onto water. Strengthening the adrenal glands that produce mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) - which controls water retention and potassium excretion, is extremely important. Edema is not always this extreme though. We very often see a milder form of edema occurring in many women during their monthly cycles! This holding of water during a woman's cycle occurs because of acidosis. The hormones released during a women's cycle - estrogen and testosterone, are acidic in nature. This is because they help with the shedding of the lining of the uterus. In an already acidic body though, these hormones do not help with the water retention because they are fed by an acidic environment. Unfortunately, the medical route does not understand what is happening and how one would heal edema. Doctors' recommendations are to take progesterone (alkaline) to counteract this acidosis. Even in todays Naturopaths, progesterone cream is often what is recommended to people with edema. In true healing through detoxification however, I have seen edema disappear through addressing the root cause! I recommend the herbs to clean and tone the female system. The herbal formulas I recommend to my clients address the pituitary gland (controlling the female system) and the adrenal glands and kidneys to remove acidic wastes and flush the edema out with it! Edema is a widespread problem, even beyond the issues mentioned above. Since most people are acidic, I see people easily holding onto 10 or 15 pounds of just water weight. This water weight is always shed (even in those that have trouble losing this water weight) when the body truly cleans acidic wastes out through alkaline foods and addressing the root gland and organ weaknesses with the herbs. Addressing the root cause will always heal the body instead of giving it a temporary band aid (what medical doctors and most naturopaths do!) Once you get the acids out, you can then start to truly hydrate interstitially (meaning in and around the cells) and then all pain and swelling will be a thing of the past.

Lastly is Calcium. Losing calcium is extremely common – especially among young women nowadays. Loss of calcium does not mean you have to take more calcium in the form of pills – quite the opposite! – usually, calcium is not lacking in one's diet. The problem is actually a calcium utilization problem when one is low in calcium. Take prolapsing, or hemorrhoids or hernias for example – here we see the classic signs of the body losing calcium from its connective tissue. If one has these signs in the body, it means that these sites are heavily acidic and are burning up the tissues. Remember – acids destroy – they are corrosive! This occurs when one's diet is full of too many grains, proteins and cooked foods. The body's only defense to fight back is to then leech calcium (an alkalizing agent) from the tissues to buffer this acidic chemistry. It is the parathyroid glands' job to utilize calcium with parathormone to be able to return it back to the tissues in which it was lost in this response, but for those with a parathyroid gland weakness, this function is impaired and thus calcium is never replaced. This is when people can feel a lot of suffer – people can experience any of the following symptoms of depression, bruising, crackling/painful joints, cramping in muscles, weak fingernails, spider veins/varicose veins, osteoporosis/low bone density or scoliosis. The only way to see what level of parathyroid gland weakness a person has is to examine the gland through an iris analysis. This tells us whether there is congestion in this gland impairing its function, or a genetic weakness. Both are reversible through true detoxification with the correct diet. This information from an iris analysis, along with the symptoms a person is portraying, gives us all the tools needed to create a healing protocol to reverse all health issues.

These processes of the body are just a few of the things I look out for when working on someone's case to create a healing protocol for them to heal all their health issues. The body can heal and was meant to work like an unstoppable machine! When you clear all acidic wastes and obstructions out, you become so light and free, it feels as if you don't even notice your body being there because acidosis is no longer holding it down. You will experience a boundless energy, a clear mind and balanced emotions, and your body will reflect the beauty of all of nature, inside and out!

Until next time,

Happy Healing!

-Ailin Duran D.S.

To Work with me one-on-one on your healing journey, visit our Services page!

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