Archive for February, 2010

Last week, we learned a little about pH, the acid/alkalinity of the body. Following are a few of last-weeks highlights:

The pH scale runs from “0” (extremely acid) to “14” (extremely alkaline). A pH of 0 to 6.9 is acid; 7 is neutral, 7.1 to 14 is alkaline. Each unit increases by a factor of 10. To neutralize 1 part of acid requires 10 parts of alkalinity. The blood must maintain a pH between 7.35 and 7.45 in order to properly support life.

If the pH of the blood drops below 7:0, and into the acid zone, cells stop functioning and we die! Likewise, if the blood becomes too alkaline (above 7.8) we die, thus the imperative of keeping the blood pH properly balanced and slightly alkaline.

Everything we place into our mouth in the form of food or drink or drug, has either an acidifying or alkalizing effect upon the body’s pH. Most plant foods are alkaline and all animal source foods are acid, as is sugar, most processed foods, and most grains.

Since all substances placed into the mouth have a pH value, it is easy to see how what we eat or drink affects the acidity or alkalinity of the body, and thus the health, and longevity of the individual.

Finally, in last week’s Health Tip, we took a long look at the diet God gave mankind in Genesis 1:29 and saw that it was predominantly an alkalizing diet, designed by God to keep most body fluids in the alkaline zone.

When Body pH Turns Acidic Symptoms Of Disease Manifest

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is predominantly acidic and thus not of proper pH for the human physical body, which was designed by God to maintain in most instances an alkaline environment, not only for survival, but also for health.

What Foods Are Acidic?

The list of acid foods is long and this list is far from complete: Coffee, most teas, sport drinks, all candy, white bread, donuts, cookies, cakes, crackers, most pastas, rolls and breakfast cereals (both hot and cold); all dairy products, including milk, ice cream, yogurt, and cheese (even cottage cheese); all animal flesh foods, including beef, chicken, pork, and lamb; chocolate is extremely acidic, with soft drinks being the most acidic substance we can place into our body.

Since all the substances we place into our mouth have a pH value, it is not difficult to see how greatly the acid/alkalinity of the body fluids, including the blood, is affected by what we eat and drink.

While most body fluids should maintain an alkaline pH, the colon is an exception, as it is designed by God to maintain an acid pH (5.5 to 6.9) and is host to the vast majority of our bacteria, both friendly and unfriendly. Friendly bacteria must predominate in the colon, but antibiotics and chlorinated water destroy friendly bacteria, causing damage to the colon wall, allowing bacteria and parasites to seep into the blood. An insufficient amount of friendly bacterium in the colon leads to yeast overgrowth (Candida).

Too Much Acid In the Diet Causes Physical Breakdown

An incredibly large number of physical problems and diseases can be initiated by consuming large amounts of acidifying substances. Sadly, as we have already learned, most of the foods being consumed today, especially those found in the Standard American Diet (SAD) are acidic.

The SAD is composed primarily of acid-forming foods – animal proteins, sugars, grains, and processed foods, while greatly lacking in alkalizing vegetable foods, which are high in alkalizing minerals. In addition to all the acid-forming food being consumed on the SAD, many people increase their acid intake by consuming such stimulants as tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol, which are all highly acidifying.

The body is comprised of approximately 70% water, containing a wide range of solutions, which are primarily alkaline. The potential of Hydrogen (pH) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution – the ratio between positively charged ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline forming). The pH of any solution is the measure of its Hydrogen-ion concentration.

A diet high in acidifying substances puts pressure on the body’s regulatory systems which were designed by God to maintain proper pH in all body fluids. When an excess of acid forming food and drink is taken into the body, it causes the body to begin stripping the body of its alkalizing minerals – calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc., in an effort to neutralize all of that acidity, leading to chronic and degenerative diseases.

As the body robs these alkalizing minerals from vital organs, especially from the bones, in an effort to neutralize the acidity, it causes osteoporosis, along with “acidosis”, which leads to a long list of physical problems and breakdowns.

Health Problems Caused By Acidosis

Following is a partial listing of problems caused by acidosis:

• Cardiovascular damage
• Weight gain
• Diabetes
• Bladder problems
• Kidney & Gall stones
• Free radical damage
• Premature aging
• Osteoporosis
• Low energy & chronic fatigue
• Slow digestion & elimination
• Low energy & fatigue
• Infections
• Depression
• Stress
• Headaches
• Loose teeth
• Mouth & stomach ulcers
• Excess stomach acid
• Gastritis
• Thin & splitting nails
• Dull hair, splitting ends, & falling out
• Dry skin
• Cramps and spasms

Alkaline pH Necessary for Healing

No matter what means a person chooses in an attempt to bring healing to their body, it will not be effective until the pH level of the body’s fluids are brought into proper pH range. When a person adopts the Hallelujah Diet, an alkalizing diet, they usually see rapid improvement in their health because they are creating an internal environment conducive to healing.

Acidosis makes it difficult for the body to effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements, decreases the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decreases energy production in the cells, decreases the body’s ability to repair damaged cells, decreases its ability to detoxify heavy metals, makes tumors grow, and makes the body more susceptible to fatigue and illness.

In Review

The higher the pH of any solution, the more alkaline and oxygen rich the fluid, while the lower the pH reading, the more acid and oxygen deprived the fluid. In the understanding of pH, it is important that we remember the pH range is from 0 to 14, with 7.0 being neutral, and anything above 7.0 being alkaline and any reading below 7.0 being acid.

It is also important to remember that the pH of the blood must remain slightly alkaline (7.35 – 7.45) in order to sustain life. A pH below 7.35 cause’s physical breakdown to begin to manifest though not causing death till it drops below 7.0. Physical breakdown can also begin to manifest if the pH becomes overly alkaline, above 7.45 pH. If the blood pH moves below 7.0 or above 7.8, cells cease functioning and the body dies.

Clearly, as the Psalmist proclaimed in Psalm 139:14, we are: “…Fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Most vegetables leave an alkaline ash after digestion, while most berries and grains leave an acid ash after digestion. The Genesis 1:29 diet, which was designed by God, automatically maintains proper pH within all body systems. When a person consumes the Hallelujah Acres Diet, which is patterned after God’s Genesis 1:29 diet, there is no need for concern regarding the body maintaining proper pH in all body systems.

Using pH strips to determine acidity or alkalinity of saliva and/or urine are a waste of time and often cause unnecessarily concern. These strips do not give an accurate evaluation of the true pH of these fluids as the readings are greatly skewed by what food or drink has been consumed prior to the reading.

We must remember that when a person consumes the Standard American Diet (SAD), a diet containing excessive amounts of acid substances, there is potential for great harm. And on the flip side, when a person puts excessively alkaline substances into the body, such as in antacids as well as water from those alkalizing machines recently on the market, they have the potential of creating problems by overly alkalizing body fluids.

The Dangers of Antacids

The stomach needs to maintain an acid pH (below 7.0) in order to properly digest food. When a person takes an antacid (i.e. Zantac, Nexium [the purple pill], Pepsid AC, Tums, etc.), it alkalizes stomach fluids, making it impossible for the stomach to properly digest foods, and this can lead to major physical problems.

Problems caused by insufficient acidity in the stomach include ulcers, colon problems including cancer, leaky gut syndrome, food allergies, autoimmune diseases, and a polluted colon and liver. The longer a person remains on an antacid, the greater the risk of physical breakdown.

We need to be very careful not to go overboard with alkalinity, especially when it pertains to the stomach, which must maintain an acid pH in order to properly digest foods.

I have become increasingly concerned about the popularity of the alkalizing machines recently being made available to the public (at great cost might I add), because of their potential for neutralizing stomach acid, making it difficult to impossible for the stomach to properly digest food.

Remember, proper pH balance in all organs is imperative for good health, digestion, and longevity.