The Cause of Disease
Have you ever wondered if many of the diseases raging through our society have a common cause?
Many doctors, herbalists and nutritionists believe that the explanation may come down to three words:
Acid Alkaline Imbalance
Over acidity, which can become a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, is very common
today. It gives rise to an internal environment conducive to disease, as opposed to a pH-balanced
environment that allows normal body function necessary for the body to resist disease. A healthy body
maintains adequate alkaline reserves to meet emergency demands. When excess acids must be
neutralized our alkaline reserves are depleted leaving the body in a weakened condition.
The concept of acid alkaline imbalance as the cause of disease is not new.
In 1933 a New York doctor named William Howard Hay published a groundbreaking book, A New Health Era in which he
maintains that all disease is caused by autotoxication (or “self-poisoning”) due to acid accumulation in
the body:
Now we depart from health in just the proportion to which we have
allowed our alkalies to be dissipated by introduction of acid-forming
food in too great amount… It may seem strange to say that all disease is
the same thing, no matter what its myriad modes of expression, but it is
verily so. William Howard Hay, M.D.
More recently, in his remarkable book Alkalize or Die (see recommended reading), Dr. Theodore A.
Baroody says essentially the same thing:
The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter
is that they all come from the same root cause…too much tissue acid
waste in the body! Theodore A. Baroody, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.
Understanding pH
pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a
scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or
base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7.0 that is neutral.
Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising 70% of the body.
The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH that is a balance between positively charges ions
(acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming.) The body continually strives to balance
pH. When this balance is compromised many problems can occur.
It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We
are talking about the pH of the body’s fluids and tissues that is an entirely different matter.
Test Your Body’s Acidity or Alkalinity with pH Strips:
It is recommended that you test your pH levels to determine if your body’s pH needs immediate
attention. By using pH test strips, you can determine your pH factor quickly and easily in the privacy of
your own home. If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0
in the evening, your body is functioning within a healthy range. If your saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5
all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range. The best time to test your pH is about one hour
before a meal and two hours after a meal. Test your pH two days a week.
Most people who suffer from unbalanced pH are acidic. This condition forces the body
to borrow minerals—including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium—from
vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the
body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage due to
high acidity—a condition that may go undetected for years.
Mild acidosis can cause such problems as:
· Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
· Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
· Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
· Immune deficiency.
· Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.
· Hormone concerns.
· Premature aging.
· Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
· Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
· Low energy and chronic fatigue.
· Slow digestion and elimination.
· Yeast/fungal overgrowth.
pH and Bone Loss:
A recent seven-year study conducted at
the University of California, San
Francisco, on 9,000 women showed that
those who have chronic acidosis are at
greater risk for bone loss than those who
have normal pH levels. The scientists who
carried out this experiment believe that
many of the hip fractures prevalent among
middle-aged women are connected to
high acidity caused by a diet rich in animal
foods and low in vegetables. This is
because the body borrows calcium from
the bones in order to balance pH. —
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Urine pH
Urine testing may indicate how well your body is excreting acids and assimilating minerals, especially
calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. These minerals function as “buffers.” Buffers are
substances that help maintain and balance the body against the introduction of too much acidity or too
much alkalinity. Even with the proper amounts of buffers, acid or alkaline levels can become extreme.
When the body ingests or produces too many of these acids or alkalis, it must excrete the excess. The
urine is the perfect way for the body to remove any excess acids or alkaline substances that cannot be
buffered. If the average urine pH is below 6.5 the body’s buffering system is overwhelmed, a state of
“autotoxication” exists, and attention should be given to lowering acid levels.
Saliva pH
The results of saliva testing may indicate the activity of digestive enzymes in the body. The
stomach, liver and pancreas primarily manufacture these enzymes. While the saliva also utilizes
buffers just like the urine, it relies on this process to a much lesser degree. If the saliva pH is too
low (below 6.5), the body may be producing too many acids or may be overwhelmed by acids
because it has lost the ability to adequately remove them through the urine. If the saliva pH is too
high (over 6.8), the body may suffer greatly, e.g. excess gas, constipation and production of yeast,
mold and fungus. Some people will have acidic pH readings from both urine and saliva—this is
referred to as “double acid.”
Keeping the Balance Right for Excellent Health
Your body is able to assimilate minerals and nutrients properly only when its pH is balanced. It is
therefore possible for you to be taking healthy nutrients and yet be unable to absorb or use them.
If you are not getting the results you expected from your nutritional or herbal program, look for an
acid alkaline imbalance.
What Causes Me to be Acidic?
The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical diet,
which is far too high in acid-producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low
in alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat acid-producing processed
foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid-producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks. We
use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners like
NutraSweet, Equal, or aspartame, which are extremely acid forming. One of the best things we can
do to correct an overly acidic body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle. Refer to the recommended
reading for specific help with diet and lifestyle.
Note that a food’s acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons are alkaline-forming in the body.
Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid-forming.
Dr. Theodore Baroody’s ACIDITY SYMPTOMS
Beginning Symptoms
1. Acne
2. Agitation
3. Muscular pain
4. Cold hands and feet
5. Dizziness
6. Low energy
7. Joint pains that travel
8. Food allergies
9. Chemical sensitivities or odors, gas heat
10. Hyperactivity
11. Panic attacks
12. Pre-menstrual and menstrual cramping
13. Pre-menstrual anxiety and depression
14. Lack of sex drive
15. Bloating
16. Heartburn
17. Diarrhea
18. Constipation
19. Hot urine.
20. Strong smelling urine
21. Mild headaches
22. Rapid panting breath
23. Rapid heartbeat
24. Irregular heartbeat
25. White coated tongue
26. Hard to get up
27. Excess Head mucus
28. Metallic taste in mouth
Intermediate Symptoms
1. Cold sore (Herpes I & 11)
2. Depression
3. Loss of memory
4. Loss of concentration
5. Migraine headaches
6. Insomnia
7. Disturbance in smell, vision, taste, hearing
8. Asthma
9. Bronchitis
10. Hay Fever
11. Ear Aches
12. Hives
13. Swelling
14. Viral infections (cold, flu)
15. Bacterial Infections (staph, strep)
16. Fungal infections
17. Impotence
18. Urethritis
19. Cystitis
20. Urinary infection
21. Gastritis
22. Colitis
23. Excessive falling hair
24. Psoriasis
25. Endometriosis
26. Stuttering
27. Numbness and tingling
28. Sinusitis
Advanced Symptons
1. Crohn’s disease
2. Schizophrenia
3. Learning Disabled
4. Hodgkin’s Disease
5. Systemic Lupus Erythematosis
6. Multiple Sclerosis
7. Sarcoidosis
8. Rheumatoid arthritis
9. Myasthenia Gravis
10. Scleroderma
11. Leukemia
12. Tuberculosis
13. Some forms of cancer