April/May 2026 Vol 25.2Adjusting Autonomic Physiology with Diet and Minerals to Improve Health
Authors: Linda L Isaacs MD
Abstract:
The role of diet and mineral supplementation in modulating autonomic balance was commonly studied in the early 20th century, but is rarely discussed today. This paper reviews historical findings by academic researchers, such as Hans Eppinger, Leo Hess, André-Charles Guillaume, S.G. Zondek, and Francis Pottenger, connecting their discoveries to the dentist William Donald Kelley’s dietary model and treatment methods, with further refinements by Nicholas Gonzalez and the author. The central hypothesis is that dietary composition and mineral supplementation—particularly of calcium, magnesium, and potassium—affect sympathetic and parasympathetic tone, thereby influencing disease susceptibility. Calcium and acid-forming diets stimulate sympathetic activity, whereas magnesium, potassium, and alkalinizing diets support parasympathetic function. Early physiologic research and modern studies on heart rate variability, electrolyte balance, and immune activation suggest that an imbalance in autonomic tone may underlie various forms of ill health. Research in this area declined following World War II, but renewed investigation into autonomic individuality may explain conflicting outcomes of dietary intake and mineral supplementation. This integrative model proposes that tailoring diet and mineral supplementation to restore autonomic balance can optimize physiological function, offering a biologically grounded approach to personalized health.
