Characteristics of Acidity and Alkalinity

If you have a health problem, most likely your pH balance is off

Research shows that unless the body fluids pH level is slightly alkaline (pH between 7.2 and 7.4), it is susceptible to illness and decay. No matter what method of healing you choose, it won’t be effective until the pH level is right. If your body’s pH is off, you cannot effectively assimilate nutrients including vitamins, minerals and food supplements.

Your body’s pH affects all cellular functions.

Research has proven that disease cannot survive in an alkaline state, yet thrives in an acidic environment.

Alkalinity creates…	Acidity creates…
Sense of oneness & harmony	Irritability
Allows for friendly bacteria	Loss of patience
Healthy organs & glands	Mucus buildup
Decreased body aches	Autointoxication
Diminished illness	Anxious behavior
Relaxed behavior	Increased illness
Mucus-free body	Cellular degradation
Cellular health	Increases body aches
Depression	Allows for bad bacteria
Happiness	Sense of separation & pain

The concept of acid-alkaline imbalance as the cause of disease is not new. In 1933 a New York doctor named William Howard Hay published a ground-breaking book, “A New Health Era” in which he maintains that all disease is caused by autotoxication or self-poisoning, due to acid accumulation in the body.

From his book:
“Now we depart from health in just the proportion to which we have allowed our alkalies to be dissipated by introduction of acid-forming food in too great amount… It may seem strange to say that all disease is the same thing, no matter what its myriad modes of expression, but it is verily so.”

More recently, in a book by Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, “Alkalize or Die“:
“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!”

Characteristics of Acidity

An acidic balance will: decrease your body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease energy production in cells, decreased ability to repair damaged cells & detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and makes you more susceptible to fatigue and illness. An acidic pH will greatly disrupt your body’s mineral balance of the three dominant alkaline minerals: sodium, calcium, magnesium. Your body will take calcium from the bones to neutralize the acid environment. Eventually it will use up its own reserve of alkaline minerals to balance its chemistry. When toxins remain, the results can be calcium deposits, tissue inflammation, joint & bone deterioration, swollen joints, body aches, tumors, lymph congestion, excess mucus production, skin problems, allergies, colds & influenzas, swollen tonsils, loss of eyesight. In addition to this, much aggravation will occur from yeast and parasitic infections.

Research has shown that most disease is a result of acidic buildup and rise of anaerobic environment. This may sound over simplified, yet it is the initial root cause. When acidic accumulation is not eliminated properly, body alkalinity decreases. An acidic chemistry will promote tissue disease and symptomatic side effects. Acidity, by its nature, breaks down bodily tissue. It is created by metabolic, dietary and environmental waste. The minerals which are acid-forming (or alkaline-binding) are phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, silicon, iodine, and bromine. Acids are highly irritating to delicate internal tissue.

Cells can adapt to their unnaturally acidic environment, and that abnormal cell-growth is often diagnosed as tumorous or cancerous. As a natural metabolic process, acids are created and ideally released through the 5 elimination organs: bowels, kidneys, lungs, skin and lymph. All disease, from viral infection to organ dysfunction, will develop acidic waste. When the proper proportions of quality nutrition and water are consumed, then optimum health is achievable. The body works in various ways to remove the poisonous waste. Eventually it must be removed or else dis-ease will set in.

Suppressing a healing opportunity with synthetic drugs will inhibit your body’s janitorial service from serving you properly. When symptoms are suppressed, acidic waste does not leave your body. These waste products dry-up and become dormant pockets of condensed waste without an adequate outlet. This causes the surrounding tissues to mutate. If the acid environment is left unregulated it will eventually result in abnormal cell-growth. If healthy tissue is able, it will encapsulate the toxic and abnormal cells to keep it from further harming local tissue.

Acidosis Explained

Our bodies are alkaline by design, and acid generating by function. Acid is produced by cells in your stomach to aid in digestion, and acid is consumed in organic form in fruit. Other than your stomach, no part of your body should be acid.

Despite this, one of the most widespread and insidious causes of illness that plague our society is acidosis: an accumulation of more acid than the body can effectively process. People often seek relief from symptoms of chronic conditions, from aches & pains to heart disease & cancer. Regardless of the particular discomforts, all conditions originate with an increased amount of acid in the body.

Acidosis is generally seen by medical science as a part of the pathology of several different diseases including impaired liver function. It is encountered often enough to be assumed to be normal; however, acidosis is definitely not normal. It is the forerunner of most, if not all, chronic degenerative diseases including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease. These diseases are rampant enough to be considered epidemic.

Common Effects of Acidic pH in Your Body

Fatigue
This is probably the most common symptom or complaint of an overly acidic body. The toxins produced in an acidic body will reduce your absorption of protein and minerals, which in turn weakens your ability to produce enzymes and hormones. This also interferes with the reconstruction of cells and other necessary components of energy production. The result is fatigue, poor endurance, an inability to add muscle tone, and general weakness. When you over eat or indulge in junk food, your body diverts oxygen away from primary metabolic functions, and works overtime trying to digest the high caloric intake. That’s why you you feel sluggish afterwards. Your body literally slows down its metabolism to compensate for the overload.

Allergies
The toxins produced within an overly acidic, oxygen deprived body may contribute significantly to what are often called the symptoms of allergy. In addition, the absorption of undigested proteins is a major cause of allergy conditions. The digestive system is weakened, which prevents the total breakdown of amino acids often causing food allergies. This alone may produce a wide spectrum of severe allergic reaction.

Oxygen Deprivation
Scientists have discovered that a low level of oxygen in your body can disrupt your ability to function normally, and can severely cripple your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to discomforts, disease and premature aging.

Is your body oxygen poor? Here are a few signs to look for:

muscle aches poor digestion dizziness depression
irrational behavior weakness acid stomach
irritability memory loss circulation problems

Even Mild Acidity Can Cause:

• 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
• Premature aging
• Weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs
• Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup
• Low energy and chronic fatigue

Even More Effects of Acidic pH in Your Body

Microbes Mutate into Causes of Disease
Your blood is a colloid: liquid containing finely divided particles. Microbes are an integral part of this colloid, and their form (healthy or disease causing) depends upon your blood’s pH. When blood’s pH is normal, the naturally present microbes live in harmony with your body. When your blood pH shifts out of normal range, the microbes must change their form to survive. They become an aggressive, pathogenic cause of disease, overcoming the body’s immune system. Disease producing organisms thrive in off-balance pH conditions. This simple fact explains why some people, when exposed to the same bacteria and viruses become ill, while others don’t.

Constructive Enzymes Become Destructive
Enzymes are catalysts for almost every natural reaction in the body. When blood pH is off balance, enzyme function is impaired, and your body begins to suffer.

Major Organs Become Compromised
As blood pH becomes acidic, fatty acids (normally electro-magnetically negative, switch to positive) begin to stick to artery walls. Our overly acidic society is producing very high rates of heart disease caused by narrowing of arteries.

Insulin Becomes Inefficient
This causes irregular glucose supplies for fuel to the brain and body. As the brain cannot store glucose, and supply is critical for life, it is clear that healthy functioning requires efficient insulin supply.

Oxygen Delivery to Cells Suffers
When your pH is low, acids are not excreted: they accumulate, and get pushed into cells. This causes an acidic cellular environment (low pH), and the blood compensates by becoming alkaline (higher pH), which is necessary for later acid removal. This overly alkaline blood becomes saturated with oxygen and holds it without being able to release it, depriving the cells. Cellular oxygen deficiency is the perfect environment for serious diseases, especially cancer, to thrive.

Mineral Assimilation Is Affected
Your body uses natural processes, known as buffering systems, to keep the blood pH in balance. Buffering systems lessen or absorb the shock of acidic events (such as ingesting refined foods, cigarettes & alcohol, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, and stress). They stabilize adverse swings to keep things where they should be, cushioning and protecting. The buffering systems require a proper balance of minerals to work efficiently.

Your capacity to buffer can be increased by consuming mineral rich foods. Unfortunately, our society is starving for minerals that are lacking in our food chain. With our factory farming methods, minerals and nutrients have been depleted from our soils, and further destroyed in the cooking & processing of our foods. Our inadequate intake of minerals impairs the buffering systems that balance pH, creating an environment for diseases to thrive. Supplemental minerals can assist pH balance, but they must be in the correct form. Various forms of calcium will push pH up, down or stay neutral. The wrong calcium can do more harm that good.

Excess Fat is Caused by an Overly Acid Body

The Solution? Alkalize and Energize!
Fat is a response from your body to an alarming over acidic condition. Your body creates more fat cells to carry acids away from your vital organs, so the acids don’t choke your organs to death! The pH level of your internal fluids affects every cell in your body. Extended acid imbalances of any kind are not well tolerated. All your metabolic processes depend on a balanced internal alkaline environment. A chronically over-acidic pH corrodes body tissue, slowly eating veins & arteries. If left unchecked, over acidification will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of your heart, to the neural firing of your brain. In summary, over-acidification interferes with life itself, leading to all sickness and disease. All this being said, we can help you learn how to feed your body, to alkalize towards health and vitality.

Attitude and Acidosis

Prolonged periods of acidosis affect not only the physical condition but also the mental and emotional states of patients. Similarly, mental attitude can affect the physical state. It is possible for a person to maintain a diet high in fruits and vegetables and still be acid. Regardless of the diet followed, the person who is negative in his outlook on life is acid.

Negative thoughts act to stimulate the action of the adrenal glands that in turn speed up the body’s metabolic activity. As this occurs, more acid is produced and since the process is continuous, the amount of acid overpowers the alkaline from the good food and the net result is acid. And the cycle can be perpetuated; the more acid we become, the more negative, defensive, argumentative and unpleasant we become. The pessimist who can find nothing good about anything is almost certainly in some degree of acidosis.

Symptoms of prolonged acidosis that are caused by the consumption of excess protein can easily be mistaken for individual character or personality traits. However, definite attitudes and mannerisms develop as a result of the super-charged internal activity of the body as it works toward ridding itself of the damaging excess acid. The person who is on a high-protein diet moves through a progression of symptoms.

Initially, they…

• Have an exaggerated sense of well-being
• Are a high achievers, “movers and shakers”
• Believe themselves to be perfectly well
• Are overly ambitious and restless from nerve irritation.

Later they…

• See only the pessimistic side of life and issues
• Can’t sleep restfully
• Wake up as tired in the morning as when they went to bed
• Constantly find fault with everyone and everything
• Are tired and experience generalized aches and pains
• Become irritable, ill tempered, and difficult to please
• Show signs of aging, as their body removes alkalizing substances from muscles, then calcium from the bones

Although everyone who is suffering from acidosis does not experience all of these symptoms, it is helpful for the practitioner to be able to correlate some personality trait” with clinical findings, and to recognize indications that the patient’s body is over taxed, and headed toward chronic degenerative disease.

10 Reasons To Avoid Acidosis

1. Corrodes Arteries, Veins and Heart Tissues
Like acid eating into marble, acidosis erodes and eats into cell wall membranes of the heart, arteries and veins, weakening cardiovascular structures and inter connective tissues.

2. Accelerates Free-Radical Damage and Premature Aging
Acidosis causes partial lipid breakdown and destructive oxidative cascades. This accelerates Free Radical Damage of cell walls and intracellular membrane structures, which then unravel, killing cells in the process. Acidosis is thus thought to be the first step toward premature aging, accelerating oxidative cascades of cell wall destruction, creating wrinkling, age spots, dysfunctional hormonal systems, interfering with eyesight, memory, and a host of other age-related phenomena.

3. Causes Weight Gain, Diabetes and Obesity
An acid pH has considerable influence over the majority of weight problems, including Diabetes and Obesity. It seems that a habitually acid pH can directly cause immediate weight gain. Here’s what happens when a system is too acid. A condition known as Insulin Sensitivity or Syndrome X results, which forces too much insulin to be produced, and the body is flooded with insulin so that it won’t waste any calories, it diligently converts every calorie it can into fat.

It is thought that an acid pH immediately signals the powerful genetic response to an impending famine, directly interacting with the all important and very sensitive, Insulin- Glucagons Axis. This makes the body produce more insulin than usual, and in turn, produce more fat and store it. In general, the more insulin is available to the body, the higher the probability that fat will be produced and stored, rather than used and burned as energy.

Thus, an acid pH will probably alert the genetic response to famine, directing more insulin to be produced and storing more fat than usual. Conversely, a healthy, slightly alkaline pH, will be more likely to yield normal fat burning metabolic activity, making no demands on the body to overly produce insulin and make fat, allowing fat-weight to be burned and naturally lost. And, with a healthy pH, there’s less likely to be any yo-yo effect, or rebounding from a diet with additional weight gain. As long as nutritional stores are maintained, a healthy, slightly alkaline pH allows fat to burn normally for energy, rather than being hoarded under the mistaken biochemical belief of an impending famine.

With increased pressure to produce insulin under the worst conditions, beta cells lose phase with one another, cellular communication is thwarted and the Immune System begins to over- respond. Stress within the cells increases, making it difficult for them to perform adequately, and further, survive. In a very real sense, they simply burn out! Acidosis is thus thought an important yet often underestimated precursor to Diabetes Mellitus. Interestingly, before the advent of synthetic insulin, diabetes was treated historically by buffering the system with base or alkaline causing powders.

4. Causes Cholesterol Plaque to Form
LDL-Cholesterol is laid down at an accelerated rate within an acid chemical environment of the cardiovascular system, inappropriately lining the vascular network, and clogging up the works! The amount of cholesterol in the diet has not been found to be a major factor in cholesterol plaque formation. Rather, pH status appears to be the factor more directly involved, binding cholesterol with heavy metals and other cellular debris.

5. Disrupts Blood Pressure
With acidosis, (pH<7.20) arteries become dilated. Yet, severe lowering of blood pH also causes persistent venous vasoconstriction (a disease in the caliber of blood vessels). When this happens, peripheral blood is shifted more centrally: the more acidic the patient, the greater the fractional redistribution of blood to the central vessels. This central redistribution of blood adds to the heart’s workload when its contractibility is compromised.

6. Disrupts Critical Lipid and Fatty Acid Metabolism
Acidosis disrupts general lipid and fatty acid metabolism within the body. Fatty acids are intimately involved in nerve and brain function. When fatty acid metabolism is disturbed, neurological problems may arise including Multiple Sclerosis, Macular Degeneration and others, as well as problems with hormonal balance within the endocrine system.

7. Inhibits Metabolism of Stored Energy Reserves
An acid pH inhibits efficient cellular and body metabolism. Acidosis causes chemical ionic disturbances, interfering with cellular communications and functions. Acidosis reduces Ca (calcium) binding of plasma proteins, reducing the effectiveness of this intracellular signal. Acidosis also leads to a disease of calcium cations (positive Ca) entry through positive Ca channels, resulting in reduction of cardiac contractibility, or the ability of the heart to pump efficiently and rhythmically.

Also, positive Ca and positive H (Hydrogen) regulate the activity of intracellular proteins and are driven out of cells, because of the “Sodium-Potassium pump” (Na-K pump), which provides a strong incentive for sodium to be driven into cells. There are some 10 times the amount of positive Na in extra cellular fluids than in cells. The Sodium-Potassium pump regulates the amount of sodium and potassium each cell in the body stores, and uses up as much as 25% of our caloric input per day to run. Positive Ca exchanges the positive Na, being forced out of cells, but naturally, the electrochemical gradient for positive Ca favors both positive H and positive Ca entry into cells, as there is less calcium and positive H in cells than in the extra cellular fluids.

Therefore, in acid solutions, less sodium will be present, slowing down the processing and induction of nutritional items going into cells. An acid pH drains us of energy and disallows stored energy reserves to be used. Furthermore calcium may become inordinately leached from bone mass, causing osteoporosis.

8. Inhibits Cellular Regeneration & DNA-RNA Synthesis
For DNA-RNA synthesis and healthy cell proliferation to occur, cell pH must not be acidic. However, cancerous cells grow well in acidic mediums; therefore an acid pH actually accelerates and increases the possibility of cellular mutations (Cancer).

Cancerous cells do not contain hydrogen atoms. When healthy cells have plenty of hydrogen they cannot become cancerous. If we can get hydrogen into any unhealthy cells, they can heal.

9. Inhibits Oxygen Getting to the Tissue
Acidosis or an acid pH decreases the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to cells, making normally healthy cells unhealthy so eventually they die.

10. Inhibits Life Giving Electrolyte Activity
Life-essential functions, like electrolyte Potassium (K plus) and Sodium (Na plus) channels, are inactivated by acidosis. This has far reaching effects cardiovascular, since without sufficient electrolyte management, heart attacks are likely to occur. Without appropriate electrolyte management, our heart literally stops beating. Inhibition of electrolyte activity also affects the way we feel and behave, and is intimately involved in the energy levels we experience, because of the nature of the Na-K Pump and cellular metabolism.

Characteristics of Alkalinity

There are five alkaline-forming minerals, also known as acid-binding minerals. These minerals are calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and iron. Each of these are important for creating a healthy alkaline environment. These minerals bind with acid minerals and help evacuate acidic and toxic substances. Consuming more alkaline foods allows for a mucus free body. A mucus-free body is without sinus congestion, chronic lymphatic congestion or swelling, fluid accumulation in the lungs, joint calcification, calcium deficiency, etc.

A person who has properly balanced pH will be joyful, content, free of body aches, and muscle cramps. They will enjoy being emotionally stable and mentally clear. The results are extraordinary because the tissues will exist in their natural and optimal alkaline environment, conducive to health.

Thoughts and emotions are powerful forces that can alter our internal chemistry. Happy people can live longer and healthier because a positive attitude will help create an alkaline environment. As you may have already guessed, negative thoughts and emotions create acidic waste. Many people with average to fair diets live a healthier life because their outlook or disposition is joyous. Conversely, a person with dark thoughts and aggressive emotions will not find greater health on a better diet until they deal with the greater underlying issues of negativity.

Sunlight effects the levels of acid within your body as well. An alkaline chemistry is enhanced by the presence of full spectrum sunlight. The opposite is true in the absence of sunlight. Darkness creates acid buildup within bodily tissues. The effects can compromise your immune system, skin vitality, vitamin D production, and more.

In 1911, Dr. Alexis Carrel began what is now called “The chicken heart study.” While working in his laboratory he discovered that it was possible to keep a chicken heart alive as long as it remained in a colloidal nutrient solution that was replenished every 48 hours. By following this simple procedure he was able to sustain the life of that tissue for 25 years! A second study which used different cellular tissue had similar results. These are remarkable findings. By supplying a cell with its required nutrition and removing any metabolic or toxic waste, it can live indefinitely.

What if I’m Overly-Alkaline?

Alkalinity is rare, but if your urine and/or saliva consistently test above 7.0 pH, start with steps 1, 2 and 3 below and continue adding steps until the desired results are achieved. Be sure to monitor your progress with easy-to-use pH test strips. You will notice that some of these steps are the same as those recommended above for an overly acidic condition. This is because these steps have a buffering effect, or in other words they are balancing, tending to bring the pH back toward normal no matter which direction it has gone:

1. Enzymes are essential: Use 1-2 capsules of Digestive enzymes with each meal. For stronger enzymatic action in difficult cases add 1-2 capsules of Systemic enzymes between meals on an empty stomach.
2. Correct calcium is needed – if you are Group 2 (Fast Oxidizer or Parasympathetic, you needs lots.
3. Vitamin C: Use Vitamin C, buffered or not, depending on your type. Use 3,000 mg or more, to maximum bowel tolerance. (If diarrhea occurs, reduce intake.)
4. Flax Seed Oil: Use Flax or Hemp Seed Oil, 2 tablespoons of oil daily.
5. Green Superfoods: Choose any type of Superfood that you need, and supplement daily.
6. Cleanse as needed: Learn more about Cleansing & Detoxification. Take a fiber supplement at bedtime to maintain regular bowel movements. Twice a year do a liver, bowel and kidney detoxification.

The Body pH Balance

It is thought by many that everyone has a never ending problem with acidity in their systems and that this is the main cause of disease. We must continually combat this problem by eating an “alkaline ash” diet, we are told. It is also thought by many that the urine pH is an accurate indicator of the pH of body fluids. Alas, the situation is a bit more complicated than that.

Those of us who do metabolic balancing are aware that many of our sickest people have body fluids that are alkaline, and that respiratory rate and breath holding ability are key indicators of the pH of body fluids. A person with an acid imbalance will generally have a resting respiratory rate of 19 or more and if they take a deep breath will only be able to hold it for 40 seconds or less. Why? Because carbon dioxide is used by the body to regulate pH. If the body is acid, the brain tells the body to breathe faster to get rid of the acidic carbon dioxide.

The same principle applies to breath hold. The brain says “breathe!” The urine pH may be acid. But if the acidosis is caused by excess potassium in the system, the kidneys will dump potassium and retain hydrogen. Here the urine is alkaline while the body fluids are acid.

Alkalosis is the opposite situation. A person with alkalosis will generally have a respiratory rate of 13 or slower and a breath hold of 65 seconds or more. Urine pH is generally alkaline, except in potassium depletion alkalosis. In that case, the body retains potassium, and dumps hydrogen (acid), often making the urine acid while body fluids are alkaline.

Causes? Well, there is a metabolic acidosis and alkalosis, a respiratory acidosis and alkalosis, and pH problems caused by potassium imbalances as mentioned above. There is also an acidosis caused by a glucogenic or fast oxidizer imbalance. Fast oxidation produces excess carbon dioxide and thus alkalosis. Slow oxidizers are the opposite.

Then there are the anabolic/anaerobic and catabolic/dysaerobic imbalances. The anaerobic person generally has alkaline urine, high urine surface tension and acid saliva among other signs. Body fluids are alkaline and painful or diseased areas are acid. The body tends to use insufficient oxygen in metabolism so that instead of making carbon dioxide and water from glucose, the cells make lactic acid. Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for proving that cancer is an anaerobic tissue.

The dysaerobic person generally has acid urine, low urine surface tension, and alkaline saliva. Body fluids are acid, and painful or diseased areas are alkaline. Huge amounts of free radicals are generated by their metabolic processes.

The solution: good diet rich in raw plant grown nutrients, abundant mineral supply, plenty of energized water and lecithin, sufficient exercise, and above all, positive mental outlook.