ACID-BASE BALANCE AND YOUR HEALTH

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© January 2019, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is solely the opinion of the author and for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

Definition

Quantifying Acidity

Measuring Acidity

Everyone Is Acidic Today

Confusion Assessing The Body

Confusion And Harm From Methods Used To Alkalinize The Body

II. CAUSES OF PH IMBALANCES

III. CORRECTION WITH A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

IV. PROBLEMS WITH OTHER METHODS USED TO BALANCE THE PH

V. PREVENTING AN ACIDIC BODY

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I. INTRODUCTION

            Definition.  A technical definition is that the acidity of anything, such as the body tissues, is a measure of the amount of acid that is in the substance, compared to the amount of OH- or hydroxyl radical that is in the same body compartment.

This is a bit technical, but it is a very important measuring system.  All things in nature are either more acid or more alkaline.

Quantifying acidity.  Acid and alkaline are measured on a scale from 1 to 14, with 7 right in the middle.  This is an older system of measuring the pH or acidity, but it is still used today.

The numbers from 1 to 7 indicate acidity, while the numbers from 7.1 to 14 indicate an alkaline condition.

Measuring acidity.  The simplest method to assess acidity or alkalinity is to use a special pH test paper.  This is a type of paper that changes color when it is immersed in a liquid, depending upon the acidity or alkalinity of the liquid.

The paper depends upon a simple chemical reaction to change its color.  If a substance is more alkaline, the paper turns more blue, while an acidic substance turns the paper red.  The roll of paper comes with a simple color chart so that one can measure the pH by matching up the paper with the proper color.

Some laboratories use other methods, such as electronic probes that are placed in a substance to measure its acidity.

            Everyone is acidic today.  Today, most people’s bodies are too acidic.  The main reason is a low level of the alkaline reserve minerals.  These include zinc, chromium, copper, iron, manganese and a few others.

If the body becomes too acidic, one is prone to cancer, heart disease, and many other health problems.

            For this reason, balancing the pH or having a good acid-alkaline balance in the body is very important.

Confusion assessing the body.  I find the bodies are all acidic, even if a urine, blood or saliva pH test indicates an alkaline condition.  The reason for this is that measuring the body tissues is quite difficult.  They are simply not readily available to measure.

Instead, doctors and others do what is easy, which is to measure the urine, the saliva, and sometimes the pH of the blood.

However, the pH of the tissues is most important, not that of the blood, urine or saliva.  In fact, often the other body fluids compensate for an acidic condition of the tissues.

              Confusion and harm from methods used to alkalinize the body.  Most of the methods recommended in books to normalize the pH are not very good.  They are often temporary short-cuts that do not address the real problems.  As a result, they work for a little while, and then harm the body.

These tend to rely upon drinking alkaline water, or taking baking soda, for example.  Others involve raw food diets, fruit or vegetable juices.  Still others use fruit or vegetarian diets.  ALL OF THESE METHODS ARE HARMFUL, AS WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THIS ARTICLE.

  In contrast, development programs alkalinize the body by addressing and correcting the deeper causes of acid-base imbalance.  These are explained below.

II. CAUSES OF PH IMBALANCES IN THE BODY

1. Alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies.  Certain minerals have an alkaline reaction in the body.  They include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, chromium, selenium, iron, copper and perhaps a few others. 

These minerals are called the alkaline reserve minerals in organic chemistry.  They are the key to the pH of the body.  They are found mainly in cooked vegetables.  They can also be obtained from vegetable juices, but juices cause other problems when used in excess.

Everyone today is low in the alkaline reserve minerals.  Most people are born low in these minerals because their mothers were deficient in them.  In addition, modern agriculture and the so-called “green revolution” has caused serious alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies in the soil and food of the earth.

This is the main reason why most all the human bodies on earth tend to be somewhat acidic.

2. Too many acid-forming minerals. These include phosphorus, some forms of sulfur, some forms of iron, and most of the toxic metals.  These must be balanced by enough alkaline reserve minerals.

Reasons why some people obtain too many acid-forming minerals are:

1) Eating too much meat, eggs or dairy products, all of which are high in phosphorus.  Meat also tends to rot or putrefy in the intestines when too much is eaten, creating acidic toxic metabolic compounds in the intestines.

2) Eating too much grain.  Grains are high in phosphorus.  They are also often high in phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of the alkaline reserve minerals.

3) Diets high in fruit.  Many fruits contain fruit acids.  The body must neutralize these acids, and some bodies today are unable to do this.

The most acidic fruits include all citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and tangerines).  Other acidic fruits are most of the berries, and any fruit that is picked before it is ripe.

4) Drinking soda pop that is high in phosphoric acid.

5) Exposure to toxic metals or toxic chemicals through cigarette smoke, marijuana, and a few occupations

6) Possibly taking iron pills on a long-term basis.

3. Other dietary imbalances. 

A. Diets low in cooked vegetables.  Eating a diet low in cooked vegetables, or high in salads, will cause a deficiency of alkaline reserve minerals and an acidic state of body chemistry.  This is extremely common.

B. Junk food diets.  Diets containing a lot of white flour products, white rice and/or chemicalized foods are all low in alkaline reserve minerals.  These will also cause a more acidic body chemistry.

C. Raw food diets.  Our bodies cannot absorb nearly as many minerals from most raw food such as salads and raw grains (granola, mueslie, and trail mix).  This causes alkaline mineral deficiency.

D. Use of alcohol or drugs.  Those who use alcohol generally do not eat as nutritious diets.  Many drugs contain toxic metals, and interfere with proper utilization of nutrients.

4. Use of some medical drugs.  Many medical drugs are toxic chemicals that have a damaging effect upon the absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract.  This contributes to alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies.   Many also have other damaging effects upon the body, which can contribute to an acidic state of body chemistry.

            5. Most toxic metals have an acidic effect.  Everyone today is born with too many toxic metals in the body.  This condition worsens with age as everyone is exposed to toxic metals in our food, air,  drinking water, and through contact. 

6. Chronic infections and their endotoxins and exotoxins tend to acidify the body.  Most people have several dozen chronic infections.  Common sites of chronic infections include the sinuses, intestines, throat, eyes, ears, gums, teeth and others.

For example, candida albicans is a very common and quite acidic fungal infection that is present in anyone who eats a lot of sugar, fruit or other sweet foods.

7. Intestinal toxicity tends to have an acidifying effect.  These toxins are the products of fermentation of sugars and, even more so, putrefaction of proteins.  This is a very common problem among the population.

It is sometimes called autointoxication, as it comes from within and not outside of the body.  Even a hurried lifestyle that does not permit perfect digestion will make toxin generation worse. 

8. Many toxic chemicals have an acidic reaction in the body.  This occurs for various reasons.  For example, many toxic chemicals are enzyme inhibitors, so they damage normal oxidative and other mechanisms in the body.

9. Sluggish liver activity tends to have an acidifying effect.  This occurs because bile is a highly alkaline substance and liver toxicity and sluggishness tends to cause reduced bile flow.

Also, without sufficient bile in the small and large intestines, the intestinal flora is incorrect and many infections, including yeast infections, tend to develop that further acidify the body.

In addition, without enough bile, digestion is impaired.  This reduces the absorption of the alkaline reserve minerals.  It also causes more intestinal putrefaction and fermentation of sugars increases, further acidifying the body.

10. The oxidation rate affects the alkalinity and acidity of the body.  This is much more complex because the oxidation rate can be a primary cause of pH imbalances, or it can compensate for other problems in an attempt to balance the pH.  Here are some examples:

Fast oxidation generates more acidic metabolic end products such as lactic acid.  Also, those with a fast oxidation rate tend to be lower in calcium and magnesium, which are needed to neutralize lactic and other metabolic acids.

However, healthier fast oxidizers such as babies tend to have more alkaline reserve minerals in their bodies, so they tolerate the larger amounts of lactic acid and lower calcium levels found with fast oxidation.

Slow oxidation.  Slow oxidation may be a compensation for acidity.  Metabolism slows down, so fewer acid end products of metabolism are generated.  Also, calcium builds up in the tissues and may protect the body from some of the effects of too much acidity.

However, slow oxidizers may become even more acidic than some fast oxidizers due to:

1. Producing more bowel toxins.

2. More chronic infections, including yeast and fungal infections

3. Greater amounts of toxic metals.

4. More cancer in the body.

5. They often have more sluggish liver activity and reduced bile secretion.

11. Shallow breathing.  This can lead to respiratory acidosis.  It is common in the population.  Deep breathing, in contrast, tends to balance the pH of the body.

12. Inadequate hydration.  Water in our bodies has many effects upon the pH.  It acts as a buffering substance, and it is required to remove toxic metals and toxic chemicals.  It is also required for millions of enzyme reactions needed to maintain health.  Dehydration, which is common, can be another cause of pH problems.

13. Drinking reverse osmosis or distilled water.  These drinking waters are lacking in alkaline reserve minerals, and this worsens deficiencies of these alkaline-forming minerals.

14. Other causes of acidity.  For example, the growth of cancer in the body tends to further acidify the body.

III. CORRECTION OF THE PH WITH DEVELOPMENT

            The methods used in development to correct the pH include:

1. A diet very high in alkaline reserve minerals

2. Removing all infections.

3. Removing ALL of the toxic metals and hundreds of toxic chemicals

4. Improving oxygenation and hydration.

5. Improving bowel function and digestion to reduce fermentation and putrefaction in the large intestine

6. Improving liver function and enhancing bile secretion.  Here is how it is done:

A diet of 70% cooked vegetables will slowly replenish the alkaline reserve minerals and remove some toxic metals and chemicals from the body that cause acidity.

Ten-twelve ounces of carrot juice, or 1-2 ounces of wheat grass juice are also excellent and very alkaline-forming.  Do not do more juices, however, because this always makes the body too yin.

Some meats and eggs, while acid-forming, are needed because they enhance the oxidation rate and provide essential minerals such as zinc.  Too much meat or dairy is not helpful, however. 

Fruit, while supposedly alkaline-forming, seems to have an acidic reaction in many people due to its imbalanced mineral content, its high sugar content that causes yeast overgrowth, and perhaps due to fruit acids or other chemicals in fruit.  It is also too yin, and I would avoid all of it.

Eating habits. One will heal much faster if food is consumed in simple food combinations – just one or perhaps two foods only at a meal.  This takes some getting use to, but works well as it reduces digestive effort tremendously.

Drinking water.  Drink 3 quarts daily of only spring water or carbon-only filtered tap water.  Most spring water naturally has an alkaline pH due to the alkaline minerals it contains.  Do not drink other waters, no matter how well they are promoted.  See below for more on this subject.

            Drinking plenty of water is essential for balancing the pH.  Never add salt or minerals to any drinking water, as this is not safe in the long run and can unbalance the body’s minerals.

Rest and sleep.  This is also critical.  One must rest at least 8 to 10  or more hours nightly.  Also, go to bed between 8 and 9 PM local time, wherever you are.

Oxygenation.  I recommend deep breathing and gentle exercise only to help oxygenate the tissues.  Also, I recommend using an ozonator/ionizer air purifier.  Click here to read more about this wonderful and simple way to improve oxygenation of the body.

Do not do vigorous exercise while on a development programs because it will slow down your progress.  It tends to use up too much energy, and becomes an added stressor.

Detoxification procedures – Red lamp sauna therapy.  Each day, use a near infrared red heat lamp sauna for 20 to 60 minutes, or at least shine a red heat lamp on the abdomen for about one hour.  Sauna therapy helps remove toxic metals and toxic chemicals.  It also enhances circulation.

Coffee enemas.  Also, do one to four coffee enemas daily.  This also helps greatly to remove toxic metals and toxic chemicals.  It also alkalinizes the small and large intestines by enhancing bile flow. See instructions on this website regarding the correct procedures.

Supplements: Development uses a few highly alkalinizing supplements such as kelp, zinc, selenium, calcium and magnesium.  A powerful digestive aid with pancreatin also enhances the absorption of the alkaline reserve minerals.

Supplements must be recommended based on a properly performed and correctly interpreted hair mineral analysis.  Otherwise, they can easily throw the body chemistry out of balance.

Other. Bitter, angry thoughts tend to make the body more acidic.  I recommend the Pushing Down Mental Exercise to help clear mental and emotional traumas and negative thinking.  This will help balance the pH, as well.

IV. PROBLEMS WITH OTHER METHODS USED TO CORRECT ACIDITY IN THE BODY

We do not believe there is any quick-fix method to alkalinize the body.  Here are methods that others use, and why I avoid them all.

1. Taking lots of mineral supplements.  Taking mineral supplements often unbalances the body in subtle or obvious ways.  Also, some mineral supplements from the sea or the earth contain too many toxic metals.

2. Chelating drugs or natural chelators to remove toxic metals.  This is one method of removing toxic metals.  However, it also removes some vital alkaline minerals such as calcium, zinc and others. Chelators also often add toxicity to the body.  For more, please read Chelation on this site.

3. Special alkaline diets. Eating many more cooked vegetables is very helpful to replenish the alkaline reserve minerals.  “Alkaline diets” that do not work well include:

Fruit diets.  Fruit has acids in it and these are supposedly converted to alkaline-forming elements in the body.  However, in practice I do not see this.  Fruit will alkalinize the urine and saliva pH, and even the blood pH, which is harder to measure.  However, it does not cure the acidity problem at the level of the cells.

Another problem with fruit is its high sugar content.  This often feeds fungal infections throughout the body, such as intestinal candida albicans, which makes the acidity problem worse.

Raw vegetable diets.  Raw vegetables have a generally alkaline reaction in the body.  The problem with raw salads is that their alkaline reserve minerals are not well enough absorbed.  They would need to be chewed for hours, which no one does.

Also, raw foods may contain parasites and bacteria that can cause more infections that can further acidify the body.

In contrast, cooking vegetables concentrates the alkaline minerals and allows one to consume more of them at each meal.

Vegetarian diets.  Some vegetarian diets are more alkaline-forming than meat-based diets.  However, diets contains a lot of grains and beans are acid-forming.  In addition, all vegetarian diets are deficient in essential nutrients such as zinc, selenium, chromium, taurine, carnitine and others.  Also, they are too yin in macrobiotic terms.  For more, read Vegetarian Diets on this site.

4. Alkaline water.  This is a temporary method that will offer some short-term benefits. 

However, if used for more than a few months, it upsets body chemistry and is dangerous.   Alkaline water is very yin, which is harmful in the long run.  

Also, most alkaline water machines add a small amount of platinum to the water, which is how they alkalinize the water.  However, platinum is an extremely toxic metal. 

5. Ingesting sodium bicarbonate or other alkalinizing chemicals.  This is another short-cut method that will temporarily alkalinize the body.  However, it does not replenish the alkaline reserve minerals or eliminate the toxic metals or infections.  Nor does it improve liver function and reduce intestinal putrefaction.

Also, if taken with meals, alkaline chemicals such as sodium bicarbonate will neutralize stomach acid, and therefore interfere a lot with digestion.

YIN AND ALKALINITY

You may have noticed that most methods to alkalinize the body also tend to make the body more yin.  These include raw food diets, juices, vegetarian diets, drinking alkaline water and ingesting alkaline chemicals.

This is a serious problem because the bodies are already too yin today.  Making them more yin for any reason leads to more sickness.  Restoring the alkaline reserve minerals is about the only way I know of to alkalinize the body without making it more yin.

V. PREVENTING AN ACIDIC BODY

This depends upon keeping the levels of the alkaline reserve minerals high in the body.  This sounds easy, but it is not that simple.  All the food supply on earth today is low in these minerals thanks to depleted soils, modern agriculture, and in some cases, food processing.

To maintain the levels of the alkaline reserve minerals requires eating a lot of cooked vegetables every day, as long as you live.  Clients often ask me when they can stop eating so many cooked vegetables.

In truth, until our agriculture changes significantly and we stop using superphosphate fertilizers, even on organic food, and until we truly rebuild the soil, eating loads of cooked vegetables every day is essential or our bodies will become acidic.

In addition, one must keep the oxidation rate balanced, do deep breathing, and keep removing toxic metals and toxic chemicals from the body to which we are all exposed every day.