pH: The Balance of Health

The normal ph of the body is 7.2. The metabolism of the muscle tissues that support the body, heart contractions, and diaphragmatic movement, continuously generates lactic acid that lowers pH Dietary residues also usually are acidic substances that must be eliminated to preserve normal pH Acidic waste products are removed by respiration (carbon dioxide), excretion of acid wastes by the kidney, sweating, and fecal evacuation.

When the ultraviolet rays from the sun strike the skin a Vitamin D precursor is created. After processing by the liver and kidney, Vitamin D is formed. This vitamin greatly increases the absorption of minerals (calcium and magnesium). Parts of the world lacking sunlight have a much higher incidence of cancer and allergic diseases than areas with plentiful sunlight.

Persons living in developed societies spend most of their days in buildings and homes which have artificial light. Very little time is spent in sunlight and when in the sun, most people wear sun glasses and are covered with sun screens. This sets the stage for a serious deficiency of ultraviolet light which is a critical nutrient for the body. When ultraviolet light is lacking, there is a failure to properly absorb alkaline minerals (calcium and magnesium) which the body stores in bone. This results in decreased mineral deposits in bone and a vulnerability to prompt softening of bones (osteoporosis) when acidotic states appear.

Genes dictate which degenerative disorders an individual is prone to develop but the development of anoxia (lack of oxygen) and chronic acidosis appears to play a more important role in the development of illness than does a person's genetic makeup. Genes are a convenient scapegoat for the failure of modern medicine to be unable to stop the rising tide of cancer, arteriosclerosis, Type 2 diabetes, and allergic diseases.

In acidotic states, potassium is unable to enter the cell and the blood levels of potassium tend to be high-normal or elevated. Because of the inability of potassium to enter the cells, the intake of neutral potassium chloride can be dangerous as it can cause a rise in blood potassium levels which may lead to heart stoppage (cardiac arrest). In alkalotic states potassium readily enters the cell and the blood potassium values tend to be low-normal or below normal.

The brilliant physician, Dr. Max Gerson, often administered three alkaline salts of potassium (gluconate, acetate, and phosphate) to successfully treat cancer patients. Many of these patients had elevated levels of potassium in their blood prior to the institution of potassium alkalinizing salts. On first glance this might appear dangerous but the alkalinizing effects of the three potassium salts were immediate and there was prompt movement of potassium into the cells preventing high blood levels of potassium from occurring. Among the cured patients was Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

In 1924 Dr. Otto Warburg, a Nobel Prize winning physician, demonstrated that the development of cancer occurred in the absence of oxygen. When oxygen is lacking in a cell, glucose ferments into two particles of lactic acid, which greatly aggravates the already abnormally acidic interior of the cell. This intracellular environment of excess acid and lack of oxygen causes failure of normal DNA production. A carcinogen (free radicals from heavy metals, pesticides, synthetic manufactured fats, nitrites, tars from cigarettes, benzene, etc.) can enter these abnormal cells and end up causing a mutation of the DNA leading to a cancer.

Adequate stores of cellular calcium keep the adhesion between cells intact. When calcium stores are lost, this binding together of cells is lost and it becomes easier for cancer cells to spread (metastasis) locally, and by blood and lymphatic channels.

The tribes of the world known for longevity, with one exception (Okinawa), are found at high altitudes (Tibetans, Hunzas of North Pakistan, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Vilabamas of Ecuador and the Titicacas of Peru) and all are characterized by the drinking of melted icy water and consumption of food grown with this water. This water contains massive amounts of alkaline minerals from rock erosion (calcium, magnesium, potassium, cesium).

The Okinawa populace is eating food and drinking water containing coral calcium. This water has a pH of 8.6 (very alkaline). About 500 years ago the Okinawans found out that egg and milk production doubled in animals, and crops tripled in volume when coral calcium was given to animals or placed in the soil. Their life expectancy rose to more than 105 years and the Japanese exodus of physicians to the mainland occurred when the populace took coral supplements daily.

The Hunzas and the Hopi Indians of Arizona do not get cancer unless they leave their homelands. The Hopis are protected by massive amounts of the alkaline mineral rubidium in their food and water and the Hunzas by massive amounts of alkaline cesium. In a population study the death rate from cancer and heart disease was 90% less in persons taking vitamins and minerals compared to non users.

Calcium has many important functions including providing electrical energy for the heart to beat and muscles to move. Cell nourishment depends on calcium facilitating the movement of nutrients into the cell. One of the most vital functions of calcium is involved in the replication of DNA. If calcium is lacking, poor repair of tissues and premature aging will result because of this inadequate replication of DNA. Probably the most critical use for calcium is in controlling the pH of the body. Acidic solutions have depleted oxygen levels and alkaline solutions have an abundance of oxygen. The presence of calcium in tissues mops up acid and increases the oxygen in the tissue. The calcium ion contributes to increasing the alkalinity of the tissue thus preventing the occurrence of cancer and other degenerative diseases.

In 1954 Dr. Carl J. Reich, an innovative Canadian physician, treated 4 patients with chronic diarrhea or asthma and hay fever that he felt had calcium deficiency with intravenous calcium and Vitamin D rich halibut oil. These patients promptly recovered, as did a 7 year old boy who had asthma from birth. Dr. Reich became convinced that mineral deficiency produced acidosis, leading to diseases. His studies suggested that many allergic conditions were actually caused by mineral and Vitamin D deficiency. He began treating a wide variety of patients with mega-dosage of vitamins, minerals especially calcium, and Vitamin D along with daily sun exposure without sunscreens or sunglasses for 1 to 2 hours. Many illnesses including cancer were greatly improved. The calcium ion contributes to increasing the alkalinity of tissue thus helping to prevent the development of cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Dr.Reich realized that when the body was lacking calcium and minerals, bone was broken down under the influence of parathyroid hormone to create calcium, and calcium was also removed from saliva and cerebrospinal fluid to try to keep the blood pH normal at 7.4. A simple pH test of the saliva two hours after eating can disclose whether mineral deficiency is present as a very acidic pH proves that alkaline mineral reserves are nearly gone.

Free radicals are strongly felt to be responsible for many degenerative conditions (cancer, cataracts, arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, arteriosclerosis, diabetes etc.). Free radicals are electron-deficient and have a positive charge. They are effectively mopped up by the presence of large amounts of negatively charged minerals and an alkaline pH and thus prevented from producing disease.