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Minerals, Essential Fatty Acids And The pH Factor
Are You In Balance For a Healthy Body?
June 21st, 2001
by columnist
David Lawrence Dewey

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The Importance Of
MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENT MINERALS

Researchers have proven the essential nature of minerals and trace elements through clear experimentation. For example, if by varying the amount of minerals and trace elements we can either cause, prevent or correct an abnormality, we can therefore know with a great degree of certainty that minerals and trace elements are indeed critical for good health. And this researchers have shown - time and time again.

All of our bodily functions from our immune system to our circulatory system and then to our skeletal system, have a bio molecular process within the tissues which depend upon biochemical reactions taking place within each system's cells. It is essential that the right nutrients be available to them in the right amounts, in the right combination, and in the right form for these reactions to take place correctly. Minerals and trace elements are among those necessary extra ingredients. And let me point out, there are minerals and trace element minerals. Two different things.

Let's look at lymphocytes which kill bad cells that threaten our body. The information for this to happen is located in what is termed the microchrondia part of the cells DNA. But this, "action information" is just going to sit there, dormant, unless the right protein, essential fatty acids, mineral and certain trace element minerals, ( all four are required ) bind to it and causes the correct biochemical reaction to take place. The reaction is either the development of healthy immune cells, or healthy cells having the "energy" to become activated in the many responses that cells do in the body. And what is the heart of a protein? Zinc. If one does not have enough Zinc, the protein will not function, the DNA will not be expressed, and the cell will not become an active healthy lymphocyte (killer cell) and the body will not have the protection it needs. If you now say, "All right, I'll just take zinc." It is very important to consider that minerals and trace elements are needed to work together synergistically to achieve harmony for them to be effective healthy cells. If you have too much of one and not enough of the other, the cells developed problems. I'll repeat: You need the right combinations of minerals and trace elements, the nickel, the copper, the magnesium, the vanadium, the fluorine, and so of them together and in the right quantities, the right proportion, and the right form to interact properly. There is a strict interdependence between them.

Researchers such as Dr. Thibault and Dr. Samid from the National Institutes of Health have published research reports stating that minerals and trace elements help the immune system work more efficiently and more effectively. They further state that we expect that in some cases some diseases will actually be prevented. And although it will not prevent all, we expect that this supplementation will then translate into illness of shorter duration, of lesser severity and not be permanent.

According the the Physicians Desk Reference manual, tablet form of vitamins or minerals, anywhere from 45-55% is lost in the digestion process and much worse, they are not immediately available for use by the cells and tissues as compared to liquid vitamins or minerals. Not to mention the cost. Liquid minerals that have the right combinations of trace element minerals are actually cheaper than the tablet forms. What many people do not understand that when one is ill, even with just the flu or a cold, vast amounts of minerals and trace elements are "burned" up and used by the immune system to defend the body from the viruses or bacteria. Why? Because its' these same minerals and trace element minerals that are used by immune cells for "energy" to fight the viruses. And if you undergo radiation or chemotherapy, you lose even much greater numbers of these precious elements, even to the point that your immune system is "robbing" your bones for them. My question is, if a person is being treated with radiation or chemotherapy that destroys minerals and trace element minerals, then what is there for the immune system to create normal "healthy" cells to fight the cancer. NOTHING! Unless one takes minerals and trace element supplements under when in this disease state.

Do we get enough minerals and trace elements from our food supply and water? Simply, No. Sadly, farmland has been so over used with chemical fertilizers, many levels of minerals and trace element minerals have been drastically reduced or even eliminated from the soil. This is the very soil that vegetables come from which provide these nutrients. It is estimated that many vegetables today have only have about 2/3rds of the minerals and trace element minerals that they did twenty years ago. The reason...soil depletion. The other problem is our water. Fifty years ago, water in wells and aquifers "settled" for sometime before being used or pumped out. This settling through layers of sediment allowed the water to pick up minerals and trace element minerals like boron. Boron is very important for bone density and the immune system. However, because water supplies are used up quicker than even rainfall, our water has less of these important minerals and trace element minerals. Not to mention the increased parasites living in water today . If you have not read my column, "Parasites, Are They Making You Ill?", please do so. You will learn how these deadly critters, once not considered a pathogen, ( something that causes disease ) have now become major disease causing pathogens. CLICK HERE for the column.

The Importance Of
NATURALLY OCCURRING ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

Minerals and trace element minerals are carried throughout the body via fatty acids and other type of acids. They "catch" a ride on these elements. If you have not read my column, "Hydrogenated Oils-Silent Killers", please do so. You will learn how hydrogenated oils are silent killers, causing many health problems. This has been proven by researchers at such leading institutions as Harvard, The Helsinki Institute and other research facilities worldwide. Hydrogenated oils are transformed oils from natural essential fatty acid oils. They have been changed in the hydrogenation process to something the body cannot use properly. Oils are heated at high temperatures which then create trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids have been proven to not only cause coronary heart disease, but raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels, lower the good HDL lipid, raise the bad LDL lipid. These unnatural essential fatty acids also causes problems with insulin. Insulin needs naturally occurring essential fatty acids to help control blood sugar. If natural essential fatty acids are not consumed, the insulin becomes resistant in controlling sugar, leading to diabetes type II. So, one must "clean up" their diet as well by eliminating all foods containing hydrogenated oils, this includes french fries at fast food places. In addition one should take a good natural essential fatty acid oil such as flaxseed for several months to "normalize" the body to return the body to normal functioning of good essential faty acids. Research has shown that these trans fatty acids have been seen in large concentrations in the adipose tissue of womens breasts, causing an increase of breast cancer. My recommendation for a balanced ratio of omega3 and omega6 fatty acids is flaxseed oil. But it must be "COLD EXPELLER PRESSED". Never consume an oil that has been refined. The label should read cold expeller pressed. This means no heat was used in extracting the oils from the sources. Which now leads me to the pH balance factor of the body

The Extreme Importance Of
A BALANCE pH IN THE BODY

We live and die at the cellular level. I've explained how our immune cells are formed and why they need certain elements in the right combinations for a healthy immune system. A weakened or messed up immune system will cause disease. All the cells (billions of them) that make up the human body are more slightly alkaline than acidic. They must maintain alkalinity in order to function and remain healthy and alive. Their cellular activity creates acid in process. This acid can build up in the body by not eating the correct diet and let's face it, none of us do. As each 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 other functions in the body, 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 cells, 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 very important, but more like a very sophisticated cleanup service. We must instead look at the importance of pH balance as the first and major line of defense because it is what creates the environment for a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system prevents sickness and disease and creates health, energy and vitality.

Research scientists have found that over time the human body becomes depleted of calcium. A compound called mono-ortho-calcium phosphate is the chemical buffer for the blood. This buffer maintains the alkaline level, or the lack of acidity in your blood. Without it one would die. If the acidity level of the blood changes even slightly, death occurs immediately. In order to supply enough calcium for buffering, the body must have enough calcium absorbed from our diet or the body simply robs the needed calcium from bones and teeth. The more acidic one is, the harder it is for oxygen to be present. Our bio-molecular system then becomes more anaerobic. Without adequate oxygenation, unfriendly bacteria, viruses, molds, fungus and parasites can live and prosper. Eventually our cells cannot carry on their life giving functions. Our body needs biological chemical reactions and most importantly, oxygen. And the only way you have the correct amount of oxygen for use is to have the body in a "balanced" pH state.

Here is an example concerning calcium. Osteoporosis is very confusing for many people to understand what causes it. Most think they can eliminate it by increasing their consumption of milk and dairy products. However, in countries where the consumption of dairy products is very low the instances of Osteoporosis is very rare. Osteoporosis is an acidosis problem. As the body becomes more acidic, to protect against heart attack, stroke, illness, or even cancer, the body attempts to remain healthy. In struggling for this position, it steals calcium from the bones, teeth, and tissue. As bone mass becomes depleted, this is what we call Osteoporosis or another condition called Arthritis. As we saturate the body with calcium this brings the alkaline pH up and drops the acid levels down. One of the first warning signs of an acidic condition is calcium deposits. A little known fact is that there has never been a scientifically proven association between calcium deposits in the body and nutritional calcium. In fact, quite the opposite is found in the results of testing calcium deposits of the body. They come not from dietary calcium but from the structural calcium of bones and teeth. Make sure you get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the bones absorb calcium. If you do not get outside much, are middle aged or older, seldom drink fortified milk, think about taking a vitamin D supplement. 400 IU for people over 50, and 600 IU for peple over 60. Some recent studies indicate that a high protein may actually pull calcium out of the bones is the calcium absorbptionis already low. It is important to get some of your protein from plant foods. It is a conpletely different protein which actually helps to absorb calcium into the bones. Plant proteins also have potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, antioxidants and vitamin K. All which help to absorb calcium into the bones and teeth. Taking calicum supplements if an absorption problem exists could actually cause other health problems like kidney stones, kidney damage and even block absorbption of other needed nurtients. Eating cereals like that are fortified with 1,000 millgrams per serving now make it possible to get too much of the minerals. If you are consuming more than 2,500 milligrams of calicum a day, that too can cause kidney damage and block other needed nutrients from being utilized. A recent long term study published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sport stated that strength training along with a proper diet of calicum intake may be the best form of preventing bone loss. It appears, putting pressure on the skeleton stimulates the flow of calicum into the bones, this building them stronger. Weight bearing like walking will do, or even jogging. If you already have bone loss or osteoporosis, avoid high impact exercise like weith lifting, running or heavy jogging, these will stress the back. And believe this or not, but recent studies show that moderate alcohol drinking daily actually strengthens the bones. One drink a day for women and two for men. And if you have a overactive thyroid or under active thyroid, this can also cause bone loss. As our body becomes more acidic, our pH level drops. When this happens, loss of calcium out of the blood, the bones, and the tissues is seen rapidly. This is a safety mechanism. However, the oxygen level in the body tissues drops leaving you tired and fatigued, allowing fungus, mold, parasites, serious bacteria growth and viral infections to flourish. They gain a hold throughout the body. And usually you just don't have just some of these different pathogens, you'll have most of them. When Candida is seen in the body, you will most likely have all of these pathogens growing in the body. Bacteria, fungus, and parasites. Eventually, the already weakened immune system cannot combat them all because of undernourished immune cells of essential fatty acids, minerals and trace element minerals and because the body is not within a good pH balance factor. I have only covered the highlights here concerning pH, because minerals, trace element minerals, natural essential fatty acids and a near balanced pH are so very important in a healthy immune system.

So...what is damaging our bodies, creating disease states and even killing us before our time? A condition called Acidosis. Research shows that a body which is acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) encourages the breeding of fungus, mold, bacteria, viruses and parasites. If one were to seal the door of a freezer, unplug it and then come back and open the door in two weeks, what would be found? Mold, bacteria, microscopic bugs. Things will be growing and multiplying. Where did all this come from? The answer is that they did not move in, they were always there. The environment in a seal refrigerator much like a body that is oxygen poor changed to a more inviting and healthy one for the "critters" to live in. This is what occurs in the human body from a healthy oxygenated, alkaline environment to an unhealthy anaerobic acidic environment. Simply put, what is healthy for us is unhealthy for these other organisms that play havoc in our body and cause disease and what is healthy for them is what is unhealthy for our body.

To achieve a near balanced pH factor in our bodies through diet is almost impossible. Here is a basic list of the foods which are alkaline and acidic. The bulk of our diet is made up of acid-forming foods. Most high protein foods (such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs), nearly all carbohydrates (including grains, breads, pastas) and fats are acid-forming when metabolized by the body. Most fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming. Asparagus was once thought to be acidic based on urine pH after digestion. Now it is understood that asparagus actually detoxifies the body rapidly, as well as "pulls" excess acid from the blood and tissues. Do any of us eat every day the way we should to create a balanced pH factor. I don't believe so, not in this busy day to day existence we have created for ourselves. There are just too many things to do, in too few hours. For life to be maintained, the body needs a pH of ( 7.30 to 7.40 ) in the bloodstream. If you are testing your saliva using a Litmus test strip, the value should be 7.0 - 7.1. If you are testing your pH via a urine sample using a Litmus test strip, the value should be around 6.4 - 6.6, slighlty acidic. The urine will be slightly acidic because the body is continually detoxing acids from the body. ( The pH factor is determined by the balance of acid and alkaline in the body. In today’s environment, we all have systems that are more acid than alkaline. When the system is acid, the body is using valuable nutrients, such as calcium, potassium, sulfur, and magnesium. Calcium is primarily stored in the bones. Cells and tissues also give up the other nutrients to balance the acid and alkaline in our bodies. This debilitating process can cause disease and premature aging. However, we can change this situation for ourselves as individuals. WATER, the key to life and health, can be used to relieve this situation!!! We are not just talking about ordinary water, but water that has been pH adjusted and with a balanced blend of electrolytes, providing our bodies with the pH balance necessary to maintain better health. Using AlkaPro™ over even a short period of time will help us in health maintenance and assist in ridding the body of many toxins and diseases that have been brought on by over-acidic fluid conditions in the body. Most of the "aging" diseases are related to the over acidic condition of the body.

One Last and Very Important Issue
WATER IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE

Our body is composed mostly of water. I have explained how all of the four things, minerals, trace element minerals, natural essential fatty acids and a near balanced pH can greatly improve one's health. These four things are needed to create healthy cells and a healthy immune system. HOWEVER, and this is very, very important. Even if you start taking the above measures, unless you have adequate fluid in your body to act as the main vehicle to carry these nutrients, proteins, fatty acids throughout the body, two things occur. Your body becomes dehydrated and thus begins the start of disease. Every cell in our body creates debris and waste which most must be washed out. If you put many clothes in a washer that fills to the top, are you going to set the water setting on medium or large? If you don't set it on large, what happens? The clothes do not come out clean. That is much the same principle as our body, but even of more importance.

I have written for years that one needs to consume 60% of your body in ounces of water, plus adding 1/8 teaspoon of natural sea salt in one minimum 20 ounce drink a day. Let's take a 180 pounds of body weight. You need to be drinking a total of 108 ounces of water...and I mean pure water a day for your body to become fully hydrated. And most important, you cannot include canned soda, beer, wine, milk or any other liquid. It has to be clear pure filtered water, free from any bacteria, parasites, etc. The 108 ounces must be all water and only water. All the other liquids are in addition to this. Many will say, I can't drink that much water in a day. It really is not that much. It is only (6), 18 ounce glasses daily. The body, and I must stress this, must have the pure water. Once this is done for a period of time, ( usually within 2-3 weeks), your body will adjust and it will not be that difficult to consume that volume of water. As a matter of fact, once at this stage, your body will actually be craving only water. Why? Because you have reversed the dehydrated unhealthy state of your body, to a healthy hydrated state needing the water. Once this happens, based on all the research I have studied on the immune system and all I have written about in this column, you will see the following: It can prevent and cure asthma, arthritis, back pain, migraines, high blood pressure, heartburn, depression, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and a host of other illness and disease state.

Don't you owe it to yourself to at least try it for a few months and then judge the difference of how you feel? I think you will be presently surprised. Make sure the water is pure filtered water as I described earlier in the column.

What We Also Need To Do! AN URGENT APPEAL FOR YOUR HELP !

There is an immediate and dangerous crisis about to occur in the Artic. I urge all my readers to start contacting your Congressmen. We cannot ignore the problems of the poor inspection of our food sources via meat packing plants, etc. Nor can we ignore poor water, unclean air and other environmental concerns in this country. We are on the verge of a massive disaster that is just waiting to occur. The attitude that there is not a problem just isn't going to hold water any longer. Big corporated money says there is not a problem when there is, that must change! WE must NOT open the North Artic region for oil drilling for any reason. I am extremely opposed to this and we must do everything to stop this. All it will take is one oil spill in that part of the world to create a climate change that will have disastrous weather effects on mankind worldwide. What is our government thinking when they even suggest this? Have we totally lost our minds or is it big oil corporations again having to make that almighty dollar?

This is my warning and prediction. If the North Artic region is opened for oil drilling...we will see a immediate disastrous effect on worldwide weather. The world's population will increase from present day of about 3.5 billion to over 7.0 billion by 2015. Where is all the water going to come from. The largest grow will be in Asia and Africa and they are already having water problems. As you know, water is the primary source of life. Wars have actually been started over it. We must not let anything happen to the artic, it helps to provide the world's natural weather patterns for rainfall. I will be writing for about this crucial problem in a future column For now...we MUST STOP the proposed drilling at the artic. Please write your Congressmen to stop this lunacy!

And if you did not catch my last column about those silver fillings in you mouth, then you can read it HERE. Make sure you also read my, "Hydrogenated Oil-Silent Killers" column. And please make sure you read about Leanne Ely, C.N.C and her new book. Leanne provides over 100 quick and easy Healthy Foods recipes that DO NOT USE hydrogenated oils! Her book is not just a recipe book, she includes many healthy ways to healthy living. You can catch a few of Leanne's recipes in the The Recipe Korner here on my site.



Order it today by clicking on the cover above through Barnes and Noble and save 10% - $2.00.
Healthy Foods
Leanne Ely, C.N.C.


Leanne, a Certified Nutrition Counseler has compiled over 100 healthy recipes which do not include hydrogenated oils. As I've always said, "We are what we eat" and Leanne also explains why is it so important to eat healthy in an easy and entertaining format. Have children? Leanne has recipes with vegetables that the most picky child will eat. Don't have much time? Leanne provides easy and quick delicious recipes. This is a must for your kitchen! 192 pages.

You can write to Leanne at Manicwife@aol.com

Learn more About Leanne at her publishers site
Leanne's WEBSITE. Leanne has posted some recipes in the RECIPE KORNER
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Be sure to explore my other columns also, Previous Columns. Be sure to read "Hydrogenated Oils-Silent Killers", you will how these deadly oils are causing many diseases, coronary heart disease, diabetes type II and a host of other health problems, even an increase risk of breast cancer in women.


~ God Bless ~

~ David Lawrence Dewey ~


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In the United States, medical diagnosis and treatment is constrained by law to be the exclusive purview of state licensed practitioners. The diseases discussed on this site are serious, sometimes life threatening matters. Neither the content nor the intent of this column may or should be construed as the giving of medical advice or as recommending any treatment of any kind. The purpose of this column is to support informed discussions, to provide medical research links and and to help the patient identify the doctors who keep up with advances in their field.

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Updated January 1st, 2005
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