12 Reasons to Avoid Acids and Stay Alkaline (Basic)

http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2006/07/25/12-reasons-to-avoid-acids-and-stay-alkaline/

From Alkaline Diet: "If you have read my post on acidosis & avoiding acids then you will know a little bit about how being acid is not the best of ideas if you want to remain healthy, vibrant and full of energy."

Well, here are my top twelve reasons to avoid acids & stay alkaline!

ACIDOSIS:

1. Makes Us Fat! As discussed in the acidosis post I mentioned earlier - the body creates fat cells in order to protect our organs from excess acids. The fat is designed to carry these acid wastes away to other, less critical areas of the body and it clings to these organs to provide protection. Once the body is rid of acid wastes (through a healthier diet and exercise) it no longer needs to hang onto these fats for protection and it lets them go.

   Alongside this - weight problems are also compounded by the result of yeast and fungus overgrowths wreaking havoc on our digestive systems. And guess what - yeast and fungus thrive in an acidic environment. Because your body is now not able to properly process foods and extract the full nutrition from the foods that you eat - your body is always telling you that you are hungry. To compound this problem, the yeasts and fungus have the greatest shout in this signal to the brain - and what do they make you hungry for - more sugar, which further fuels the yeast growth.

   Following a diet of mostly alkaline foods (fresh and raw vegetables, salads, fresh alkaline fruits, seeds, nuts and pure alkaline water) will clean your system of the yeast, fungus and microform overgrowth and will flush your body of the excess survival fat that it has been clinging onto (literally for dear life!).

2. Robs Us of Energy! Principally, over-acidity will cause our body to leach alkaline minerals from our bones, muscles and other tissues to ensure that the blood maintains its delicate alkaline balance. This removal of alkaline minerals (particularly calcium) inhibits efficient and effective cellular and body metabolism - making us sluggish, tired and cloudy. Put most simply - over acidification drains our bodies of energy and inhibits the body’s ability to use stored energy reserves. And as if that was not enough - with the leaching of calcium from our bones, osteoporosis very often follows.
3. Causes Allergies:The mycotoxins that thrive in an acidic environment severly stress the immune system leading to it being constantly overworked and stimulated into response mode. The result of this is absurdly heightened sensitivity to nutrition and chemicals is what is more commonly known as an allergy. Excess mucus, soreness, swelling, eczema etc are all ways for the body to eliminate toxins.
4. Causes Free-Radical Damage and Premature Aging!: Acidosis is a symptom of - and a cause of - oxidative stress and lipid breakdown. The effect of this is that free radical damage is then promoted, attacking cell walls and membranes before killing the cells themselves. The outcome of this? Wrinkles, age spots, dysfunctional hormonal systems, poor eyesight, bad memory and foggy thinking - at the very least. Healthy cells are essential to almost every body process - so premature aging could become the least of your concerns!
5. Causes Excess Mucus:Mucus is normal. It is just another mechanism by which the body eliminates toxins - it coats everything we ingest and engulfs the toxins. When toxins are engulfed the mucus becomes sticky, thick and cloudy in order to trap the toxins in. Acidic foods and drinks always contain toxins which cause so much mucus that we seem to be constantly blowing our noses! The worst offenders are dairy products, animal protein, white flour and pastas, chocolate, coffee and alcohol
6. Corrodes and Destroys Veins, Arteries and Heart Tissues! Acid is corrosive - and overly acidic blood and bodily fluids almost immediately begins to erode and destroy cell walls of the heart, veins and arteries - leading to a much weakened cardiovascular system.
7. Inhibits the Metabolism of Fatty Acids! Fatty acids are absolutely essential to the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system - without them any number of neurological problems can arise (including depression, bipolar and other mental health problems, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, brain development and learning in children, mood swings, ADHD and many more).
8. Causes Bad Cholesterol Problems! When we create an acidic environment in our bodies - the body creates LDL-Cholesterol at an accelerated rate. This LDL Cholesterol then causes huge amounts of clogging and cardiovascular problems.
9. Increases Blood Pressure! With the acid problems above, including increased LDL Cholesterol and compromised cell health - the heart has to work increasingly harder to move blood around the body. Acidosis is also to blame for venous vasoconstriction (meaning a decrease in diameter of the blood vessels) - which further adds to the workload of the heart and raises blood pressure!
10. Inhibits the Synthesis of DNA-RNA and Cellular Regeneration! For healthy cell regeneration and DNA-RNA synthesis - a cell pH CANNOT BE ACIDIC. On the flip side of this - for a cancer cell to grow, the cell pH HAS TO BE ACIDIC! An acid pH dramatically accelerates the possibility of the formation of mutated cells - otherwise known as cancer. Cancerous cells cannot contain hydrogen atoms - and healthy (alkaline balanced) cells contain plenty of hydrogen. In fact, the addition of hydrogen to cancerous cells actually heals them!
11. Stops Oxygen Delivery to Tissues! When our body’s are suffering from over-acidification the problem becomes compounded by the fact that an acid pH decreases the amount of oxygen than can reach our cells. Without oxygen our cells die!
12. AND FINALLY - AS A RESULT OF THIS: ACIDOSIS IS THE BASIS OF ALMOST ALL DEGENERATIVE DISEASES! A system that is riddled with excess acids and their wastes is compromised in so many ways - including hundreds of ways that are not even mentioned above! But even from this short list it is possible to see how acidosis can directly lead to:
    • cardiovascular disease (high blood pressure, heart attacks, arteriosclerosis, stroke, high cholesterol etc)
    • diabetes & obesity
    • liver & kidney disease
    • cancer - in any form
    • neurological diseases
    • immune system deficiencies
    • premature aging
    • hormonal problems & imbalances
    • osteoporosis

Depression and Serotonin

I have a theory that my family has a problem with an imbalance of serotonin or some other neurotransmitter - and that's why we have such a high incidence of depression and being overweight. Here's an article that explains how that works - and some things you can do to improve how neurotransmitters work in your body:

Depression and Serotonin: What's the Connection?
http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/depression_and_serotonin.html

By Valerie Balandra ARNP,BC

Depression is one of the most common and treatable of all mental illnesses. One in four women and one in 10 men can expect to develop it during their lifetime. Studies have shown that people suffering from depression have imbalances of neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another. Two transmitters implicated in depression are serotonin and norepinephrine. Neurotransmitters are powerful chemicals that regulate numerous physical and emotional processes such as mental performance, emotional states and pain response. Virtually all functions in life are controlled by neurotransmitters.

Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter with many important functions in the brain and body Serotonin deficiency is a common contributor to mood problems. Some feel it is an epidemic in the United States. Serotonin is key to our feelings of happiness and very important for our emotions because it helps defend against both anxiety and depression. Many of the current biochemical theories of depression focus on the biogenic amines, which are a group of chemical compounds important in neurotransmission—most importantly norepinephrine, serotonin and, to a lesser extent, dopamine, acetylcholine and epinephrine.

What causes or contributes to Serotonin Deficiency?

• Prolonged periods of stress can deplete serotonin levels. Our fast paced, fast food society greatly contributes to these imbalances.
• Genetic factors, faulty metabolism, and digestive issues can impair absorption and breakdown of our food which reduces are ability to build serotonin.
• Poor Diet. Neurotransmitters are made in the body from proteins. Also required are certain vitamins and minerals called "cofactors". If your nutrition is poor and you do not take in enough protein, vitamins, or minerals to build the neurotransmitters, a neurotransmitter imbalance develops. We really do think and feel what we eat.
• Toxic substances like heavy metals, pesticides, drug use, and some prescription drugs can cause permanent damage to the nerve cells that make serotonin and other neurotransmitters.
• Certain drugs and substances such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, NutraSweet, antidepressants, and some cholesterol lowering medications deplete serotonin and other neurotransmitter levels.
• Hormone changes cause low levels of serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances.
• Lack of sunlight contributes to low serotonin levels

Symptoms
You may have a shortage of serotonin if you have a sad depressed mood, low energy, negative thoughts, feel tense and irritable, crave sweets, and have a reduced interest in sex. Other serotonin related disorders include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Panic Attacks
• Insomnia
• Irritable bowel
• PMS/ Hormone dysfunction
• Fibromyalgia
• Obesity
• Eating disorders
• Obsessions and Compulsions
• Muscle pain
• Chronic Pain
• Alcohol abuse
• Migraine Headaches

How do I know if Serotonin is deficient?

Neurotransmitter testing, Questionnaires, and blood testing can help determine if you might have a serotonin deficiency. Certain test can determine if you have normal levels of the precursors and co-factor vitamins and minerals needed for the brain to produce serotonin. Additionally, hormones such as Adrenal, Thyroid, and Estrogen levels can affect serotonin levels and may explain why some women have pre-menstrual and menopausal mood problems.

How to raise serotonin levels naturally

Prescription drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro are classified as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or (SSRI's). They help to keep more of the serotonin your brain is making in circulation. They are used for a wide variety of symptoms such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, obsessions, and compulsions. There are serotonin/norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors (SNRI's) such as Effexor and Cymbalta that keep more serotonin and norepinephrine in circulation.

Nutrient therapies such as Targeted Amino Acid Therapy naturally increase the levels of neurotransmitters that a person has been found to be deficient in.5 hydroxytryptophan and Tryptophan are widely known for their ability to help depressive symptoms by raising serotonin levels in the brain.. Numerous clinical trials have studied the efficacy of 5-HTP for treating depression. One compared 5-HTP to the antidepressant drug fluvoxamine and found 5-HTP to be equally effective.

It can be used alone or in combination with medication to keep dosages low and to prevent the "poop out" many people experience with medication.

• tryptophan —> 5-HTP —> serotonin

Herbal Remedies such as St. Johns Wort are available to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Some work in a similar way to the SSRI antidepressants.

Things you can do to increase your serotonin levels and improve overall health.

• Exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week.
• Walking, yoga, stretching.
• Get plenty of sunlight.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily
• Prayer and meditation

Eat at least three meals per day. Skipping meals promotes high stress and low energy. Eat protein with every meal. Eat Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice. Avoid sugar, junk food, white pasta, white rice, white bread, cookies and cake. No Caffeine, alcohol, or NutraSweet (aspartame). NutraSweet can be toxic to your brain. Alcohol can worsen depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.

Anti-Cancer Diet

This diet was developed by Dr. Johanna Budwig, and in her 40 to 50 years of treating cancer patients, she had a record of 90% recovery from cancer, heart disease and even arthritis.

Here are two websites with info on this diet.

This site is the easiest to read:
http://dailyrepublic.typepad.com/thebigc/2008/02/diet-details-on.html
...and get's straight to the how-to part.

This site has more background information, testimonials, etc. - much more comprehensive, but a little harder to navigate to find all the info:
http://www.healingcancernaturally.com/budwig_protocol.html

There is also a Yahoo support group on this diet. Info on the support group is in the second (more comprehensive) site above.

Let me know if you find this helpful.