Interview with Barbara Simonsohn: “We pay for our ‘prosperity’ with a whole host of dangerous diseases of civilization!”

"Cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia - as different as all these illnesses are, they have one common cause: over-acidification of the organism. If we choose a delicious, alkaline diet with lots of potassium from vegetables and herbs, little animal protein and little sugar and salt, and ensure we drink enough water, relax, sleep well and exercise, we will remove the acidic soil from these diseases of civilization." Barbara Simonsohn has written the guidebook "The Alkaline Principle" based on the scientific work and many years of experience of the recognized acidosis expert Dr. Ludwig Manfred Jacob and sees a health-conscious alkaline lifestyle not only as an opportunity to prevent life-threatening illnesses, but also as a significant increase in quality of life and joy of life.

In your new guide, you combine your many years of experience with relaxation methods and nutritional advice with the scientific findings of the recognized acidosis expert Dr. Jacobs. What is special about the “Alkaline Principle” project?

Barbara Simonsohn: The collaboration with Dr. Jacob has synergistic effects for the reader. This guide incorporates Dr. Jacob's knowledge and research results, in a language that even laypeople can understand. The reader thus indirectly draws on the more than 1,400 scientific studies that form the basis of the standard work "Dr. Jacob's Path of Pleasant Abstinence."

The topic of “hyperacidity” has been on your mind for a long time. What was the trigger for this and how did the collaboration with Dr. Jacob come about?

Barbara Simonsohn: Because of a health crisis in my early 20s, when I was 23 I went on an open spa treatment with the Mayr doctor Dr. Renate Collier on Sylt. She turned me into a new, radiantly healthy person. Impressed by my metamorphosis, I organized seminars for the acidosis expert, had her train me as an acidosis seminar leader and wrote the book "Acidosis Therapy" with illustrations and explanations of the acidosis deacidification massages according to Dr. Collier. This book fell into Dr. Jacob's hands and he asked me if I could imagine writing a book based on his internationally recognized standard work. I felt honored because I knew his book and knew that Dr. Jacob is a renowned acidosis expert. My gift is to "translate" complex medical and scientific findings into understandable language. That's why Dr. Jacob approached me. I knew the project would be challenging and ambitious, but I was aware of its importance and value, so I said yes. Opportunities like this don't come along on a silver platter very often!

Hyperacidity is considered the main cause of so-called lifestyle diseases, from high blood pressure to diabetes to cancer and dementia. What exactly does this mean, and why is conventional medicine still so unable to do much with it?

Barbara Simonsohn: The term latent acidosis has not yet really been accepted in conventional medicine. "Acidosis" is understood to mean blood acidosis, a life-threatening condition. If you tell your GP that you are slagged, you will usually hear: "You're not a chimney." But slagged cells and over-acidification of the intercellular space are the reason why cells are not optimally supplied with nutrients and detoxified and why immune cells have difficulty reaching the site of an impending infection. The environment and its condition are crucial. Cell health is the basis of our health. Unfortunately, conventional medicine is largely not interested in causal healing, but mainly treats symptoms. Specialization is becoming more and more common. Cardiologists treat high blood pressure, internists treat diabetes and oncologists treat cancer. Latent acidosis, a gradual over-acidification of the organism, plays an important role in the development of all these diseases.

A healthy acid-base and mineral balance plays a key role in maintaining our health and reaching a healthy old age. What is a healthy balance and how can you tell when it is out of balance?

Barbara Simonsohn: In a healthy balance we experience radiant health. We wake up in the morning – every morning! – and want to embrace the world. Even in old age we are still full of life and active and die of old age, not of disease. However, currently only one in 115 people dies of old age, the majority die of disease. This shows how far we have moved away from being healthy in our society. We pay for our prosperity with all sorts of lifestyle diseases, which is completely unnecessary. Life expectancy is still increasing somewhat, but the quality of life in old age often leaves a lot to be desired. Ethnic groups such as the people of Okinawa, the Adventists in the USA and the Yanomami Indians in Brazil show us that life without disease, signs of aging and infirmity is possible. That is why I have repeatedly given examples like this in the book. Of course, other factors such as sufficient exercise and good social integration play a role alongside nutrition. It is not as if we do not know what a healthy lifestyle looks like. Even minor symptoms such as inner restlessness, brittle nails, sleeping problems or slightly elevated blood pressure should be warning signals for us to rethink and change our lifestyle. Henry Ford once said: "Health is not something you can buy, it is something you can win by living."

The first part of your book deals in detail with the most important mechanisms of metabolism and the biggest health killers of our time. What are these in detail and what opportunities are there to protect yourself against them?

Barbara Simonsohn: All bodily functions take place within a very limited pH range, i.e. within a specific acid-base ratio. If this pH value shifts, the optimal functioning of these functions becomes more difficult. It is therefore plausible that in diseases as diverse as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and dementia, the over-acidification of the organism creates the disease-causing environment. If we improve the environment by opting for an alkaline diet with lots of potassium from vegetables and herbs, little animal protein and little sugar and salt, and by ensuring that we drink enough water, relax, sleep well and exercise, we will remove the acidic (!) soil from the diseases of civilization.

It is today's diet and lifestyle in particular that causes the body to become over-acidic and thus creates the basis for serious illnesses. Studies on other cultures and lifestyles show that these are by no means necessarily a matter of fate. Who or what should we take as a role model here?

Barbara Simonsohn: As already mentioned, the traditionally living inhabitants of Okinawa are a great role model when it comes to healthy living and healthy aging. Unfortunately, young people on Okinawa are already infected with the "American way of life": with lots of animal protein, salt, few vegetables and little exercise. Vegetarian and vegan Adventists now have the longest life expectancy and outsmart the diseases of civilization. The Yanomami Indians of Brazil have blood pressure so low that we only find it in children. Table salt is completely unknown to them, and animal protein only appears on the table or in the pot occasionally.

In addition to a plant-based, low-salt, high-potassium diet, exercise, relaxation, massages, healthy sleep and proper breathing are also very important. What does the "path of pleasurable renunciation" mean, and how can this principle be implemented in everyday life?

Barbara Simonsohn: A healthy lifestyle brings joy - joy of life! When the body finally gets what it really needs, it is as if warm rain falls on a parched piece of land: our organism breathes a sigh of relief. The recipes in our book are easy to make with just a few ingredients and are quick to prepare. Despite this - or perhaps because of this? - they are very tasty. Avoiding unhealthy things goes hand in hand with enjoying healthy things, and you will quickly find that you don't miss the unhealthy things. Exercise and proper breathing release more endorphins, happiness hormones. Deep relaxation and massages bring us into contact with our inner self. Massages are the oldest healing methods known to mankind. The book introduces abdominal and head-neck self-massage. Those who practice them regularly are not only doing something good for their health, but are also giving themselves healthy self-love, which also allows us to blossom spiritually. Healthy and sufficiently long sleep is a cornerstone of our mental and physical health. With the "7-day plan" I give readers a practical, everyday "pattern" for a healthy lifestyle. All the tips in this book are simple and easy to implement and give you a joy of life and quality of life you have never experienced before. We experience abundance awareness and finally have the clarity and strength to move the world. As Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you hope to see in the world."

Book tip:
Barbara Simonsohn: The Alkaline Principle. Dr. Jacob's protective formula against the biggest health killers of our time. Healthy, slim and happy with a 7-day plan. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition December 2019, paperback, 13.5 x 21.5 cm, 190 pages, 14.95 euros (D) / 15.40 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-541-7

Link recommendations:
More information about the book “The Alkaline Principle”
To the reading sample in PDF format
More about the author Barbara Simonsohn
To the Internet forum with our authors and readers