During digestion, hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach and the gastric contents range from pH 1 to pH 3. Since almost all chlorides are soluble, that is, they remain ionized, the hydrochloric acid is a most effective way of ionizing the food. Nevertheless, food usually contains products that produce ions other than chlorides, such as the phosphates from meat and soft drinks, the citrates from fruits, and the lactates from milk, to name but a few. When some of these anions are present in large numbers they present a problem as they can bond together with other ions to create insoluble precipitates, which therefore are not able to be ionized at the strength of the acid present in the stomach. If however, other anions, such as lactates from milk or malates from apples, are present in sufficient quantities, the calcium would form significant amounts of calcium lactate and calcium malate, which are both extremely soluble and remain ionized. Ionization alone does NOT guarantee that food will be absorbed by the intestines since vitamin D is an absolute requirement for the absorption of ionic calcium by the body. Without vitamin D, most of the ionized calcium would pass through the body.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods & 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods & 20% acid forming foods. Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts. Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

Spoiled Rotten

The average person is "Spoiled Rotten" - rotting from the inside out, with a dysfunctional intestinal tract that is a breeding ground for disease. Did you know that the intestine is the first organ developed in the fetus? Each of us is at war and we don't even know it! The private war we wage each day is the daily assault on our body by bacteria, virus, fungus, yeasts, and molds. This is an onslaught of “terrorist” killer bugs become stronger and stronger day by day! Our immune systems are becoming weaker and over-taxed in this war…even the medical profession's first line of defense (the antibiotic) is becoming less and less effective against the resistant new strains being created daily as bacteria mutates. Although Louis Pasteur discovered the germ theory of disease that states “…germs are the cause of disease,” note Dr. Pasteur's dying words: "The germ is nothing, the inner terrain is everything."

That “inner terrain” referred to by Dr. Pasteur's statement is our biological terrain comprising our body's digestive tract, lymph system, blood, urinary tract, intestines and intestinal fluids. Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function. Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for life, health, and vitality. Simply put - an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted organisms. All leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH—or the acid-alkaline balance—as the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body. They have long known that the maintenance of an alkaline pH in our tissues and cells is critical to cellular health. We live and die at the cellular level.

All the cells (billions of them) that make up the human body are slightly alkaline, and must maintain alkalinity in order to function and remain healthy and alive. However their cellular activity creates acid and this acid is what gives the cell energy and function. As each alkaline cell performs its task of respiration, it secretes metabolic wastes, and these end products of cellular metabolism are acid in nature. Although these wastes are used for energy and function, they must not be allowed to build up. One example of this is the often painful lactic acid, which is created through exercise. The body will go to great lengths to neutralize and detoxify these acids before they act as poisons in and around the cell, ultimately changing the environment of the cell. Most people and clinical practitioners believe the immune system is the body's first line of defense, but in actuality it is not. It is more like a very sophisticated clean-up service. We must instead look at the importance of pH balance as the first and major line of defense against sickness and disease and for health and vitality.

WHAT WE CAN DO

We must get in there and cleanse the body to get it under control. This all takes time. It is not easy to reverse acidity once we become too acidic. After it is under control, we have to support the body nutritionally to build new cells. We are in an era of malnutrition because of the lack of minerals available in the soils where are foods are grown. What we have is a lot of food but very little nutrient value in it. I've heard experts comment, "If you don't want to take supplements, you haven't got a chance". The quality of the supplements you do decide to take will make all the difference in the world because not all supplements are created equal. Most of the calcium compounds (lactate, carbonate, citrate) that are available on the market are NOT properly absorbed in the body!

The suggested ways to keep your body's biological terrain at a healthy alkaline environment include:

· eating alkalizing foods including lots of green foods and super foods (remembering that the nutritional value of foods is questionable…)

· limiting our intake of phosphates, which bind to calcium and prevent its absorption (dietary phosphates are commonly found in all carbonated drinks, and in all animal protein…)

· adding dietary calcium in the form of supplementation (generally difficult because of our body's inability to absorb and assimilate most forms of commonly available calcium…)

Alkaline Forming Foods

Highly Alkaline Forming Foods:

Baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, watermelon, tangerine, and pineapple.

Moderately Alkaline Forming Foods:

Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.

Low Alkaline Forming Foods:

Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.

Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods:

Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.

Very Low Acid Forming Foods:

Curry, Koma coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.

Low Acid Forming Foods:

Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.

Moderately Acid Forming Foods:

Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.

Highly Acid Forming Foods:

Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet 'N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

Some pH food values:

Egg whites 7.8
Water 7.0
Shrimp 6.9
Corn 6.3
Butter 6.3
Potatoes 5.8
Asparagus 5.6
Bread 5.5
Beans 5.5
Carrots 5.1
Bananas 4.6
Tomatoes 4.2
Raspberries 3.4
Strawberries 3.2
Rhubarb 3.1
Grapefruit 3.1
Apples 3.1
Vinegar 2.7
Lemon 2.1

Clinical Nutrition for the Balanced Body
List of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

ALKALINE FORMING FOODS

VEGETABLES
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Asparagus
Fermented Veggies
Watercress
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Dulce
Dandelions
Edible Flowers
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spirulina
Sprouts
Squashes
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens

FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Currants
Dates/Figs
Grapes
Grapefruit
Lime
Honeydew Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Lemon
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
All Berries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Watermelon

PROTEIN
Eggs (poached)
Whey Protein Powder
Cottage Cheese
Chicken Breast
Yogurt
Almonds
Chestnuts
Tofu (fermented)
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Tempeh (fermented)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Millet
Sprouted Seeds
Nuts

OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Probiotic Cultures
Green Juices
Veggies Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Organic Milk
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Dandelion Tea
Ginseng Tea
Banchi Tea
Kombucha

SWEETENERS
Stevia
Ki Sweet

SPICES/SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
Sea Veggies

ACTIVITIES
Meditation
Prayer
Peace
Kindness
Love

Extremely Alkaline Forming Foods - pH 8.5 to 9.0:

9.0 Lemons 1, Watermelon 2

8.5 Agar Agar 3, Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum) 4,

Dried dates & figs, Kelp, Karengo, Kudzu root, Limes

Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley 5, Seedless grapes

(sweet), Watercress, Seaweeds

Moderate Alkaline - pH 7.5 to 8.0

8.0 Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts 9,

Arrowroot, flour 10, Avocados, Bananas (ripe),

Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates & figs

(fresh), Garlic 11, Gooseberry, Grapes (less sweet),

Grapefruit, Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce

(leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears

(less sweet), Peas (fresh sweet), Persimmon,

Pumpkin (sweet), Sea salt (vegetable) 12, Spinach

7.5 Apples (sour), Bamboo shoots, Beans (fresh green),

Beets, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage;Cauli, Carob

13, Daikon, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Kale,

Kohlrabi, Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Parsnip,

Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes

& skin, Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberry, Sapote,

Strawberry, Squash 14, Sweet corn (fresh), Tamari

15, Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) 16

Slightly Alkaline to Neutral pH 7.0

7.0 Almonds 17, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Barley-Malt

(sweetener-Bronner), Brown Rice Syrup, Brussel

Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Egg

plant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Miso, Mushrooms, Okra,

Olives ripe 18, Onions, Pickles 19, (home made),

Radish, Sea salt 20, Spices 21, Taro, Tomatoes

(sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice), Water Chestnut

Amaranth, Artichoke (globe), Chestnuts (dry

roasted), Egg yolks (soft cooked), Essene bread 22,

Goat's milk and whey (raw) 23, Horseradish,

Mayonnaise (home made), Millet, Olive oil, Quinoa,

Rhubarb, Sesame seeds (whole) 24, Soy beans

(dry), Soy cheese, Soy milk, Sprouted grains 25,

Tempeh, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast

(nutritional flakes)

ACID FORMING FOODS

FATS & OILS
Avocado Oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil

FRUITS
Cranberries
GRAINS
Rice Cakes
Wheat Cakes
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn
Oats (rolled)
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rye
Spelt
Kamut
Wheat
Hemp Seed Flour

DAIRY
Cheese, Cow
Cheese, Goat
Cheese, Processed
Cheese, Sheep
Milk
Butter

NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Brazil Nuts
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ANIMAL PROTEIN
Beef
Carp
Clams
Fish
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Oyster
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Shrimp
Scallops
Tuna
Turkey
Venison

PASTA (WHITE)
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti

OTHER
Distilled Vinegar
Wheat Germ
Potatoes

BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk

DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspartame
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Pesticides
Herbicides

ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine

ACTIVITIES
Overwork
Anger
Fear
Jealousy
Stress

Extremely Acid Forming Foods - pH 5.0 to 5.5

5.0 Artificial sweeteners

5.5 Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks 38,

Cigarettes (tailor made), Drugs, Flour (white wheat)

39, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour,

Pork, Sugar (white) 40

Beer 34, Brown sugar 35, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate,

Coffee 36, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies,

Liquor 37, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table

salt refined & iodized, Tea black, Turkey, Wheat

bread, White rice, White vinegar (processed).

Moderate Acid - pH 6.0 to 6.5

6.0 Cigarette tobacco (roll your own), Cream of Wheat

(unrefined), Fish, Fruit juices with sugar, Maple

syrup (processed), Molasses (sulphured), Pickles

(commercial), Breads (refined) of corn, oats, rice &

rye, Cereals (refined) eg weetbix, corn flakes,

Shellfish, Wheat germ, Whole Wheat foods 32,

Wine 33, Yogurt (sweetened)

6.5 Bananas (green), Buckwheat, Cheeses (sharp),

Corn & rice breads, Egg whole (cooked hard),

Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Oats, Pasta (whole grain),

Pastry (wholegrain & honey), Peanuts, Potatoes

(with no skins), Popcorn (with salt & butter), Rice

(basmati), Rice (brown), Soy sauce (commercial),

Tapioca, Wheat bread (sprouted organic)

S lightly Acid to Neutral pH 7.0

7.0 Barley malt syrup, Barley, Bran, Cashews, Cereals

(unrefined with honey-fruit-maple syrup), Cornmeal,

Cranberries 30, Fructose, Honey (pasteurized),

Lentils, Macadamias, Maple syrup (unprocessed),

Milk (homogenized) and most processed dairy

products, Molasses (unsulphered organic 31,

Nutmeg, Mustard, Pistachios, Popcorn & butter

(plain), Rice or wheat crackers (unrefined), Rye

(grain), Rye bread (organic sprouted), Seeds

(pumpkin & sunflower), Walnuts

Blueberries, Brazil nuts, Butter (salted), Cheeses

(mild & crumbly) 28, Crackers (unrefined rye),

Dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney,

garbanzo) 29, Dry coconut, Egg whites, Goats

milk (homogenized), Olives (pickled), Pecans,

Plums 30, Prunes 30,

Butter (fresh unsalted), Cream (fresh & raw), Margarine 26,

Milk (raw cow's) 27, Oils (except olive),

Whey (cow's), Yogurt (plain)

NOTE: Match with the numbers above:

1. Excellent for EMERGENCY SUPPORT for colds, coughs, sore throats, heartburn, & gastro upsets.

2. Good for a yearly fast. For several days eat whole melon, chew pips well & eat also. Super alkalizing food.

3. Substitute for gelatin, more nourishing.

4. Stimulating, non-irritating body healer. Good for endocrine system.

5. Purifies kidneys.

6. Powerful acid reducer detoxing to produce acid urine temporarily... causing alkalinity for the long term.

7. Natural sugars give alkalinity. Added sugar causes juice to become acid-forming.

8. Depends on vegi's content and sweetness.

9. Enzyme rich, superior digestibility.

10. High calcium content. Cornflour substitute.

11. Elevates acid food 5.0 in alkaline direction.

12. Vegetable content raises alkalinity.

13. Substitute for coca; mineral rich.

14. Winter squash rates 7.5. Butternut & sweeter squash rates 8.0.

15. Genuine fermented for 1 1/2 years otherwise 6.0.

16. Raw unpasteurized is a digestive aid to increase HCL in the stomach. 1 tablespoon, plus honey & water before meals.

17. Soak 12 hours, peel skin to eat.

18. Sundried, tree ripened, otherwise 6.0.

19. Using sea-salt and apple cider vinegar.

20. Contains sea minerals. Dried at low temperatures.

21. Range from 7.0 to 8.0.

22. Sprouted grains are more alkaline. Grains chewed well become more alkaline.

23. High sodium to aid digestion.

24. High levels of utilizable calcium. Grind before eating.

25. Alkalinity and digestibility higher.

26. Heating causes fats to harden and become indigestible.

27. High mucous production.

28. Mucous forming and hard to digest.

29. When sprouted dry beans rate 7.0.

30. Contain acid-forming benzoic and quinic acids.

31. Full of iron.

32. Unrefined wheat is more alkaline.

33. High quality red wine, no more than 4 oz. daily to build blood.

34. Good quality, well brewed - up to 5.5. Fast brewed beers drop to 5.0.

35. Most are white sugars with golden syrup added.

36. Organic, fresh ground-up to 5.5.

37. Cheaper brands drop to 5.0, as does over-indulgence.

38. Leaches minerals.

39. Bleached- has no goodness.

40. Poison! Avoid it.

41. Potential cancer agent. Over-indulgence may cause partial blindness.