The pH miracle diet is a program for restoring balance in the body by eating alkaline foods. The body’s cells are slightly alkaline and by eating alkalizing foods you can support your body’s natural function. In addition to eating alkalizing foods, Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the diet, also recommends avoiding acidifying foods like meat, wheat and dairy. Those that want better health, according to Dr. Young, should become vegetarians.
The standard American diet certainly isn’t alkalizing and definitely isn’t vegetarian. Animal protein is a mainstay of most people’s diets. However, the necessity for animal protein is a not.
There is a prevailing belief in out society that consuming a lot of protein encourages health and especially physical fitness. Men especially are expected to eat massive quantities of meat in order to have strength and vitality. This myth has prevailed as far back in history as many can remember. In the beginning of the twentieth century, scientists began to believe that consuming meat equaled physical strength, especially in the world of sports. This specific belief, the link between sports and protein, has been one of the driving forces behind meat consumption in the last 100 years.
In actuality, the body’s need for protein is actually a lot less than many people think. There are plenty of sources for vegetarian protein that are alkalizing, and acceptable on the ph Miracle diet.
But why does the program specifically forbid animal protein? Animal protein, like meats, eggs and dairy products all have acidifying effects on the body. These effects become even more prevalent when you consume non-organic meats. Consuming conventionally processed meats can expose you to hormones, drugs and other chemicals that have been given to the animals before they were killed. There are no conclusive studies about the safety of hormones, but there are perceived risks. Animals are routinely given antibiotics as well, which will increase your consumption of antibiotics and will reduce helpful bacteria in your body. The reduction of these helpful bacteria will allow more metabolic acid to accumulate in your system, and create disastrous health effects.
The elements in meat that are good for you (protein, vitamins and minerals) can be obtained from vegetarian sources without all of the dangers. Just one cup of tofu, an alkalizing protein source, has 20 grams of protein. The average man or women needs less than 40 grams per day. Protein needs can easily be met without eating acidifying meat.
Making the switch to vegetarianism is more of mental struggle than a physical one. The body runs much more efficiently without the acidifying presence of animal protein. Eating meat is a habit and the benefits of eating it are a culturally propagated myth. There is no physical need for meat. The most difficult part of eliminating it from your diet will be opening your eyes to the wide variety of new foods that can replace meat.
When you follow the pH miracle diet, you’ll notice that Dr. Young recommends a balance of 70% alkaline foods and 30% acid foods. This means that there is some leeway for eating foods on the acidic list. Although it may be tempting to eat animal protein as part of this 30%, your body will be in better balance if you choose something that is just slightly acidic, like eggs, oats or pasta, instead of highly acidic meats.
Becoming a vegetarian on the pH miracle diet is certainly your choice. But you owe it to your health to start reducing the amount of animal protein in your diet.
pH Miracle Diet And Vegetarianism
Make Your Transition To The pH Miracle Diet
The pH miracle diet is one of the most revolutionary diets to grow in popularity in the past few years. The eating principles of the diet (vegetarian, organic foods) are not new, but the addition of the “pH factor” is definitely something that has not been readily seen in the world of nutrition. The acid/alkaline balance of our bodies is something that many people have never heard of, although the concepts have been part of Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The pH miracle diet may seem strange upon your first encounter, but once you find out more about the concepts and benefits you’ll be impressed and motivated to try this way of eating.
The pH miracle diet is a definite transition from the standard American diet. If you are embarking on a journey to health and plan to use the pH miracle diet you will definitely experience a transition in your life. This diet requires you to think about food and eating in an entirely new way. You’ll be challenging old stereotypes about nutrition, such as meat is an important part of every meal and milk is beneficial to your health. It can be difficult to make a completely 180-degree turn in your way of eating and cooking.
However, in order to have success on the pH miracle diet, you don’t have to make that 180-degree turn in just one week. The book outlines 7 specific steps for dietary change. They do not all have to be done at once. If you radically change your diet and are eating unfamiliar foods, cooking unfamiliar recipes and missing out on your favorite meals, you will not stay on the diet for very long, no matter how healthy it is. The best approach to adapting the pH miracle diet is to do it slowly and at your own pace.
Taking a slower approach is also helpful because it will help you understand how the diet is affecting your body. Even if you’ve read the book a dozen times and understand all of the science behind the acid/alkaline balance, you won’t really know it well until you’ve done it yourself. Incorporating this new way of eating into your body step by step will allow you to feel the effects of the acid/alkaline process. You can measure the science against your personal opinion and how your body responds.
Everybody is different and you may find as you start the program that certain aspects of the program don’t work for you. Maybe you cannot go vegetarian completely, or you find it difficult to go without certain acid-forming fruits. Testing out the principles of the pH miracle diet on your own body will allow you to decide what works and what doesn’t. The goal of the diet is find a balance of 70% alkaline and 30% acid foods. This means that you can still enjoy the foods that you love as long as they are balanced by alkalizing foods.
The transition to an ideal pH diet balance is something you should take at your own pace. This is particularly true if you have had a diet full of acid-forming foods or if you have any major health problems. Your body will need time to respond to this new way of eating and adjust to operating on natural foods. The transition into pH balanced eating is a journey that should be traveled in incremental steps.
Cleanse Yourself With The pH Miracle Diet
One of the most important principles in the pH miracle diet is the concept of cleansing your body of the acidic materials that are built up within. The ph miracle diet is a cleansing diet. It performs a cleansing of the body and its tissues and organs. This cleansing is almost like setting the “restart” button on your body. Any conditions you have developed from improper diet and lifestyle will start to dissipate. Cleansing diets like the pH miracle diet will help give your body the nutritional support it needs to function at an optimum level.
To understand what a cleansing diet is you need to understand how the body cleanses itself. The body rids itself of harmful elements through the colon, skin, lungs and bladder. The liver, kidneys and lymphatic system all assist with this cleansing. The liver is the organ in the body that is primarily responsible for body detoxification. When the liver is not functioning properly it cannot change toxins like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, pesticides, drugs, antibiotics and additives into waste matter. If your liver doesn’t work, you are poisoning yourself. The liver can become stressed through improper digestion (eating processed foods), yeast overgrowth, parasites, dehydration and inadequate water intake.
Cleansing your liver is the best thing you can do for your health and for the restoration of proper pH to your body. When you undergo a program, like the pH miracle diet that cleanses the liver it normally requires the liver to work harder than it has before. You must add live enzymes to the diet rather than drawing them from the liver. The live enzymes will alkalize the body and restore your proper pH. You can accomplish this by incorporating organic vegetables into your diet. The proper alkalizing vegetables in the pH miracle diet will support the liver and help restore it to its natural functioning.
If the liver is helped by a cleansing diet, then the whole body will be helped. Once the liver is functioning at proper performance it can begin to do its job of eliminating waste. It will support the other detoxifying organs and perform more effectively in doing its own job.
The pH miracle diet qualifies as a cleansing diet because it performs a cleansing function of the liver and the rest of your body. The diet is made of mostly raw foods, simple proteins (beans and legumes), alternative whole grains and plenty of fresh and pure water. Cleansing diets include, at minimum, five servings of vegetables per day. In most cases, people eat twice that when they are on the pH miracle diet. This is accomplished with the use of fresh vegetable juices. There are four to five servings of vegetables in just two cups of juiced vegetables.
Eating small and frequent meals is also an important part of the cleansing function of the pH miracle diet. The small meals will keep calorie intake up and give you the opportunity to add more vegetables to your day. Although raw vegetables should be favored, lightly steamed veggies are also beneficial. Plant based proteins like beans, soy and nuts should also be included at each small meal for energy and balance.
The effects of the pH miracle cleansing diet depend entirely on your previous level of health. If you’ve had a diet that consisted of meats, processed foods and other acid forming choices then the cleansing effects may be very difficult at first. Your body will have to adjust to living off of natural elements instead of chemical ones. However your efforts are well worth it. You will be learning the most natural way to eat and teaching your body to live to eat instead of eat to live. Remember that learning to eat in this manner and adopting a cleansing diet will be a process of healing, and not an overnight occurrence. As you take on the principles of the pH miracle diet, you will begin to change your health for the better.
Sugar Levels In The pH Miracle Diet
The pH diet stresses a balanced approach to eating. By limiting the intake of acidic foods and increasing the intake of alkaline foods one can achieve optimum health. One of the main factors in the fight against acidic pH levels is sugar. Sugar is an epidemic in our modern world. The average American consumes 2 to 3 pounds of sugar each week, that translates to over 135 pounds of sugar per person per year. This alarming number is attributed to the wide popularity of sugar as an additive. Sugar is in everything, hiding in various forms. Sucrose, dextrose, and high fructose corn syrups are active ingredient in all processed food and condiments. These highly refined sweeteners leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who are starting out on the pH diet due to their universal acceptance as a “necessary evil’
With sugar’s radical effect on insulin levels, the body has no fighting chance against the damage. When insulin levels drop; so do the release of growth hormone. These growth hormones depress the immune system that leaves the body open to a host of diseases and maladies. Insulin also inhibits the body’s ability to fight off weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels. Put quite simply, the higher in simple sugars a food is, the more likely it will promote fat storage in the body. These stored fat cells play a host to acidic waste that in turn degrade the structure of red blood cells in the bloodstream.
Sugar also fights for control of the cellular development in the body with Vitamin C. From a structural standpoint, Vitamin C and Simple Sugar are quite similar. As sugar levels go up in the body, they compete with one another when they enter cells. If there is a higher concentration of sugar in the bloodstream which will allow more sugar into thirsty cells leaving little to no room for Vitamin C. Without the phagocytizing effects of Vitamn C on cellular structures they are unable to fend off the attacks of viruses and bacteria. Lower white blood cell counts equal a suppressed immune system that isn’t strong enough to protect the body.
Sugar is devoid of vitamins and minerals and upon absorption steals vital micro-nutrients to help it metabolize into the system. A deficit is created when these micro-nutrients are not replaced. This deficiency causes fat cells and cholesterol to not be metabolized thus leading to high blood pressure and obesity. The ability of sugar to raise insulin levels artificially eventually leaves the pancreas dysfunctional and the body dependent on sugar. This is commonly referred to as diabetes. Simple sugars have also been attributed to gallstones, mood disorders, heart disease and even asthma. With all of the negative effects that sugars have been clinically linked to, is it any wonder that sugar is also one of the most acidic things you can put into your body.
Cancer is the most dangerous result of heavy sugar dependence. Cancerous cells thrive on lactic acid. This lactic acid produced by fermenting glucose is transported into the liver. A more acidic PH is produced by this buildup of lactic acid in the cancerous cells, the highly acidic nature of cancerous tumors is testament to this. The connection between sugars and unhealthy acidic levels in the bloodstream is clearly drawn through the connection of glucose (sugar) and cancerous cells. Simple sugars are quite simply a poison to the body that will eventually deteriorate the quality of cellular development and suppress the immune system to the point of failure.
By balancing the diet with an 80% alkaline and 20% acid induction of foods, supplements, and beverages you can decrease the risk of disease in the body. By replacing simple sugars with more complex ones or alkaline-based sweeteners such as Stevia, one can decrease the dependence on simple sugars and avoid bad health. Look carefully at ingredient labels and be aware of the many names that simple sugars hide behind. Become educated on how the body metabolizes simple sugars, as well as how carbohydrates can be broken down into simple sugars in the bloodstream. By arming yourself with information you can improve the quality of your life.
Handling Stress With The pH Miracle Diet
The pH miracle diet is a new way to look at how you eat. By addressing each food, beverage, supplement, and additive by it’s acidic or alkaline signature a balance can be negotiated. Our bodies work according to the pH scale, which works on a range of 1 to 14. A ranking of 1 on this scale denotes a high level of acid while a ranking of 14 indicates that there is a high concentration of alkaline present. A ranking of 7 on the pH scale represents neutrality in pH. The blood in the human bloodstream regulates at the level of 7.35, which is mildly alkaline. The pH miracle diet advocates keeping the intake of food into your body in line with this optimum level. The method of implementation is quite simple, by coordinating an eating planned structured around a comprehensive list of foods, and supplements you can create an effective strategy to lower acidity in your body.
Alkaline intake will counter act this stored acidity by being metabolized and neutralizing them at the source. With balance as the benchmark for a workable health plan; constant monitoring of the body’s pH levels is essential. Saliva pH test strips with a base range of 4.5 to 8.5 will allow for accurate readings that can assist you in making the proper adjustments to your diet. Even with all of this knowledge and action there are outside influences that will affect your body’s acid production. These outside factors will greatly determine how you will implement the alkalizing foods and supplements. The most significant of these external factors will be stress.
Stress is ubiquitous, it is everywhere and it affects everyone. This universal problem has a very traumatic effect on your body. The body works overtime to combat stress that in turn creates more stress. This vicious cycle is propagated by an increase in acid production. As stated previously, acid is a detriment to your body. When the body is overly acidic it does not run well, on the cellular level, the body cannot maintain the immune system. The circulation is adversely affected with the heart having to compensate by working harder. With the heart beating at a higher rate to push this sticky blood through the bloodstream many of these sticky cell clumps break free from the path and attach themselves to the arterial walls creating further slowdowns in the circulation. Your body needs blood to function if the blood reaching the cells and organs are of poor quality this can have serious repercussions. Stress is an acid-producing killer.
There are many techniques in addition to diet that can help in your quest for a balanced pH level. Getting the adequate rest is always the best way to achieve stress relief, as well as meditation which can be two to three times more restful and rejuvenating than actual sleep. Limiting the intake of caffeine and other stimulants also works toward lowering stress in the body by removing these narcotics from the equation. At the heart of stress reduction is eating more foods that are alkaline in nature that will neutralize the acid waste in the body. Exercising is by far the most effective way to receive direct stress relief, and will also help reduce the fat stores of the body where acid waste inhabits in abundance.
pH Miracle Diet Shopping Tips
If you’ve read about the pH miracle diet and you’ve decided to give it a try, you have a few tasks ahead of you. Depending on how committed you are the program you may begin with clearing out your pantry and your refrigerator of all highly acidic foods. If you live with others who won’t be on the diet with you, you may just want to remove the high acid treats that you find irresistible. Either way, whether you do a “kitchen purge” or just remove a few items from your shelves, you’ll need to go grocery shopping.
Shopping for the pH miracle diet can be done at any grocery store, but occasionally people find it easier to get specialty items at health foods stores or natural food chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. However, if you live in an area where there is no access to these types of stores, you can still easily purchase the items you need at a standard grocery store.
Before you make your shopping trip, you’ll need to start a list of items. You don’t want to walk into the grocery store blind and try to remember what you need to buy. Some people like to work from the alkaline food lists in the book. This is a good approach if you have a lot of money to spend and just want to fill your kitchen with these foods. However, a better and more organized approach is to first make out a menu list for the following week. When you shop from a planned menu and the recipes that go with those meal choices, you’ll only buy what you need. Additionally, many of the foods on the alkaline list are fresh vegetables. You’ll want to make sure that you actually need them before you buy them so you won’t risk wasting money.
Remember, when you first start, your diet doesn’t have to be 100% alkaline. In fact, even on strict versions of the pH miracle diet a balance between acid and alkaline is recommended. So when you make your menu and your grocery lists, keep that in mind. Foods that are slightly and moderately acidic include bananas, whole grain pasta, dried beans, eggs, milk, nuts and wheat bread. There are many others and you can consult different resources on the levels of acidity in foods. Strive to have balance in your daily diet of 70% alkaline to 30% acid.
When you arrive at the grocery store, with your list in hand, you’ll notice that you will be staying along the outer rim of the grocery store. Generally, the foods along the walls are fresher and more natural than the foods within the aisles. If you think about it, all of the foods in the center of the store are processed and packaged. The outer edges consist of the produce section, the dairy section and the deli and/or meat counter.
Produce, especially vegetables, is going to be the primary focus on your pH miracle diet shopping trip. Buy organic produce if you have the means to. However, the real importance is that you buy the vegetables and use them in your cooking. If you have to use conventionally grown produce or frozen produce that is better than using no produce at all.
The only word of caution is to avoid canned fruits and vegetables. The canning process has negative effects on the alkaline state of these foods. There is also a lot of sodium in canned fruits and vegetables. If you cannot buy fresh, look for frozen. Many stores that do not carry organic fresh produce will have organic frozen produce.
It’s best to purchase balance of alkaline and acid foods as you get used to this way of living and eating. If you go cold turkey on your favorite foods and believe that you have to be super strict in order to be healthy, you will end up rebounding back to you acidic ways of eating. Strive for mostly alkaline to begin with, and then you can move further up the alkaline spectrum and eliminate more acidic foods.
Preventing Death With The pH Miracle Diet
The Center of Disease Control and Prevention evaluates several health factors when it compiles its list of preventable causes of death. Among the expected conditions on the list were death from tobacco, death from alcohol consumption and death from drugs. However, surprisingly, poor diet and lack of physical activity is actually the number 2 cause of preventable death in the U.S. It is poised to take over the number 1 spot from tobacco in the coming years.
Poor diet and lack of exercise currently count for 16.6% of total deaths, or 400,000 deaths in the United States each year. Yet the last twenty to thirty years have been marked with an increased interest in dieting and exercise. Most adults, especially women, claim they are on diets at least once a year. Despite this commitment, the nation is continuing to get fatter. Obesity rates are at an all time high, and childhood obesity is on the rise for the first time ever.
If many people are on diets, but the vast majority of the population is still overweight and unhealthy, the problem lies with the diets that people are trying. The pH miracle diet addresses the missing ingredient in today’s diet that is causing people to gain weight even when they think they are eating healthfully. Conventional diets disregard the body’s natural pH. They encourage eating a variety of foods that are acidic to the body.
Low-fat diets fail because they often substitute sugar for fat. They also allow processed grain products, dairy products and acidifying vegetables. Low-carbohydrate diets fail because they emphasize meat and other dairy proteins, which knock the body’s natural pH off balance.
Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH miracle diet, explains that the best diet will address the pH factor. The body has a pH of 7.4, which is slightly alkaline. Eating alkaline foods and taking steps to reduce stress will help bring the body back into balance. Many of the conditions that people suffer from are a result from too much acidic waste in the body. This acidic waste builds up when you eat acid-producing foods, experience a lot of stress and ignore your body’s need for exercise.
Alkalizing the body with the pH miracle diet will bring your bodily pH back to normal and will give you relief from a variety of symptoms. However, you cannot alkalize your body if you continue to drink or eat high sugar drinks and fruits. Drinking alcohol will also disrupt the pH of your system, as will drinking coffee, soda and teas. The best beverage to drink for alkalizing is ionized water. Starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and breads all break down to sugar, and then produce acid waste that collects in the body. Eating any of the animal proteins (chicken, beef, pork, lamb etc) will create excess acid waste in your body as well. Dairy products have concentrated sugars that break down into lactic acid, which creates acidic waste.
Non-food related behaviors also increase the level of acidity in the body. If you don’t exercise regularly you are allow acids to build up in your tissues. These acids increase your fat production and cause lethargy.
The solution for the acidic waste and the cure for the second most prevalent preventable disease both lay in some simple steps. Eat whole, natural unprocessed foods as the basis for your diet. You should emphasize alkalizing green foods, which have the vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs to restore balance. Drinking pH alkaline water will help, as will daily exercise. You need to get out there and get moving in order to release the excess acid from your body.
Disadvantages Of The pH Miracle Diet
When something becomes popular, it invites criticism from other sources. The recently popular pH miracle diet is no different. As the program has gained followers, it has gained just as much criticism from different individuals.
The main criticism of the diet is that it encourages people to become vegetarians and vegans. Critics say that this diet, particularly with its omission of dairy products (a vegetarian protein source), is dangerously low in protein. However, this criticism comes from the common misconception that humans need massive amounts of protein. The recent popularity of low-carb diets (which are really just high-protein diets) has re-cemented this myth in the mind of many people. Health has become equivalent with eating red meat and dairy.
However, there are many sources of natural and healthy proteins that don’t have the harmful acidic effects of red meat and dairy products. The truth is, most people get too much protein and not too little. Women require about 45 grams of protein per day, and men need 55 grams. Once single cup of tofu (which is acceptable on the pH miracle diet) contains 20 grams of protein. Beans contain at least 8 grams of protein per half cup. So it is really quite easy to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet.
Another criticism related to this issue is calcium. Many people equate drinking milk with strong bones. However, American women consume an average of two pounds of milk per day and yet 30 million of them develop osteoporosis. If drinking milk helped make bones stronger, then the opposite would be true. A study conducted by Cornell-trained nutritionist Amy Joy Lanou showed that there was no specific link between dairy products and bone health in children and young adults. There are plenty of sources of calcium available in the alkalizing food categories that will provide protection against osteoporosis.
Many critics also claim that the emphasis on vegetables and fresh foods is the real reason behind the success that people receive from the diet. The pH miracle diet suggests eating almost 70 percent vegetables and acceptable fruits. At this level, whether you are eating alkalizing foods or not, anyone will have an improvement in health. Critics disregard the importance of the pH balance of the diet.
However, there have been many people who have experienced great results after eliminating wheat, an acidic food. Wheat is not a food that one normally associates with ill health, however, eliminating wheat has been a godsend to many people who have suffered the symptoms of over-acidified diets. The amount of alkalizing vegetables in the diet will definitely do anybody good, whether or not they take the rest of the diet to heart. By eating from the list of alkaline foods, you will be improving your health no matter how strict you are on the diet.
This leads to another popular criticism of the book. Many people claim that the pH miracle diet program is too strict for daily life. The elimination of common foods like animal protein, milk and wheat seems overwhelming for people. They cannot fathom going through a whole day without eating something from one of these foods groups. The idea of sticking to a diet that is primarily plant based seems too rigid and strict. However, many people who use the pH miracle diet have seen beneficial results without being 100% strict with the rules of the diet.
Like with many other diets, the pH miracle diet outlines steps toward better health. The emphasis here is on steps. It is unreasonable to expect anyone to do a complete 180-degree change in his or her eating habits overnight. Taking a slower approach to changing your diet will create longer and more successful results. If the diet is followed word for word, it is difficult at first because people are so used to eating a certain way. With time and practice though, you can move toward better health and a more pH balanced diet.
Meet The pH Miracle Diet Creator
The pH diet is an innovative way to interact with food. The diet stresses the need for balance in the diet of alkaline and acid. This balance will help maintain a healthy flow through the bloodstream and keep cellular growth and development working at optimum levels. By lowering destructive acid levels with more alkaline a host of benefits can result, namely sustainable energy and good health. By following a simple regimen of balanced eating along with testing saliva for pH levels, one can achieve better health. The primary proponent of this alkaline diet is a man by the name of Dr. Robert Young.
Dr. Young heralds that a diet that is made up of 80% alkaline producing foods and 20% acid producing foods will allow people to achieve their healthier bodies and healthier lives. Through his research Dr. Young has surmised that the optimum pH level of the human body is 7.35. The pH spectrum is from 1 to 14 with 1 being highly acid and 14 being highly alkaline. With the body leaning toward moderately alkaline he contends that people can supplement their diets with more alkaline. Dr. Robert Young stresses that a body that is ravaged by excess acid will be more prone to serious health problems.
Dr. Robert Young began is studies in the early 70s at the University of Utah, where he studied biology and business. He earned as MS in nutrition, a DSc in science, a PhD in nutrition, and a ND from Clayton College of Natural Health during the 90s. Critics of Dr. Young question the validity of the school in which he received his degrees. The impact of his teachings is undeniable, he has helped many people obtain better health through a regimen of increased fruits and vegetables and more water consumption. He also stresses avoiding caffeine and alcoholic beverages to maintain vitality.
He is also a staunch supporter of pleomorphism, the belief in the ability of bacteria to morph shape dramatically or to mutate into many morphological forms. This idea has firmly split the microbiologist community into two schools of thought, the pleomorphists who support the claims; and the monomorphists who vehemently dispute them. In the current scientific community the monomorphic perspective of microbiology has emerged as the dominant theory. Modern medical science supports the monomorphic theory of cell development in which cells derive from previously formed cells of the same size and shape.
Dr. Young holds retreats where he educates the patrons on the Alkali Diet as well as a live red blood cell examination in an in-depth microscopy seminar. According to the National Council Against Health Fraud (http://www.ncahf.org/digest05/05-14.html#young) Dr. Robert Young pleaded guilty in 1996 to a misdemeanor charge of attempted medicine without a license. He was promised that the charge would be dismissed if he stayed clear for 18 months. Young allegedly had examined blood samples from two women who were seeking nutritional advice.
Critics of his live red blood cell examination conclude that his test have no scientific validity. Dr. Young counters his critics citing many papers and sources validating his claims including Understanding Acid-Base by Benjamin Abeloh, M.D., a lecturer of medicine at Yale school of Medicine and Clinical Physiology of Acid-Base by Burton David Rose, M.D., a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
According to his website (http://www.phmiracleliving.com/press-kit.htm), Dr. Young is a member of the American Society of Microbiologists, the American Naturopathic Association, and an honorary member of the Connecticut Holistic Health Assocations, the Presidents Council at Brigham Young University. He is also a consultant for InnerLight, Inc. and an advisor to Dean Lawrence Carter at the Martin Luther King Chapel, Morehouse College. He was also honored by Professor Lawrence Carter at Morehouse College with an induction into the collegium of scholars as well as placed on the advisory board. He has been praised by Professor Carter for his efforts in understanding the balance of body chemistry and the effects of this balance on health.
Cooking Tips For The pH Miracle Diet
Adopting the pH miracle diet way of life means changing your approach to eating and cooking. Many people make the transition easily, but for others the pH miracle diet makes them enter the foreign territory of fresh vegetables and vegetarian protein sources.
There is an endless supply of alkalizing recipes in the pH miracle diet books and online. You will never be out of meal ideas if you take the time to look for new recipes each week. Although at first the meals and methods may be unfamiliar, they will become second nature with practice.
Many people who start out on the pH miracle diet way of eating do not know where to start. Their diets used to consist primarily of packaged foods, meats and other acid forming choices. While its okay to eat these foods occasionally, the vast majority of their recipes and meal choices are now a thing of the past.
This may seem overwhelming at first, but really you only need to find 10 recipes that you like and can make well. That’s really all that most families and individuals use. If you rotate only two or three dinner recipes, you are going to get burnt out on the program really fast. Try a few new recipes each week and build your “portfolio” of alkalizing meals until you have 10 meals that you and your family love to eat.
Look over the list of alkalizing foods, and take note of which foods that you and your family already enjoy. Then try to find more recipes that incorporate those tastes and textures. This will be much easier and enjoyable for your family to adapt to if you start off with foods they already like, than all of a sudden introducing tofu, kale and dandelion root.
One of the first recipes you should try is an alkalizing broth. There are many variations but basically the broth is made from alkalizing vegetables and distilled water. The broth has a lot of necessary minerals and can help restore pH balance to your body. It promotes internal cleansing of all of the tissues and organs of the body. This broth can be used as a basis for more complex soups, or it can be served as a first course before any meal.
Many fans of the pH miracle diet rely on juices to help cleanse their bodies of excess acidity. There are many popular juice recipes and they would be a good addition to your new way of eating. The juices can be consumed as a quick breakfast or a snack sometime throughout the day. Most can be made in a blender, so you don’t need a fancy juicer.
If you have children at home, you may be worried about finding recipes that they will love. There are many children’s vegetarian cookbooks that can be adapted for the alkaline diet by substituting certain vegetables. A lot of tasty fruits like apples, raspberries and strawberries are on the alkaline list. Sweet potatoes, which are a favorite of many children once they try them, are highly alkalizing foods and are good for the winter months. In the summer time, celery and other fresh veggies are a great snack and can be dipped in homemade hummus or a dip made from mayonnaise and lemon juice.
With a little practice and research, making alkalizing meals will become second nature to you and your family.
Overview Of The pH Miracle Diet
The pH Miracle diet is the newest phenomenon to strike the dieting world. Health experts have noticed that popular diets seem to go in waves. While the 90s were marked by the low-fat diet craze, the last six to seven years have been focused on low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins, the South Beach Diet, Protein Power and Sugarbusters. As people become frustrated with each type of diet, they look for something new to try. The pH Miracle diet is the focus of a lot of new interest.
The pH miracle diet is so appealing to people because it is a complete 180-degree turn from the high-protein, low carbohydrate diets of the past few years. The pH Miracle diet, also called the alkaline diet or the Young Diet, after its creator Robert Young, has a totally different approach to nutrition. Many holistic doctors and nutritionists see it as a more balanced approach to nutrition that takes the body’s true needs into account.
Basically, the human body has a pH that is slightly alkaline. The theory is that since the human body runs at this pH, our diet should be comprised of mostly alkaline foods. The standard American diet has many foods that are considered acidic, such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine and packaged foods. All of these foods disrupt the pH balance of the body and cause a whole host of problems. The proponents of the pH Miracle diet say that all of these acidic foods actually disrupt the body’s use of alkaline minerals. These minerals include sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which make people prone to chronic diseases.
This is the real crux of the importance of the pH diet. The nutrition and health community has come to realize that what a person puts into their body has a profound effect on their overall health. Although the mainstream medical community has emphasized a balanced diet including fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products, the pH diet takes this a step further. It points out that the acidic foods actually rob your body of essential minerals. Those who follow the pH miracle diet are avoiding foods that can be disastrous to their health.
Many of the foods that we eat commonly are considered no-nos on the pH miracle diet. One of the most surprising omissions is the absence of wheat products. The FDA recommends whole-wheat products for better health. Yet according the pH diet, grains like wheat, millet, oats and rice are acidic and harmful. The alkaline grains of buckwheat, quinoa and spelt are favored for their alkalizing benefits.
Generally, all meats and dairy are omitted on the pH Miracle diet. If you’re worried about protein, goat milk is slightly alkaline. There is also protein provided from vegetarian options like beans, tofu and certain nuts and seeds. Most vegetables have alkalizing effects, except for mushrooms. Fruits are limited to coconut, grapefruit, lemon and lime.
Those that have tried the pH miracle diet say that they feel massive effects on their health within the first few weeks. Lowering the intake of processed foods and eating more vegetables is good health advice for everyone, whether or not they follow the specifications of this particular diet. In fact, this has been one of the major criticisms of the pH miracle diet. Opponents say that if people are already eating fresh foods and drinking plenty of water, then the diet will have no effect. They disregard the acid/alkaline balance theory.
Another important thing to consider is that there has been no scientific testing of the theories behind the pH miracle diet. Also, many conventional medical doctors see no benefit to the program. However, the principles behind the diet are based on holistic medicine and Chinese medicine, which have been around for centuries. The ph Miracle diet principles are currently being studies at John Hopkins’s university and by Dr. Neil Solomon of the United Nations. Soon the critics may have to re-evaluate their stance on the diet’s scientific basis.
Losing Weight With The pH Miracle Diet
One of the biggest benefits of the pH miracle diet is weight loss. Many people have turned to this diet to lose weight as well as to improve their overall level of health The pH miracle diet is very efficient at removing extra weight.
Obesity is a nationwide epidemic. According to recent studies, over 59 million adults over the age of 20 are obese (30 or more pounds overweight). One in three Americans have a some degree of being overweight that puts them at medical risk for many different conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, diabetes and hypertension. Even more startling is the number of children that qualify as overweight and obese. In the early 1990s the National Center for Health Statistics found that 15 percent of children between 6 and 19 were overweight, which was twice as much as the results found in the early 1980s. The numbers have grown even more significant. Today, 9 million children are at least 15 pounds overweight with many millions qualifying as obese.
What is to blame for these alarming obesity rates? The environment of highly acidic foods and high levels of stress have made for a disastrous combination. The more acidic a body becomes, the more fat the body will store. Overweight conditions result from too much acid in the body. Eliminating acid from the diet with the pH miracle diet will help you lose weight.
The accumulation of fat is actually the body’s attempt to deal with the high levels of acid waste. Many people think that fat is bad and that fat is the enemy that needs to be attacked. Fat is just a symptom of a larger problem – acidity. You may be surprised to find out that your fat is saving your life. Fat is actually protecting your body from rising levels of acidity. When you eat massive amounts of sugar, starches, red meat, dairy products and other acidic foods, your body uses fat to bind to the acid to protect your cells.
The acidic cycle in your body functions in the following way. When you eat foods that produce acid when they are digested, this acid builds up in your body. When the acid is not eliminated in a timely fashion, it can disturb other cells and get in the way of their functioning. Pretty soon, many cells in the body are being negatively affected by the presence of acid. However, the body has a line of defense in the form of fat. Dietary and body fat are both used to neutralize the acid. The acid bound fat is either eliminated or stored, depending on how much there is. The body can only rid itself of so much acid bound fat, so when you eat a lot of acidic foods you will store a lot of fat.
So people who are overweight and obese are actually showing signs of being too acid. Their diets are too much for their body to handle, so body fat is being used as a line of defense. Fat is a symptom, not the main problem. Many people begin to think that eliminating fat from their diets is the key. However if they are still eating acidic foods they are actually robbing their bodies of the ability to protect themselves. Low-carbohydrate and high protein diets have high levels of fat, but the people on these diets need that fat because their diet is highly acidic (animal protein has acidifying effects).
The dietary solution for weight loss is to follow a program that is high in alkaline foods. The pH miracle diet balances out the acidity that you have been developing in your body and will restore you to your ideal weight.
Water Ionizers And The pH Miracle Diet
The pH miracle diet is a revolutionary new program for restoring balance to the body. By eating foods and drinks that are mostly alkaline, you remove the negative effects of acidic foods. People who have started the diet report that they experience weight loss, improvement in arthritis, removal of concentration problems and more energy as well as many other benefits. The key to the pH miracle diet is eating primarily alkaline foods, however, drinking alkaline water is also important.
Alkaline or ionized water provides your body with the right pH it needs for your cells to function. The human body and all of its cells have a pH of 7.4 that is slightly alkaline. Drinking alkaline water helps support this system. Ionized alkaline water can be created in your very own home with the use of a water ionizer. The water ionizer will take the water from your kitchen faucet and pass it through an advanced filter that will remove pesticides, chlorine and other contaminants. The water will then be pulls through an ionization chamber. In this chamber, the pre-filtered water is run over positive and negative electrodes to split it into acid and alkaline water.
Alkaline water is better tasting and has antioxidant activity. It improves your body’s ability to detoxify itself and increases the oxygen delivered to your cells. The minerals within the water are microclustered for better hydration. Drinking alkaline water each day will help your body become more balanced. If you use green drinks to support your pH miracle diet, mixing them with ionized water will increase their effectiveness. Using ionized water in cooking will also produce better tasting foods. Alkaline water will help vegetables maintain their natural colors when you steam them.
Ionized water helps rid your body of accumulated acid. The water helps flush toxins from all of the body tissues and into the kidneys, where it is then excreted through the urine. If you’ve been eating a highly acidic diet and start the pH miracle diet it is recommended that you drink 4 liters of ionized water per day to get your system back in order. Four liters of water per day may seem like a lot, but it will be better for your health if you flush out the toxins as fast as possible.
A water ionizer has two water chambers, one with positive electrodes and one with negative electrodes. The negative electrodes will attract the positive minerals (which are all alkaline) and the positive electrodes attract negatively charged minerals (or acid minerals). The alkaline minerals are calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium. The acid minerals are chlorine, fluoride, sulfur, silicon and copper.
The two chambers have a special membrane between them with microscopic holes. The holes are so small that the water molecules cannot mingle, but the ionized minerals can get through. After the process is complete, there will be about 70% alkaline water and 30% acid water. The alkaline water comes through the spigot, and the acid water is expelled directly into the drain.
Water ionizers have been in use for the last 60 years and were first developed in Japan’s agricultural universities. The health benefits of ionized water were well researched and then water ionizers became available to the Japanese public. They are now available to residents in other countries as well.
Controlling Energy Levels With The pH Diet
Did you know that your blood has a pH level? pH is the measurement of how acid or alkaline something is. The pH level scale runs from 1 to 14 with 1 serving as “very acidic” 7 being “neutral” and 14 being “very alkaline”. In fact your bloodstream goes to great lengths to maintain a pH level of 7.35 to 7.45, slightly alkaline. Why is this important? Among many reasons why your body strives for this balance starts with your energy level. The pH miracle diet will help balance your body and increase your energy.
Have you ever put low quality fuel into your car after running it on premium fuel? There is a difference in acceleration, handling, and overall performance and this is directly linked to the quality of fuel you put in the tank. Your body is a finely tuned machine. Like other types of machinery, the parts need to be kept running by fuel. The best fuel for your body is a custom mix, more alkaline than acid. What difference does this make?
It all starts in the bloodstream. Think of the bloodstream as a superhighway with stops all over the body. Red blood cells are the commuting traffic riding along the bloodstream in a hurry to get to work. These red blood cells each have a negative charge on them, and this keeps them from getting into fender benders and collisions in the bloodstream. When the negative charge is stripped away from the red blood cells, they cluster together and can cause gridlock and bottlenecks in the bloodstream. In short, the traffic in the bloodstream isn’t flowing as smoothly and it causes everything to slow down. If you’ve ever been stuck in freeway traffic you know how frustrating this is.
This stress on the body causes a domino effect, which eventually saps the energy away and makes you tired and sluggish. Acid is the culprit in the bloodstream traffic jam. When acid is introduced into the bloodstream it eats away at the negative charge that surrounds each red blood cell and causes all sorts of problems. How can you avoid this? The answer is quite simple and it starts with what you put in your stomach. Red blood cells are created by the food that you eat. When the stomach works on digesting food, it leaves behind natural acidic waste. Your body eliminates this waste through your urine and sweat, but there comes a point when the waste build up is too great to eliminate.
What does your body do with all of the acidic waste it can’t get rid off? The answer is quite shocking, it stores it in your body! The cells in your body are mostly alkaline and this acid waste starts to attack and destroy these cells. A lot of energy is expelled keeping the waste from doing detrimental damage to your body, but this fight can only go on for so long. Eventually the build up is so great that the cells deteriorate and cause energy depletion and leaves the body open to disease.
How can you avoid this slow death? A higher energy level helps to fend off opportunistic diseases and ensures strong cellular regeneration. Making changes to your diet is a huge step in reversing this breakdown of your body while boosting your energy level. The choices you make in what you eat will greatly determine how much of this acidic waste gets stored in your body. The more alkaline your food choices are the less of this waste will be accumulated in your body, tipping the balance in the favor of good health.
The old adage “you are what you eat” is absolutely true. By controlling the amounts of alkaline food you ingest you are giving your body a fighting chance. Find books and lists that outline which foods are alkaline and which ones are acidic. By limiting your intake of acidic foods and increasing your intake of alkaline food with the pH miracle diet you can increase your stamina, endurance, and the overall performance of your body machine.
The pH Diet And Parasites
The pH miracle diet restores balance to body. By eating mostly alkaline foods, you give your body nutrition that is more in line with the alkaline state of your cells. Excess acidic foods can lead to a host of problems. Among other benefits, following the pH miracle diet can also reduce your tendency to harbor dangerous parasites in your system that can wreak havoc on your health.
What do pH and parasites have to do with one another? The human body has a normal pH at the intracellular level of around 7.4. This is slightly alkaline. Parasites, which are unfriendly bacteria, viruses, protozoa, amoebas and microscopic worms, cannot live between a pH of 7.2 to 7.4.
In the United States, we have a diet that produces high levels of acid at the intracellular level. This is called acidosis, and it is a major underlying cause to many diseases. It also allows parasites to run rampant through your body. If you want to maintain health, you’ll need to restore balance to your body with an alkalizing diet.
Over time, everything we consume either keeps our bodies in an acidic state or a base state (alkaline). Processed sugars and starches, which are both a major mainstay of the Western diet, are some of the prime offenders in the acidification process. Natural sugar sources have minerals and vitamins within them. Fruits start out as acids, but have the necessary minerals within them to help the cells turn those acids into alkaline by products. Processed sugars do not, and when they are consumed, they release acid into the body. With heavy use of starches and sugars, the body becomes acidic.
Acidic pH at the intracellular level becomes a breeding ground for parasites and actually causes a mutation of friendly intestinal flora into a condition called candidiasis. Candida is natural yeast that is found in the intestine. It is kept in balance by other friendly bacteria that live with it.
However, with the overuse of sugar and the introduction of antibiotics, these friendly bacteria will becomes less prevalent. Candida will mutate and grow out of control. Candida symptoms include uncontrollable sugar cravings, chronic yeast infections, acne, dry skin, fatigue and frequent sinus infections. Parasites can also thrive when candida does, because the friendly bacteria are not there to keep them in check. Worms that would normally pass through the body find a hospitable environment and take hold in the intestine.
Parasites can destroy cells faster than they can be regenerated. They also produce toxic substances as a byproduct of their digestions. These toxic substances can lead to allergic reactions and can cause you to develop new food allergies. Parasites also irritate and invade body tissues, including the intestinal lining and even the skin. The parasites make it difficult for the tissues to operate correctly.
Over time, organ obstructions can develop and this can put pressure of your body organs and overall body functions. The immune system becomes depressed and the presence of parasites can prevent your body from using its natural healing reactions. Finally, the over presence of parasites in the body can prevent your body from absorbing nutrients properly.
The good news is that by following the pH diet you can restore the balance to your body. Since parasites can’t live in an environment that is between 7.2 and 7.4 pH, alkalizing your diet will help remove them from your system. When you follow this diet you will be able to reverse the acidification process and make your body an inhospitable place for parasites.
How pH Affects Your Body
Did you know that your blood has a pH level? pH is the measurement of how acid or alkaline something is. The pH level scale runs from 1 to 14 with 1 serving as “very acidic” 7 being “neutral” and 14 being “very alkaline”. In fact your bloodstream goes to great lengths to maintain a pH level of 7.35 to 7.45, slightly alkaline. Why is this important? Among many reasons why your body strives for this balance starts with your energy level. The pH miracle diet will help balance your body and increase your energy.
Have you ever put low quality fuel into your car after running it on premium fuel? There is a difference in acceleration, handling, and overall performance and this is directly linked to the quality of fuel you put in the tank. Your body is a finely tuned machine. Like other types of machinery, the parts need to be kept running by fuel. The best fuel for your body is a custom mix, more alkaline than acid. What difference does this make?
It all starts in the bloodstream. Think of the bloodstream as a superhighway with stops all over the body. Red blood cells are the commuting traffic riding along the bloodstream in a hurry to get to work. These red blood cells each have a negative charge on them, and this keeps them from getting into fender benders and collisions in the bloodstream. When the negative charge is stripped away from the red blood cells, they cluster together and can cause gridlock and bottlenecks in the bloodstream. In short, the traffic in the bloodstream isn’t flowing as smoothly and it causes everything to slow down. If you’ve ever been stuck in freeway traffic you know how frustrating this is.
This stress on the body causes a domino effect, which eventually saps the energy away and makes you tired and sluggish. Acid is the culprit in the bloodstream traffic jam. When acid is introduced into the bloodstream it eats away at the negative charge that surrounds each red blood cell and causes all sorts of problems. How can you avoid this? The answer is quite simple and it starts with what you put in your stomach. Red blood cells are created by the food that you eat. When the stomach works on digesting food, it leaves behind natural acidic waste. Your body eliminates this waste through your urine and sweat, but there comes a point when the waste build up is too great to eliminate.
What does your body do with all of the acidic waste it can’t get rid off? The answer is quite shocking, it stores it in your body! The cells in your body are mostly alkaline and this acid waste starts to attack and destroy these cells. A lot of energy is expelled keeping the waste from doing detrimental damage to your body, but this fight can only go on for so long. Eventually the build up is so great that the cells deteriorate and cause energy depletion and leaves the body open to disease.
How can you avoid this slow death? A higher energy level helps to fend off opportunistic diseases and ensures strong cellular regeneration. Making changes to your diet is a huge step in reversing this breakdown of your body while boosting your energy level. The choices you make in what you eat will greatly determine how much of acidic waste gets stored in your body. The more alkaline your food choices are the less of this waste will be accumulated in your body, tipping the balance in the favor of good health.
The old adage “you are what you eat” is absolutely true. By controlling the amounts of alkaline food you ingest you are giving your body a fighting chance. Find books and lists that outline which foods are alkaline and which ones are acidic. By limiting your intake of acidic foods and increasing your intake of alkaline food with the pH miracle diet you can increase your stamina, endurance, and the overall performance of your body machine.
Should You Start The pH Miracle Diet?
The pH Miracle Diet is one of the most interesting and groundbreaking new eating plans to hit the world of nutrition and dieting. This way of eating proclaims that following the program will help restore your health to natural balance and rid you of a myriad of conditions, including excess weight. While most people are looking to shed a few pounds, this diet also claims to help with fatigue, muscle pain and indigestion, as well as many other problems.
If you’ve tried low carbohydrate diets before and felt terrible after consuming all of that protein, then the pH Miracle diet may be for you. This eating program is based on alkaline foods, which are better for your health and for your body. Since humans have a slightly alkaline pH, eating alkaline foods helps support the bodily pH balance. Most people eat a lot of acidic foods like animal protein, dairy products and wheat. The pH miracle diet consists of certain fruits, vegetables, alternative grains and vegetarian protein sources.
Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH Miracle diet, points out in his book that many people’s health problems are due to excess acidity in the body. Among other things, Young says that chronic fatigue, excess mucous production, nasal congestion, frequent colds and infections, stress, anxiety, weak nails, dry hair, dry skin, headaches, arthritis, muscle pain, hives and leg cramps are all signs of excess acidity.
If you have had any of these symptoms for an extended period of time, your acidic diet may be to blame. Think about how much of your diet relies on high acid foods, like animal protein and dairy products. If these problems have been a bother to your life and your health for some time, you’ll benefit from giving the pH miracle diet a try.
The pH miracle diet will be a welcome relief for those who have tried to do low carb diets with little success. The foods are less harsh on the stomach and digestive system than the heavy protein required on low-carb diets. There is also a better balance of protein to carbohydrates. The proteins that are used on the pH miracle diet are selected carefully for their level of acid. The proteins consist of alkalizing tofu, beans and nuts.
The pH miracle diet is also good for people who enjoy eating a vegetarian diet. If you’ve given up meat for a day or two and felt better, than this diet may be very beneficial for you. There is no meat on the diet and the only alkaline dairy product allowed is goat milk. Tofu, which has long been a mainstay of vegetarian diets, is a major part of the pH miracle diet.
If you have a diet that consists mainly of processed foods and very few vegetables, you will definitely benefit from this diet. A diet that consists of manufactured food has very little natural nutrients. This can cause many detriments to your health and you can suffer from the effects of malnutrition, even when you are eating your fill. The focus on vegetables and fresh foods in this way of eating will help get natural vitamins and minerals back into your diet. Just adding a moderate amount of alkaline foods to your diet can improve your health greatly.
The pH miracle diet is a good diet for many different types of people. If you fit any of the previous criteria, you owe it to your health to give this way of eating a try.
Green Drinks For The pH Miracle Diet
If you’ve been learning about the benefits of the pH miracle diet you’ve probably run across the phrase “green drinks” before. In fact, a quick search of reviews on Robert Young’s book “The pH Miracle Diet” shows that many people who use the program also use green drinks to boost the level of alkaline in their diets. What are green drinks and how are they beneficial to those following the pH diet?
Green drinks are a simple and easy way for people to get more nutrition and alkalinity into their diet. The pH miracle diet approach offers people a simple and basic understanding of why their bodies are out of balance. The key problem in health and excess weight is the presence of too much acid in the diet. That acid builds up and causes problems in the functioning of your cells. Over time, the acidity builds up in your body and makes a negative environment for your cells, organs and tissues. The solution is to eat an alkalizing diet that has a calming effect on the system. This will get your body pH back into balance and allow your cells to function as they were meant to.
You can simply and easily infuse your body with alkaline foods by using green drinks one to three times per day. Green drinks are made from grasses, sprouted grains and other green vegetables. These will help your body become more alkaline and they have the vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your body needs to repair itself.
There are many different green drinks available on the market. Most come in powder form and each day you mix a few spoonfuls with water. They are available at local health foods stores or on the Internet. Since there are so many brands to choose from the choice might be overwhelming. The main thing to look for in a green drink is the presence of alkaline vegetable ingredients. Make sure to read the label of ingredients carefully. Although all green drinks are different, most contain a few common ingredients.
Kamut grass can decrease cholesterol levels, help with weight loss and add protein to the diet. Broccoli is a strong anti-cancer food and it also helps boost the immune system and improve digestion. Dandelion greens help with weight loss and cholesterol levels. They are also a good source of iron and calcium. Kale contains vitamin C, A, Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. Alfalfa sprouts can help redistribute your body weight after you lose weight. These are just a few of the powerful ingredients contained in green drinks. Some have lists of dozens of ingredients.
Another thing to look for in your green drink is notification that the ingredients are organically grown. Make sure the green drink contains no algae, mushroom or probiotics as these are acidifying ingredients. Finally, check the label carefully for non-nutrient ingredients and fillers.
The directions for taking green drinks depend on the manufacturer. Most green drinks are taken mixed with water up to four times daily. Some are available in capsules and should be taken with plenty of water. When you first begin taking green drinks, it is recommended that you take half a dose for one week in order to get your body used to the effects.
Green drinks help with instantly alkalizing your body. They neutralize the excess acids that are in your system. Many people report feeling instant increases in energy and a reduction in cravings for sugar and caffeine. If you are the type of person who cannot get moving without your morning cup of coffee, give green drinks a try for a week and feel the difference. Green drinks also help the immune system and can reduce the amounts of yeasts and toxins in the body.
You can feel the effects of the pH miracle diet instantly when you use green drinks. Research your options and then select a green drink brand that looks good to you and fits the alkalizing criteria. Green drinks are an instant way to alkalize your body and improve your health.
Making Your Diet More Alkaline
The pH miracle diet is a revolutionary new way to look at how you eat. The essentials of the diet are to keep the ph balance of food intake at 80% alkaline with 20% acidity. The goal with this diet is to match the ph level of the bloodstream, which runs on the alkaline side. This task can be daunting for many because foods that most people love to indulge themselves on are considered high in acidity. The goal in adding more alkaline into your diet is to identify good sources of alkaline. Creating a comprehensive list of alkaline producing foods will help you make the most of the pH miracle diet.
Alkalizing foods have a tonic effect on the body. By neutralizing the acidity in the bloodstream, alkaline foods act as a “breath of fresh air” to the system regenerating and restoring damaged cells. Diets high in acidic foods cause the body to break down prematurely, the bloodstream carries these “acid bombs” throughout the system wreaking havoc in their wake. By determining what foods have an alkalizing effect on the body, we can incorporate them into our diet in larger amounts, setting the pH levels in the bloodstream to the optimum level. On average, the pH level of human blood is between 7.35 and 7.45; levels 7 and above are considered alkaline.
Vegetables and fruits are the easiest ways to get more alkaline into your diet. Vegetables that are alkalizing are: alfalfa, barley grass, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard greens, collard greens, cucumber, dandelions, eggplant, garlic, green beans, green peas, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, nightshade veggies, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, rutabaga, sea veggies, spinach, sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watercress, wheat grass, and wild greens.
Fruits that have an alkalizing effect are: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, blackberries, cantaloupe, cherries, coconut, currants, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew, lemons, limes, muskmelons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, raisins, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, tropical fruits, and watermelon.
Protein can be a problem when attempting to add more alkaline into your diet. All protein derived from animals is acidic. It is possible to add protein to your diet that will have an alkalizing effect in your bloodstream. Proteins that are alkaline are: almonds, chestnuts, millet, tempeh, tofu, and whey protein powder.
Food is nothing without the spices, herbs and sweeteners that give it that extra bit of character. You can add these alkalizing additions to your culinary efforts to bring your PH levels into balance. Alkalizing condiments are: cinnamon, curry, ginger, mustard, chili pepper, sea salt, stevia, miso, tamari, and all herbs.
Minerals are essential to optimum health. Paying attention to which minerals have alkalizing effects can add the proper balance to your blood pH. Minerals that have an alkalizing effect on the body are: cesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium.
There are other incidentals that can make adding alkaline to your diet even easier. Other ways to add alkaline to your diet are: apple cider vinegar, alkaline antioxidant water, bee pollen, lecithin granules, molasses, probiotic cultures, soured dairy products, green juices, veggie juices, fresh fruit juice, and mineral water.
Knowing which foods and supplements that add alkaline to your pH levels is just the beginning. Implementing them is the next step which takes planning and commitment. After adding these healing foods to your diet you can test your body’s pH levels with a saliva strip test available at most health food stores. Keeping your pH level between 7 and 8 is the target for good health.
Remember the goal of the pH miracle diet is to have the alkaline intake higher than your acidic intake. This does not mean that you can’t enjoy the foods that are higher in acidity, quite the contrary; the balance of your diet should be geared toward alkaline producing foods. By maintaining a proper pH balance you can ensure that your body is performing at its optimum level.
pH Miracle Diet For Diabetes
Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Even more chilling, it is the first leading cause of death for children. The rising rates of obesity in this country have also led to rising rates of type II diabetes (also called adult onset diabetes). Today, one in 12 adults are afflicted with the disease. This means that over 16 million people have the disorder, with 6 million of them walking around undiagnosed and unaware of their sensitive insulin condition.
Type II diabetes is created by increased aging, obesity, poor nutrition, high stress and physical inactivity. All of these conditions can be traced back to one source…high acidity. Over-acid lifestyles and food choices have negative impacts on health, which is shown by the rapidly increasing diabetes rates in the country.
Diabetes is an old disorder. It has been known about for thousands of years and yet it is only today that it has become an epidemic. Part of the problem is that the nature of diabetes is a mystery, even to educated adults. People do not understand what insulin does in the body and how the insulin metabolism affects the health. Even current medical science has some misconceptions about the true nature of the disorder.
For example, many in the medical establishment believe that obesity is the cause of diabetes. However, obesity is a result of increased consumption of complex carbohydrates and simple sugars. The high rate of consumption of these products (which are made from the acidifying foods of sugar and processed wheat) leads to high acidity in the body. The body attempts to deal with the increase of waste acids by using fat to neutralize the acid. The fat is then stored as a safeguard for the cells in the body.
There is also a belief that insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels in the bodies. The term “insulin dependent” was created in the 1950s to create the impression that muscle and fat require insulin to take up glucose (the sugars created by eating high carbohydrate and sugary foods). However, current studies show that many different things in the body transport glucose. Cells require glucose for their cell respiration process. The body makes sure that the cells receive that, no matter how much insulin in present.
Insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type II diabetes, is brought on through a highly acidic lifestyle and acidic food choices. It occurs in the liver, muscles and fat cells. Excess caffeine, chocolate, sugar and carbohydrates stimulate these bodily organs and tissues. As the body is stimulated, the cells begin to release their glucose and this leads to the elevated levels of blood sugar that people see when they do blood sugar testing. The body cells are disorganized and the highly acidic state can lead to a host of problems overtime including premature aging, high blood pressure, inhibition of the release of glycogen from the liver, and the inhibition of the burning of fat.
Over stimulation of the bodily tissues through acidic foods can cause a lot of damage, and type II diabetes is just a symptom of an acidic lifestyle. In order to bring the body back into balance, you must include alkalizing green vegetables, green drinks and good fats in your diet. Plant proteins from grains and legumes also help restore the body’s previous homeostasis. The pH miracle diet includes a balanced plan for eating with your body, instead of against it. With the application of the principles of the diet, controlling and preventing diabetes is a simple matter of alkalized eating and living.
pH Miracle Diet And Diary Products
The pH miracle diet attempts to control many different conditions in the body, including obesity, through the omission of acidifying foods and behaviors. One of the most surprising inclusions on the list, at least to Westerners, is milk. Dairy products, although a mainstay of the Western diet, are not included in the diets of most of the populations around the world. So what does the rest of the world know that we don’t? Dairy is not necessary for health; from a pH perspective, it is actually harmful to the body.
Many people believe that dairy and milk are essential for bone density and for overall health. However, dairy products have large amounts of protein and fat, which are both acid forming elements. Cow’s milk and products made from cow’s milk produce acid. Goat and sheep milk and cheeses, which have less fat and protein, produce less acid. The only dairy exception is clarified butter that is alkalizing due to the short chain fats within it.
In 2003, the Harvard School of Public Health released an alternative pyramid to the FDA recommendations based on imbalances that the members saw in the original pyramid. Although it did not mention acid and alkaline foods specifically, the pyramid shows a tendency toward alkaline foods. One of the most striking differences between the FDA pyramid and the Harvard pyramid is the inclusion of a dairy serving or calcium supplement 1 time daily. The FDA recommends 2 to 3 servings per day, in addition to dietary supplements.
Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor in the departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, points out in an explanation of the Harvard pyramid that Americans should be eating less dairy products. The body needs calcium, but not at the levels present in the two to three servings recommended by the FDA. Calcium is necessary for normal bone development and maintenance; yet the average adult can get enough calcium from a supplement. The levels of calcium present in 2 to 3 servings of dairy per day can actually be harmful to health. Excess calcium intake may increase the risk for certain cancers and there have been no links between massive amounts of calcium and osteoporosis prevention.
In addition, dairy is far from being a pure food. The dairy industry has worked hard to proliferate the image of cow’s milk being essential and harmless. Consider, however, that fifty years ago the average cow produces 2,000 pounds of milk per year and today cows average 50,000 pounds per year. Drugs, antibiotics, hormones, specialized breeding and forced feeding all up milk production so dairy farmers can produce in mass quantities. All of these additives are part of the milk that people drink everyday.
A growing number of Americans, including those who follow the pH miracle diet, are eliminating dairy from their diet and having fantastic results. In recent studies, milk has been linked to intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, anemia and allergic reactions in infants and children. In children, the main problems were allergy, ear and tonsil infection, asthma, colic and childhood diabetes. The studies showed that adults suffered from heart disease, arthritis, allergy and sinusitis as a result of conventionally produced milk.
Just a quick search on the dangers of dairy can really open your eyes about this “safe” food. Reading the research and seeing the acidic effects of milk and other dairy products make it clear why it is excluded on the pH miracle diet.
Avoiding Mistakes In The pH Diet
The pH miracle diet is an exciting new way for people to take control of their health. By lowering your dependence on acid producing foods and raising your intake of alkali foods you can attain optimum health. The pH scale is from 1 to 14 , 1 being very acidic and 14 being very alkaline. The blood in the human bloodstream tends to run slightly alkaline at 7.35. All foods, beverages and in fact everything we put into our bodies will breakdown into acid or alkali. The body will store and eliminate excess amounts of these things respectively. An excess amount of acid stored in the body will cause the blood to cluster in the bloodstream, causing fatigue and trauma to the body on the cellular level. When there is so much shutdown going on in the body, the immune system will be lowered allowing disease and illness to enter. By keeping the balance of the pH level in the body at 7.35 you can ensure good health. Eating more alkaline foods and avoiding overly acidic foods a proper balance can be maintained. Researching which foods are alkalizing and which ones are acidifying will give you the power to make informed choices. Knowing where you are on the pH scale will determine what changes you need to implement into your daily routine. The monitoring of this balance can be achieved through the regular use of pH saliva test strips. With so much riding on proper technique and form, the level of personal accountability can be rather high for the first time dieter, especially if they are used to other diets that don’t require as much responsibility as the pH diet. This can be a daunting task for many starting out on the pH miracle diet. Here are two common mistakes and their solutions.
Trying to add too much alkaline into the system is a common pitfall many overly enthusiastic dieters fall into. The purpose of the pH miracle diet is to create a permanent way of living for you stressing the idea of balance. Many dieters want to solve the problem with a quick fix submerging them into an all alkali intake. This is going overboard with supplements and beverages promising to raise their alkaline levels to unhealthy levels. As stated earlier about too much acid in your bloodstream being unhealthy for you, so too can an overabundance of alkali. Many people focus on the claim that cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment, which is true, but nothing in the human body can survive very long in a purely alkali environment. Yes, it is true, too man alkalis can kill you. The key to life is everything in moderation and the pH diet is no exception. Acids and alkalis are meant to work in concert together. Acids serve your body and play a function in the breaking down of digested material. The stomach is an acid holding tank that converts food into energy. Alkaline waits in the intestinal tract for this newly energized material still hot with acidity and neutralizes it as the material is metabolized, absorbed and sent into the bloodstream. By keeping this harmonious partnership in synch you assure that your body’s pH levels stay within the optimum range.
Many people who start out don’t take enough time to look for complete listings of the pH levels of the foods they eat. There are many lists available online and in various books that offer food lists that break the groups down into acids and alkalis. Making sure to choose a comprehensive list will guarantee whole nutrition. A list that includes supplements, herbs, spices, and condiments is the most desirable. You want the most complete list possible including those foods which are neutral. Paying attention to how many foods are being ingested from the acid and alkali sides is a great way to ensure proper balance in the diet.
pH Diet To Fight Cancer Effects
One of the most important points of the pH miracle diet is that cancer can be prevented and reversed by applying the principles of the diet. Although these statements have caused some controversy in the world of health and wellness, many people credit the use of the pH miracle diet in reversing their cancer and improving their overall level of health.
According to Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH miracle diet, cancer is not a sickness or a disease as commonly thought. It is an effect of the metabolic acids that are built up in the blood and then released into the tissues. Cancer, according to Dr. Young, is actually an acidic liquid that spills into the cells, tissues and organs. It is not a mutation of the cells.
No condition happens without a cause. There are clear and direct causes for cancer, and as the pH miracle diet books show, the cause for cancer lies in over acidity. Diseases like cancer are due to systemic acidosis, which is extremely low pH (below 7.4). Any pH below 7.0 is considered acidic, and the lower the pH is the higher the acidity level in a person’s body is.
At the cellular level, your cells consume the food that you eat and produce metabolic acids. Those acids are normally expelled by the body through sweat or urine. When you consume a vast amount of acidic foods and lead a lifestyle that produces even more acidity, your body does not know what to do with the rest of the acid waste. When you eat highly acidic foods on a regular basis, your body simply does not have enough energy to get rid of the excess acids. They collect in the body, and create disruptions at the cellular level.
Metabolic acids are first kept in the blood and then they are kept in the tissues. When acid is kept in the tissue, it causes sickness, disease and cancerous tissues. Cancer is the acidic liquid from metabolism that pools in the body. It affects the cells around it and, like a rotten apple in a barrel, the effects spread from cell to cell causing disease. Cancer is not made of mutated cells. The cells themselves do not change form but they are limited in their function due to the presence of excess metabolic acid. There is no such thing as “cancer cells”; the cells are actually normal cells that have become highly acidic.
One of the most surprising parts of the relationship between pH and cancer is that tumors are in fact trying to help the body. They form in areas where the metabolic acid is becoming rampant and effecting cellular function. Tumors are your body’s attempt to prevent the spreading of the acidic cells to other parts of the body. The tumor is actually a signpost to where your body is collecting excess metabolic acid. Some people are genetically predisposed to collect metabolic acid in certain places. This is why some families have a history of, for example, breast cancer.
The tumors themselves are not the problem, but are just signs of what is going wrong in that part of the body. When cancer metastasizes, it is a sign of the acidic condition moving to other cells and making them acidic as well.
Cancer is not something that people get out of the blue. Cancer forming in the body is a sign of the choices that we make in what we eat, what we drink and how we live. An alkaline lifestyle that focuses on an alkaline diet and other calming behaviors will be much less likely to produce cancer, if it does at all. An acidic lifestyle and diet will be full of the pains of the build up of metabolic acid which can, in extremes, lead to cancer.
That is exciting news because it means that cancer is preventable and treatable. A cancer patient can start taking steps toward reversing the effects of cancer and preventing the spread of it. His or her alkaline centered diet may be more aggressive than someone’s who is just trying to get better overall health. However, by applying the principles of the pH miracle diet they can effectively reduce, control and eliminate cancer from their bodies.
Smooth Aging With The pH Miracle Diet
When many people hear the word “diet” they immediately think of weight loss. The focus on thinness in our society has equated this word with shedding a few pounds. However, diet really means any food or drinks you put into your body. The diet that you consume has a profound impact on your overall health. The pH miracle diet is not just a diet for weight loss. In fact, the first volume of this popular series was dedicated to health in general. The original pH miracle diet book focuses on many issues, including aging.
What does aging have to do with pH and acid/alkaline foods? Some experts contend that the reason we age has to do entirely with the amount of acidic foods that we eat. The theory is that we get older because we do not effectively get rid of the wastes and toxins that accumulated through our bodies.
We burn nutrients within our cells to get energy, maintain our body temperatures and get our bodies to function correctly. No matter what type of food you eat, vegetable or meat, acid or alkaline, gourmet food or junk food, they are composed of the same elements: carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen.
In order to function correctly, the cells use these nutrients. They “oxidize” them or burn them up into natural acids: carbonic acids, uric acids, lactic acids and fatty acids. The cells expel these acids as waste into urine and sweat. When the body is functioning properly and in a balanced manner, these waste acids are no problem. The body can get rid of them quickly and easily, and you can maintain a normal pH of around 7.4.
However, the modern way of living has resulted in our bodies not being able to rid themselves of the acids correctly. Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, overwork, stress, smoking, pollution and high acid diets (heavy in meat and dairy products) all prevent our bodies from properly expelling these acids. There is too much acidic production from these lifestyle and diet factors, and the body simply cannot get rid of it.
Even worse, modern farming and food production practices are making foods more acidic than they used to be. Inorganic acid minerals like chlorine, phosphor and sulfur seep into meats, grains and root crops through soil, air quality and farming practices. We are consuming more inorganic acid minerals than ever before. All of this contributes to our bodies’ inability to rid themselves of acid.
The pH miracle diet is a perfect balance to our over-acidified lives that cause premature aging. Aging occurs because of the build up of acidic elements in the body. Healthy cells naturally have a slightly alkaline pH level, and since acid and alkaline are chemical opposites, high acid levels destroy cells.
In order to stop aging and reverse the affects of acidic damage on the cells, you must start alkalizing your diet according to the principles set out in the pH miracle diet. You must help you body develop a better system to rid itself of the acid wastes. Then you must facilitate it in pulling old wastes out of your body.
The first step requires that you drink plenty of water, especially acid free alkaline water. Just 4 glasses of alkaline water is more effective than 8 glasses of regular water. Water ionizers are available to help you create alkaline water in the comfort of your home. This water will help flush out your system and get rid of the build up acidity within it.
The pH miracle diet also encourages people to eat a higher percentage of alkaline foods in their diet. The alkalizing foods will help restore balance to the body and push the remaining acid waste build up out of the body. According to pH miracle diet fans, the results are a more youthful glow, more energy and a relief from some of the symptoms of aging, like arthritis.
Balancing Acid And alkaline Foods In The pH Diet
The main concept behind the pH miracle diet is to maintain a balance of pH in the foods that you eat. The human body is slightly alkaline and therefore it is better for your health to eat a diet composed of alkalizing foods. When you eat too many acidic foods, your system becomes unbalanced and it can cause a whole host of problems, including weight gain, poor concentration, fatigue and depressed immunity that can lead to more serious conditions.
The pH miracle diet relies on lists of foods that are acidic (to be avoided) and alkalizing (to be emphasized). The alkalizing foods are better for your health and help to balance the pH of your body. While acid, alkaline and pH are common terms, many people do not understand exactly what they mean and what they have to do with nutrition and health.
The word “basic” comes from the Greek word “basis” which means foundation. “Basic” relates to the properties of acidity and alkalinity. These conditions are determined at the foundation of the cells that the foods are made up of. So an external treatment does not change a food from acid to alkaline. Foods are acid or alkaline at their base, or foundation.
Acid and alkaline are chemical opposites. Whenever these bases interact with acids, there is a struggle between them and salt is the result. In the chemist’s lab, these interactions are very simple and straightforward. However, in our bodies, the interaction becomes more complex because of the scale at which acids and bases meet.
However, science can make some generalizations about the effects of acids and alkaline in the human digestion system. Acidic foods are acid forming in the human body. They make blood, lymph and saliva more acid and cause a lower pH number. Alkaline foods make blood, lymph and saliva more alkaline and cause a higher pH number.
Just for reference, the “normal” range for saliva pH is between 7.3 and 7.4. Most people, however, are too acidic and have a pH that is much lower. They are burned out, tired and their bodies are starving for balance. Under the influence of acidic foods the muscles fatigue easily. You literally slow down because your body cannot produce the same physical results as before.
The free radical oxidation that occurs when you eat acidic foods makes you age faster. Vitamins and minerals are not absorbed as readily. Friendly bacteria in the small intestine die, which puts the digestive system off balance. Further hurting the function of the intestine is the fact that a high level of acidity inhibits the ability for intestinal walls to absorb nutrients. Cells become stressed with the toxins that build up and cannot remove them. The vast majority of bodily systems cannot run at full capacity.
On the other hand, alkaline foods have a wide variety of benefits to your health. Eating them improves your muscle output. They also have antioxidant effects in the body. They increase assimilation at the cellular level and allow cells to operate in the manner that they should. There is a reduction of parasites and yeast overgrowth with the use of alkaline foods. Alkaline foods promote deeper and more restful sleep, more youthful skin and relieve suffering from colds, headaches and the flu. Alkaline foods promote abundant physical energy.
Perhaps the most important differences between acid and alkaline foods are their relationship to cancer. Cancerous tissues are acidic, and health tissues are alkaline. When oxygen enters an acidic solution it combines with hydrogen ions can form water. Oxygen helps to neutralize the acid, but acid prevents oxygen from reaching tissues where it is needed. When oxygen enters an alkaline solution, the two hydroxyl ions combine with the solution to create one water molecule and one oxygen atom. The sole oxygen atom is free to go to the next cell and bring the benefits of oxygen to all of the tissue in the body. At a pH of slightly above 7.4, cancer cells become dormant. Studies show that at pH 8.5, cancer cells die and healthy cells live.
Alkalizing the diet has many benefits, in addition to cancer prevention. The alkaline food list is a selection of choices that will benefit your health when you start incorporating them into your body.