Recently, I have been reading more and more about how the pH (alkalinity) of our body is critical to our overall health. Our bodies become acidic through stress and the foods we eat. The concept of balancing acid in the body has been around since the 1930’s when Dr. William Howard Hay published a book called A New Health Era, in which he proclaimed that all disease was caused by an accumulation of acid in the body. In a more recent book, Alkalize or Die,Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, ND, DC, PhD, says essentially the same thing: “The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause. . . too much tissue acid waste in the body!” (1)

The pH of a substance is a measurement of how acidic or alkaline it is, ranging from a pH level of 0 (totally acidic) to 14 (totally alkaline). You can buy pH strips at most health food stores to check your body’s pH. The Natural Health School advises you should test the pH of your saliva two days a week—one hour before a meal, or two hours after. They note that “if your saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5 all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range.” (2)

The body’s ideal pH is 7.2. Our pH is critical to survival and health, and it is as important as body temperature. The more acid in our bodies, the more fat cells our bodies make. If we can eliminate these acids, we give our body no reason to create or hang on to additional fat.According to Doctors Robert and Shelley Redford Young:

The over-acidification of the body set in motion a destructive cycle of imbalance, overweight, and disease… Too much acid in the body robs the blood of oxygen, and without oxygen, the metabolism slows. Foods digest more slowly, inducing weight gain and sluggishness and, worse still, causing the food to ferment (rot!). Fermentation creates yeast, fungus, and mold throughout the body. These are all living organisms, so they need to “eat”. When they overgrow in an acidic body, they feed on your nutrients, reducing the chemical and mechanical absorption of everything you eat by as much as 50 percent. (3)

Mild acidosis has been linked by the Natural Health School to such problems as:

· Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.

· Weight gain, obesity, and diabetes.

· Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.

· Immune deficiency.

· Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.

· Hormone concerns.

· Premature aging.

· Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures, and bone spurs.

· Joint pain, aching muscles, and lactic acid buildup.

· Low energy and chronic fatigue.

· Slow digestion and elimination.

· Yeast/fungal overgrowth. (4)

Tullio Simoncini MD, an oncologist in Italy, has a highly successful cancer protocol using bicarbonate soda directly on cancer tumors. He has found that bicarbonate soda dissolves tumors fairly quickly, without side effects. You can look at his protocal on-line. (5)

Disease can thrive in an acidic environment, so maintaining the right pH is important for health. Regular cleansing is vital for creating a more alkaline environment in the body.

A diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables (juiced or in whole-food form) contributes to an alkaline-rich diet that can help with the maintenance of the body’s pH. Whole, organic, raw, living foods are more alkalizing, while processed foods are very acidic.

Drinking freshly juiced grasses, fruits, and vegetables can help flush the toxins out of the body, feed the body on a deep cellular level with live enzymes, and alkalize the body. Drink fresh juice within 20 minutes of juicing to get the maximum nutrient benefits.

Here is a list of alkalizing foods, from most alkalizing to least alkalizing:

MOST ALKALIZING:

· Lemons

· Watermelons

· Cantaloupe

· Limes

· Parsley

· Watercress

· Sea kelp

· Agar

· Fresh vegetable juices

· Asparagus

· Dried dates, figs, and raisins

· Mangoes

· Melons

· Pineapple

· Endive

· Kiwi fruit

· Grapes

· Passion fruit

· Pears

· Umeboshi plums

· Mineral water

· Baking soda

· Stevia (sweetener)

MODERATELY ALKALIZING:

· Kale

· Alfalfa sprouts

· Avocados

· Bananas

· Berries

· Carrots

· Celery

· Garlic

· Gooseberries

· Grapefruit

· Guava

· Leafy green herbs and lettuce

· Nectarines

· Peaches

· Persimmons

· Sea salt

· Spinach

· Apples

· Apricots

· Fresh green beans

· Cabbage

· Broccoli

· Cauliflower

· Daikon radish

· Ginger

· Oranges

· Parsnips

· Pumpkins

· Raspberries

· Strawberries

· Squash

· Turnips

· Sweet corn

· Vinegar

· Almonds

· Artichokes

· Brussels sprouts

· Cherries

· Sprouts

· Cucumbers

· Honey

· Leeks

· Mushrooms

· Tomatoes

· Radish

· Raw goat’s milk and whey

· Rhubarb

· Sesame seeds

These things can help your body create an alkalizing environment:

· Meditation

· Prayer

· Peace

These things can cause the body to be in an acidic state:

· Fear

· Worry

· Stress

· Smoking tobacco

· Drinking alcohol

These foods are acidic in nature:

· Sugars

· Meats

· Processed and refined foods

· Soft drinks

· Grains, nuts, and beans are slightly acidic in nature.

Sources:

1. Baroody, Theodore. (1991, December). Alkalize or Die: Superior Health through Proper Alkaline-acid Balance. Holographic Health Inc.

2. The Natural Health School. “p_H_ _B_a_l_a_n_c_e_ _L_e_s_s_o_n_ _1_8_:_ _T_h_e_ _C_a_u_s_e_ _o_f_ _D_i_s_e_a_s_e_._ _R_e_t_r_i_e_v_e_d_ _f_r_o_m_ _http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/pH-balance.html

3. Young, Robert O., & Redford, Shelley. (2006). The pH Miracle for Weight Loss. New York and Boston: Warner Wellness.

4. T_h_e_ _N_a_t_u_r_a_l_ _H_e_a_l_t_h_ _S_c_h_o_o_l_._ _“p_H_ _B_a_l_a_n_c_e_ _L_e_s_s_o_n_ _1_8_:_ _T_h_e_ _C_a_u_s_e_ _o_f_ _D_i_s_e_a_s_e_._ _R_e_t_r_i_e_v_e_d_ _f_r_o_m_ _http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html

5. Tullio Simoncini MD, wrote the book:“Cancer Is A Fungus,” http://www.cancerisafungus.com/ and his cancer protocol link is: http://www.simoncinicancertherapy.com/en/simoncini-protocols.html

Written by Nancy Addison, excerpt from her award-winning book, How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian, 2nd edition, now in audio, half cookbook, with index, resources, and remedies.

copyright@nancyaddison2019