A Complete Handbook Of Nature Cure by H

A Complete Handbook Of Nature Cure by H.K.Bakhru

Miracles Of Alkalizing Diet

The human body is composed of various organs and parts, which are made up of tissues and cells. These tissues and cells are composed of 16 chemical elements.

The balance or equilibrium of these chemical elements in the body is an essential factor in the maintenance of health and healing of disease. The acid-alkaline balance plays a vital role in this balanced body chemistry. All foods, after digestion and absorption leave either an acid or alkaline ash in the body depending on their mineral composition. The normal body chemistry is approximately 20 per cent acid and 80 per cent alkaline. This is the acid-alkaline balance.

In normal health, the reaction of the blood is alkaline and that is essential for our physical and mental well-being. The preponderence of alkalis in the blood is due to the fact that the products of the vital combustions taking place in the body are mostly acid in character. Carbohydrates and fats form about nine-tenths of the normal fuel of the body. IN normal health, this great mass of material is converted into carbon dioxide gas and water. Half of the remaining one-tenth fuel is also con- verted into the same gas and water. This huge amount of acid is transported by the blood to the various points of discharge, mainly the lungs. By virtue of alkalinity, the blood is able to transport the acid from the tissues to the discharge points.

Acidosis

Whenever the alkalinity of the blood is reduced, even slightly, its ability to transport the carbon dioxide gets reduced. This results in the accumulation of acid in the tissues. This condition is known as acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood. Its symptoms are hunger, indigestion, burning sensation and pain in the pharynx, nausea, vomiting, headache, various nervous disorders and drowsiness. Acidosis is the breeding ground for most diseases. Nepthritis or Brights disease, rheumatism, premature old age, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, skin disorders and various degenerative diseases are traceable to this condition. It seriously interferes with the functions of the glands and organs of the body. It also lowers the vitality of the system, thereby increasing the danger of infectious diseases.

The main cause of acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood is faulty diet, in which too many acid forming foods have been consumed. In the normal process of metabolism or converting the food into energy by the body,. various acids are formed in the system and in addition, other acids are introduced in food. Whenever there is substantial increase in the formation of acids in the system and these acids are not properly eliminated through the lungs, the kidneys and the bowels , the alkalinity of the blood is reduced, resulting in acidosis.

Other causes of acidosis are depletion of alkali reserve due to diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera etc., accumulation of carbon dioxide in asphyxia and anoxia as in circulatory and pulmonary diseases and accumulation of acetone bodies resulting from starvation, vomiting and diabetes millitus.

Acidosis can be prevented by maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in the diet. Certain foods leave alkaline ash and help in maintaining the alkalinity of the food, while others leave highly acid ash and lower the alkali reserve of the blood and tissue fluids to a very large extent. Eggs do the same but less strongly than meats. Cereals of all kinds, including all sorts of breads are also acid-forming foods , though much less than meats. All fruits, with exceptions like plums and prunes and all green and root vegetables are highly alkaline foods and help to alkalinize the blood and other tissue fluids.

Thus , our daily diet should consist of four-fifth of alkaline-forming foods such as juicy fruits, tubers, legumes, ripe fruits, leafy and root vegetables and one fifty of acid-forming foods containing concentrated proteins and starches such as meat, fish, bread and cereals. Eating sensibly in this manner will ensure the necessary alkalinity of the food which will keep the body in perfect health.

Whenever a person has acidosis, the higher the ratio of alkaline forming foods in his diet, the quicker will be the recovery. Acids are neutralised by alkalies. It is, therefore, imperative that persons suffering from various ailments are given adequate alkaline ash foods to offset the effects of acid-forming foods and leave a safe margin of alkalinity.

The most agreeable and convenient means of alkalizing the blood are citrus fruits and fruit juices. The alkalizing value of citrus fruits are due to large percentage of alkaline salts, mainly potash, which they contain. Each pint of orange juice contains 12 grains of potassium, one of the most potent of alkalis. Lemon juice contains nine grains of the alkali to the pint and grape seven grains.

Diet in Disease In the diet during disease, breakfast may consist of fresh fruits, lunch may comprise raw vegetables with acid and sub-acid fruits, and for dinner raw and cooked vegetables, or light starchy vegetables like beet, carrot, cauliflower, egg-plant and squashes may be taken. Sweet fruits may be added to this diet after seven days.

Foods are classified as acid-producing or alkaline-producing depending on their reaction on the urine. Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium present in foods contribute to the alkaline effect, while sulphur, phosphorous and chlorine contribute to the acidic effect. Depending on the pre-dominating constituents in a particular food, it is classified as acid-forming or alkaline-forming.

The effect of food stuffs upon the alkalinity of the blood depends upon their residue which they leave behind after undergoing oxidation in the body. It is an error to presume that because a food tastes acid, it has an acidic reaction in the blood. For instance, fruits and vegetables have organic acids in combination with soda and potash in the form of acid salts. When the acids are burnt or utilised in the body, the alkaline soda or potash is left behind. Hence the effect of the natural fruit acids is to increase the alkalinity of the blood rather than reduce it.

Based on the above observations, the following charts show the common foods with acid and alkaline ash :

A - Foods Leaving An Acid Ash (One-Fifth Class) Barley Eggs

Bananas (unripe) Grain Foods

Beans Lentils

Bread Meats

Cereals Nuts except almonds

Cakes Oatmeal

Chicken Peas

Confections Rice

Corn Sugar

Chorolate Sea Foods

Coffee Tea

B - Foods Leaving An Alkaline Ash ( Four-fifths class ) Almonds Melons

Apples Milk

Apricots Onions

Banana (ripe) Oranges

Beets Parsley

Cabbage Peaches

Carrots Pears

Cauliflower Pineapple

Celery Potatoes

Coconuts Pumpkins

Cottage Cheese Radishes

Cucumbers Raisins

Dates Spinach

Figs ( Fresh and Dry) Soyabeans

Grapes Tomatoes

Lemons Turnips

Lettuce

This page will provide you with: interesting facts about healthy eating including chemicals in food, pesticides in fruit, pesticides in vegetables, food additives, acidic and alkaline diet, eating organic, alternatives to organic foods and

***4 Healthy Eating Tips you need to know to enjoy good health.

What's wrong with the average diet?Eat Certified Organic/Bio dynamic FoodUse of pesticides in agritcultureLevel of pesticides in fruit and vegetables / chemicals in foodAlternatives to buying organic / minimise exposure to chemicals in food Maintaining the pH balanceFood Additives

What's wrong with the average diet?

Today it is common to eat foods that are highly processed with minimal nutritional content, containing many artificial colourings, flavourings and pesticide residues. In fact many foods today have been so highly processed that vitamins and minerals need to be added back to the food after the processing has removed them. Fortification of food is a very common practice, with most breads, cereals, milks and other foods containing added vitamins and minerals.

The typical diet has Too Much Fat Too Much Protein An excess of Refined Carbohydrates

A lack of Fibre An Acid/Alkali Imbalance

Food Additives and Pesticide Residues 1

All of these can result in serious health problems.

A review article in the British Medical journal (December 1998), Diet and the Prevention of Cancer', stated that up to 80% of bowel cancer and breast cancer may be preventable by dietary change (these are two of the most common cancers today). 2

Whilst research has shown the importance of diet in relation to disease prevention for many years, it is continually being ignored and not effectively conveyed to society. The following statistics are indicative of this:The current US estimate for persons age 2 years and older who consume at least two daily servings of fruit is 28%. The current US estimate for persons age 2 years and older who consume at least three daily servings of vegetables, with at least one-third being dark green or deep yellow vegetables is 3%. 3The health promotion and disease prevention objectives for the year 2010 set by the US Department of Health and Human Services are to increase these percentages with the aim to reduce preventable death and disability. 4Research over the last 40 years has shown that a healthy diet especially one rich in fruits and vegetables coupled with regular prolonged, vigorous exercise and some strength-building exercise can both prevent and treat many age-related diseases. 5

The B Toxic Free motto is Nature knows best.

*** Healthy Eating Tips : Tip No. 1: Your diet should be made up of as much unprocessed, whole, properly constituted, certified organic/bio-dynamic food.

This means eating food that is as nature intended. Brown Rice, lentils, chickpeas, beans, nuts, and deep sea fish are some examples of unprocessed, whole, properly constituted foods. These foods contain no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives.

Minimise the cooking of food as heat destroys enzymes, and nutrients. Grains are best soaked prior to cooking as this makes it easier for your body to digest them and changes the nutritional properties of the grains, by making them more alkaline forming in the body. Fresh fruit, salads and freshly squeezed juices are a good way to get raw food with living enzymes into your diet.

Frying food causes fats to oxidise, resulting in the release of free radicals. The safest oils to fry with are those that don't create trans fatty acids (and thus free radicals) these include butter, coconut oil and palm kernel oil, which can all withstand cooking above 375 F. The downside though is that these contain saturated fats which are not good for our health. Hazelnut, olive and sesame oil can withstand a moderate heat of 325 F. Polyunsaturated Oils such as Flax, Hemp, Canola, Soy and Walnut should not be heated due to oxidisation. Steaming and grilling are better methods of cooking. These methods of cooking will minimise oxidisation (free radical damage) and the loss of nutrient content.

An example of a highly processed food devoid of naturally present vitamins is white bread.

"When grain is made into refined, white flour, more than 30 essential nutrients are largely removed. Only four of those nutrients are added back into process called enrichment'. Says Dr Cranton." 6Buy breads made from wholemeal flours with no additives. Another good idea is to buy a bread maker and make your own.

Eat Certified Organic/Bio dynamic Food *** Healthy Eating Tips - Tip No. 2: Eating organic food is an essential key to maintaining optimum health. Organic farming cares for the environment, without relying upon synthetic chemicals and other unnatural interventionist approaches to farming and food production. Organic farming means no artificial pesticides, no herbicides, no hormones, no growth promoters, and no GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms). All of these things have a questionable effect on our aim to maintain healthy bodies. Organic farming uses natural biological and environmentally friendly approaches, conserving natural ecosystems.

The first family of pesticides to be widely employed were organochlorines. However, these chemicals were found to be highly toxic and non-biodegradable such that they were banned and replaced with the current family of pesticides known as organophosphates

The problem is that organophosphates are not all that dissimilar from organochlorines and exhibit many of the same destructive propensities.

Forty per cent of pesticides now in use are proven to be cancer promoting, linked to birth defects and decreased fertility. Pesticide exposure is also connected to depression, memory decline, destabilisation of moods and aggressive outbursts, Parkinson's and according to Professor William Rea asthma, eczema, migraine, irritable bowel and rhinitis. 7

In his 1974 book Atoms in Agriculture, Dr Americo Mosca, Brussels World Fair prize winner for chemistry, states that

toxic genetic chemicals, (herbicides, insecticides, hormones, steroids etc.) cause damage equal to the atomic fallout from 145 H-bombs of 14 megatons each, or in terms of atomic bombs - from 72,500 atomic bombs of Hiroshima type. For this reason, disease of all kinds and the birth of mentally retarded babies have increased tremendously in the United States in the last 10 years. The damage to plants, crops, soil fertility and water pollution are practically incalculable. If use of these toxic genetic chemicals persists in agriculture and on food, this will cause the destruction of the American people. 8

Use of pesticides in agriculture

(Above graph 'Use of Pesticides in Agriculture, years vs million kg's of pesticides' taken from "Organic and Natural Living", Issue One. Australia).

A New Zealand family from Christchurch is pursuing legal action after their son was born with no eyes and a cleft palate. The mother was exposed to the chemical Benlate (fungicide) whilst working as a city council parks worker. Two other children born to council park workers also suffered birth defects. 9

Level of pesticides in fruit and vegetables / chemicals in food

Most produce at the supermarket has been commercially grown and has most probably been exposed to various amounts of pesticides or other chemicals. The fruits and vegetables listed below are in order from the least contaminated with pesticides / chemicals to the most contaminated with pesticides / chemicals.

Pesticides in Vegetables

LEAST CONTAMINATED broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green onions, onions

potato, pumpkin, squash, sweet potato / yam

artichoke, asparagus, beets and beet greens, cabbage, carrots, dandelion greens, eggplant, endive, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, parsley, parsnips, peppers, pursland, radish, seaweed, squash, swiss chars, tomato, turnips and turnip greens, watercress

MOST CONTAMINATEDcapsicum, celery, cucumbers, spinach

Pesticides in Fruit

LEAST CONTAMINATEDavocados, bananas, grapes (grapes can be sprayed with preservative 220), plums, watermelon

blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cassava, cranberries, figs, gooseberries, grapefruit, guava, honeydew, kiwi, lemon, lime, lychee fruit, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, passion fruit, pears, persimmons, pineapple, pomegranates, raspberries, rhubarb, star fruit, tangerines

MOST CONTAMINATEDapples, apricots, cantaloupe, cherries, peaches, strawberries

Another problem with chemical exposure is bio-magnification. This is the process whereby chemicals become more concentrated as they move up the food chain. This process also explains why chemicals like chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide dichloro diphenyl dichloro ethane (DDD - a relative of DDT) that were banned many years ago can still be found in humans today.

Bio-accumulation:This is the process whereby compounds accumulate in living things faster than they are metabolised and excreted.

Bio-concentration: A process of chemical collection from the surrounding environment that creates a concentrated form.

Bio-magnification: The process that results in larger chemical concentrations to be found in a living living organism than in the food it eats. i.e. chemicals can become more concentrated as they move up the food chain. 10

(Bio-magnification. This example illustrates the potential harm of over use of chemicals in our environment. Concentration of DDD increases as it moves up the food chain. Above diagram is based upon information contained in the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, page 48. DDD was applied to Clear Lake, California, USA, 1954. DDD has since been banned).

Whilst organics may be more expensive the food tastes better, contains higher levels of nutrients and is better for the environment. How much is your health worth?

Scientists in Denmark have found that organic food contains significantly higher levels of a powerful antioxidant called quercetin. 11Research by the Organic Advisory Service of the Organic Retailers & Growers Association of Australia (ORGAA) compared nutrient content of organic and conventionally grown vegetables. Four vegetable varieties, tomatoes, beans, capsicums and silver beet, were grown on a certified organic farm using compost and soil regenerative techniques and were later analysed for vitamin and mineral elements. A similar range of vegetables grown conventionally were sampled and analysed from a supermarket. Results showed significant differences in mineral levels in favour of the organic produce. Calcium levels in some produce increased by eight times, potassium by ten times, magnesium by seven times and zinc by five times. See "Food with Attitude", Permaculture International Journal (March-May 2000, No. 74, ISSN 1037-8480), p.27.---BeansTomatoesCapsicumSilver Beet

Calcium (Supermarket)406.74.76

Calcium (Organic)48067841600

Potassium (Supermarket)260200150450

Potassium (Organic)190030016002600

Magnesium (Supermarket)26101169

Magnesium (Organic)240897001700

Sodium (Supermarket)