Get Off Your Acid with Dr. Daryl Gioffre

Meet Dr. Daryl Gioffre, a Salonpas warrior who is the dedicated to helping others lead healthier, happier lives. Dr. Gioffre is the author of GET OFF YOUR ACID: 7 Steps in 7 Days to Lose Weight, Fight Inflammation, and Claim Your Health & Energy and he is the creator of the Alkamind cleanse, which many people, including television host and actress, Kelly Ripa, have said is life changing.

A former sugar addict turned health machine, Dr. Daryl knows firsthand what it takes to overcome adversity and challenges in one’s health. His approach is one of moderation, not deprivation, and is an inspiration to his patients as he ‘walks the talk’ every day to higher levels of health, fitness, and energy. His specialty is uncovering the root causes of chronic illness, using a comprehensive yet simple set of steps, making healthy changes more convenient and sustainable. He is also a chiropractor, health coach, certified raw food chef, author, and lecturer.

Dr. Daryl’s dedication began when his own athletic career was restored through the power of chiropractic following a serious injury he sustained while playing soccer for the United States Under 20 Men’s National Soccer Team. Passionate about his work, Dr. Daryl’s ultimate reward is helping people breakthrough barriers and plateaus in their health that have been holding them back from living a life filled with energy and vitality. Dr. Daryl uses innovative technology and cutting-edge nutrition to achieve and maintain an OPTIMAL level of health and energy.

Dr. Daryl has been practicing chiropractic for 14 years and opened the Gioffre Chiropractic Wellness Center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 2004. In 2013, he founded Alkamind, with the goal of optimizing individual’s health and energy by simplifying the pursuit of an alkaline lifestyle.  Salonpas sat down with Dr. Gioffre to learn more about his lifestyle:

What was your catalyst for developing the Alkamind diet?

There’s an old story of the shoemaker with no shoes; he’s always too busy making shoes for other people to make a pair for himself. There’s also a saying, “The plumber’s faucet always leaks.” Often, we are so tied up in work that we forget to take care of ourselves. Well, for years, I was that doctor.  I was busy caring for others, and my own health was a mess. I was a living contradiction. I am referring to an addiction to sugar since I was a little boy, that carried into my life as a chiropractor.  I would tell a client to clean up their diet, then go in my back office and shove a candy bar in my mouth.  The final straw came when I was adjusting a patient, and I split my pants right down the backside. That was the straw.  From that point on, I became a health detective, and I started researching, investigating the 5% of my practice who were uber healthy, had high energy all day long, glowing skin, healthy digestion…then there was the flipside, the rest of my practice, tired, sick, fatigued, skin issues, inflamed…and as I followed the evidence, it led me directly to ACID.  ACID was the smoking gun and the common denominator.  I soon realized that the reason why I craved sugar so bad was a mineral deficiency, especially magnesium.

Tony Robbins always says, success leaves clues, so I became my own test subject.  Deprivation never beat my sugar addiction, so there had to be another way.  I started ADDING (instead of taking away), and it started with 1 alkaline green juice a day.  Then 2, and a green smoothie. Then the rebounder, I soon discovered my cravings were getting less, and that it was a mineral deficiency that was driving the lifelong addiction. Before I knew it, within a few weeks, the cravings were gone, and a few months later, I had dropped 42 pounds, and had energy like I was 21 all over again. This had made such a MASSIVE impact in my life, from that experience, Alkamind was born. My goals and passion were to teach other people how to live a life and achieve their health goals by living a life of moderation, not deprivation.  By adding, not taking away.  By alkalizing, the energy and health would return to the body.  And I created a line of superfood powders and detox programs to help people GET OFF THEIR ACID.

I THOUGHT that was the driving force behind my mission, and at the time, it was. Then I received the text message that change my life forever, 1 week before I was set to run the NYC marathon, of which my parents and wife and 6-month-old son would be watching from mile 18, where we lived. It was also the same week I would launch my new nutrition company based on the alkaline lifestyle, Alkamind.  I was on mile 8 in Central Park, when my pocket vibrated.  I looked at my phone, and it said, EMERGENCY!  In that moment, I knew it was my father.  My parents were driving down, just before Hartford, when the car, going 70mph, started veering off the HOV lane into the concrete divider. My mom looked over, to see my father (71 years old at the time) passed out against the side of the window (he was driving, my mom was knitting in the passenger seat), looking lifeless. The car went up the divider, as my mom leaned over to pull his leg off the accelerator, as the car came back down. Then the car went up the divider one more time, as she pulled the keys out of the ignition.  The car came to a grinding halt, pinned against the concrete barrier. She thought he was gone.  Long story short – he comes to a few minutes later, and an ambulance shows up 18 minutes after.

At the hospital, he had an EKG and all the other heart tests. A heart attack and stroke were immediately ruled out and a CT scan of his brain was normal. The doctors then learned he’d had some dark blood in his stool for quite some time and wanted to do an endoscopy to look down his esophagus where it meets the stomach. I mentally put the pieces together: internal bleeding, digested blood . . . something’s not right in the upper digestive tract. Afterward they dropped the bombshell. The word that everyone fears: cancer.  The ironic thing about it was when we were speaking with the oncologist, the very SAME day I launched Alkamind (wearing my t-shirt with my bold tagline, GET OFF YOUR ACID), as I was going to be giving a keynote address at a wellness conference, the doctor precedes to tell us the cause of our father’s cancer – word for word – TOO MUCH ACID.  My heart dropped.

That day, my mission in life took on a whole new meaning.  We implemented a 100% alkaline lifestyle with my father, and learned through ENDLESS research, as many ways as possible to attack this dreadful disease. The doctors gave on my father, said there was nothing they could do, and gave him a few months. He lived almost THREE years.  That was three extra years we had with him, and he had with us, and that extra time was priceless.

My father passed August 15, 2017. When he left us, I was holding his hand. In that moment, I thanked him for being the most incredible father, for being a role model, for providing me the life and opportunities that he did, and for all the sacrifices he made so that I could have a better life. Then I made a vow to him. The last thing I told him was that I would make it my life’s mission to do whatever I can with the information I’ve learned to prevent as many people as possible from suffering as he did—no matter what it takes.

So to me, this is not just a diet – this is a lifestyle.  And it is my mission to do whatever I can to let as many people know, so that they don’t live a life and suffer like my father.

What are the primary principles of the Alkamind diet?

You can imagine your pH is like a thermostat.  If you happen to be hanging out on an iceberg, your body is going to have to work hard to maintain a temperature of 98.6°F, right? Your body would shiver and expend massive amounts of energy to create heat, and your blood would leave your hands and feet and rush to your organs. Why? To keep you alive! But eventually, your body simply wouldn’t be able to sustain this temperature regulation, so you would have to get off the iceberg to survive. The same is true with your body’s pH.

Think of it this way: when you measure the pH in a pool, and you see that it’s not in the optimal zone, you simply add chemicals to the pool water to shift its pH to a more balanced state. Otherwise, it becomes a bacteria-ridden cesspool. Likewise, diseases thrive in a too-acidic body environment. If you want to get rid of all the bad stuff in your system, you have to restore balance.  This is the first step to combating inflammation and the potential for disease and ensuring you live your healthiest life.

The problem is people care more about the pH of their swimming pools and garden and then the do their own body!  In fact, when was the last time your doctor talked to you about your pH?  When I’m talk about pH, I’m referring to the ph of your blood, the most important number in your body, and is a number you need to pay more attention to.

Just like your temperature, your blood pH works like a thermostat as it is tightly regulated in a narrow range between 7.35 and 7.45, with the ideal pH resting at 7.4. Your body will do whatever it takes to keep that number steady, because if it deviates by more than 1 point either way, you cannot survive.

The purpose of eating and drinking alkaline-forming ingredients is not to try to raise the pH of your blood, as many mistakenly believe. Eating alkaline is important because it prevents the body from having to do the regulating on its own.

If you’re not getting essential acid-fighting materials in via your diet, your body will find another way to get them. Your blood will “rob Peter to pay Paul” in order to keep blood pH at 7.4.  This number is SO important, your body would rather rob the calcium from its bones, and magnesium from its muscles, and sodium bicarbonate from your mouth, all in effort to keep your blood pH from veering off course.

To help your body maintain a blood pH level in the alkaline range (and from working too hard to do so), I recommend following an “80/20” alkaline diet. This ratio encourages the consumption of high alkaline foods, but too allows flexibility for those acidic items we find hard to resist. You can still drink your wine and have your cake, and you can eat it, too – so long as it’s in your 20 percent.

Alkaline foods should comprise 80% or more of your daily diet and consist of the following:

• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables (sprouts, microgreens, kale, spinach, watercress, romaine, chard)
• Essential fats and oils (omega-3 fats, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, EVOO, black cumin seed oil, coconut oil, MCT oil)
• Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower)
• Sulfur-based vegetables (radishes, onion, cabbage)
• Low-sugar fruits (lemons, limes, grapefruit, avocado, tomato, coconut, pomegranate)
• Plant-Based Proteins
• Green Juices, Green Smoothies, Green Soups
• Raw nuts (almonds, macadamia, Brazil, walnuts, pecans)
• Raw seeds (Chia, Flax)

Acid-forming foods should comprise no more than 20% of your daily diet and consist of the following:

• Sugar
• Grains
• Dairy
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Unhealthy fats and oils (vegetable oils such as soybean and corn oil)
• Animal proteins
• Processed Foods

What are the dangers of inflammation and how does your lifestyle reduce/eliminate them?

Inflammation is Acid and Acid is Inflammation.  It is the cause of all dis-ease, which is lack of balance or harmony in the body. The more disease that builds, it becomes, disease.  Inflammation is one of the 5 staged of acidosis.  Stage 1 and 2 are energy loss and food sensitivities, very common for many people, as most people (and the Standard American Diet, ironically named the SAD diet, is 90% acid-forming) are pumping themselves with acids every day. As chronic low-grade acidosis builds in the body and its tissues, inflammation ensures. It is systemic, and is a result of acidic foods such as sugar, grains, dairy, pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fats, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, etc.  In the short run, it is the body’s defense system.  If not dealt with, it becomes chronic and damaging to the body – the microbiome, the blood, the tissues, cells, and brain.

As this acidic lifestyle progresses, inflammation turns into ulceration, sclerosis, and eventually, chronic disease. Looking back at my father, the acid and inflammation caused an ulcer in his esophagus, and he had to get 2 transfusions from the internal bleeding. The tissue had been damaged for so long, that it had become sclerotic and cancerous, a perfect example of how chronic inflammation and acidity can lead to devastating health consequences.

When we eat, we are either DEFLAMING the body, or INFLAMING the body. The way to reduce them is NOT by better chemistry, like so many western doctors do through NSAIDS and drugs, but by better living.  Adopting an 80/20 lifestyle, where 80% of the foods are alkaline and anti-inflammatory, and no more than 20% acid forming, is the way to lower systemic inflammation.  Eating a diet with a healthy balance of dark green leafy vegetables (as well as cruciferous and sulfur-based vegetables) and healthy fats (avocados, and healthy oils such as coconut, avocado, MCT, macadamia nut, black cumin seed, EVOO) (80%), moderate protein (10-15%), and minimal vegetable carbs (5%) is a healthy balance. I also incorporate my Top 7 Ways to GET OFF YOUR ACID, which is featured in my new book launched this past January.

What are the top five benefits of following this lifestyle?

Better energy, digestion, reduced inflammation, sleep, and ability to adapt to emotional/mental stress, weight loss (a byproduct of healthy living), and stronger immunity (that was 7 benefits )

Is it actually possible to live an alkaline focused lifestyle all the time?  What happens if you slip up?

This lifestyle is about BALANCE.  It is about PROGRESS, not perfection.  That is why I incorporate my 80/20 rule.  I give my clients full permission to enjoy their life, and what I have found, is this mentality is SUSTAINAABLE.  I don’t even do this 100%, but because of this, I stay healthy, and balanced.  Kelly Ripa, who endorsed my 7-Day Alkaline Cleanse and wrote the forward of the book, went on air with Ryan Seacrest and said that when she started, she told me she wasn’t going to give up her coffee or Rose. I told her she didn’t have to.  When you live this lifestyle 80/20, but be sure to do the 80 side of this 100%, it is so powerful, you will be healthy, energetic, and balanced. That is what this is all about.  And if you happen to derail, no problem, get back on course.

What are the steps you follow to uncover the root cause of people’s illnesses?

1. Listen, listen deeply. Look at the history to find what the TRUE CAUSE is for their specific health concern. I look at 5 different stressors – Dietary (sugar, grains, dairy, processed foods, unhealthy fats, too much animal protein, artificial sweeteners, etc),Metabolic Acids (lactic acid, carbonic acid, uric acid, etc), Chemical Acids(ingested chemicals such as smoking, alcohol, antibiotics), Environmental Acids(BPAs, Water, Pollution, EMF etc), Stress (outweighs ANY other acid a million times to one in my eyes in terms of the acid and inflammation it creates)

I do the following testing:

Micronutrient Depletion Tests

Live Blood Cell Analysis

Omega-3 Acid Index Test Kit (measures Omega 3 deficiency, Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio, Cell Toxicity via palmitic acid, Brain Cognitive flexibility, processing speed, sustained attention, memory capacity, trajectory index based on silent inflammation of cells and brain)

If need be:  Hormone Panel / Cardio Metabolic Profile

What’s a typical day like for you?

I get up with an attitude of gratitude, and do not get out of bed, have a green drink (dehydrated green powder) with my wife and 2 children.  They are turning 4 (Brayden) and 1 (Alea) and fully live and embrace this lifestyle). I go on the rebounder for 10-15 minutes and do the 3:6:5 power breathing.  Shower, then have a Detox tea (twice a week, my wife makes us fresh organic turmeric/ginger/black pepper/lemon tea, we drink hot once when made, then store in fridge and drink cold on other days).   Make breakfast for fam (always involves an avocado or a green smoothie), go to work, adjust 40-50 patients, do Live Blood Cell Analysis, Omega-3 Acid Index testing, etc. – always bring balance in my day, drink 4L of water, and do ONE detox protocol dependent on time – BEMER, or WBV, Rebounder, Chi Machine, etc.  Get adjusted. Have a vegetable soup or salad for lunch, drink another green drink.  Come home, have a healthy alkaline dinner with family, talk about our day, have minerals, read to kids, read before bed, write, sleep.

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