Excerpted from “The LemonFast chapter 4 by Michael Webster and Michael J. Lavery.
Chapter 4
The health of the body and mind are very much governed by the pH levels of the blood and the bodily fluids. Normal pH level for the blood is 7.4 and the range goes from 7.35 to 7.45. This is pure scientific fact. For everyone the temperature of the body is 98.6 degrees and the pH of the blood is exactly 7.4 when it is operating at peak efficiency. This very narrow range is critical for homeostasis, otherwise the human system gets out of balance and disease can overtake the body. The pH scale ranges from 1-14. The highest acid level possible is 1pH and the most alkaline level possible is a 14pH. What is measured is the proportion of hydrogen ions (H+) relative to hydroxyls (OH-) within arterial blood. It is expressed as a negative logarithm. This means that a drop in pH indicates an increase in hydrogen ions and a decrease in hydrogen ions is demonstrated by a rise in pH. It reflects a balance between acids and bases (alkaline) rather than a measure of total acids in solution. Body chemistry (fluids) has a delicate range between 6.8-7.4 pH for proper maintenance of health.
Maintaining this pH range is necessary for the whole body to function well physically, mentally and emotionally. Tremendous amounts of research indicates that the cells of the body need proper pH balance for optimum performance. The problem is that most people do not have any serious understanding of the major importance of monitoring and maintaining proper pH levels of the bodily fluids. It is very easy to do and the cost is minimal. Most health food stores or pharmacies carry such a pH testing kit. It can be done in the privacy of the home and takes only seconds. The urine is the best indicator of the state of the pH of the blood, although there is a test for the saliva.
When a pH strip is place in the urine stream it will indicate whether this bodily fluid is acidic or alkaline. From this reading one can take the necessary steps to keep it at the right levels or bring it within a healthy range. So many people that are introduced to this idea are very curious about what all this means to them and they must read up on the matter for there to be any benefit Urine runs slightly acid pH and it is normal for readings to range from 6.0 to the 7.4. Throughout the day, the readings will vary.
Usually in the morning, the level will be lower because no food has been eaten for 8 to 10 hours. With the consumption of food, it will rise during the day, depending upon each individual’s circumstances. If the proper ratio of alkaline to acid foods is eaten, the pH of the urine will be the indicator. One has to understand that when the term alkaline or acid is used it is the state of the ash of the metabolized food that is being measured. This ash (waste) that is excreted by the cells, enters the extra-cellular fluid, makes its way into the blood stream and determines the blood pH. For example, the pH of milk is alkaline, however it is metabolized as an acid ash. Likewise the pH of lemon juice is extremely acidic, but it is metabolized as an alkaline ash. It is the amount of these waste products in concentration in the intracellular and extracellular fluid that determines the state of the pH of the blood. These waste products enter the blood stream and therefore increase the concentration of Hydrogen ions (H+) or Hydroxyls (OH-), thus either raising or lowering the pH of the blood. When Hydroxyls outnumber Hydrogen ions, the pH is a slightly alkaline. If the reverse is true, then the body activates the buffer system, by adding alkaline minerals into the bloodstream.
This in turn brings the blood pH within the proper range. By eating the wrong foods (too much acid ash), the body is in a state of stress. If the pH of the urine is constantly in the high acid range then this is called acidosis. When the urine pH is 6.0 and below for extended periods of time, it indicates that body fluids elsewhere are too acidic. This puts an extra burden on the body because it is constantly attempting to rid itself of an acid medium. Consequently, when the urine pH is normal, the blood pH is normal. However, when the urine pH is overly acidic the blood pH is likely below 7.35 and this state of acidosis is extremely dangerous. This is where depletion of important minerals occurs, resulting in a host of health problems. The magnitude of this information is of incredible importance to someone who is fighting a disease, overcoming an illness, or desiring to be in a state of optimum health. The first question that a doctor should ask of a person fighting a disease should be what is the pH of this patient. Paraphrasing Dr. Carson E. Pierce The cell, the basic unit of life is slightly alkaline with pH is in the 7.3 to 7.4 range. Buffers in our body constantly adjust our pH balance, which keep our blood from becoming either too acidic or too alkaline. Our bones, lungs, kidneys, liver and other processes all keep our pH at normal levels. Healthy cells contain large amounts of alkaline substances such as oxygen, bicarbonate and certain minerals. However, the wear and tear of daily life gradually causes our cells to lose their alkalinity and become more acidic. This scenario makes us more prone to disease. Over 90% of Americans become overly acidic during their lifetimes, due in part to many factors. Diet is one of the major reasons. The saying “you are what you eat” is a true, but we are more about what we digest and assimilate. If our digestive tract is lined with mucus, toxins and dried fecal matter then we are not in a position to benefit from the right foods. This is why using the potent detoxifying fruits of lemon and lime is so important. By doing the LemonFastTm, we can reestablish the small intestines’ natural pH climate. If we eat foods that metabolized as an alkaline ash (70% to 80%) then our bodily fluids will have a slightly alkaline reading. For most Americans this is not the case. The foods that they consume create mostly acid ash and consequently the bodily fluids become acidic. Keep in mind that the blood is composed of 85 percent water. It is the state of this water that by in large determines our health. As explained previously, water ionizes into hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxyls (OH-). These molecules form with the molecules of other minerals to determine the pH of the bodily fluids.
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Body pH, First Line of Defense Factors such as toxins, stress, lack of exercise, inadequate water intake and failure to control weight all push the body to a more acid state. They used to say that the body’s first line of defense is the immune system. However, there is a growing consensus amongst scientists that pH is a more important factor. Without the pH being in the right state, the lymph nodes are compromised. The adult human body is comprised of approximately 10 gallons of water. The pH of this fluid, which is contained in every cell throughout the body, is either acid or alkaline. The ideal situation is for all of these cells to be in an alkaline solution. However when the pH of the urine indicates otherwise, it means that all the water in the body is acidic. This affects the chemistry of the entire body. The human being was designed by God to be able to constantly heal itself. If we go counter to the manual that we have been given (The Holy Bible) then we will experience a diminished quality of life. According to research, total healing of chronic illness only takes place when and if the blood, intra-cellular and extra-cellular fluids are restored to a normal, slightly alkaline pH. There are two organs of the body where acid is supposed to be in abundance. They are the stomach and the mantle of the skin. All other areas of the body are meant to be in an alkaline state. However, due to the poor diet and lifestyle of our modern culture, the intestines are generally more acidic than nature intended it to be. This creates a climate where parasites and bacterial infestation can manifest. Most people do not know that their diets create a toxic, acidic, anaerobic (oxygen deprived), parasite-laden, and systemically diseased body.
If they knew how to reverse this trend then many would. This could happen by undergoing the LemonFastTM detoxifying program. By cleansing the whole digestion tract, the body is prepared to acclimate to the right foods, which restores the proper pH levels of the body. Would you prefer creating an alkaline, strong immune and oxygen rich cellular system? The decision is ours. However, the actions we take should be guided with irrefutable scientific fact.
When pH Levels Are Out of Balance Arthritis – Immune Problems – Parasites multiply – Oxygen levels drop – Mineral assimilation is affected – Enzymes function improperly – electrolytes can reverse their charge – Good bacteria in small intestines decrease – Allergies intensified – Poor Circulation – Kidney Problems – Liver Problems – Constipation – Skin Problems – High Cholesterol – Weight Problems – Thyroid Disorder Maintenance of pH depends on Hydrogen ion concentration, H+ ions produced by metabolism. The pH is a measure of expressing extremely small concentrations of acids in solution. The scale is exponential. A change of one unit is actually a ten-fold change. A pH reading of 6.0 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 7.0 or a reading of 5.0 is one hundred times more acidic than a level at 7.0 Acids are substances that can provide a hydrogen ion. Strong acids hold their H+ ion weakly, so that it is free to dissociate and act on other substances. Weak acids hold the hydrogen more tightly so it does not contribute as greatly to free hydrogen ion concentration. As a result the solution has a higher (less acidic) pH.
Acid Buffering Natural buffer systems help blood keeps its pH constant. Alkaline minerals, Bicarbonates, phosphates, and intra-cellular proteins are ready to regulate the acid in our bodies and restore the necessary alkalinity in our blood. The human body has a buffering system by which substances can enter the bloodstream and resist changes in pH (acid concentration) by undergoing a reversible reaction. For example, when hydrogen ion concentration increases, alkaline minerals (calcium) neutralize the acid and only a small change in pH will occur. Without the buffer system the change in blood pH would be life threatening. Our lungs breathe in alkaline oxygen and eliminate acid wastes in the form of carbon dioxide. The kidneys eliminate excessive amounts of either acid or alkaline substances in the urine. Our bones constantly release their alkaline minerals—calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, boron, copper, and strontium in order to neutralize acids that the body produces or ingest. An example of a buffer is the carbonic acid (H2CO3) and bicarbonate (H+HCO3-) system. This buffer is a pH shock absorber, which temporarily binds to the free hydrogen ion, and it becomes a rapid response. The carbonic acid dissociates to carbon dioxide (CO2) and H2O and the lungs expel the acid waste resulting in a small change in pH. Without the presence of bicarbonate the concentration of H+ ions would increase and the blood would become extremely acidic. The uniqueness of this buffer system is that the reaction is reversible. The hydrogen ion can be given back.
When alkali is added to solution, carbonic acid provides the proton to neutralize the alkali, resulting in only a small change in pH, that otherwise would be much greater with the increase of hydroxide (OH-) ions. Through the complex chemical regulation of carbonic acid (by the lungs) and of base (alkaline) bicarbonate (by the kidneys) the body maintains the hydrogen ion concentration (pH) which keeps the extra cellular fluid between 6.8 and 7.4.
Maintaining narrow pH is critical to health The pH range indicates the amount of oxygen in your system. Each .10 = 10% less oxygen in your system. This means that if your pH is 6.2, you have 20% less oxygen than someone who has a pH of 6.4. The correlation between high acid pH levels and chronic degenerative disorders is quite strong. The lack of oxygen in the blood creates a breeding ground for many of the diseases that confront our modern society. The body tries to neutralize the high acidity with oxygen (alkaline). When the body is in a chronic state of acidosis, the body is spending all its oxygen reserves trying to neutralize the acid. Consequently, it neglects the function of metabolism and toxic waste removal. This can lead to a chronically low oxygen levels and high toxic levels. The foods that we eat can help increase our oxygen reserves. This is one of the reasons that alkaline foods should be between 70% and 80% of the diet. Foods that contain both fat and protein are low in oxygen-weight ratios and they can further deplete the body because it takes more oxygen to metabolize them. Foods that are metabolized as alkaline ash such as spinach, broccoli, collards and a host of green leafy foods are made up of almost 50% oxygen. This adds to the energy level of the body and mind because the alkaline oxygen is not being depleted through the metabolic process. Reduction diets that are low in complex carbohydrates and high in protein might work for temporary weight loss however low energy levels are the result.
All of Mr. Webster’s articles, books/CD’s can be read or downloaded & free at: http://www.lagunajournal.com/michael_webster.htm Note the LemonFast recipe is in “The LemonFast Book” The book is now out of print but can be read in its entirety free by clicking on or Googling: Mr. Webster publishes on-line newspapers at www.lagunajournal.com and www.usborderfirereport.com
