Fitness By Marilyn: May 2005

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Plain Talk About pH

What is pH?

pH, an acronym for “potential of hydrogen,” is a value that indicates the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. The measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration in a liquid determines the pH value. Every liquid has a pH value, which falls on a scale between 0 and 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH value less than 7 is acidic; values greater than 7 indicate alkalinity.

Examples: Battery acid and vinegar – two very acidic liquids – have pH values on the lower end of the scale, while baking soda and ammonia, both of which are very alkaline, are on the higher end of the pH scale. Pure water, meanwhile, has a pH value of 7 – it’s neither acidic nor alkaline.

The Optimum Body pH:

The body has a pH value. In fact, each of the body’s fluids has a specific pH value, but the blood most accurately reflects the body’s overall acidic or alkaline level. To maintain a balanced pH, the body uses certain minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium to neutralize acids in the blood. If it can’t do that successfully, the body will restore its optimal pH by depleting certain minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium from organs and bones.

The body needs to maintain a balanced pH, so it is very important to avoid being too acidic or too alkaline. The optimum pH value for urine and saliva should be between 6.3–6.7.

FindingThe Body’s pH:

There are a variety of ways to determine the body’s pH, and the most accurate way to find the pH value of the blood is using a pH meter. However, that can be impractical since it would require drawing blood and purchasing a special meter. A more practical and inexpensive method is to find the approximate pH level of the urine using litmus paper. Since the urine pH varies with what you eat, measure the pH when you get up in the morning before you exercise,
eat or drink anything. Keep in mind that when it comes to determining the body’s pH, look at averages and trends over a period of time.

For urine, the optimum pH value should be between 6.3–6.7, which is in the medium green area of the litmus paper.

How to use litmus paper to test urine:

1. Use 2–4 inches of litmus paper and avoid touching the end being used for testing
2. Quickly dip one end of the litmus paper into the urine sample*
3. Immediately shake off any excess
4. Immediately compare the color of the paper to the chart that comes with the litmus paper

*Note: Holding the litmus paper in a liquid, even for a few seconds, can wash the indicator off the paper and give an inaccurate reading pH.

Plain Talk About pH:
An easy guide to understanding pH and what it means to your health

Saturday, May 14, 2005

From One Of The Pioneers Of The Green Drink

Still True Today.......

Acid: The Trojan Horse

Excerpts from a speech given by Dr. Mary Ruth Swope at the AIM 2003 convention in Vancouver, BC:

Acid is the Trojan horse of health in this day and age. My dictionary states a secondary meaning of Trojan horse to be "a person or thing that is designed to undermine from within." Excess acid is truly a "thing from within" that undermines or destroys the body.

Most Americans are too acidic for whole body health. Even AIM family members that I have tested are still too acidic much of the time. Let's define the meaning of acid/alkaline. The acid or alkaline measurement of your body is classified in what is called pH factors. pH simply means potential of hydrogen. The pH scale ranges from 0-14 with 0 being most acidic, 7 being neutral and 14 being most alkaline.

Ideal pH of body fluids:
Saliva 6.5 to 7.0
HCL 1.0
Gastric juice 1.4
Urine 7.0
Water 7.0

The Problem:

One doctor has stated that he believes there are three root causes to 99% of disease symptoms-genetic weaknesses, toxicity, and overacidity. Overacidity is simply too much acid in our blood, saliva, urine and tissues.

The work of Dr. William Lee Cowden, board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and clinical nutrition, explored the effect of pH on all of the body's systems. Here are just a few examples of his findings.

Circulatory system: In excessive acid conditions, bacteria, fungi or viruses can attach themselves to the inner wall of the arteries. This can cause plaque to form, narrowing the artery and restricting blood flow which in turn restricts the flow of oxygen and nutrients to tissues. Heart attack and even cancer can result.

Nervous system: When brain cells are too acidic they dysfunction and communication between brain cells and throughout the spinal cord is cut off, which can result in dysfunction in other body systems. In the nervous system insomnia, anxiety, depression, neurosis, psychosis and impaired memory can result from overacidity.

Every body system is affected deeply by overacidity.

The Cause:

Many foods in our diet are too acidic-too numerous to mention here. Here are some of our greatest enemies:

Foods made from white flour (white bread, macaroni, noodles, pizza dough, etc.) act like glue in the tissues of our body. This causes an acid plaque to build up leading to inflammation and congestion of tissue and can lead to tissue death.

Cola drinks are one of the greatest offenders in our American diet. Most soft drinks are in the range of 2.3-4.0 on the pH scale. One biochemist discovered that it takes 32 glasses of alkaline water to neutralize the acidity of one Coca Cola.

A third food that needs special recognition as a Trojan horse is sugar. It fills our tissues with toxins that inflame, infect, imbalance and create dreadful havoc in our cells, tissues, and organs.

The Solution :

In order to maintain health and vitality, all of our body fluids should be alkaline except the stomach gastric juices, which are acid. How do we maintain an alkaline system? Here is the plan I suggest.

1. Take plenty of AIM BarleyLife® every day. This is number 1! AIM BarleyLife® is the perfect food to cause a quick and total answer to many of the symptoms we suffer from today. It is the ideal, whole, instant, high octane, highly alkaline food that causes sick cells to change to healthy cells. It also restores the minerals that are leached from our body through an overly acidic condition.

2. Use up to 6 tablespoons a day of freshly squeezed lemon in your drinking water. We are talking about 6-8 glasses minimum per day. Fresh lemon works quickly to alkalize your body.

3. Decrease your consumption of acid producing foods.

4. Eat a source of L. acidophilus bacillus or any mixture of friendly bacteria daily
.
5. Eat 1 tablespoon of raw pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, or flaxseed daily with a palm full of almonds for an excellent health producing habit.

6. Add 2 or more capsules of AIM Bear Paw Garlic® to your daily routine.

7. Laugh! Dr. Contreras said on TV, "One minute of anger causes six hours of hormonal havoc; one minute of laughter produces 24 hours of good results."

It is true that you can literally heal every system in your body by bringing it into homeostasis through balancing your pH levels. Begin to prove this to yourself-and begin sharing this with potential AIM customers. Do you want to become alive again? Do you want to regenerate yourself? Then, alkalize, alkalize, alkalize!

Testing your pH

Use litmus paper (can be secured from your local drug store).
Test urine and saliva in morning before any food or liquid.
Check color of paper with chart that comes with litmus paper.
Keep working on pH until saliva and urine are at ideal pH.

Visit AIM's webcast at www.theaimcompanies.com and click on the AIM convention icon to hear Dr. Swope's entire presentation.

Fitness By Marilyn
Independent AIM Member - Marilyn Wilson Price

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