OPTIMAL HEALTH AND ENERGY BEGINS WITH pH BALANCE RESEARCH AND OPINIONS BY PAUL SCAVONE Total healing of chronic illness takes place only when and if the blood is restored to a normal, slightly alkaline pH. The magnitude of meaning behind this statement is of incredible importance to someone who is fighting a disease, overcoming an illness or just desiring to feel better. What it means is this...your body pH affects EVERYTHING.  Human blood is most protective in a delicate and precise balance of blood pH at 7.365.  When pH goes off, microbial looking forms in the blood can change shape, mutate, mirror pathogenicity and grow.  When pH goes off, ENZYMES that are constructive can become destructive.  When pH goes off, OXYGEN delivery to cells suffers. More and more research is showing that low oxygen delivery to cells is a major factor in most if not all degenerative conditions. WHAT IS THE BODY'S pH? Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising almost two-thirds of the body weight. The body therefore contains a wide range of solutions, which may be more or less acid. 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. The higher the pH reading, the more alkaline and oxygen rich the fluid is. The lower the pH reading, the more acidic and oxygen deprived the fluid is. The pH range is from 0 to 14, with 7.0 being neutral. Anything above 7.0 is alkaline, anything below 7.0 is considered acidic. Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline (7.35 - 7.45). Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. If blood pH moves below 6.8 or above 7.8, cells stop functioning and the body dies. The body therefore continually strives to balance pH. When this balance is compromised many problems can occur. pH MEANS “POTENTIAL HYDROGEN”, IT IS A MEASURE OF VOLTAGE. 0 = + 400 mV 7=0 14 = - 400 mV Think about your home…it uses 110 volts. That is the conductive positive voltage in wire.

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In solutions we can talk about negative voltage or an excess of electrons (means we have donor electrons); this is called alkaline. If the solution has a deficiency of electrons (electron stealer), we call it acidic (0 to 7). We put a plus in front of it. An alkaline solution has electrons available to do work (voltage available). Every cell in the body is designed to run optimally at approximately -20 mV or a pH of 7.365 The pH level (acid - alkaline measurement) of our internal fluids affects every cell in our body. Extended acid imbalances of any kind can overwhelm your body. Just as the body regulates its temperature in a rigid manner, so will it manage to preserve a very narrow pH range, especially in the blood. As a matter of fact, the body will go to such great lengths to maintain a blood pH of 7.365 that it will even create stress on other tissues or body systems to do so. Chronic acidification will interrupt all cellular activities and functions…it interferes with life itself. When the pH of the body gets out of balance (too acidic), we may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight (the body retains fat because fat binds to acids), poor digestion, aches and pains and even cancer. If you have cancer, most likely your pH levels are low and your body is too acidic. Actually, too much acidity is an underlying factor in many degenerative diseases including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, tuberculosis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, most cancers and many auto-immune diseases. The body becomes imbalanced and overly acidic primarily as a result of three things:  Acidic Diet  Toxicity & Microform Overgrowth  Improper Elimination & Neutralization of Acids The process of restoring pH balance begins with proper diet and nutrition. This includes eating alkalizing foods, super hydration and proper supplementation. A basic maxim of alternative medicine is to: Balance the bio terrain. Do this first and then everything can come back to normal. Taking medicines or supplements while your body is highly acidic is a bit like washing dishes in a sink of dirty water, even when you put in plenty of soap, you can't get the dishes clean. The body was created to be healthy, energetic, vibrant and resilient. It has an awesome ability to heal itself, when given the proper nutrients and environment to do so.

HEALTH PROBLEMS CAUSED BY ACIDOSIS If you have a health problem, there is a good chance you are suffering from acidosis, an extended time in the acid pH state. Research shows that unless the body's pH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself. So no matter what means you choose to take care of your health, it won't be effective until the pH level is balanced. If your body's pH is not balanced, for example, you cannot effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements.

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Acidosis will decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it's ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it's ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. An acidic pH can occur from an acid-forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals. If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur. Acidosis can cause problems such as:                 

             

Cancer Cardiovascular damage Weight gain, obesity and diabetes Excess stomach acid Slow digestion and elimination Gastritis Bladder conditions Kidney stones Immune deficiency Tendency to get infections Yeast/fungal overgrowth Acceleration of free radical damage Premature aging Hormonal problems Osteoporosis and joint pain Aching muscles and lactic acid buildup Leg cramps and spasms

Headaches Easily stressed Depressive tendencies Low energy and chronic fatigue Loss of drive, joy, and enthusiasm Lower body temperature Pale complexion Inflammation of the corneas and eyelids Loose and painful teeth Inflamed, sensitive gums Mouth and stomach ulcers Cracks at the corners of the lips Nails are thin and split easily Hair looks dull, has split ends, and falls out  Dry skin  Skin easily irritated

CANCER According to Keiichi Morishita in his book, Hidden Truth of Cancer, when your blood starts to become acidic, your body deposits acidic substances from the blood (usually toxins) into cells to allow the blood to remain slightly alkaline. However, this causes your cells to become more acidic and toxic, which results in a decrease of their oxygen levels and harms their DNA and respiratory enzymes. Over time, he theorizes, these cells increase in acidity and some die. These dead cells themselves turn into acids. However, some of these acidified cells may adapt in that environment. In other words, instead of dying, as normal cells do in an acid environment, some cells survive by becoming abnormal cells. These abnormal cells are called malignant cells. Malignant cells do not correspond with brain function or with our own DNA memory code. Therefore, malignant cells grow indefinitely and without order. This is cancer. As you can see, he is describing, from a different point of view, the process by which low oxygen levels turn some cells cancerous. Alkaline water (including the water in cells) holds a lot of oxygen. Acidic water holds very little oxygen. So the more acidic your cells are, the less oxygenated they will 3

be. To make matters worse, the fermentation process cancer cells use to produce energy creates lactic acid, further increasing acidity and reducing oxygen levels. DEGENERATIVE DISEASES In general, degenerative diseases are the result of acid waste buildups within us. When we are born, we have the highest alkaline mineral concentration and also the highest body pH. From that point on, the normal process of life is to gradually acidify. That is why these degenerative diseases do not occur as often when you are young. Reverse aging requires two separate steps: chemical and physical. The first step is to lower the acidity of the body so that it can dispose of acidic wastes in the blood and cellular fluids safely and easily. The second step is to physically pull out old stored wastes into the blood stream so that they can be discharged from the body. There is a long history of reversing cancer and most degenerative diseases simply by alkalinizing the body. It is one of the basic strategies in the battle against cancer and for improving your health in general. TEST YOUR BODY'S ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY WITH pH STRIPS It is recommended that you test your pH levels to determine if your body's pH needs immediate attention. By using pH test strips (Litmus Paper), you can determine your pH factor quickly and easily in the privacy of your own home. The best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal.

Saliva pH Test: Simply wet a piece of Litmus Paper with your saliva. While generally more acidic than blood, salivary pH mirrors the blood and tells us what the body retains. It is a fair indicator of the health of the extracellular fluids and their alkaline mineral reserves. The optimal pH for saliva is 6.4 to 6.8. A reading lower than 6.4 is indicative of insufficient alkaline reserves. After eating, the saliva pH should rise to 7.5 or more. To deviate from an ideal salivary pH for an extended time invites illness. If your saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5 all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range. If salivary pH stays too low, the diet should focus on fruit, vegetables and mineral water as well as remove strong acidifiers such as sodas, whole wheat and red meat (see chart page 6). Urine pH Test: The pH of the urine indicates how the body is working to maintain the proper pH of the blood. The urine reveals the alkaline (building - anabolic) and acid (tearing down - catabolic) metabolic cycles. The pH of urine indicates the efforts of the body via the kidneys, adrenals, lungs and gonads to regulate pH through the buffer salts and hormones. Urine can provide a fairly accurate picture of body chemistry, because the kidneys filter out the buffer salts of pH regulation and provide values based on what the body is eliminating. Urine pH can vary from around 4.5 to 9.0 in extremes, but the ideal range is 6.0 to 7.0. If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 first thing in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening before dinner, your body is functioning within a healthy range. Urine testing may indicate how well your body is excreting acids and assimilating minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. These minerals function as "buffers." Buffers are 4

substances that help maintain and balance the body against the introduction of too much acidity or too much alkalinity. Even with the proper amounts of buffers, acid or alkaline levels can become stressful to the body's regulatory systems. When the body produces too many of these acids or alkalis, it must excrete the excess. The urine is the method the body uses to remove any excess acids or alkaline substances that cannot be buffered. If the body's buffering system is overwhelmed, a state of "autotoxication" exists and attention should be given to reducing this stress. BALANCING ACID/ALKALINE FOODS A surprising number and variety of physical problems and diseases can be caused by the problem of foods that are acid-producing after digestion. Today the vast majority of the populace in industrialized nations suffer from problems caused by the stress of acidosis, because both modern lifestyle and diet promote acidification of the body's internal environment. The current typical Western diet is largely composed of acid-forming foods (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities. Stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying. Stress, and physical activity (both insufficient or excessive amounts) also cause acidification. Many foods are alkaline-producing by nature, but manufactured processed foods are mostly acid-producing. It is important to consume at least 60% alkaline-producing foods in our diet, in order to maintain health. We need plenty of fresh fruits and particularly vegetables (alkalineproducing) to balance our necessary protein intake (acid-producing). And we need to avoid processed, sugary or simple-carbohydrate foods, not only because they are acid-producing but also because they raise blood sugar level too quickly (high glycemic index therefore are fattening); plus they tend to be nutrient-lacking and may be toxic. An imbalanced diet high in acidic-producing foods such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods puts pressure on the body's regulating systems to maintain pH neutrality. The extra buffering required can deplete the body of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, making a person prone to chronic and degenerative disease. Minerals are borrowed from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage; a condition that may go undetected for years. FOODS: ARE THEY ACID OR ALKALINE-FORMING? A food's acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic; however the end-products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons are alkaline-forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves acidic residue in the body, so like nearly all animal products, meat is classified as acid-forming. It is important that your daily dietary intake of food naturally acts to balance your body pH. To maintain health, the diet should consist of at least 60% alkaline forming foods and at most 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods. FOOD CATEGORY

High Alkaline

Alkaline

Low Alkaline 5

Low Acid

Acid

High Acid

BEANS, VEGETABLES, LEGUMES

Asparagus, Onions, Vegetable Juices, Parsley, Raw Spinach, Broccoli, Garlic, Barley Grass

Okra, Squash, Green Beans, Beets, Celery, Lettuce, Zucchini, Sweet Potato, Carob

FRUIT

Lemons, Watermelon, Limes, Grapefruit, Mangoes, Papayas

Dates, Figs, Melons, Grapes, Papaya, Kiwi, Berries, Apples, Pears, Raisins

Carrots, Tomatoes, Fresh Corn, Mushrooms, Cooked Cabbage, Peas, Spinach, Cauliflower, Kidney Beans Turnip, Beetroot, Potato Skins, Olives, Soybeans, Tofu Oranges, Bananas, Cherries, Pineapple, Peaches, Avocados

Plums, Processed Fruit Juices

Rye Bread, Amaranth, Millet, Sprouted Lentils, Wheat Bread, Sweetcorn, Wild Spelt, Brown Rice, Quinoa Rice

GRAINS, CEREALS

Liver, Oysters, Venison, Cold Water Fish

MEAT

EGGS & DAIRY

NUTS & SEEDS

Potatoes (without skins), Pinto Beans, Navy Beans, Lima Beans

Sour Cherries, Rhubarb, Canned Fruit

Blueberries, Cranberries, Prunes, Sweetened Fruit Juice

White Rice, Corn, Buckwheat, Oats, Rye

Wheat, White Bread, Pastries, Biscuits, Pasta

Turkey, Chicken, Lamb

Beef, Pork, Shellfish

Breast Milk

Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Goat Milk, Goat Cheese, Whey

Eggs, Butter, Yogurt, Buttermilk, Cottage Cheese, Cream

Raw Milk

Cheese, Homogenized Milk, Ice Cream, Custard

Almonds

Chestnuts, Brazils, Hazelnuts, Coconut

Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower Seeds

Pecans, Cashews, Pistachios

Peanuts, Walnuts

OILS

Olive Oil

Flax Seed Oil

Canola Oil

Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil, Margarine, Lard

BEVERAGES

Herb Teas, Lemon Water

Green Tea

Ginger Tea

Tea, Cocoa

Coffee, Wine

Beer, Liquor, Soft Drinks

Processed Honey

White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Jam, Ketchup, Mayonaise, Mustard, Vinegar

Artificial Sweeteners, Chocolate

SWEETENERS, CONDIMENTS

Stevia

Maple Syrup, Rice Syrup

Raw Honey, Raw Sugar

THE SCIENCE OF EATING WISELY 6

Detoxify with fruit and vegetable juices All natural, raw, vegetable and fruit juices are alkaline-producing. Fruit juices become more acidproducing when processed and especially when sweetened. Why are acidy lemons alkaline-producing? When we digest a food, it is chemically oxidized (burned) to form water, carbon dioxide and an inorganic compounds. The alkaline or acidic nature of this inorganic compound formed, determines whether the food is alkaline or acid-producing. If it contains more sodium, potassium or calcium, it's classed as an alkaline food. If it contains more sulphur, phosphate or chloride, it's classed as an acid food. When we digest a lemon, it produces alkaline residue. That's why we classify it as an alkaline food. Acid lifestyles = toxic blood! In order for the body to remain healthy and alive, your body keeps a delicate and precise balance of blood pH close to 7.365, which is slightly alkaline. The body does whatever it has to in order to maintain this balance. The problem is that most people have incredibly acid lifestyles. Acid is produced in your body whenever you have stress, upset emotions and when the food you eat is acidforming. The typical diet is significantly acidic. So what happens to your body when you're over-acid? Your body will store excess acid in your fat cells, which is why so many people have such trouble losing weight. Over time, your body will leach calcium and alkaline stores from your bones in a desperate attempt to retain the pH balance in your body. Your blood plays a very important role in your health and energy: it carries oxygen to all your cells! This gives you energy and it's what keeps you alive. It also plays a key role in how energizing your sleep is. Here's a picture of healthy red blood cells:

The red blood cells are separated from each other. As a result, your blood can move freely throughout your entire body, and get into all your small capillaries, so you feel like your whole body is getting energy. During deep sleep, proper blood flow and hydration is important. When your blood looks like this, your sleep is also really energizing and you need less of it! Blood cells have a negative charge on the outside and a positive charge inside; this is what keeps them healthy and far apart from each other. However, when your body is over-acidic, the acid strips your blood of its negative charge. Your blood cells no longer have the same repelling force and clump together like this:

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When your blood is clumped together, known as Rouleaux stacking, it no longer can get to all the little capillaries in your body to give you the life giving oxygen you need. It no longer can give every cell of your body energizing and rejuvenating effects. This is the major reason why some people feel horrible when they wake up and why they need to sleep longer. It's also why you tend to wake up feeling dehydrated. CREATING AN UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Most of us have been told that "disease is out to get you and viruses are flying around all over the place looking for their next victim!" However, the truth is, most of us create toxic environments inside our body and this is why disease and fatigue happens. It doesn't happen TO YOU; in reality, YOU make it happen. Being unhealthy is actually a SYMPTOM of an unhealthy environment. Not the problem. Most of the time, because of our diets, emotions and lifestyles, the "water" in our body is over-acidic and therefore, toxic. Yet, even knowing this, allopathic medicine focuses on masking the symptoms, rather than recognizing the CAUSE of the problem. CONCLUSIONS: While traditional medicine is ambivalent about treatments for diseases such as cancer, there is a great deal of consistency in identifying pH modification as a positive step to better health. The relationship between body pH and health was new to me. My research has led me to conclude that whether you use this alone or as part of conventional treatment, it just makes sense to maintain pH balance. There are a few other things, in addition to diet, that can be done to help correct an over acidic condition. These include taking vitamins, anti-oxidants, super anti-oxidants, calcium, magnesium and other mineral supplements, omega 3 fish oils, drinking alkaline vegetable and fruit juices and making lemons a part of our daily regimen. Nutritionally, there is no better way to assure that minerals are being taken into your body’s cells, than by taking Vitality™ and Vitality Minerals™ with the proprietary fructose compounding delivery system. And the best way to assure optimum immune system efficiency is to take PROVEXCV™. We can remedy our over-acidic bodies in the short term with alkalizing supplements, but going forward, we must also choose a diet which is balanced on the side of alkaline-forming foods. Fortunately most of these are also low glycemic foods, which takes care of the second primary factor in creating a healthy diet. 8

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.

Directions

1. Print this page. 2. Make a mark next to any of the symptoms listed here, if you have them. 3. Count the total number of symptoms in each category.

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 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

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

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Intermediate Symptoms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

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 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

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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