Body's Alkaline Environment Keeping Cancer Away
The acid/alkaline balance as it relates to our bodies is crucial for overall health and well-being. Central to the discussion of the acid/alkaline balance is pH (potential of Hydrogen). pH ranges from 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. The lower the pH, the higher the level of acidity. The human body is 70% water and needs to maintain a pH of the blood within a narrow range of 7.35 – 7.45 to be in balance. A balanced pH is important for proper cell function including uptake and utilization of nutrients and oxygen from the blood. In addition, enzymes are able to perform their vital functions of digestion and energy production, elimination of wastes, use of vitamins and mineral, detoxification, etc within this narrow range.
When pH is not in balance, the body is potentially vulnerable to a host of diseases. According to a May 2008 article in published by “ecancermedicalscience, “Almost all cancers have a lower pH than the surrounding tissue. Normally, the human body has a system of balancing chemicals with a low pH, acids, and chemicals with a high pH, alkalis, to maintain a constant, healthy pH level. In cancer, this balancing system is disturbed, and the tissue becomes more acidic.” In another study published by the American Association for Cancer Research, “Cells cultured at acidic pHe showed increased secretion of proteinases and proangiogenic factors, enhanced invasive and angiogenic potential, and enhanced potential to develop experimental metastases.” In his book the 80/10/10 Diet (pages 44-47), Dr. Douglas Graham notes “Cancer has been associated with an acid condition in the body. No one has established whether this acidity is a cause of the cancer, a body-generated defensive ‘effect,’ or simply an unrelated condition that accompanies the true cause) of cancer” (Graham, 2006).
While the body has internal mechanisms that work to maintain the optimal pH range (for example, borrowing minerals such as calcium from the bones in order to buffer excess acid in the bloodstream), such means of balancing pH are not conducive to the body’s overall well being. With regard to cancer, “researchers have demonstrated that when cells in a petri dish are bathed in an appropriate nutritive environment and the toxic waste products of their metabolism are efficiently removed, healthy cells result. To date, it has not been possible to cause cancer in these healthy cells no matter which carcinogens they are briefly exposed to.” While it is not possible to entirely control the “nutritive environment” of our bodies, we can control a good portion through our food and lifestyle choices.
To avoid negative impacts of the body self-regulating through borrowing from itself and developing an acidic condition, we can assist the body in maintaining pH balance through consuming a diet that has a net alkaline effect. Dr Graham states that “The mineral content of food is the primary determining factor as to whether the food produces an alkaline or an acid reaction in the body….since alkaline minerals predominate in almost all fruits, including acid fruits, it is safe to say that fruit has an alkalizing effect upon the body.” Thus the importance of raw foods, primarily fruits and greens. Dr. Graham points out that if the majority of our foods are alkaline forming, we can live in a state of balance. On the contrary, if we consume large amounts of unnatural sources of acidity (e.g. cooked proteins, heated oils, fried foods), “there is no amount of raw fruit and vegetables that can compensate” (Graham, 2006).
Science has helped us determine which foods are alkaline and which are acid forming in the body. Foods to avoid that would cause the body to be acidic include animal proteins, pasteurized dairy products, most grains (exceptions are noted below) and bread, junk food, most nuts and seeds (exceptions noted below), alcohol and cigarettes, coffee, soda, vinegar, and spices. It doesn’t end with the foods we eat, as negative emotions and stress can also cause the body to become acidic (Raw Food Doctors, 2008). Eating raw foods with their enzymes intact are crucial alkaline forming influences in the body. These include most fruits (with the exceptions of cranberries, plums and prunes), vegetables (primarily leafy greens), almonds, chestnuts, coconut, pine nuts, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and teff. Oxygen and deep breathing are also helpful aids for staying alkaline. Incorporating lots of raw, organic fruits and vegetables into the diet plays an important role in the bodies’ ability to stay alkaline, function optimally and create an environment that is hostile to fostering cancer growth as well as a host of other diseases.
Information in this article was taken from the Science of Raw Food Nutrition 1 taught by Drs. Rick and Karin Dina, D.C. www.RawFoodDoctors.com; ecandermedicalscience, ecancer news Insider News published May 28, 2008 online at http://www.ecancermedicalscience.com/news-insider-news.asp?itemId=188’; and the American Association for Cancer Research “Acidic Extracellular pH Promotes Experimental Metastasis of Human Melanoma Cells in Athymic Nude Mice” by Einar K. Rofstad, Berit Mathiesen, Kristil Kindem and Kanthi Galappathi, July 1, 2006 (online at http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/13/6699), and The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham (2006).
When pH is not in balance, the body is potentially vulnerable to a host of diseases. According to a May 2008 article in published by “ecancermedicalscience, “Almost all cancers have a lower pH than the surrounding tissue. Normally, the human body has a system of balancing chemicals with a low pH, acids, and chemicals with a high pH, alkalis, to maintain a constant, healthy pH level. In cancer, this balancing system is disturbed, and the tissue becomes more acidic.” In another study published by the American Association for Cancer Research, “Cells cultured at acidic pHe showed increased secretion of proteinases and proangiogenic factors, enhanced invasive and angiogenic potential, and enhanced potential to develop experimental metastases.” In his book the 80/10/10 Diet (pages 44-47), Dr. Douglas Graham notes “Cancer has been associated with an acid condition in the body. No one has established whether this acidity is a cause of the cancer, a body-generated defensive ‘effect,’ or simply an unrelated condition that accompanies the true cause) of cancer” (Graham, 2006).
While the body has internal mechanisms that work to maintain the optimal pH range (for example, borrowing minerals such as calcium from the bones in order to buffer excess acid in the bloodstream), such means of balancing pH are not conducive to the body’s overall well being. With regard to cancer, “researchers have demonstrated that when cells in a petri dish are bathed in an appropriate nutritive environment and the toxic waste products of their metabolism are efficiently removed, healthy cells result. To date, it has not been possible to cause cancer in these healthy cells no matter which carcinogens they are briefly exposed to.” While it is not possible to entirely control the “nutritive environment” of our bodies, we can control a good portion through our food and lifestyle choices.
To avoid negative impacts of the body self-regulating through borrowing from itself and developing an acidic condition, we can assist the body in maintaining pH balance through consuming a diet that has a net alkaline effect. Dr Graham states that “The mineral content of food is the primary determining factor as to whether the food produces an alkaline or an acid reaction in the body….since alkaline minerals predominate in almost all fruits, including acid fruits, it is safe to say that fruit has an alkalizing effect upon the body.” Thus the importance of raw foods, primarily fruits and greens. Dr. Graham points out that if the majority of our foods are alkaline forming, we can live in a state of balance. On the contrary, if we consume large amounts of unnatural sources of acidity (e.g. cooked proteins, heated oils, fried foods), “there is no amount of raw fruit and vegetables that can compensate” (Graham, 2006).
Science has helped us determine which foods are alkaline and which are acid forming in the body. Foods to avoid that would cause the body to be acidic include animal proteins, pasteurized dairy products, most grains (exceptions are noted below) and bread, junk food, most nuts and seeds (exceptions noted below), alcohol and cigarettes, coffee, soda, vinegar, and spices. It doesn’t end with the foods we eat, as negative emotions and stress can also cause the body to become acidic (Raw Food Doctors, 2008). Eating raw foods with their enzymes intact are crucial alkaline forming influences in the body. These include most fruits (with the exceptions of cranberries, plums and prunes), vegetables (primarily leafy greens), almonds, chestnuts, coconut, pine nuts, millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and teff. Oxygen and deep breathing are also helpful aids for staying alkaline. Incorporating lots of raw, organic fruits and vegetables into the diet plays an important role in the bodies’ ability to stay alkaline, function optimally and create an environment that is hostile to fostering cancer growth as well as a host of other diseases.
Information in this article was taken from the Science of Raw Food Nutrition 1 taught by Drs. Rick and Karin Dina, D.C. www.RawFoodDoctors.com; ecandermedicalscience, ecancer news Insider News published May 28, 2008 online at http://www.ecancermedicalscience.com/news-insider-news.asp?itemId=188’; and the American Association for Cancer Research “Acidic Extracellular pH Promotes Experimental Metastasis of Human Melanoma Cells in Athymic Nude Mice” by Einar K. Rofstad, Berit Mathiesen, Kristil Kindem and Kanthi Galappathi, July 1, 2006 (online at http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/13/6699), and The 80/10/10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham (2006).
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