Friday, March 07, 2008

The Impact of Acid on the Body

By Michael Cutler, MD

Most of us are familiar with acid indigestion, or "heartburn." However, few of us realize that many Americans have chronic, low-grade acidosis (acid body chemistry) because of what we eat. We are, as a nation, chronically acidic.

And fewer of us realize what a devastating impact acid can have on our bodies.

Bone Loss and Joint Pain
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a seven-year study¹ by the University of California on 9704 women showed that those with chronic acid overload are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels.

Why? Because when your body is highly acidic, it will do whatever it takes to return itself to a healthier pH balance. Your body steals the calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium it needs from your bones in order to buffer the tissue acids and they are systematically eaten away.

The result? Severe bone loss and joint pain.

Bronchial Attacks for Those with Asthma
Research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine announced that high acid levels are strongly linked to asthma attacks.² Dr. Benjamin Gaston discovered that shortly before an asthma attack, acid levels in the lungs shot up as much as 1000-fold. This increased acidity contributed to inflammation in the bronchial airways and triggered an attack. As a result of this study, researchers at Duke University are now investigating treatments using antacid therapy.

Abnormal Cell Growth
According to Nobel prize-winning scientist Dr. Otto Warburg, abnormal cells positively thrive in an acidic environment. "They have a fundamentally different energy metabolism compared to healthy cells," he says. In addition, scientific research reported in the journals Psychosomatic Medicine³ and the American Journal of Managed Care⁴ recently revealed that lactic acid and uric acid (both released into the body by stress) may promote the growth of abnormal cells.

And these are only a few of the damaging effects of chronic acidosis...

...Continued

What Can You Do?
Your body chemistry can be changed from acidic and damaging to alkaline and healthy. How?

Limit acidic food intake, including:

• Carbonated drinks: colas and other carbonated drinks create acidosis.
• Refined oils and fats: especially when they exceed 20% of your total intake of calories (refined oils in general are acidifying).
• Proteins: most animal proteins are acidic, so restrict animal protein intake to your recommended allowance of 10 to 20% of your total day's food intake -- roughly 3 oz per day for an average person. (Pregnant women are an exception and need an extra ounce of protein per day.) Be aware that not all proteins are acidifying. Eggs, chicken breasts, cottage cheese, yogurt, and tofu are alkalizing, so use them frequently as protein sources.

Please note that you should LIMIT, not eliminate acidic foods. We all need a balanced diet to remain healthy, and certainly proteins and fats must be part of that diet. Sources and experts vary in their recommendations, but I simply recommend that you eat 9 servings of vegetables and fruits per day, in addition to whole foods (foods in their most natural state, before refining or processing them). This type of diet will help you create and keep an alkaline body chemistry.

References

1. Sellemeyer et al. (2001.) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 73: 118-22.
2. Gaston et al. (2000.) American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine. 161: 694-699.
3. Orme-Johnson. (1987.) Psychosomatic Medicine. 49: 493-507.
4. Orme-Johnson, (1997.) American Journal of Managed Care. Vol. 3, No.1: 135-144.

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

The highest ideal of therapy is to restore health rapidly, gently, permanently; to remove and destroy the whole disease in the shortest, surest, least harmful way, according to clearly comprehensible principles.

Samuel Hahnemann,
Founder of Homeopathic Medicine in Organon of Medicine, 6th ed.

The above statement by pharmacist and physician, Samuel Hahnemann, describes the functional beauty of homeopathy. It is an exceptionally safe and effective form of medicine that treats the whole individual, is applicable to all ages, and is tremendously under utilized.

The term homeopathy comes from two Greek words, omia (meaning "same"), and pathos (meaning "suffering"). A homeopathic remedy is one that produces (to a lesser degree) the same symptoms as the illness it is meant to cure. In doing so, the remedy sharply induces the body into dispelling the ailment.

This defines the basic principle of homeopathy...the Law of Similars or "like cures like." The Law of Similars states that a given substance in high doses will cause a set of symptoms, and the same substance in lower doses can be used to treat those symptoms.

No harm is done in following this principle because most homeopathic preparations are diluted down to the point where the active ingredient is no longer physically detectable. The preparations are still effective, but there is generally no fear of drug interactions, making them safe to take in almost any situation.

Here are a few examples:

• Bee stings: Apis mellifica made from the whole honey bee contains bee venom as the active ingredient.
• Insomnia: Coffea cruda made from raw coffee, calms nervousness and induces sleep, often from over-stimulation.
• Hot flashes: Lachesis mutus derived from snake venom induces the same symptoms as a hot flash -- a hot, burning, constricted feeling.

Homeopathic remedies aren't hard to find -- they are available at most health food stores and even some pharmacies. Two popular brands are Boiron and Hyland's. Because homeopathic remedies are closely controlled by the FDA, they are permitted to make certain health claims. For example if you were to pick up a tube of arnica ointment, it says: "Trauma, Bruises, and Muscle Soreness."

If you want to learn more about the gentle healing techniques of homeopathy, visit the websites of the National Center for Homeopathy and the International Foundation for Homeopathy. They are reliable resources for individuals who need more information on chronic disease states, specific conditions, and referrals to qualified homeopathic practitioners.

[Ed. Note: Robert Kress, CCN, is a Compounding and Consultant Pharmacist, Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, and Quantum Reflex Analysis Specialist. Robert is co-owner of an integrative pharmacy and clinical nutrition practice where he empowers his clients to unlock their health blockages through what he calls the Royal Pyramid of Health. To learn more, click here.]

During the last few months, I have been researching data and testing different forms of training to find the ultimate weight loss formula. What I learned may surprise you. The bad news is there are no magic pills. The good news is long aerobic sessions are unnecessary and workouts don't need to last hours. To lose weight, resistance training is mandatory and boosting your metabolism is the ultimate goal.

What is your metabolism and how does it affect you? Well, metabolism is just a fancy word to describe the rate at which the body carries out chemical processes, which in turn burns calories. Here are 5 tricks that can help you boost your metabolism, lose some excess body weight, and improve your current training program.

1. Build Lean Muscle Mass with Resistance Training
Scientific research has shown that a commitment to a resistance training program yields significant results to boosting the metabolism.¹ After any resistance training session, the metabolism operates at a significantly higher rate than cardiovascular training alone. While cardiovascular training should be a part of almost any exercise program, more emphasis needs to be placed on building lean muscle mass. In the battle of resistance training versus cardiovascular training, in terms of raising the metabolic rate, resistance training wins.

2. It's All About Intensity
It goes without saying that pushing it to the limit every time will yield better and faster results. Some ways to increase intensity in a resistance training workout are to increase reps, sets, tempo (rate at which reps are performed), and range of motion. Another way to increase intensity is to decrease rest time between sets.

3. Finish Your Workout with Interval Training
Interval training after a resistance training workout is a sure way to attack fat stores in the body. Since glucose stores are completely depleted after resistance training, fat is available to be burned. You can perform interval training on a treadmill, elliptical machine, exercise bike, or simply by running. It involves repetitions of high speed or high intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity. An example would be performing 15- to 30-second sprints with 45 to 60 seconds rest. The key to interval training is achieving an elevated heart rate of 75-85% of your maximum heart rate.

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
Water acts as a catalyst in many chemical reactions in the body. If hydration levels are optimal, the rate at which these processes are carried out (metabolism) will be more efficient -- meaning more calories will be burned! Divide your weight by 2.2. That's how many ounces of water you should drink per day.

5. Eat Often and in Small Portions
When the body is deprived of food, it goes into a state of starvation -- a survival mechanism that will ultimately slow the metabolism and conserve fat. Keep your metabolism boosted all day by eating a healthy protein and carbohydrate every two hours. Your "mini-meal" should be about the size and thickness of one hand. .

Reference

1. Schuenke MD, et al. Eur J Appl Physiol 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7.

[Ed. note: Carlo X. Alvarez is a noted authority in the customized fitness and sports performance field. He is recognized for his integrated and systematic approach to training, based on a foundation of safe and proven methodology that has direct and measurable benefits to performance. To learn more, click here.]

A traditional comfort food, turkey meatloaf is an excellent source of seven nutrients and a good source of five others. But that's not all. You also get more than 20 grams of protein per serving and a healthy dose of three important disease-fighting nutrients -- lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin --thanks to the spinach, tomatoes, and corn.

Serves: 6

Time to Table: 1.5 hours

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Lycopene, lutein & zeaxanthin
Excellent source of protein, vitamin B6, folate, niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, selenium
Good source of fiber, iron, thiamin, potassium, zinc

Ingredients
1 package (10 oz) frozen organic spinach, defrosted and squeezed
1 cup chopped organic tomatoes
2 tsp oregano, dried
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup canned organic corn, drained
1 1/4 pound organic ground turkey (93% lean)
1/4 cup organic chili sauce or ketchup
1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
2 large organic egg whites, beaten until frothy
2 tsp organic garlic, minced
sea salt to taste

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, using a fork, mix together oats, egg whites, and tomatoes. Blend in turkey, chili powder, oregano, garlic, chili sauce or ketchup, sea salt, and pepper. Mix in spinach and corn. Pack mixture firmly into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan that has been lightly coated with cooking oil spray. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until juices run clear when meat loaf is pierced with a knife, or internal temperature registers 165°F. Remove from oven and let meat loaf sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
247 calories, 10 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 3.5 g monounsaturated fats, 3.5 g polyunsaturated fats, 74 mg cholesterol, 305 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugars, 23 g protein

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet, a multimedia company that educates on how foods promote health and protect against disease. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click here.]

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