pH Balance Equals Life -- High Acidity Could Equal R.I.P.!

By Michael Cutler, M.D.

If you're one of the tens-of-millions of Americans whose pH balance is too acidic, your body is working hard to neutralize acid and bring you into balance. To do that, it needs certain key minerals that are known to neutralize acid. Sadly, most of us get far too few of these essential minerals -- and so your body has no choice but to "borrow" them from organs and tissues where they're needed.

Essential minerals are stolen away from your heart... your brain... your bones and joints... your muscles and skin... and your lungs, liver and every other organ in your body. And as they begin starving for the minerals they need to function properly, they begin to weaken, function less effectively, and fail.

As newborn babies, we are full of alkaline reserves and our metabolism moves smoothly and cleanly. When we die, we rapidly turn to acid waste. Alkalinity is health, longevity and quality of life. Acidity, in simple terms, means sickness and death.

When I see a patient with chronic symptoms of arthritis, diabetes, emphysema, arteriosclerosis or cancer, I know their tissues and metabolism are running acidic.

Tissue acidity has a long list of harmful effects upon the body if not neutralized or eliminated. For example, the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients decreases significantly in acid conditions. Additionally, in acidic conditions, the enzymatic processes that control the repair mechanisms for damaged DNA and other critical structures become weakened, the liver cannot detoxify heavy metals from the body, and cancer cells proliferate wildly. And acid tissue pH causes fatigue that leads to depression and stress.

What is pH?
The pH or "potential of hydrogen" is a measure of the relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Simply put, the term pH is a symbol for the amount of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. A pH of 7.0 is a perfectly neutral pH; from 0 to 7 indicates acidity; and from 7 to 14 indicates alkalinity.

Another way to think of it is that fluids become more acidic the farther below 7 they become (like stomach acid at the approximate pH of 2.0) and more alkaline the farther above 7 they become. And just for clarity, here are some pH values for various items before they enter the body:

• Orange juice is at 3.0
• Tomato juice is at 4.0
• Milk is at 6.8
• Neutral is 7.0
• Baking soda is at 9.0
• Milk of magnesia is at 10.7
• Household bleach is at 12.5

How Do You Know if You're Acidic?
You can get a useful trend of your acid-alkaline balance using pH strips or litmus paper which you can purchase at most pharmacies. In clinical practice, patients use litmus paper to periodically test their own saliva and their first morning urine. Over time, their pH values tend to be more alkaline (toward optimum) as they overcome disease and institute alkaline lifestyle habits.

If you're like most people who regularly eat animal protein, fried foods, processed foods, refined sugars, pasteurized dairy products or other acid producing foods, then most likely you're acidic.

Testing Your pH
If you choose to test saliva, wait two hours after eating. Spit into a spoon and dip a pH strip in your saliva. Read the results immediately by matching the color of the pH strip to the color chart for the correct indication of your pH level. An optimal reading is 6.8 to 7.2 which reflects that you have effectively alkalinized your tissues.

When testing urine, use the first void in the morning. Fill a small cup with urine and dip the pH strip in the urine. Read the results immediately by matching the color of the pH strip to the color chart for the correct indication of your pH level. A reading of 6.4 to 6.8 is a favorable reading; more acidic (in the 5.5 to 6.4 range) usually means you are dumping excessive acids but that your kidneys are working hard to do so.

Above 7.0 for urine could either mean that you are well alkalinized or that you have stirred some ammonia to help fight an infection of some sort. Urine pH fluctuates more with your diet and daily activities.

If your test results are acidic, then consider increasing your intake of alkaline foods while reducing the acid foods you eat. You may also wish to supplement with alkalinized buffering minerals to increase the alkalinity of your drinking water which carries throughout the body.

Your Diet: The Difference Between Health and Disease
You really are not the same person that you were last year. The body replaces the lining of the stomach about every five days, the skin in about a month, the skeleton about every three months, the liver about every six weeks and the red blood cells circulate for about 120 days before being replaced by new cells.

The new body that you are building today is predominantly affected by the food you eat. And if you eat predominantly acidic-forming foods, the long-term acidic environment at the cellular level that is created will have a real and damaging effect.

If cells cannot function properly, your body cannot function properly. On the other hand, a healthy alkaline diet creates an environment that is conducive to cellular health.

Leading scientists agree -- high acidity is the ONE cause behind all your worst health nightmares... so be sure to check your pH levels, get your body in balance with nutritious whole foods, and be prepared for a wonderful flood of healing that can protect your health well into your 70s... 80s... and 90s!

[Ed. Note: Michael Cutler, M.D. is a Board-Certified family physician with more than 17 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Cutler's practice focuses on integrative solutions to health problems, and behavioral and nutritional medicine.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: A Hero For The Ages By Jon Benson

I want you to remember this quote for the rest of your life:

"Don't put an age limit on your DREAMS."
Dara Torres, Olympic Champion

Dara is truly one of my heroes. Not too long ago she did the unthinkable whenshe dared to enter the 2008 Olympics and swim a "kid's race"- the 100 Meter Free.

This race is an all-out sprint. One length of the pool. Winner takes the gold-medal. Dara lost the gold by 1/100th of a second. That's almost too short to measure.

She won silver.

She beat the American 16-year-old who was swimming just a few lanes over.

She beat her personal record set when she herself was a teenager.

She smashed the American world record.

She bested her last Olympics, and the one before that, with a time that, except for a slight start mistake would have won her a gold medal.

Dara is 41 years old.

Let me put that into perspective: Dara lost by 1/100th of a second to a girl young enough to be her daughter. In fact ALL the racers were young enough to be her daughter!

It staggers the mind, doesn't it?

It shouldn't. Dara is not "old". She's not even "middle-aged." These are all terms we create to limit our ability to achieve.

Dara is simply an athlete. A mom. A true woman of power. Someone who lives in the present. Dara is a champion, and there is not an age criteria required to be labeled "champ". Even Olympic champ.

The New York Times article had it right: "Getting Older, Swimming Faster." That's right - she beat her personal best at the age of 41, set almost 20 years prior, and did it in the toughest arena the world has ever created.

If you are fed up with putting an age limit on your dreams, I encourage you to read or re-read my book, Fit Over 40. I devote an entire section of the book to champions between 40 and 80 who simply refuse to buy into the rumor that says, "I'm too old to..."

So what do you think you're "too old" to do? Be an Olympic champion perhaps?

Oh, just for your information: Dara was not the oldest Olympian this year. John Dane III was 58. He crewed a Star boat for the Olympic Sailing Team. Libby Callahan, 56, became the oldest U.S. female Olympian of all time. She competed with the shooting team.

So, I'll ask you again: What do you think you're too old to do?

Think again.

[Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a lifecoach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of post-40 fitness and mental empowerment has helped countless thousands rediscover their youthful body and positive outlook. ]

Healthy Recipes: Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Omelets By Kelley Herring

Boost your health and your mood with earthy wild mushrooms, farm-fresh eggs, and sweet, piquant goat cheese. In addition to these omelets offering an excellent source of protein, vitamin A, and selenium, they're also high in riboflavin -- an important B vitamin that plays a role in cognition and may help alleviate depression.¹

Time To Table: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

The Benefits
Excellent source of protein, selenium, vitamin A, riboflavin
Good source of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, folate
Low carb, gluten-free

Ingredients
8 large organic, omega-3 eggs
2 whole organic shallots, chopped
4 ounces organic goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces organic gourmet shiitake mushroom mix, sliced
3 Tbsp unsalted organic butter

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 225°. In a large skillet, melt 1 teaspoon of the butter. Add the shiitake and cook over medium high heat, stirring until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Keep warm.

Crack 2 eggs into a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper and beat with a whisk. In a 10-inch, nonstick skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon of the butter. Whisk the eggs again and add them to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat, lifting the edges with a spatula to allow the uncooked eggs to seep underneath, until the bottom of the omelet is golden and the top is nearly set, about 4 minutes.

Spoon one-fourth of the filling down the center of the omelet and sprinkle with one-fourth of the goat cheese. Using a rubber spatula, fold the sides over the filling to enclose it completely. Slide the omelet onto a large heatproof plate and cut it in half; serve immediately or transfer it to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter, eggs and filling to make 3 more omelets. Serve at once.

Nutrition Information
374.57 kcal Calories, 7 g Carbohydrate, 475.65 mg Cholesterol, 29.93 g Total Fat, 1.01 g Fiber, 20.21 g Protein, 289.56 mg Sodium, 1.57 g Sugars, 16.18 g Saturated fat, 0 trans Fat, 8.7 g Monounsaturated fat, 2.04 g Polyunsaturated fat

Reference

1. Medline Plus - Riboflavin. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-riboflavin.html

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 10-17-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/