Guest guest Posted March 15, 2005 Report Share Posted March 15, 2005 The Role of pH Balancing as an Anti-aging, Disease Management Technique Mar 14, 2005 16:48 PST One of the most compelling discoveries I've made in the last decade of my health investigations, is the role of Body pH Balancing as an anti-aging, weight-balancing and disease management technique. You may be astonished, as I was, to realize the broad health ramifications of having an overly acidic condition in your body. I believe the next few paragraphs will open your eyes to both the realities of body pH imbalances and to the extent this information seems to apply to you . . The urgency for you to take immediate preventative action! If you want to live a long, healthy life... you must learn how to reverse your accelerated aging schedule with some simple, fast-acting and inexpensive procedures. Recent research has shown that if you have an " acidic " body pH balance -- as indicated by the presence of the signs and symptoms listed below -- then the aging process will be accelerated in your body... making it very difficult for you to retain a youthful appearance and a trim physique. Only if you take steps to recreate a neutral body pH balance, will you be successful in reversing the degenerative processes at work in your body! Here are a few common signs and symptoms of an " acidic " body pH balance: • Chronic fatigue • Weak kidneys • Sudden weight gain • Excessive stress • Difficult weight loss • Constipation • Chronic aches and pains • Frequent Colds • Mental confusion • Headaches • Skin problems So how does your body pH get out of balance? The answer may surprise you . . . food proteins, which are vital for maintaining your health, also create an " acidic condition " in your body's pH balance. States Dr. Ted Morter, Jr., a notable pH expert, “The paradox of protein is that it's not only essential (to life), but also potentially health destroying.” Imagine that! The same protein that you need to live can actually " over-burden " your cells making them " toxic " and " acidic " ! And remember... an acidic body pH condition facilitates accelerated aging, system degeneration and increased susceptibility to sickness and disease. Tips for maintaining " Optimal pH Balance " : • Manage stress more effectively! • Cleanse your body systems regularly. • Eat an alkaline producing diet. • Drink eight ( or more glasses of pure water daily with fresh lemon juice squeezed in generously. Your efforts to reverse a pH imbalance should be particularily aggressive if you detect an odor of " ammonia " in your urine. This is a strong indicator that your body is in desperate need of organic sodium and that protein intake must be reduced immediately. When your body does not get enough organic sodium . . . calcium will be " leached " from the bones and eliminated via urination. This condition, if allowed to continue can result in serious loss of bone density and potential osteoporosis. Your body's pH level can be tested by having a pH test done. The ideal target is a 7.0 pH when measuring your saliva upon rising in the morning and before eating or drinking anything. Once you have successfully brought your body's pH into balance... you will likely begin to experience more natural vitality, better metabolism and fewer internal/external signs of aging. One of your greatest allies to help bring your body pH into balance is pure drinking water. Also you should try to avoid food groups that are naturally acidic. Here are the four (4) basic Food Groups and their respective Acidity Rating: Food Group / Acidity Rating Meat & Poultry / Very Acid Gravies, Bread & Cereals / Acid Dairy Products / Acid Organic Vegetables & Fruits / Alkaline Do you suspect your daily eating habits could be preventing you from achieving optimal pH balance? If that's the case you should consider supplementing your daily diet, to restore your body pH to a normal range. -- Post subject: Acid. Alkaline & Electrolyte Minerals -- Acid. Alkaline. Get to know these terms well, they could decide the state of your health. The more we learn about our bodies, the more we discover the importance of maintaining pH for good health. pH is a measure of the balance between positively and negatively charged ions in the body fluids blood, urine and saliva. Every breath we take, and even the beating of our hearts depend upon our bodies maintaining a " precisely balanced " pH in critical body elements. Every enzyme system and the entire electrical functioning of our bodies are dependent upon " electrolytes " . The levels of electrolytes are reflected in the body's pH, this means that without proper pH, cells cannot receive the nutrients and energy they need to stay healthy. As cells weaken, they cannot perform well, resulting in disease within the body functions and organs. Anytime our pH is off-balance even to a small degree, it is usually a sign that we have depleted ourselves of valuable electrolyte minerals. A balanced body should register a level of pH equal to and not greater then 7.0 - 7.4. Pure water and distilled water is neutral with a pH of 7.0. The average pH ranges for saliva and urine is 6.0-7.0. Anything below pH 6.3 would be too acidic. Below is a statement from Richard Anderson, N.D., N.M.D, author of the book " Cleanse and Purify Thyself " : When we eat, we chew the food and it goes into the stomach. Here it is saturated by hydrochloric acid (HCL) which activates " pepsinogen " enzymes. This results in creation of a proteolytic enzyme known as " active pepsin " . This enzyme helps digest protein. It is important to remember that all foods, except oils, have protein. When the stomach has completed its job it releases the entire mass through the pyloric valve and the food, now very acid from the HCL, enters the duodenum. Here it is saturated by large amounts of alkaline fluids from the Brunner glands, the bile, and the pancreatic juices. This is absolutely essential, for the pancreatic enzymes can only function optimally in a pH above 7. And not only that; before the body can " absorb " the food into the bloodstream and use it, the pH of the food must be 7.4. Keep in mind that it is very essential for our bodies to maintain a perfect pH balance. As long as they are able to do so, we have a very good chance of maintaining health all through our lives. But if this balance is lost, it is impossible to maintain good health. My estimation is that more than 90% of the American population has lost this balance. Our bodies have several incredible control mechanisms to maintain this delicate balance of pH. One process is called the " buffer system " or the regulation of acid-base balance. By eliminating complex explanations, we can say that the first step is for the body to buffer the acids by absorbing the acid with sodium bicarbonate. Each time an acid is buffered by the sodium, the pH rises. In this process, the body brings the acids to a level in which it can safely remove them out of the body through the kidneys and increase the pH of the food so that it can be " assimilated " . According to James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C. in their book " Prescription for Nutritional Healing " - " Acidosis results from eating excess animal protein, excess junk foods, cooked and fried food. When ingested cooked and processed foods become acid in the body. Raw fruits, as well as all foods, become acidic when sugar is added. One eats too fast, too much, too often, too heavily and too late. We love fast foods and sweets and may become acid stressed from childhood. " Dr. Michael Worlilschek, German author of “Deacidification; A Basic Therapy” states " The metabolic processes in the body depend on a balanced pH value within the cells. If it goes high or low, certain “enzymatic reactions” fail to occur. If they deviate too far on the acidic side, the metabolism stops (which means poisoning of the cell) and the cell dies. Therefore acid represents “cell poisoning” in general. " The further we deplete our minerals and move towards greater acidity, the more our bodies lose control over pH, and the more the liver and all organs are impaired. From this " depletion " of minerals and development of acidity, our immune systems become " depressed " we lose the ability to “create” hydrochloric acid, the bile turns acid our normal “friendly bacteria” mutates and we may become “susceptible” to infiltration of " germs " - various bacteria, viruses, fungus, yeast, and perhaps protoza. Researchers theorize, and results indicate, that most people are acidic; their pH is low. If you pH is too acidic, your body “borrows” minerals - such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium - from vital organs and bones to neutralize the acid and remove it from the body. These minerals constantly need to be replaced to keep the “detoxification” going and the diet needs to be changed to stop continual depletion of the pH levels in the body. Alkalinity in the body is much more rare, but just as potentially serious. it often takes longer for a person who is " alkaline " to achieve balance than one who is " acidic. " Urine pH Urinary pH levels can " indicate " how well your body is " assimilating " minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, sodium m and potassium. These are called the " acid buffers " because they are used by the body to control acid levels. When acid levels begin to increase, the body becomes less capable of ”excreting” acid. It must either store the acid in body tissues, or “buffer” it- that is, ”borrow” minerals from organs, bones, etc, in order to “neutralize” the increase in acidity. Urinary pH should fluctuate between 6.0 - 6.4 in the morning and 6.4 - 7.0 in the evening. This test is commonly given by physicians when you go for an examination and given a little cup. Saliva pH You'll also want to test the pH of your saliva. The results of saliva testing can indicate the activity of “digestive enzymes” in your body, especially the acidity of the liver and the stomach. This reveals the flow of enzymes running through your body and shows their effect on all the body systems and your tissues. Some people will have acidic pH reading from both urine and saliva - - this is referred to as " double acid. " Salivary pH should stay between 6.4 - 6.8. -- Post subject: Alkaline Minerals -- Author and researcher S. Whang stated in his book, " Reverse Aging " - " As long as there are sufficient amounts of " alkaline minerals " in the body, poisonous acids are “neutralized”. When there is not an adequate supply of alkaline minerals in the body, the body " borrows " calcium from bones to survive. " Alkaline minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and others. It is important to maintain the correct pH balance so the body may assimilate minerals as well as other nutrients. Many years of a " meat and potato " diet with an insufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruits create an imbalance and the body gradually becomes more acidic. All kinds of carbonated drinks are very acidic, especially colas. Most, if not all, colloidal mineral products are very acid, testing in the 3-4 pH range. When acid wastes enter our bloodstream, the blood, in order to maintain the correct narrow pH range, stores the wastes somewhere else in the body, which over time will burden the entire body. Stress & pH Balancing Stress and attitude plays a large part of the balancing pH levels in the body. It is known that being " emotionally stressed " drains “electrolytes” just as if we were eating acid-forming foods, and is directly related to the " excess use " of minerals in the body to work through the “emotional stress”. This " depletion " of minerals and other elements in the body tip the scales of the pH dramatically. Keeping a balance of the emotional body as well as the physical body is vital to good health. Stress, whether physical or mental, " creates " more acid. Under tension we “burn” more nutrients in a shorter amount of time, creating a lot more wastes than the body can dispose of. For this reason stress speeds up the aging process. Mental stress also creates more acids and the “acids” make you feel more ”depressed”. Research has been done by the Japanese showing that many adult diseases are caused by the accumulation of acids in our body, poor blood circulation and poor cell activity. Medical researchers have been looking for medicine to cure these diseases, but none cure the “acidity” of the body. In fact, most *drugs* are “acidic”. ============================================== Answers & Results It makes sense to monitor your pH to make sure you can maintain good health. By using the test strips this is easily done. Eat lots of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, Cut acid forming foods out of your diet and get plenty of exercise and sleep. Supplement your diet with trace minerals and other supplements specified for your special needs. Get to know your own body and how it reacts to diet and the other influences in your life. There is nothing as important as good health. With a little extra attention and care you can achieve and maintain that good health you have always searched for! =============================================== Acid Forming The main causes of " mineral depletion " in the Western world today are the consumption of excess amounts of acid-forming foods, we can become deficient in many minerals including chromium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur. These minerals are the most important, for they have a direct impact upon maintaining proper pH, fluid viscosity, tissue softness, cell function, and bowel chemistry, as well as being the most common minerals found to be deficient in people today. An exact pH is necessary for blood purity, enzyme activity, and full " immune " potential. Some Acid Forming Foods Meats Dairy products Refined Flour and Grains Processed foods such as: canned and Packaged meals, etc. Coffee Pop Cereals Fast foods Foods grown in mineral deficient soil ===================== A recent study conducted at the University of California-San Francisco on 9,704 post-menopausal women showed that those who have higher acidity levels (also called “chronic acidosis”) from a diet rich in animal foods are at greater risk for lower “bone density” levels than those who have " normal " pH levels. The researchers who carried out this study hypothesized that many of the hip fractures prevalent among older women correlated to higher acidity from a diet rich in animal foods and low in vegetables. The body apparently “borrows” calcium from the bones in order to balance pH, and this calcium borrowing may result in a decrease in bone density. - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jan. 2001, Vol. 73, No. 1, pp. 118-12 --- pH Balance: A Homeopathic Approach --- Recently, I was talking to Charles Marble, a friend and colleague, about the organic farm industry in Naples. He said everything natural about organic farming is derived from the balance between acids and alkalinity in the soil. Where I live, the soil is generally determined to be quite alkaline. What I found interesting was the fact that when the soil is properly balanced, insects cannot thrive and are not drawn to plants. I found this interesting because the same is true for us. What we call the biological terrain, or soil, must also be balanced. Normal acid pH is around 6.8 and anything lower is considered acidic, which by most standards, is our nature. Above 7.6 is alkaline. At 7.0 pH is totally neutral, like good water. No one is ever totally neutral, as our system cannot function in a neutral state. However, if one checks some of the key 'experts' (Dr Jenson, Dr Bodine, Dr Cayce, Dr Phiefer, Dr Jinks, etc), you will find they recommend the body be 'slightly' alkaline. The stomach is the only part of the body that is always " acidic " (hydrochloric acid), while the remainder of the bodily fluids are supposed to be alkaline. Too much acid, or too many alkaline reactions can cause " tissue damage " . Blood, spinal fluid and saliva are rarely alkaline, but the stool, liver bile, pancreas or gall bladder bile can be either acidic or alkaline (the range for these organs and glands is broader). But, when they become acidic, the imbalance begins and the ”parasites' establish a foothold, creating stress on the system. Hyperacidic tendencies and symptoms include- cold sores, herpes, arthritis, rheumatic conditions, parasites, candida, insomnia, headaches and migraines, water retention, bladder infections, constipation or diarrhea, teeth sensitivity, burning sensations, ulcers (also bacteria related), hypotension, stress, cravings for certain foods, allergies, asthma, skin disorders of all types and gastric problems. There are more ailments related to acidosis, but this gives you a general idea about the long reaching effects of excess acidity. =============================================== The terrain of the body requires frequent tweaking to maintain balance and health and when acids continue to build up over time, they create a foothold for illnesses and a soil that sustains this imbalance. There are a variety of ways we can start to re-balance our pH, including diet, supplements, Hydrotherapy, Homeopathy and Herbs. First, the food list. These are “alkaline- producing” foods for excess acidity: Uma Boshi Plum paste ( make a soup or tea); Miso soup; avocados; pure maple syrup; raw honey; organic blackstrap molasses; most fresh organic fruits (except cranberry,plums and prunes), vinegar, lemons, eggplant, millet,and organic dates. There are a variety of books available to assist in determining which foods are best suited for your particular needs. Anti-oxidants, such as Alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract, green tea, Olive leaf extract and Vitamin E are also beneficial. Hydrotherapy: Baths can both cleanse and rejuvenate. Start every other day, with weekends off. Drink plenty of pure water after the bath and try to have the bath as hot as possible to open the pores and allow the bath ingredients to penetrate. Do these separately, not combined. Baking soda/Epsom salts, about one pound of each; apple cider vinegar, about 2 cups; hydrogen peroxide, about 2 pints; Bath salts or cleansing salts,available from any health food store; castor oil, rubbed thoroughly into the liver area, the kidney/adrenal area, thymus area, stomach and abdomen, just before entering the bath. Also, there are numerous companies that sell wonderful bath products with an abundance of herbs for cleansing. Homeopathy: Homeopathy addresses deep seated disharmonies from the perspective of the person, not just their symptoms, so giving a remedy for ”hyperacidity” will rarely cover the underlying cause. The following remedies have been known to aid acid excesses and should be used only for ACUTE problems: Consult a Homeopath for additional remedies. 1. Robinia: everything turns to acid; burning sensation with regurgitation of acids with severe sharp pains and vomiting. 2. Natrum Phosphoricum: belching after food; sour vomiting; very sensitive individual with a delicate/refined nature. 3. Hydrastis: strong affinity to mucus membranes; indigestion; belches sour fluids; pulsating symptoms. 4. Iris Versicolor: burning sensations along entire alimentary canal; vomits sour or bloody vile; nausea; profuse saliva. 5. Nux Vomica: indigestion; heartburn all symptoms relate to overdoing or excess (alcohol/food/drugs/etc.); sensitive to pressure in stomach; liver remedy with anger, irritability and impatience; type A. 6. Sulphuric Acid: fatigue; nervous but keeps going; irritability at minor things; sour vomiting and belching; vomits mucus, not food; nausea and chilliness. Herbs: Alfalfa; Aloe vera; Cramp Bark; Garlic; Ginger; Slippery Elm; Parsley; Peppermint; Cornsilk; These are best taken in single doses, liquid form, about 40 drops, once a day. Taking all of them is unnecessary, and you may need to experiment to determine the ones that work best. You will generally notice relief of symptoms within a few weeks, but don't overdo this experimentation without consulting a health care practitioner who has knowledge of Herbs. You can easily determine your pH balance by purchasing nitrazine paper at a health food store or pharmacy. The paper changes color and indicates an acid or alkaline state. Best to take this test before eating, using two strips, one for saliva and the other for urine. By re-establishing balance in your system, you can eliminate the insects that create illness and provide a soil that repels further infestations. Why harbor unwanted disease. We do not tolerate pH imbalance in our swimming pools, why do so in our body. David A. Dancu, N.D. is a Naturopath and freelance writer, specializing in Homeopathy. He maintains a practice in Naples, Florida and is the author of Homeopathic Vibrations: A Guide for Natural Healing (Sunshine Press, 1996) available in Karinya and through local bookstores. .. http://www.greatestherbsonearth.com/articles/balancing_ph.htm ===================================================================== ACIDIFICATION OF THE BODY This is a bit technical. It involves pH which is another term for your acid/base balance. Within the body certain places only operate correctly if they're at exactly the right pH balance. The stomach lining has to be truly alkaline in order to counteract the ‘acidic’ digestive enzymes. Otherwise we'd constantly be burning holes in the stomach lining. All phases of digestion are totally dependent upon a delicate acid/base balance. The blood must maintain a pH between 7.3 and 7.45. (Guyton). If not,we die. With all the acid foods we keep eating, the body tries desperately to keep its pH within the range. The first things it tries are buffering with bicarbonates in the blood and lungs.(Guyton, p 392) Next, the body begins to sweep the extra acids into the tissues, especially muscles and joints. That's where lactic acid ‘buildup’ comes from. If that's still not enough, as a final effort to keep from acidifying, the body will actually precipitate acids out of solution, in the form of solid crystals and salts. This is the exact " mechanism " of gallstones, kidneys stones, uric acid crystals, plaque, and cholesterol crystals. A built-in protection for self preservation. We think of these conditions as major medical problems, but in reality it's just a sign that the body's systems are functioning as they should. Otherwise we would all be dead of " acidosis " . " So what happens to the colon from an over-acid diet " ? In a word, enzymes. Or rather, ‘lack’ of enzymes. Enzymes are necessary to break down and digest food. If the environment is too acid,the enzymes in the stomach and small intestine do not work very well. By the time it gets to the colon, everything that was supposed to be digested should have already had it happen. But it hasn't. So the undigested food gets dumped into the colon. There are no 'digestive enzymes' in the colon. So the food just sits there and rots. Now, minerals can only be 'absorbed' at a certain pH. And minerals are a necessary component of enzyme 'formation'. So it's a vicious circle: ’Acidification’ of the body causes ‘decreased’ minerals, which cause ’decreased’ enzyme production, which causes the food to rot in the tract which further blocks absorption of water, nutrients, and essential minerals. Downward spiral. A youthful, healthy body is alkaline. A diseased body is acid. The foods we eat must " contribute " to the alkaline state of the body. Consume 80 percent alkaline forming foods and 20 percent acid forming foods. If you adhere to this 80/20 principle, and minimize negative emotions, you'll be well on your way. " When a body is in an acid state, what neutralizes the acid " ? Alkaline ‘compounds’ neutralize acid. That's why you see all those ads on TV and elsewhere advertising products to ‘neutralize’ acidity. Because they do not deal with the CAUSES of acidity, but only the “symptoms”, these products do not work over the long term. The Standard American Diet is 'acid forming'. Meats. poultry, cola, bread and dairy are all acid forming. Stress is acid forming. Anger and negative emotions are acid forming. The issue of acid/alkaline balance can be a little confusing because each organ of the body, as well as the blood and skin, have optimum pH levels which are very different. The blood, for example, is slightly alkaline at pH 7.37 to 7.45. In order for the blood to be constantly maintained within this narrow corridor, the body engages in ‘heroic’ efforts. If the blood gets too acidic, calcium from the bones is dissolved and utilized to adjust the blood's pH. The skin has a slightly acid pH because one of the avenues the body uses to expel 'acid waste' is ‘through’ the skin. Interestingly, the " acid mantle " thus created then protects us by killing bacteria and viruses on the skin. Other pH values are 1.5 for stomach juice and 8.8 for pancreatic juice. The “waste products” created from the body's own “process of metabolism” are all 'acid'. Protein 'metabolism' produces sulfuric ‘acid’ and phosphoric ‘acid’. Carbohydrate and fat metabolism produces acetic ‘acid’ and lactic ‘acid’. These acids are " poisonous " and must be washed out of the system on an ongoing basis. First however, they have to be neutralized by ‘carbonic’ salts, which are composed of “alkaline mineral” compounds. We must have a reserve of these " alkaline minerals " available at all times to assist the body to do its work efficiently. This is why a high alkaline diet of organic fruits, vegetables and sprouts is so important to our health and well-being. Refined sugar “promotes” a condition of acidity wherever it goes - the mouth, the stomach, the blood. In the mouth the pH gets lower with the presence of refined sugar. At around pH 5.5, the saliva begins to “dissolve” tooth enamel. (Appleton, p98) ”Demineralization” of bones and teeth is promoted by the acidic environment created in the blood by refined sugar. Calcium, magnesium, and chromium are squandered in the body's attempts to ‘rid’ itself of this non-food (refined sugar). The modern diet, high in animal protein, creates more acid than base in the body, resulting in a " net acid load. " Until recently, scientists thought that this excess acid was safely " excreted " by the kidneys, resulting in no undesirable physiological consequences. However, research now indicates that acid can be retained in the body, and its presence is linked to " osteoporosis " , loss of " muscle mass " and " reduction " of hormone levels — all symptoms associated with aging. Declining kidney 'efficiency' is common as people age, and contributes to the problem of acid buildup. Renal 'tubular failure' may eventually result. Researchers recommend that people modify their diets as they age to reduce the net acid 'loads'. This means cutting down on animal food. By putting more vegetables into their diets, people may reduce their chances of developing osteoporosis, kidney disease, and other age-related problems. Considerable attention is now focused on the role of calcium in osteoporosis, but too much " acid " caused by high-protein diets may be the true villain. In one study, women whose net acid load was “neutralized” by alkaline supplements experienced increased " retention " of calcium and phosphorus, and greater new bone formation. Based on information in: Consumers' Research Excerpted from Spectrum Magazine http://www.garynull.com/Article.aspx?Article=/LibraryTitle.aspx ===================================================================== The breakdown products of “processed proteins” are highly 'acidifying' to the blood. This sets in motion the whole " calcium buffering " program in which the pH of the 'blood' is saved from all this dangerous 'acidification' by 'pulling' calcium out of the bones and teeth. Result: " uric acid " crystal deposition in joints and organs, osteoporosis, ' and " total disruption " of kidney and adrenal function which further try to " regulate " blood pH. In addition, too much protein in the diet " putrefies " in the digestive tract, setting up blockages, leaky gut syndrome, and a whole host of 'intestinal' disorders. Excess 'nitrogen' in the system from all those excess amino acids further stress the blood. The food advertisers pretend that we need more protein and less fat. The more protein and the less fat, the better. The truth is, Americans average 125 g of protein per day, while only requiring 25 g. (McDougall) We are not " protein deficient " in this country. That only happens in Third World starvation countries. The reason for this Protein Religion is simple economics: high protein foods are expensive. It's a sales job. At stake are billion$ in foods and billion$ in advertising. Food faddists like to complicate things, deriving rules and patterns out of thin air. Usually for the end purpose of book or supplement or food sales. A reasonable proportion of fats, protein, and carbohydrates is just common sense. Less important than the proportion of fats, protein, and carbohydrates is the form in which each is presented. Digestible or indigestible? Natural or processed? Raw or cooked? Sprayed or organic? With or without enzymes? These are the real issues that determine the value of a food. These are the questions we should be asking. 'Acidosis' occurs when the body loses its alkaline ‘reserve’. Some causes of acidosis include kidney, liver and adrenal disorders, improper diet, malnutrition, “ketosis” (resulting from high-protein diets, i.e. Atkins ) Anger, stress, fear, anorexia, toxemia, fever, and the use of extremely excessive amounts of niacin and aspirin. Diabetics often suffer with this condition! Stomach ulcers are often associated with this condition also. Cancer cannot exist in an 'alkaline' environment. All forms of arthritis are associated with ‘excess’ acidity. Acid in the body “dissolves” both teeth and bones. Whatever health situation you are faced with, you can monitor your progress toward a proper acid/alkaline balance by testing your saliva pH. Sulphur acts as a buffer to maintain pH. Sulfur can be taken in supplement form. Use elder bark, hops and willow for acidosis. Start with small amounts of organic fresh fruits and gradually add larger amounts as your pH improves. Drink organic potato broth everyday. Avoid animal proteins, especially beef and pork, and processed refined junk foods. Reduce your intake of cooked foods. When ingested, both cooked and processed foods become ‘acidic’ to the body. Avoid refined processed cereals, cookies, cakes,crackers, fried foods, macaroni and refined sugar. ===================================================================== Unlike the stomach, which has an acidic environment, the small intestine has an alkaline environment, created by the secretion of bicarbonate (like baking soda) from the pancreas. The alkalinity then stimulates the pancreas to secrete " digestive enzymes " Meanwhile, the gall bladder releases bile, which aids in the breakdown of fats. ===================================================================== The liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas play an important role in the digestion of foods, so let's take a closer look at how they work. The Pancreas The Pancreas provides important enzymes to the body. This gland is about six inches long and is nestled into the duodenum. It secretes insulin, which ushers sugar from the blood stream into the cells. Insulin is secreted into the blood, not the digestive tract. The larger part of the pancreas manufactures and secretes pancreatic juices, which contain some of the body's most important digestive enzymes, and bicarbonate, which 'neutralizes' stomach acid. METABOLIC ENZYMES Metabolic means having to do with operating the body's specific systems. Cell life, nerve transmission, brain signals, hormone distribution, oxygen exchange, liver function, acid-base balance in the blood......... All these jobs require specific enzymes in order to happen, on a second-by-second basis. Metabolic enzymes are the worker molecules that keep this whole biochemical circus going all day long. Metabolic enzymes are what actually utilizes the nutrients that have been broken down by the digestive enzymes, provided that normal digestion has taken place. So the direct interrelationship between the two types of enzymes - digestive and metabolic - is not really a big subject for debate Processed foods become our cells. We become processed food. Never underestimate the forces at work 24 hours a day to make us consume as much processed dairy, hydrogenated soybean oil, white sugar, and white flour as possible. We are " addicted " to the things that poison us. ===================================================================== fats protein carbohydrates Each component is a large molecule made of smaller units. Since the body prefers the smaller units, these 'large' fat, protein, and carbohydrate chains must be ''broken down'. Fats are broken down to fatty acids; proteins are broken down to amino acids; carbohydrates are broken down into glucose molecules. The process of breakdown is called “digestion”. Each food type has a special enzyme to make this breakdown happen: Lipase is the enzyme that breaks down fat. Protease breaks down protein. Amylase breaks down carbohydrates. Now many doctors and others with no background in nutrition will say that we can eat anything we want because the body's " digestive enzymes " are designed to break the food down. This would be true if we were eating an 80% natural diet. By that I mean a diet in which most foods contain within them the enzymes necessary for complete breakdown, without placing a burden on the body's own enzyme reserves. The natural diet leaves behind no 'residue' from the digestive activity. That is 'normal' digestion. But we don't have a natural diet. Most have a SAD diet - the Standard American Diet. You know - burgers, fries, pizza, beer, chips, donuts, coke, etc. These are " non-foods " , new to the human species in the past century. Our digestive systems were never " designed " to break these chemical bizzarros down. So the stuff doesn't get digested - it just sits there, rotting away. Abnormal diet = abnormal digestion. The best course of action would be to eat a diet consisting of more than 80% enzyme-rich raw foods. No arguments there. But most of us simply can't resist all that conditioning and advertising, and we rationalize to ourselves how " life was meant to be lived, etc. That line of reasoning brings most of us back to processed foods. Luckily, today we have a way at least to minimize the clogging, toxifying residues of undigested food. Everything we put in our mouths is a decision, even if it's an unconscious one. Each food choice poses two questions: - will this nourish the body? or - will this clog the body? The cumulative effect of these decisions determines whether we are toxifying or detoxifying day by day – whether we are getting sicker or better, building our immune reserves or using them up, promoting degeneration or slowing it down, moving toward life or toward death.. Aging or anti-aging. --- Post subject: What is the pH Scale? --- pH stands for " potential hydrogen " and simply put; is the measurement of how acid or alkaline a substance is, but as far as your body is concerned, it can mean your " picture of health. " By understanding how pH levels of your body fluids affect your health, you will be able to learn just how healthy you really are. The pH scale covers a range of 0-14, with 7.0 being neutral. Anything below 7.0 is more acid whilst anything above 7.0 is more alkali. pH of the Saliva. The pH of a healthy person’s saliva is in the slightly alkaline range between 7.2 to 7.5 but unlike the blood which must stay within a strict guideline, the saliva’s pH can vary. A person who is mineral deficient or sick will usually find their pH between 6.5 to 4.5, which is mildly to strongly acidic respectively. When taking a saliva pH test with litmus paper it is best to wait two hours after eating as you can get an incorrect reading if you have consumed highly acid forming food or drink, like refined white flour products, coffee and carbonated drinks or highly alkaline forming food e.g fruit or vegetable juices(fresh juiced), raw foods, nuts etc... How to Measure your PH There are two body fluids that can be fairly conveniently tested to give an accurate indication of the pH of your intestinal environment. One is saliva and the other is urine. To measure saliva, first swallow, then draw up new saliva. Do this three times and measure the third. Spit into a spoon, insert the paper in the saliva, shake off excess, and read immediately. (Measuring the initial saliva can be different from the third by several tenths of pH.) Read immediately. The manufacturer does not recommend placing the test paper in your mouth, even though it is not toxic. Note on a piece of paper that you can record on from day to day the number of the pH value. Do this at the very beginning of each day before you have put anything whatsoever in your mouth. This will be your " normal " saliva pH before being changed by things going into your mouth or the events of the day. Keep this record in a secure and convenient location so that you can record the values in successive days. This is the simplest, most bare-bones pH test routine. You just look at the one reading at the start of the day and compare it to the prior day's readings. If the change is towered a slightly alkaline reading 7.0 - 7.4, as the days progress, then you are on the right track. If there is no change or the readings are moving away from the proper range, then you are not doing enough correct actions to improve your health. These values, by the way, can be much affected by emotional and mental states of the individual. Take note if this seems to apply when you evaluate the pH values. Note: The pHydrion test paper was designed for immediate reading. If you wait 30 seconds, the value will change due to evaporation. Urine pH Testing Save a small sample of your first morning urine. Take a 2 inch strip of pH paper and dip it into the urine sample. Observe if there are any color changes in the paper and compare the color of the paper to the color chart. Record the number on your pH log sheet that most closely matches the color and number on the pH reference color chart. The urine reveals the alkaline building (anabolic) and acid tearing down (catabolic) cycles. The pH of urine indicates the efforts of the body via the kidneys, adrenals, lungs and gonads to regulate pH through the buffer salts and hormones. Urine can provide a fairly accurate picture of body chemistry, because the kidneys filter out the buffer salts of pH regulation and provide values based on what the body is eliminating. Urine pH can vary from around 4.5 to 9.0 for its extremes, but the ideal range is 5.8 to 6.8. If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 - 6.4 in the morning and 6.4 - 7.0 in the evening, your body is functioning within a healthy range. Your health really is your choice, and pH testing is a valuable tool to guide you to wellness. pH Imbalance Contributes to Degenerative Disease Alkaline Food Group Acidic Food Group The Exponential pH Scale. One very important thing to remember is that the pH scale is exponential, which means that for every increase/decrease in one pH unit it is actually a tenfold increase/decrease in acidity levels. So the difference in acidity between a pH of 7.5 and 4.5 is not 3 times more acid but 1,000 times more acid!! The more acidic our extra cellular fluids are the less oxygen there is in our cells because the acid pushes the oxygen out and as we know oxygen is essential to a healthy functioning human. Researchers have found that the reason acid rain kills all life in lakes and streams is that in acidic conditions, all the oxygen is so tightly bound to hydrogen that it becomes bio-unavailable and is unable to be used. Otto Warburg, who received a Nobel Prize in 1932 for his paper " Cause and prevention of Cancer " , showed in his early work that cancer was associated with “anaerobic conditions” (the deficiency of oxygen), which not only lowers the pH of a cell but also allows microforms to thrive. When we die all oxygen leaves our bodies and we quickly become extremely acid. These microforms are the first to attend our funeral as they are the organisms responsible for breaking us down into our simplest forms-microzymas. When we become unhealthily acid while still living these microforms will begin to break us down even while we are living, resulting in fermentation of our cells! Mr. Warburg also showed that the production of mutation receptors, which leads to cancer, cannot occur when the pH of the cell is in a healthy ”calcium buffered” range, which assures the breakdown of glucose into the four nucleotides, adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thiamin, the basic building blocks of DNA that promote healthy DNA synthesis. When the pH of the cells is acidic, the glucose breaks down into lactic acid, thus creating even more acidity and “starving” the cell of the basic building materials it requires for DNA replication. So we have heard what happens when we have acidic bodies and no oxygen in our cells, but what can we expect when we have healthy, mineral enriched, oxygenated bodies? To begin with, more energy! Increased oxygen in the body gives you energy to do what you want rather than feeling lethargic. Better sleep. A body that runs efficiently. When the body’s natural defence mechanism is running at optimum level it dramatically reduces the occurrence of allergy and disease. Summary pH is the measurement of the how acid or alkaline a substance is. Alkaline = GOOD! Acid = BAD... A pH of 7.2-7.5 is healthy. Anything below 6.5 is very mineral deficient and sickly. Calcium plays a vital role in maintaining balanced pH levels of our blood, saliva, extra cellular fluids (fluids outside of cells) and intra cellular fluids (the fluid inside cells) by acting as a buffer. A healthy body has enough calcium to go around, so the blood will not need to draw it from other sources in the body like the bones and saliva. A healthy pH means that there is less acid in the fluid, thus allowing more oxygen to be present. Sickness, disease and cancer cannot occur in cells that are oxygen filled. In summary it is amazing how efficiently our body can function if it only has the correct nutrients and minerals! ============================================== _________________ JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest DietaryTipsForHBP www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes AIM Barleygreen " Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future " http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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