Acid Alkaline Balance

[styersky]

Alkaline Acid Balance . . . I am trying to learn all I can. I know that when we are acid there is a danger of leeching minerals from the bones and causing things such as osteoporosis.

From where do you order your test strips. I have ordered some but think they may be a bit expensive.

Do you take alfalfa capsules to help balance acid-alkaline?

On what book do you rely for info?

I have read that vine ripened fruit is alkaline, but the fruit we buy at the market is nto vine ripened and is, therefore, acid. What do you know?

Do you test several times a day? Only morning and night? Should we always expect to test "balanced"?

Get the point? I am really interested and have read just enough to be confused. Help me out, PLEASE!

[alicemagooey]

Alkaline Acid Balance . . . I am trying to learn all I can. I know that when we are acid there is a danger of leeching minerals from the bones and causing things such as osteoporosis.

From where do you order your test strips. I have ordered some but think they may be a bit expensive.

i just ordered some from a place called "PH ION" i do not have the exact website, but hopefully you can google it..
The test strips are not that expensive..
HOWEVER, They have a lot of other things available for sale on the website..
I still think a lot of places are in this 'alkaline diet' idea to make some $$..THEY quite possibly are in the business to make money, and not necessarily for the best for us..
please use caution.


Do you take alfalfa capsules to help balance acid-alkaline?
Yes, and powdered alfalfa which i mentioned (what it is and where to get it )in a past post..i do this daily with meals.


On what book do you rely for info?
Victoria Boutenkos book "Green for Life" ... an excellent book.



I have read that vine ripened fruit is alkaline, but the fruit we buy at the market is nto vine ripened and is, therefore, acid. What do you know?
This may be true, but GREENS are the most potent source of alkaline elements except for perhaps watermelon and lemon in water.
So why worry? Eat Greens (consult book by Boutenko)( if you must consult a book)


Do you test several times a day? Only morning and night? Should we always expect to test "balanced"?

Best first thing in the morning. May test another time during day.

No..we should not always expect to test 'balanced'..it is very difficult, in my experience,to stay alkaline.
Many many things contribute to the body becoming acidic, including stress,
and anger, ( believe it or not) and taking medications, even aspirin..
many many things.

The point is
NOT TO GET CONFUSED or bewildered, just do your best to eat as much raw fruit and green veggies as possible
.It is simple , really.. and not something to get worked up about..or worried about..
We can only do what we can do..( and not get all worried about what some of these places say about life threatening illnesses caused by acidosis..)(most of them have something to sell.) ( so they try to make us panic into buying things)

I found Victorias book very good, but you do not even need scads of books.

I think that the only thing we should do is try and simplify our lives, get our priorities straight ( your signature, Styersky, puts things in proper order )
and things will work out for the best.

That is all we can do.!

hope this helps.
alice

[styersky]

I ordered from "PH ION" also. Also ordered a book, which is too difficult to understand . . . too detailed I think. I also ordered their "green" capsules. I am having my husband take them, but I do so much greens haven't done that myself yet.

I was depending upon fruit to be alkaline, and then realized most fruits were acid because they are not vine ripened. At least, that it is the way it seems from my perspective. We are eating a lot of watermelon while in season and they do seem to be alkaline.

My favorite green smoothie is watermelon and spinach. Surely hate to see watermelons go. Hopefully I will discover another fruit that is alkaline to go with the greens. I like sweet smoothies with lots of greens.

I think you are right . . . most books are trying to sell something. I have ordered a book on acid alkaline balance and weight loss and am anxious to see what I can learn from that. It is so easy to order too many books!

Thanks, Alice, thank you for all of the info. Will try to digest it soon. Don't know exactly why but I am dealing with sinus problems. Could be more detox, but there seems to be an epidemic of sinus problems here and it is thought to be from the extreme heat we have had and the dry weather. No rain to speak of in months. Very unusual for our area. Whatever, will be glad when sinus problems are gone.

[alicemagooey]

Hi .. a big sympathetic hug from me, Styersky...

this 'going raw' thing is not a 'piece of cake' (* he he) for sure !!

i have been having bananas in my smoothies,some lemon juice with a tsp of honey , spinach or some greens, a big organic apple ( supermarket sells them now), some *alfalfa powder ( i seem to be using more and more of that lately, for the reasons you mentioned about fruit in the market being less vine ripened or whatever)..and
..i do add water, i must admit, as pure a water as i can get..

I do not like really thick smoothies..specially in the hot weather..!!
Then i put this in a pitcher with some ice.. oh yes, you are from Kentucky
( i am from virginia originally) I usually put a sprig or two of fresh mint.
like when we used to have iced tea in tall glasses in the summer , with ice and mint..

This , to me, is NECTAR !!

hope you are feeling better soon..
all this 'thinking about health' can be taxing on the brain...
i am finding that
green smoothies and long walks ( or bike rides, i just took my bicycle out of storage ) really does the trick more than a lot of reading books and talking to people who would make you worry about this or that thing.

Enjoy Nature, each other, and the Creator of it all.
Things will work out as they should, then..

cheerio
alice

[GlimR]

Hello~*s* How cool to have our own space!!!

I was wondering about the acid/alkaline thing. I thought eating a raw diet in itself was very alkalizing. The things that cause acid in the body are mostly meat and dairy...even lemons which are acid turn alkaline in the body, oranges too. I think as long as your fruit is ripe and you balance with greens and raw veggies your system is alkaline.

I'll be curious to see what a difference your testing will show when you eat all raw or not. Wishing you the best~ *hug*

[styersky]

I am really curious about acid alkaline also. I read that only vine ripened fruit is alkaline, so I have really let up on eating fruit and maybe that's good because of too much sweet. The fruit we buy in the market is not vine ripened and, from what I read, therefore, acid. Hope I learn that is incorrect. I love fruit!

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Hi, I really like two of Dr. Young's books (PH Miracle, and PH Miracle for Diabetes) for explaining the acid / alkalinity importance. He suggests eating a diet of 80% or more alkalyzing foods (greens, vegetables, low-sugar fruits, some nuts and some seeds), as much raw as possible. Also drinking lots of alkaline water. When my dh and I became vegans a few years ago we first added lemon to our water as an easy way to alkalyze it, then decided to get an alkaline water filter. We also add dried barley grass (dried at safe, low temps) to a few glasses of water a day. We check our ph levels and they stay pretty alkaline when we eat as we should. I also found a neat little paperbook at Borders that just lists the alkalinity of many foods - for instance almonds being alkaline while walnuts very acid - very helpful.

[alicemagooey]

would you tell us the name of the book , please, which lists the foods.

thanks

alice

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Hi, It's "THE ACID ALKALINE FOOD GUIDE - A Quick Reference to Foods & Their Effect On pH Levels", by Dr.Susan E.Brown and Larry Trivieri, Jr. Introductory chapters are on understanding, testing, and creating an alkaline-acid balance. It cost $7.95.

[styersky]

http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm
This is an interesting chart.

[alicemagooey]

Thank you , Jennifer MF and Styersky..

good sources of info which i plan to look into..

cheerio
alice

[carolg]

Thanks all. Interesting chart showed tomatoes are alkaline. I seem to differ with that.

I truly believe my body was getting too acidic with lots of fruits so now I have really cut back tremendously with fruits. I was self diagnosiing with a visit from chiro who couldn't determine or not "acid reflux' with an adjustment. He said maybe one more in order, but now on a different roll: barley power 2-3x daily to neutralize body, and a green smoothie.

Are fermented veggies really alkalining?

Thanks.

carolg

[alicemagooey]

Carolg.
let's call the fruits which are not alkaline creating to the body processes,
'acid forming'.. and those which help the body be more alkaline :"alkaline forming"

that will help us identify exactly what we are talking about.

.remember ( oh yes, i cannot remember if Styersky mentioned it here or in another thread)..but see below for an important point:

..remember that Styersky mentioned that if fruits are not properly vine ripened ( emphasis italics mine).. that they are acid forming...

if the tomatoes you are eating have green seeds in them, then they have been picked green and are indeed 'acid forming'.

If the seeds are a nice brown colour, then the fruit has been properly vine ripened, and they are very 'alkaline forming.'
It is a fact.
it has been proven scientifically, and cannot be considered wrong just because we think it may be so..

People have been saying at some of our threads about acid/alkaline forming foods, that they feel that they need to give up fruits..but this may not be THE most helpful thing. There is no question that watermelon and lemons and properly ripened tomatoes , also apples and tree ripened fruits like peaches, and figs, and plums..well ripened on the trees..
are alkaline forming..

It is important also to take ample greens to also aid the body systems to be alkaline..ample greens and green powders..
But i , from personal experience, find that quitting fruits altogether is not necessarlily the answer.

As mentioned also, acid condition is caused by stress, and anger, and so many things..We need to take our whole condition..each one of us,..and work with what we have, and with our health care professionals, like you did with your chiro..
we need to put some effort into it..and it may be an uphill battle..but not impossible..

i guess i am one who tries for a balance.. even tho it is difficult..
so do not feel you have to trash what you are doing because it does not necessarily seem to be working.. You may just need a few modifications.

how does that sound?

alice

[luckitri]

I am wondering if the high sugar in the fruit in my green smoothies could contribute to acidity? (Even if the fruit is properly ripened and alkaline?)

I also eat a green salad every day but I find this to be most frustrating as my teeth are separating and I have to religiously floss after. Why does everything have to take so much time?

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Alice, Dr. Young (pH Miracle) says that raw tomatoes are alkaline producing, but cooked tomatoes are acidic. Luckitri, sugar is usually shown as acid producing in the body. But even the charts, books, and experts disagree about the pH level of some foods which must react differently in each individual body. Overall the vegetables and most fruits appear to help raise the alkalinity level I think.

Jennifer

[styersky]

I am reading more and more that we do not need to eat massive amounts of fruit, even RAW. Unlimited vegetables. I was eating many, many servings of fruit but now that I am into acid alkaline balance I am beginning to cut down to maybe 10% of calories from fruit. I do not have really good info on alkaline and acidity and info from any of you would be appreciated.

For instance, I read on page 30 of "The Acid Alkaline DIet for Optimum Health" by Christopher Vasey, N>D> "If your first urination of the day is neutral rather than acidic, you are suffering from acidification and should apply the necessary measures to address this problem, with particular emphasis on the elimination of acids by the skin and kidneys. In fact, in this case an important piece of the problem resides in the eliminatory weakness of these organs." What does that mean?

My first urination of the day as all day is 7 to 7.5.

I read some posts here that indicate there are others just like me.

Okay . . . give us some comments and information about this, Please.

Thank all of you so much for sharing what you know as we all learn.

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Since our bodies work hard while we sleep and rest, they may be more acid first thing in the morning? Young goes into such detailed explanations about this in his book, but I've lent my copy out. I think most people who have been eating SAD for any length of time are acidic. Testing several times a day gives a good idea of the range.

Jennifer

[alicemagooey]

THIS POST IS IN RESPONSE TO PAST POSTS CONCERNING THE RELATIVITY ACIDITY AND ALKALINITY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.. NOT FROM STYERSKY'S MOST RECENT POST FROM THE BOOK ABOUT THE ACID AND ALKALINE DIET.

well, i try to post either from personal experience or something i have read repeatedly..

yes, i have read that cooked tomatoes are acid forming, but i wanted to repeat myself, and repeat what Styersky found in her research, that fruits which are not fully vine or tree ripened are either acid forming, or less alkaline than they should be.

i stick by this, because i have eaten tomatoes with green seeds ( because tomatoes were picked green and allowed to ripen off the vine ) and had an immediate reaction.. Whereas i have been eating fully vine ripened tomatoes for the past few days with no such reaction.

I have read nothing about the sugar in fruits being acid forming.. I have just looked at numerous charts where the fruits and vegetables are listed. They are broken down as to how much they have an alkaline reaction on the body.. Most fruits and vegetables ( and once again, i would stress well-ripened) have an alkaline reaction. There are some which have more of an alkaline reaction to the bodily systems than do others. The people who make the tests have drawn up charts for our benefit. I have found most of the charts to be very very similar...with some minor differences.

This is scientific as far as how the different fruits and vegetables react on the bodily systems....
Of course, when making the tests, the fruits or vegetables are each eaten ALONE on an empty stomach by those making the tests. The patients are tested often as to their ph levels of both urine and saliva.They often use laboratory settings
These professionals are not 'talking off the top of their heads,' (these people who research such like things)..
They test each fruit and each vegetable on human bodily systems, noting the ph values of the urine and saliva of the people being tested..
That is how research is done.
That is how charts are drawn up.
For us to sit around and speculate "such and such a thing" seems to me to be pretty silly, because they have the proof in the lab tests.

As far as reacting differently for different people, i did mention that stress also makes peoples systems acid.. as do other environmental issues.
But even these conditions can be helped by eating an abundance of the most alkaline fruits and vegetables.
Also, eating habits of people might change an individual's results.
1..Eating a large number of meals ,( even of fruits and vegetables ) without allowing sufficient time for digestion. can cause an overload of body functions, which would cause an acid conditon.
2.Eating in a rush, could make a person more acid.
3.Eating too many combinations of different fruits and vegetables could tax the digestive system, and thus cause an acid condition.

But the test results of the individual fruits and vegetables and their acid and alkaline reactions to bodily systems is something which i do believe is a
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN FACT..by tests taken repeatedly on many peoples bodys, of the effects.

If people want to keep conjecturing, i guess they are free to do so.
but it seems kinda silly.
but maybe that is only me.

alice

[SharonC]

Fruit is great, it is just not as high in alkalizing forming minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.) as most vegetables (especially dark leafy greens). The information you read about vine ripened is probably because it was able to take in more nutrients before it was picked. When it is not allowed to vine ripen, it is probably less alkaline forming. But, fruits contain many important nutrients.

Just make sure you are getting lots of mineral rich vegetables - leafy greens and sprouts... lots of variety. This is why the GREEN SMOOTHIES are soooo important. And as I mentioned in the green smoothies thread, there are 2 medical doctors that I know of who recommend them and have written that blending provides about 4 times the nutrients as just eating the food. Also, would be a good idea to take a quality green food supplement (I like to alternate just in case). The soil that food is grown in today is lacking in nutrients, and the food is picked too early and shipped from far away places resulting in lower nutrients in the food. Great to grow vegetables and fruits that are easy to grow in your area. It is very rewarding and fun! Gardening is also great exercise!!

Did you see my post about how easy it is to grow parsley and purslane? Kale is easy too - grows well in cold weather.

[Noone]

I have read the two main ph-miracle books of Dr Young.

Although there is a lot of very good information, there is for example no register (or no good register, i can't remember), there are almost no scientific references, and a lot of topics/questions are not answered.
Neither is there good communication via his website. It's all about business.

One of the questions left is if people following a 80/10/10diet (with a LOT
of fruit) are acidic.

[SharonC]

This is a brief general explanation of what I understand about this issue as it relates to diet...

The raw food diet is very high in alkaline forming foods and very low in the most acid forming foods, so it should not be terribly difficult when following the raw food diet to eat the recommended 75% - 80% alkaline forming and 20% to 25% acid forming foods. The most alkaline forming foods are the ones highest in minerals - vegetables and especially dark leafy GREENS. It is minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium) that are needed to keep the blood perfectly balanced without it having to rob minerals from bones and tissues. If the body was not forced to go into survival mode, many diseases would not exist. The body is desperately trying to maintain balance and works very hard to keep the pH of our blood between about 7.35 - 7.45 (a very tight window), or we would die. If the body is unable to keep the blood at this alkaline level with the resources given to it, then it must use mineral reserves from within the body - that is when it robs the minerals in the bones and tissues to keep the blood at this alkaline pH. "Since blood pH absolutely can not vary too much, if the body is struggling to maintain the more alkaline pH it thrives at, this will first show up in the urine and next at the cellular level. For this reason, the pH of saliva and urine are the two solutions most often tested to check on a person's pH."

As has been said by others, there are other factors...

"Including food, there are many factors that affect pH, including some that are often unknown or neglected. Since the tendency of modern diet and lifestyle is to make our bodies too acidic, the challenge is to make the body more alkaline. Here a few things that will make us more alkaline (even though good health does require various acid-forming activities and foods):

*Chewing food well, especially carbohydrates, since their digestion, aided by saliva, begins in the mouth
*Eating food raw
*Not cooking food too much
*Prayer/Meditation/Contemplation
*Calmness (anger makes us acidic)
*Minimizing adrenaline
*Drinking water with a negative polarity
*Drinking water with alkaline-forming minerals in it
*Eating most fruits and vegetables, especially those low in sugar
*Eating less sugar, candy bars, white rice and white flour (which are acid-producing)
*Eating less fats (which are acid-producing, due to fatty acids)
*Eating less protein (which is acid-producing, although plant protein is less so)
*Avoiding most legal and illegal drugs (which are mostly acid-producing)
*Avoiding stress and anger (these are extremely acid-producing)
*Body manipulation, such as acupressure (deep massage can be acidifying when acids are released)
*Limiting very strenuous exercise (which can produce large amounts of lactic acid)
*Harmonious music
*Most alternative healing methods"

[tanishamarshall]

Sharon thanks for sharing this info..

[JenniferMooreFuller]

It is good the scientists have done extensive laboratory research on the alkaline and acid effects of various foods upon the body. Micro-biologists and others such as Dr. Young are a big help to those of us trying to reach optimal health. I also base my opinions in regards to a raw foods diet on personal experience and sometimes on things I have read. But original ideas from "non-experts" often contain a great deal of intuitive wisdom and I look forward to the exchange of these raw gems in the forums!

[styersky]

Sharon C. . . very good info. THANKS! I am new to RAW and the whole philosophy and really enjoy reading and learning. I do not know that I get enough variety and/or greens. But it seems that if I consume capsulated or powdered greens, then I am using processed foods. Maybe heated, etc. What is your opinion. I have some capsules and 9 per day is recommended. A bit expensive and maybe the powder would be economical, but I do not know about the processing that gets it into a powder or capsule. Just not much into pills or supplements of any kind. Maybe I just don't know enough to make good decisions.

[styersky]

It is good the scientists have done extensive laboratory research on the alkaline and acid effects of various foods upon the body. Micro-biologists and others such as Dr. Young are a big help to those of us trying to reach optimal health. I also base my opinions in regards to a raw foods diet on personal experience and sometimes on things I have read. But original ideas from "non-experts" often contain a great deal of intuitive wisdom and I look forward to the exchange of these raw gems in the forums!

I, too, enjoy the exchange of ideas and experiences which we enjoy here on the Forum. Could not dare the challenge without interaction with others. And it is great that we of similar ages can share feelings here on our very own forum!

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Styersky...Alissa sells a green foods powder dried at safe, low heat.

[SharonC]

Styersky...Alissa sells a green foods powder dried at safe, low heat.

Alissa's green food looks great! The quality green foods will say that they are processed carefully at low temperatures. It is always a good idea to purchase from a company that you trust.

[styersky]

Alissa's green food looks great! The quality green foods will say that they are processed carefully at low temperatures. It is always a good idea to purchase from a company that you trust.

Just ordered some. Can't believe I did that. I am so opposed to "processed" and it's hard to get it that it's okay. But I am going to give it a try. I am so determined to beat Osteoporosis without fosomax. And I hope this is a big step toward doing that, along with exercise, exercise, exercise!

Appreciate so much all of the encouragement here in this Forum!

[alicemagooey]

Yes.. WOW and WOOHOO.. Good on you Styersky.!!

I am not sure about urine ph, but yours sounds very very good!
What do your books say???
it sounds like you are doing things correctly !!!
That is so good..so very good indeed.

A while back i mentioned that i take alfalfa powder, and it is sold by a reputable herbalist ( gave the reference in a past post) .
Real herbalists dry their herbs and greens below 100 degrees F.
( mentioned that also)
( I do understand that there is so, so much to learn and so much 'coming at us' all at once., i know)

Alissas greens.. i need to go and take a look see.
she really knows her information, and i am sure she has compiled something really good..
She probably has good vegan capsules..which not all places have.

I like the powdered supplements, myself, because they are easy to put a tblsp into a smoothie.alfalfa is full of micronutrients and is often overlooked.
I just tried to dig an old alfalfa plant out of my garden, and the roots seemed to go down to another country..!!
More than any old barley or wheat plant that i have ever seen.
so i figure it must be really good.( Sources say that it is)

I have to go and check out some green things now.
congratulations on the good work to you and

THANK YOU
ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE POSTED HERE..SO FULL OF GOOD INFO AND KINDNESS
it has been REALLY REALLY HELPFUL INFO, AND COMRADERIE HERE AT THIS NEW GROUP is outstanding.!!

BEST WISHES WITH A BIG COLLECTIVE HUG to all
alice

[SharonC]

I second what Alice said - good for you Styersky!

Yes, I am sure that it is very difficult to absorb all this new information in such a short amount of time. I learned much of this slowly over many years and am still studying and learning. Sometimes it takes awhile for me to implement something new as well. I know with my Mom, she needs to be reminded about some things too!

I have been telling my Mom about all of you learning all of this on your own after being programmed differently all your lives! Very inspiring!!

[styersky]

Urine ph . . . The only book I have now, but have another on order, says the first test in the a.m. should be acid and mine is not. I am 7 to 7.5 all day. Haven't seen any other info regarding the necessity of acid early a.m. I am anxious to read more on that. When I started testing the results flunctuated but not now. I think that's a good thing.

I struck out on the nutrition oriented doctors. The HFS gave me wrong info on that, so I am on my own.

About 25 years ago I owned a HFS. I had spent many years prior to that really into supplements, etc. While I owned the HFS I truly lost faith . . . there is so much snake oil in that industry. After that I pretty much threw nutrition out the window, and specifically supplements. Now this, being RAW, etc., is so totally new and exciting so I am truly feeling my way along. And I so much appreciate all of the support and information received from all of you.

I realize that the supplements not being exposed to high heat, etc., are totally different than just any bottle of pills. After reading about Alissa's I felt ok to give it a try. I will continue reading and studying and try to get a definite regimen going as far as supplements are concerned.

I will have miniscus repair on right knee next Wednesday. So my walking has to be put on hold for now. I have a trampoline ordered so as soon I am able to start exercising will start rebounding. I love to walk, but I seem to get too energetic, try to do too much and that is how I hurt my knee. Just trying too hard to get a good workout. I have a tendency to overdo things!

I think I have answered all of your comments. Just can't tell you guys how much I appreciate your support. That's what this Forum can do for all of us . . . support, support, support!

[alicemagooey]

Sharon C, your posts have contained a WEALTH of information..

still chewing on the last long one by you..

THANK YOU for sharing your understanding.

by the way, what is negative polarized water???

alice

[styersky]

If you are enjoying the Over 50 Forum you might want to thank Alissa for doing this for us. She was so happy to work with us and I really appreciate it as I think you are. This is the email address if you want to thank her:
alissa@alissacohen.com

[Lavendula]

I spoke with my nutritionist yesterday, as I have been dealing with alot of stuff, and feel it's really important to know. The urine was right on, but she went on to explain, the PH should all be different, for the saliva, stomach, intestinal tract, blood, etc. Do any of the books any of you mentioned explain it that way? If my saliva and urine are alkaline, why do I have this terrible burning acid issue going on? I have tried every alkaline forming food I have, acidophilous, even Daves Kombucha tea. I am suspicious of the fruit in my green smoothie. The only things I didn't try was cabbage juice, or yogurt. Tomorrow....

[alicemagooey]

A lot to try and figure out, all of this, for sure, Lavendula.

i just received my ph test strips and urine tested first thing this morning.

the little brochure which came with it said that normal 'first thing in the morning' urine should test between 6.75 and 7.25..

mine was 7.25.

i guess that is ok..so i am glad..

i know the guy who made the strips available ( and sells lots of products along these lines :confused: )..says that there are many factors which influence ph..
and also that urine ph is different from saliva ph..
i have not tested my saliva ph yet.

i think you may be correct in that different areas of the body have different ph values of the fluids within them,like the stomach, etc.. but i think these two..the urine and the saliva , are the only two which we lay people can readily test.

oh yes, he says the other factors to getting an accurate reading may be
"certain chemicals in your saliva like salts, proteins, colloids, alkalouds and alkahol may slightly effect the reagent of the slips
( he goes on to tell us why his strips are the most accurate..)

sigh.. do you ever feel like little lambs being led in different directions?

muddle on, my friends.

keep drinking the greens..lots of greens..i am coming to understand..
perhaps more than fruit.. i am learning..

cheerio
alice

[SharonC]

Sharon C, your posts have contained a WEALTH of information..

still chewing on the last long one by you..

THANK YOU for sharing your understanding.

by the way, what is negative polarized water???

alice


Alice, Thank you for sharing too - enjoy your posts!

I just love to research and learn how the body works - it is fascinating to me. My husband says I
spend too much time researching (I do)! But, he benefits, so he does not complain about it too much!!

I have not gotten into the ph testing - did it a few times. I do not like tests! I just do everything I know to do to achieve true health, incorporating and tweaking along the way - eat healthy of course, avoid all chemicals (in food, cleaning products, personal care products, gardening products, etc.), and regularly cleanse/detox my body (my husband even built me an infrared sauna for detoxing)! I enjoy doing all this, so it is easy for me. It really did help me to understand how the body works to be so enthusiastic about healthy living - learning about gardening and nature helped as well. It is so interesting that just like the body, if the soil is not healthy (full of real nutrients), then the plant is not healthy, and the plant is more likely to attract pests and diseases - there is a perfect plan in place, God/nature's laws - it is man not following God/nature's laws that causes all the problems!!

This is a great video tape of an overview of the miraculous self healing body. It is especially helpful for people who do not understand how food helps the body to heal and who need a doctor to tell them! So many people just do not get it, especially the medical community - https://commerce.hacres.com/productCat.aspx?cat=18'
"Miraculous Self-Healing Body - DVD
You can learn about the dangers of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and hear for yourself the evidence that improper diet is the leading cause of almost every physical ailment. Five leading health experts, including Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Russell Blaylock, and Rev. George Malkmus, discuss all this and reveal the secrets to a healthy, vital, disease-free body. A very powerful video! Available in VHS, DVD and PAL DVD formats. DVD Video"

This explains the negative polarized water - http://www.pjaninc.com/documents/MagnetizedWater.doc

[Lavendula]

I don't think I would have ever thought about my Ph the way I do now, because I didn't have a clue. When you are trying to heal yourself, you are your own best DR. and they are just practicing, so that's what I've always done. Education is knowledge, but that can be bad too, as sometimes we learn just enough to be dangerous. I had mostly greens in my GS, couldn't even taste the nectarine. I'll let you all know what happens, with the acid thing, at least it didn't keep me awake or wake me up last night.

[alicemagooey]

Sharon:

my husband even built me an infrared sauna for detoxing)!


you are one lucky lady, for sure.

It is good of you to share what you know..

as Lavendula said:
it is like a 1000 piece puzzle.. this whole thing..about how the body works and all..

i agree that what Sharon said about our following the Laws of Nature, and how that will bring about Balance and things the way they were created to be.
There are a couple problems with that, although it will always work.
( following the Laws of Nature ) for our benefit..

the problems seem to be that we have gotten SO FAR AWAY from simplicity.. We have not only made things overly complicated, it seems, but we have made our conditions such that it is difficult to reverse the messes we have made.

The second thing, which is not really a problem, but a process, is that it takes TIME and sensitivity and dedication to figure out this 1000 piece puzzle..because life goes on and change of all types just happen..

i will cut from my silly drivel..sorry folks.

nice that we can help each other persevere.
i think that is the most important thing.

alice

[Lavendula]

I realized I was eating 1/4 of a jicama every, all starch, high in FOS. Cutting back has helped, but not totally. I still think the fruit in my GS is part of it. I just can't stay on top of the acid feeling. Whether it's a 100% raw day or not or not, makes no diff.

[styersky]

Lavendula, you may want to look at "Food Combining". You can google for food combining. It seems that greens and fruit are not a recommended combination. And they certainly do not work well for me. I need to pretty much eat fruit alone to avoid bloating, etc., etc.

[luckitri]

Wow Thanks SharonC!

I had also read on here a while back about recharging the water by putting it in a glass jar in the moonlight.

I do know that my water frustrates me as it somehow tastes dead and is not as refreshing as I think it should be.

Will have to collect all this water info and figure out what to do.

Where could I get a magnet big enough to charge a huge water bottle for family and would cost be ridiculously out of reach? When I put water bottle on dispenser would magnetization be lost?

[luckitri]

Lavendula, I also still have the acid heartburn but certainly not as bad as SAD. I am frustrated with the large amount of fruit that always ends up in my green smoothies but for some reason not only do they taste better but they keep longer with the fruit.

But in the evening I often wonder why I still have the acid.

[SharonC]

Wow Thanks SharonC!

I had also read on here a while back about recharging the water by putting it in a glass jar in the moonlight.

I do know that my water frustrates me as it somehow tastes dead and is not as refreshing as I think it should be.

Will have to collect all this water info and figure out what to do.

Where could I get a magnet big enough to charge a huge water bottle for family and would cost be ridiculously out of reach? When I put water bottle on dispenser would magnetization be lost?

You are so welcome Luckitri! Sorry, but I have not gotten that far either! Just been reading about it.

Right now, I am distilling my water and adding watermax from Hallelujah Acres - https://commerce.hacres.com/product.aspx?id=332 Their research - http://www.hacres.com/diet/research/waterRevision.pdf

Adding another step is on my list of things to do if I decide that it will be more beneficial. I will let you know when I do and how I do it!!

[SharonC]

When making GREEN SMOOTHIES, I do try to follow proper food combining - acid fruits with sub-acid fruits & sweet fruits by themselves or with a little sub-acid fruit.

For instance, the acid fruits such as oranges, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi combine really well together and make a great tasting smoothie. Blueberries are sub-acid I believe - they combine well with acid fruits.

When I use bananas (sweet fruit), I use either by themselves or with mangos and/or grapes and sometimes blueberries.

I have read that apples are easily digested with other foods.

For my GREENS - kale, spinach, romaine, mixed greens, dandelion, tops of carrots/beets, celery, purslane

And, as Alice pointed out, there is that food combining rule - "eat melons alone or leave them alone". I have never tested this! I just eat melons first thing in the morning and then have a green smoothie later.

[styersky]

Sharon C., you are so informative. Thank you.

I have learned from experience to leave fruits out of green smoothies, but have not found a taste that is great. I add tomato to greens and am not exactly pleased with effect or taste. What do you add to the greens for taste, or maybe you like the greens taste?

And thank you so much for the b-12 info.

[SharonC]

Sharon C., you are so informative. Thank you.

I have learned from experience to leave fruits out of green smoothies, but have not found a taste that is great. I add tomato to greens and am not exactly pleased with effect or taste. What do you add to the greens for taste, or maybe you like the greens taste?

And thank you so much for the b-12 info.

Thanks Styersky! I love to share with all of you very special people in the over 50 group! It really helps me to deepen my knowledge when sharing - so thank you as well!

I do combine fruit and greens in my smoothies. I follow proper combining with the fruits for better digestion. Have you tried the green smoothies with proper fruit combining?

It seems that most people have digestive problems, and it is not surprising. Eating SAD, drinking water with chemicals (especially the chlorine), taking a bath/shower in tap water (we absorb the chemicals through the skin), drugs (especially antibiotics), even eating good foods that may contain chemicals, etc. compromises our digestive system. My sister-in-law who is a pediatric pharmacist tells me horror stories about babies with major digestive problems already - she is desperately trying to educate the Mothers about healthy foods and probiotics instead of the harmful drugs that are given to these poor babies. We live in a world that just doesn't understand what health means, and we have so much to counteract - just read an article recently about antibiotics in lettuce - http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6396.cfm

I believe that everyone benefits from probiotics, and some people may need digestive enzymes, especially if they are finding their way later in life. Hydrochloric acid has been found to drastically decline as we age - probably not the case if we have been on the right path from an early age. We just cannot expect our body to be functioning optimally if we have lived most of our lives not giving it what it needs and actually doing the opposite - causing harm. The digestive process is so important. If we do not absorb the nutrients, the body is not able to heal or function properly. That is why people who have serious illnesses (such as cancer) juice to heal their body. The nutrients are immediately available even if the digestive system is not working properly (just the fact that they have a serious illness indicates that it is not). At the beginning of my journey, I juiced a lot - mainly carrots and greens. I also had my Mom juicing a lot, and we did a few juice fasts. Mine were only a day or 2 a few times a month, but my Mom did more than me because of her breast cancer.

I believe that it is possible to heal the digestive system (this also applies to all the systems - the whole body) on a raw food diet and especially if fasting/cleansing regularly. It just may take a few years - depending on how much is done to help it along. Healing is a process but well worth it!

I am so grateful that I have at least found the right path and am in control (for the most part) of my health. The 'normal' path just never seemed right to me, and it was such a relief to know the right way! It does require patience and diligence, but is great to know that we are headed in the right direction and can avoid much of the pain and suffering that is so 'normal' today.

[styersky]

Thanks, again, Sharon.

The Food Combining Charts I have seen indicate that fruit should be eaten alone. And when I combine fruit with greens for a GS I experience bloating. Maybe I am just using the wrong fruits?

[alicemagooey]

just popping in..not usually around at this time, but today am.

Probably Sharon knows better than i do..
but, are you drinking your smoothie really really slowly,Styersky?
i mean really slowly, swishingly slowly?

sometimes that helps me.
But often i feel bloated after my smoothie, and i was wondering why because the charts i have say that GREENS and only greens CAN be combined with fruits..so i do that...

Actually, lately, i am taking to drinking smaller amounts of smoothie more often during the day.( have a ten or 12 oz smoothie first thing in the morning, then i take a bottle with me when i go to work, and have 10 oz after four hours or so, and repeat every four hours.. That gives my smoothies ( what i believe may be) long enough to digest between meals.

I have had less bloating this way, lately.
.I figured maybe My particular bloating which i have experienced is because i would chug-a-lug about a quart in the morning, and then another quart at night, with salad/ vegetables in the mid afternoon..

i think a lot of this is trial and error.. but it is so good sharing, because different people have discovered different possiblilities and digestive properties which perhaps we had not thought of before.

for me, i am just thrashing along, but know that it will all smooth out,eventually, with experience
( pun not intended)

alice

[styersky]

http://weightloss.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fredacare.com%2F client%2Fdeficiency%2Fcombine.htm

Don't know if that URL will work because it is so long, but that is one chart I look at a lot. And that chart shows POOR for any combination of foods with fruit. I would be interested in anything anyone else has that says fruits combine differently.

[SharonC]

http://weightloss.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fredacare.com%2F client%2Fdeficiency%2Fcombine.htm

Don't know if that URL will work because it is so long, but that is one chart I look at a lot. And that chart shows POOR for any combination of foods with fruit. I would be interested in anything anyone else has that says fruits combine differently.

I promise that all of this will get easier! The following websites explain...

If you are following the fruit combining rules and still having problems, it may help to take something to improve digestion - worth a try before you give up on green smoothies. Probiotics, digestive enzymes, apple cider vinegar, etc. (Notice that melon is excluded from this rule - it is recommended that melon be eaten totally alone.)


http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/digestive-physiology-and-food-combining/food-combining-rules.html

4.9 Fruits with Vegetables
Do not combine fruit with any vegetables except lettuce and celery.
It is best not to combine fruits with vegetables (especially cooked vegetables), proteins or starches because if such a combination of food is eaten, the digestion of the fruit will be delayed and subject to fermentation. Lettuce and celery, however, may be combined with any fruit except melon, and will cause no problem.

Dr. Vetrano says, "Taking green uncooked vegetables with a fruit meal is perfectly all right. Even though some charts state that subacid and sweet fruits combine fair to poorly with green uncooked vegetables, the feeding practices at the Health School indicate that these are good combinations, indeed, even enhancing digestion of the fruit in some conditions of impaired digestion."



http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/newsletter/newsletter0002.html

Combine fruit only with lettuce and celery These uncooked vegetables with a fruit meal may even enhance digestion of the fruit.

[styersky]

"Combine fruit only with lettuce and celery These uncooked vegetables with a fruit meal may even enhance digestion of the fruit."

I never used lettuce or celery in green smoothie. I always use spinach, sometimes Kale, Parsley, etc. Maybe if I begin using lettuce and just a bit of spinach I can use fruit (not melon). For a while I was using watermelon and it was so delicious but had major problems with the watermelon. Now I know better.

Will be anxious to have lettuce smoothie now. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[Lavendula]

You are a blessing. Thank you so much for all of the website links, I'm sure it will help all of us.:) I have been trying to get my hands around the more intricate details of food combining, beyond just no carbs with proteins. I had trouble with the acid thing a number of years ago , but never acid reflux, just the burning sensation. I have taken high quality digestive enzymes for several years, and pay attention to alkaline and acid forming foods, increasing my raw foods to 50% or better, seldom eating fruit, and that all went away. I was so surprised to have these symptoms with going more raw, and eating fruit every day. I am sure it is all in the combinations. This is definately a science.

[SharonC]

"Combine fruit only with lettuce and celery These uncooked vegetables with a fruit meal may even enhance digestion of the fruit."

I never used lettuce or celery in green smoothie. I always use spinach, sometimes Kale, Parsley, etc. Maybe if I begin using lettuce and just a bit of spinach I can use fruit (not melon). For a while I was using watermelon and it was so delicious but had major problems with the watermelon. Now I know better.

Will be anxious to have lettuce smoothie now. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I believe that 'lettuce' includes all leafy greens. The food combining rule is not to combine starchy vegetables with fruit, but leafy greens are in a different category. In the book 'Green For Life', it says that "greens are not vegetables and greens are not starchy. In fact, greens are the only food group that helps digest other foods through stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes."

Just start out simple with romaine lettuce and/or celery and see how that goes. Then try another green (kale, spinach, etc.)

Hope it goes well!

[SharonC]

You are a blessing. Thank you so much for all of the website links, I'm sure it will help all of us.:) I have been trying to get my hands around the more intricate details of food combining, beyond just no carbs with proteins. I had trouble with the acid thing a number of years ago , but never acid reflux, just the burning sensation. I have taken high quality digestive enzymes for several years, and pay attention to alkaline and acid forming foods, increasing my raw foods to 50% or better, seldom eating fruit, and that all went away. I was so surprised to have these symptoms with going more raw, and eating fruit every day. I am sure it is all in the combinations. This is definately a science.


Thank you Lavendula (love your name)! Yes, experimenting and tweaking is part of the journey. When reversing damage, it does take more time and effort. Juicing can drastically speed up the healing process because it gives the body immediately absorbed mega nutrients for healing (no matter how compromised the digestive system) and at the same time conserves energy that the body would normally use for digestion (digestion takes so much energy). The body can then use the extra energy for healing. Of course, by just eliminating hard to digest foods (especially animal products) and blending foods, the body will have more energy for healing - just takes longer. So amazing - our miraculous self healing body!!

[styersky]

This thread has covered different aspects than just Acid Alkaline Balance and that is great and has been informative and educational.

However, just thought I would go back to the Acid Alkaline issue. Having done some research recently via internet, I am convinced that is so very important. The book that has motivated me is by Dr. Robert O. Young "The PH Miracle for Weight Loss". Even if you are not interested in losing weight, most of the book will appeal to you if you are interested in improving health, preventing cancer, osteoporosis, etc., etc.,etc. He has a Newsletter that is motivational as far as simply being interested in improving health.

If you are RAW it really is not difficult to stay alkaline by eating 80% alkaline while going RAW. He does not advocate totally RAW, but most of his recipes are RAW.

Your input would be interesting regarding your experience with Acid Alkaline balance.

[EZ rider]

Here's a link to a thread titled: "Alkalinity vs. acidity"

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33858
.

[Lady Green Jeans]

This is such a great thread. I sent my mother a couple books on alkaline/acidic foods, which she was totally into reading. From what I've read over the years (and I am no health professional), but being in balance can so heal a body of most any DISease if it has not progressed too far.

Hooray to this wonderful raw food lifestyle.

[Yeshia]

I am so glad I found this tread .

I have very excessively bad dry papery skin right now.9 &0 plus days raw) ( see my other thread please)

I have been told this could be because I am acidic and so this info is invaluable for me

I would appreciate your imput) please

[veganman]

When my dh and I became vegans a few years ago we first added lemon to our water as an easy way to alkalyze it, then decided to get an alkaline water filter.

Hi Jennifer -

I am researching the issue of alkaline water....what type did you get? Do you like it?