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.
Disadvantages Of The pH Miracle 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.