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Picture of a vibrant Healthy Cell
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"Your pH is really a sign of how your body is managing your mineral reserves." |
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A major problem of health today which is rarely mentioned, by either the medical profession and the complementary health field, is that not enough importance is given to the principle of " balancing of the body". It has been known as "Yin and Yang" by ancient Chinese and other healing philosophies, as well as western researchers.
The principle is very simple. It is simply that the human body gets sick if too much acid forming food or drink is taken in, and stays/ gets well if more alkaline foods and drinks are consumed. The same principle applies in swimming pools if the pH is too high or low. This determines the health of your pool. Most people have heard of the term pH. It stands for potential Hydrogen, a measure of how acid or alkaline a substance is. A pH of 7.5 is normal. On an adjusted scale, 14 is the highest and 0 is the lowest. 14 is extremely alkaline, 0 is very acidic. A saliva or urine test of 6.4 up to 7.4 is considered by several authorities as best for the human body.
The secret to a healthy life is having a body balance of 80% alkalinity and 20% acidity.
This is done by having a down to earth approach to eating and drinking ( fresh food with enzymes and Chlorophyll in it ). Many people don't realise that ingesting acid forming foods and drinks will result in tissue acid waste, if not sufficiently balanced by alkaline forming foods or drinks and is the cumulative acid waste in the body which sooner or later leads to sickness. By taking Ant-Acid pills will only make matters worse. Too much acid in the body may cause arthritis and other diseases.
You should find out which of the major foods and drinks consumed by you is acid forming and which is alkaline forming. One might ask if there are tests one can do to find out if one's body is acid or alkaline? Fortunately there are pH tests which give reliable results by testing the saliva fluids (available at chemists).
One of the interesting facts is that refined carbohydrates are very ACIDIC! We are talking about not only WHITE SUGAR in all its forms (Sugar is and has been put in as a preservative in many tinned foods, sauces, baked foods such as bread, cakes, pastry etc), but also refined flour / white rice cooked / baked products such as ordinary bread, crackers, pastas, pastries. WHITE SUGAR (cane) is 1.0; white rice is 1.5, on an adjusted pH scale of .14 to 0. What about drugs? These are also acidic (1.5), and artificial sweeteners are .5 Tobacco is acidic - worse with the chemicals put in it, caffeine 1.0 to 1.5 generally (includes ordinary coffee and black tea). Liquor is 1.0 - 2.0. What about fruit and vegetables? The good news is that most fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming, although starchy vegetables such as potatoes are not good to take with meat (acidic), as starches neutralize the digestive acid required to digest the protein. Filtered water of course is a must.
Balancing the body can improve your overall health
GANODERMA and Spirulina - assist the body to maintain or improve its overall general well being. Both are Highly Alkaline.
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Acidity Self-Test
Introduction
Use this checklist to get a sense of how acidic you may be. Determining your acidity levels isn't an exact science, but this Self-Test can help you get a better idea of how urgently you need to begin alkalizing your body.
The idea is this: the more symptoms, the more acidic you may be, and the more urgent it is for you to begin an alkalizing program.
Beginning Symptoms
- Acne
- Agitation
- Muscular pain
- Cold hands and feet
- Dizziness
- Low energy
- Joint pains that travel
- Food allergies
- Chemical sensitivities to odor, gas heat
- Hyperactivity
- Panic attacks
- Pre-menstrual and menstrual cramping
- Pre-menstrual anxiety and depression
- Lack of sex drive
- Bloating
- Heartburn
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Hot urine
- Strong smelling urine
- Mild headaches
- Rapid panting breath
- Rapid heartbeat
- Irregular heartbeat
- White coated tongue
- Hard to get up in morning
- Excess head mucous (stuffiness)
- Metallic taste in mouth
Intermediate Symptoms
- Cold sores (Herpes I & II)
- Depression
- Loss of memory
- Loss of concentration
- Migraine headaches
- Insomnia
- Disturbance in smell, taste, vision, hearing
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Hay fever
- Ear aches
- Hives
- Swelling
- Viral infections (colds, flu)
- Bacterial infections (staph, strep)
- Fungal infections (Candia albicans, athlete's foot, vaginal)
- Impotence
- Urethritis
- Cystitis
- Urinary infection
- Gastritis
- Colitis
- Excessive falling hair
- Psoriasis
- Endometriosis
- Stuttering
- Numbness and tingling
- Sinusitis
Advanced Symptoms
- Crohn's disease
- Schizophrenia
- Learning disabled
- Hodgkin's Disease
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosis
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Scleroderma
- Leukemia
- Tuberculosis
- All other forms of cancer
Source: Alkalize or Die, Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, 2001. | |
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MUSCLE DEGENERATION
When acid-yielding foods lower the body's pH, the kidneys coordinate efforts to buffer that acidity. Bones release calcium and magnesium to re-establish alkalinity, and muscles are broken down to produce ammonia, which is strongly alkaline. By the time the response is all over, your bone minerals and broken down muscle get excreted in urine. |
Long term, excess acidity leads to thinner bones and lower muscle mass, points out Anthony Sebastian, M.D., of the University of California , San Francisco . These problems are compounded by normal aging, which increases acidosis, bone loss, and muscle wasting. Along the way, calcium and magnesium losses can equate to deficiencies, with many ramifications. Both minerals play essential roles in bone formation and normal heart rhythm. Low magnesium levels can cause muscle cramps, arrhythmias, and anxiety.
"After digestion, all foods report to the kidneys as being either acidic or alkaline," he says. "The kidneys are responsible for fluid balance and maintaining a relatively neutral pH in the body."
That's where things get interesting. When acid-yielding foods lower the body's pH, the kidneys coordinate efforts to buffer that acidity. Bones release calcium and magnesium to re-establish alkalinity, and muscles are broken down to produce ammonia, which is strongly alkaline. By the time the response is all over, your bone minerals and broken down muscle get excreted in urine.
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Shifting Your pH Toward Alkaline...
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...ALKALINE FOODS... |
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...ACIDIC FOODS... |
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES Alfalfa Barley Grass Beets Beet Greens Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Greens Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Dandelions Dulce Edible Flowers Eggplant Fermented Veggies Garlic Green Beans Green Peas Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Nightshade Veggies Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Radishes Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spinach, green Spirulina Sprouts Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Watercress Wheat Grass Wild Greens
ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame
ALKALIZING FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Berries Blackberries Cantaloupe Cherries, sour Coconut, fresh Currants Dates, dried Figs, dried Grapes Grapefruit Honeydew Melon Lemon Lime Muskmelons Nectarine Orange Peach Pear Pineapple Raisins Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Umeboshi Plums Watermelon
ALKALIZING PROTEIN Almonds Chestnuts Millet Tempeh (fermented) Tofu (fermented) Whey Protein Powder
ALKALIZING SWEETENERS Stevia
ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs
ALKALIZING OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Molasses, blackstrap Probiotic Cultures Soured Dairy Products Green Juices Veggie Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Mineral Water Alkaline Antioxidant Water
ALKALIZING MINERALS Cesium: pH 14 Potassium: pH 14 Sodium: pH 14 Calcium: pH 12 Magnesium: pH 9
Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system.
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ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES Corn Lentils Olives Winter Squash
ACIDIFYING FRUITS Blueberries Canned or Glazed Fruits Cranberries Currants Plums** Prunes**
ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS Amaranth Barley Bran, wheat Bran, oat Corn Cornstarch Hemp Seed Flour Kamut Oats (rolled) Oatmeal Quinoa Rice (all) Rice Cakes Rye Spelt Wheat Wheat Germ Noodles Macaroni Spaghetti Bread Crackers, soda Flour, white Flour, wheat
ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Pinto Beans Red Beans Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans Rice Milk Almond Milk
ACIDIFYING DAIRY Butter Cheese Cheese, Processed Ice Cream Ice Milk
ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Legumes Peanuts Peanut Butter Pecans Tahini Walnuts
ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN Bacon Beef Carp Clams Cod Corned Beef Fish Haddock Lamb Lobster Mussels Organ Meats Oyster Pike Pork Rabbit Salmon Sardines Sausage Scallops Shrimp Scallops Shellfish Tuna Turkey Veal Venison
ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS Avacado Oil Butter Canola Oil Corn Oil Hemp Seed Oil Flax Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil
ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS Carob Sugar Corn Syrup
ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL Beer Spirits Hard Liquor Wine
ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS Catsup Cocoa Coffee Vinegar Mustard Pepper Soft Drinks
ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspirin Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Pesticides Herbicides Tobacco
ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD Coca-Cola: pH 2 Beer: pH 2.5 Coffee: pH 4
** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body. |
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Ranked Foods: Alkaline to Acidic |
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Here's a chart that ranks foods from most alkaline to most acidic. |
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Extremely Alkaline
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| Lemons, Watermelon |
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Alkaline Forming
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| Cantaloupe, Cayenne Celery, Dates, Figs, Kelp, Limes, Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley, Seaweeds, Seedless Grapes (sweet), Watercress |
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| Asparagus, Fruit Juices, Grapes (sweet), Kiwifruit, Passionfruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi Plums, Vegetable Juices |
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Moderately Alkaline
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| Apples (sweet), Alfalfa Sprouts, Apricots, Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Currants, Dates, Figs (fresh), Garlic, Grapefruit, Grapes (less sweet), Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce (leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears (less sweet), Peas (fresh, sweet), Pumpkin (sweet), Sea Salt (vegetable) |
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| Apples (sour), Beans (fresh, green), Beets, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carob, Cauliflower, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes (with skin), Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberries, Strawberries, Squash, Sweet Corn (fresh), Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) |
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Slightly Alkaline
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| Almonds, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Brussel Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Eggplant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives (ripe), Onions, Pickles (homemade), Radishes, Sea Salt, Spices, Tomatoes (sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice) |
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| Chestnuts (dry, roasted), Egg Yolks (soft cooked), Essene Bread, Goat's Milk and Whey (raw), Mayonnaise (homemade), Olive Oil, Sesame Seeds (whole), Soy Beans (dry), Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Sprouted Grains, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast (nutritional flakes) |
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Neutral
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| Butter (fresh, unsalted), Cream (fresh, raw), Cow's Milk and Whey (raw), Margine, Oils (except olive), Yoghurt (plain) |
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Moderately Acidic
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| Bananas (green), Barley (rye), Blueberries, Bran, Butter, Cereals (unrefined), Cheeses, Crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), Cranberries, Dried Beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), Dry Coconut, Egg Whites, Eggs Whole (cooked hard), Fructose, Goat's Milk (homogenized), Honey (pasteurised), Ketchup, Maple Syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized), Molasses (unsulferd and organic), Most Nuts, Mustard, Oats (rye, organic), Olives (pickled), Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (whole grain and honey), Plums, Popcorn (with salt and/or butter), Potatoes, Prunes, Rice (basmati and brown), Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), Soy Sauce, Wheat Bread (sprouted organic) |
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Extremely Acidic
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| Artificial Sweeteners, Beef, Beer, Breads, Brown Sugar, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Cereals (refined), Chocolate, Cigarettes and Tobacco, Coffee, Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Custard (with white sugar), Deer, Drugs, Fish, Flour (white wheat), Fruit Juices with Sugar, Jams, Jellies, Lamb, Liquor, Maple Syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pasta (white), Pastries and Cakes from White Flour, Pickles (commercial), Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Sugar (white), Table Salt (refined and iodised), Tea (black), White Bread, White Vinegar (processed), Whole Wheat Foods, Wine, Yoghurt (sweetened) |
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14.0 Sodium Hydroxide: Alkaline 13.0 Lye 11.0 Ammonia 10.5 Milk of Magnesia 8.3 Baking Soda 7.4 Human Blood
7.0 Pure Water: Neutral
6.6 Milk: Acid 4.5 Tomatoes 4.0 Wine and Beer 3.0 Apples 2.2 Vinegar 2.0 Lemon Juice 1.0 Battery Acid 0.0 Hydrochloric acid
Very Alkaline-Yielding Foods Spinach Raisins Dates Walnuts
Note: All fruits and vegetables are alkaline yielding, unless they have been pickled or marinated.
"Your pH is really a sign of how your body is managing your mineral reserves."
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