The pH Miracle diet is the newest phenomenon to strike the dieting world. Health experts have noticed that popular diets seem to go in waves. While the 90s were marked by the low-fat diet craze, the last six to seven years have been focused on low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins, the South Beach Diet, Protein Power and Sugarbusters. As people become frustrated with each type of diet, they look for something new to try. The pH Miracle diet is the focus of a lot of new interest.

The pH miracle diet is so appealing to people because it is a complete 180-degree turn from the high-protein, low carbohydrate diets of the past few years. The pH Miracle diet, also called the alkaline diet or the Young Diet, after its creator Robert Young, has a totally different approach to nutrition. Many holistic doctors and nutritionists see it as a more balanced approach to nutrition that takes the body’s true needs into account.

Basically, the human body has a pH that is slightly alkaline. The theory is that since the human body runs at this pH, our diet should be comprised of mostly alkaline foods. The standard American diet has many foods that are considered acidic, such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine and packaged foods. All of these foods disrupt the pH balance of the body and cause a whole host of problems. The proponents of the pH Miracle diet say that all of these acidic foods actually disrupt the body’s use of alkaline minerals. These minerals include sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, which make people prone to chronic diseases.

This is the real crux of the importance of the pH diet. The nutrition and health community has come to realize that what a person puts into their body has a profound effect on their overall health. Although the mainstream medical community has emphasized a balanced diet including fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products, the pH diet takes this a step further. It points out that the acidic foods actually rob your body of essential minerals. Those who follow the pH miracle diet are avoiding foods that can be disastrous to their health.

Many of the foods that we eat commonly are considered no-nos on the pH miracle diet. One of the most surprising omissions is the absence of wheat products. The FDA recommends whole-wheat products for better health. Yet according the pH diet, grains like wheat, millet, oats and rice are acidic and harmful. The alkaline grains of buckwheat, quinoa and spelt are favored for their alkalizing benefits.

Generally, all meats and dairy are omitted on the pH Miracle diet. If you’re worried about protein, goat milk is slightly alkaline. There is also protein provided from vegetarian options like beans, tofu and certain nuts and seeds. Most vegetables have alkalizing effects, except for mushrooms. Fruits are limited to coconut, grapefruit, lemon and lime.

Those that have tried the pH miracle diet say that they feel massive effects on their health within the first few weeks. Lowering the intake of processed foods and eating more vegetables is good health advice for everyone, whether or not they follow the specifications of this particular diet. In fact, this has been one of the major criticisms of the pH miracle diet. Opponents say that if people are already eating fresh foods and drinking plenty of water, then the diet will have no effect. They disregard the acid/alkaline balance theory.

Another important thing to consider is that there has been no scientific testing of the theories behind the pH miracle diet. Also, many conventional medical doctors see no benefit to the program. However, the principles behind the diet are based on holistic medicine and Chinese medicine, which have been around for centuries. The ph Miracle diet principles are currently being studies at John Hopkins’s university and by Dr. Neil Solomon of the United Nations. Soon the critics may have to re-evaluate their stance on the diet’s scientific basis.

The pH diet is an innovative way to interact with food. The diet stresses the need for balance in the diet of alkaline and acid. This balance will help maintain a healthy flow through the bloodstream and keep cellular growth and development working at optimum levels. By lowering destructive acid levels with more alkaline a host of benefits can result, namely sustainable energy and good health. By following a simple regimen of balanced eating along with testing saliva for pH levels, one can achieve better health. The primary proponent of this alkaline diet is a man by the name of Dr. Robert Young.

Dr. Young heralds that a diet that is made up of 80% alkaline producing foods and 20% acid producing foods will allow people to achieve their healthier bodies and healthier lives. Through his research Dr. Young has surmised that the optimum pH level of the human body is 7.35. The pH spectrum is from 1 to 14 with 1 being highly acid and 14 being highly alkaline. With the body leaning toward moderately alkaline he contends that people can supplement their diets with more alkaline. Dr. Robert Young stresses that a body that is ravaged by excess acid will be more prone to serious health problems.

Dr. Robert Young began is studies in the early 70s at the University of Utah, where he studied biology and business. He earned as MS in nutrition, a DSc in science, a PhD in nutrition, and a ND from Clayton College of Natural Health during the 90s. Critics of Dr. Young question the validity of the school in which he received his degrees. The impact of his teachings is undeniable, he has helped many people obtain better health through a regimen of increased fruits and vegetables and more water consumption. He also stresses avoiding caffeine and alcoholic beverages to maintain vitality.

He is also a staunch supporter of pleomorphism, the belief in the ability of bacteria to morph shape dramatically or to mutate into many morphological forms. This idea has firmly split the microbiologist community into two schools of thought, the pleomorphists who support the claims; and the monomorphists who vehemently dispute them. In the current scientific community the monomorphic perspective of microbiology has emerged as the dominant theory. Modern medical science supports the monomorphic theory of cell development in which cells derive from previously formed cells of the same size and shape.

Dr. Young holds retreats where he educates the patrons on the Alkali Diet as well as a live red blood cell examination in an in-depth microscopy seminar. According to the National Council Against Health Fraud (http://www.ncahf.org/digest05/05-14.html#young) Dr. Robert Young pleaded guilty in 1996 to a misdemeanor charge of attempted medicine without a license. He was promised that the charge would be dismissed if he stayed clear for 18 months. Young allegedly had examined blood samples from two women who were seeking nutritional advice.

Critics of his live red blood cell examination conclude that his test have no scientific validity. Dr. Young counters his critics citing many papers and sources validating his claims including Understanding Acid-Base by Benjamin Abeloh, M.D., a lecturer of medicine at Yale school of Medicine and Clinical Physiology of Acid-Base by Burton David Rose, M.D., a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

According to his website (http://www.phmiracleliving.com/press-kit.htm), Dr. Young is a member of the American Society of Microbiologists, the American Naturopathic Association, and an honorary member of the Connecticut Holistic Health Assocations, the Presidents Council at Brigham Young University. He is also a consultant for InnerLight, Inc. and an advisor to Dean Lawrence Carter at the Martin Luther King Chapel, Morehouse College. He was also honored by Professor Lawrence Carter at Morehouse College with an induction into the collegium of scholars as well as placed on the advisory board. He has been praised by Professor Carter for his efforts in understanding the balance of body chemistry and the effects of this balance on health.

The pH miracle diet is one of the most revolutionary diets to grow in popularity in the past few years. The eating principles of the diet (vegetarian, organic foods) are not new, but the addition of the “pH factor” is definitely something that has not been readily seen in the world of nutrition. The acid/alkaline balance of our bodies is something that many people have never heard of, although the concepts have been part of Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The pH miracle diet may seem strange upon your first encounter, but once you find out more about the concepts and benefits you’ll be impressed and motivated to try this way of eating.

The pH miracle diet is a definite transition from the standard American diet. If you are embarking on a journey to health and plan to use the pH miracle diet you will definitely experience a transition in your life. This diet requires you to think about food and eating in an entirely new way. You’ll be challenging old stereotypes about nutrition, such as meat is an important part of every meal and milk is beneficial to your health. It can be difficult to make a completely 180-degree turn in your way of eating and cooking.

However, in order to have success on the pH miracle diet, you don’t have to make that 180-degree turn in just one week. The book outlines 7 specific steps for dietary change. They do not all have to be done at once. If you radically change your diet and are eating unfamiliar foods, cooking unfamiliar recipes and missing out on your favorite meals, you will not stay on the diet for very long, no matter how healthy it is. The best approach to adapting the pH miracle diet is to do it slowly and at your own pace.

Taking a slower approach is also helpful because it will help you understand how the diet is affecting your body. Even if you’ve read the book a dozen times and understand all of the science behind the acid/alkaline balance, you won’t really know it well until you’ve done it yourself. Incorporating this new way of eating into your body step by step will allow you to feel the effects of the acid/alkaline process. You can measure the science against your personal opinion and how your body responds.

Everybody is different and you may find as you start the program that certain aspects of the program don’t work for you. Maybe you cannot go vegetarian completely, or you find it difficult to go without certain acid-forming fruits. Testing out the principles of the pH miracle diet on your own body will allow you to decide what works and what doesn’t. The goal of the diet is find a balance of 70% alkaline and 30% acid foods. This means that you can still enjoy the foods that you love as long as they are balanced by alkalizing foods.

The transition to an ideal pH diet balance is something you should take at your own pace. This is particularly true if you have had a diet full of acid-forming foods or if you have any major health problems. Your body will need time to respond to this new way of eating and adjust to operating on natural foods. The transition into pH balanced eating is a journey that should be traveled in incremental steps.

The pH miracle diet is one of the most revolutionary diets to grow in popularity in the past few years. The eating principles of the diet (vegetarian, organic foods) are not new, but the addition of the “pH factor” is definitely something that has not been readily seen in the world of nutrition. The acid/alkaline balance of our bodies is something that many people have never heard of, although the concepts have been part of Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The pH miracle diet may seem strange upon your first encounter, but once you find out more about the concepts and benefits you’ll be impressed and motivated to try this way of eating.

The pH miracle diet is a definite transition from the standard American diet. If you are embarking on a journey to health and plan to use the pH miracle diet you will definitely experience a transition in your life. This diet requires you to think about food and eating in an entirely new way. You’ll be challenging old stereotypes about nutrition, such as meat is an important part of every meal and milk is beneficial to your health. It can be difficult to make a completely 180-degree turn in your way of eating and cooking.

However, in order to have success on the pH miracle diet, you don’t have to make that 180-degree turn in just one week. The book outlines 7 specific steps for dietary change. They do not all have to be done at once. If you radically change your diet and are eating unfamiliar foods, cooking unfamiliar recipes and missing out on your favorite meals, you will not stay on the diet for very long, no matter how healthy it is. The best approach to adapting the pH miracle diet is to do it slowly and at your own pace.

Taking a slower approach is also helpful because it will help you understand how the diet is affecting your body. Even if you’ve read the book a dozen times and understand all of the science behind the acid/alkaline balance, you won’t really know it well until you’ve done it yourself. Incorporating this new way of eating into your body step by step will allow you to feel the effects of the acid/alkaline process. You can measure the science against your personal opinion and how your body responds.

Everybody is different and you may find as you start the program that certain aspects of the program don’t work for you. Maybe you cannot go vegetarian completely, or you find it difficult to go without certain acid-forming fruits. Testing out the principles of the pH miracle diet on your own body will allow you to decide what works and what doesn’t. The goal of the diet is find a balance of 70% alkaline and 30% acid foods. This means that you can still enjoy the foods that you love as long as they are balanced by alkalizing foods.

The transition to an ideal pH diet balance is something you should take at your own pace. This is particularly true if you have had a diet full of acid-forming foods or if you have any major health problems. Your body will need time to respond to this new way of eating and adjust to operating on natural foods. The transition into pH balanced eating is a journey that should be traveled in incremental steps.

Did you know that your blood has a pH level? pH is the measurement of how acid or alkaline something is. The pH level scale runs from 1 to 14 with 1 serving as “very acidic” 7 being “neutral” and 14 being “very alkaline”. In fact your bloodstream goes to great lengths to maintain a pH level of 7.35 to 7.45, slightly alkaline. Why is this important? Among many reasons why your body strives for this balance starts with your energy level. The pH miracle diet will help balance your body and increase your energy.

Have you ever put low quality fuel into your car after running it on premium fuel? There is a difference in acceleration, handling, and overall performance and this is directly linked to the quality of fuel you put in the tank. Your body is a finely tuned machine. Like other types of machinery, the parts need to be kept running by fuel. The best fuel for your body is a custom mix, more alkaline than acid. What difference does this make?

It all starts in the bloodstream. Think of the bloodstream as a superhighway with stops all over the body. Red blood cells are the commuting traffic riding along the bloodstream in a hurry to get to work. These red blood cells each have a negative charge on them, and this keeps them from getting into fender benders and collisions in the bloodstream. When the negative charge is stripped away from the red blood cells, they cluster together and can cause gridlock and bottlenecks in the bloodstream. In short, the traffic in the bloodstream isn’t flowing as smoothly and it causes everything to slow down. If you’ve ever been stuck in freeway traffic you know how frustrating this is.

This stress on the body causes a domino effect, which eventually saps the energy away and makes you tired and sluggish. Acid is the culprit in the bloodstream traffic jam. When acid is introduced into the bloodstream it eats away at the negative charge that surrounds each red blood cell and causes all sorts of problems. How can you avoid this? The answer is quite simple and it starts with what you put in your stomach. Red blood cells are created by the food that you eat. When the stomach works on digesting food, it leaves behind natural acidic waste. Your body eliminates this waste through your urine and sweat, but there comes a point when the waste build up is too great to eliminate.

What does your body do with all of the acidic waste it can’t get rid off? The answer is quite shocking, it stores it in your body! The cells in your body are mostly alkaline and this acid waste starts to attack and destroy these cells. A lot of energy is expelled keeping the waste from doing detrimental damage to your body, but this fight can only go on for so long. Eventually the build up is so great that the cells deteriorate and cause energy depletion and leaves the body open to disease.

How can you avoid this slow death? A higher energy level helps to fend off opportunistic diseases and ensures strong cellular regeneration. Making changes to your diet is a huge step in reversing this breakdown of your body while boosting your energy level. The choices you make in what you eat will greatly determine how much of this acidic waste gets stored in your body. The more alkaline your food choices are the less of this waste will be accumulated in your body, tipping the balance in the favor of good health.

The old adage “you are what you eat” is absolutely true. By controlling the amounts of alkaline food you ingest you are giving your body a fighting chance. Find books and lists that outline which foods are alkaline and which ones are acidic. By limiting your intake of acidic foods and increasing your intake of alkaline food with the pH miracle diet you can increase your stamina, endurance, and the overall performance of your body machine.

When something becomes popular, it invites criticism from other sources. The recently popular pH miracle diet is no different. As the program has gained followers, it has gained just as much criticism from different individuals.

The main criticism of the diet is that it encourages people to become vegetarians and vegans. Critics say that this diet, particularly with its omission of dairy products (a vegetarian protein source), is dangerously low in protein. However, this criticism comes from the common misconception that humans need massive amounts of protein. The recent popularity of low-carb diets (which are really just high-protein diets) has re-cemented this myth in the mind of many people. Health has become equivalent with eating red meat and dairy.

However, there are many sources of natural and healthy proteins that don’t have the harmful acidic effects of red meat and dairy products. The truth is, most people get too much protein and not too little. Women require about 45 grams of protein per day, and men need 55 grams. Once single cup of tofu (which is acceptable on the pH miracle diet) contains 20 grams of protein. Beans contain at least 8 grams of protein per half cup. So it is really quite easy to get enough protein on a vegetarian diet.

Another criticism related to this issue is calcium. Many people equate drinking milk with strong bones. However, American women consume an average of two pounds of milk per day and yet 30 million of them develop osteoporosis. If drinking milk helped make bones stronger, then the opposite would be true. A study conducted by Cornell-trained nutritionist Amy Joy Lanou showed that there was no specific link between dairy products and bone health in children and young adults. There are plenty of sources of calcium available in the alkalizing food categories that will provide protection against osteoporosis.

Many critics also claim that the emphasis on vegetables and fresh foods is the real reason behind the success that people receive from the diet. The pH miracle diet suggests eating almost 70 percent vegetables and acceptable fruits. At this level, whether you are eating alkalizing foods or not, anyone will have an improvement in health. Critics disregard the importance of the pH balance of the diet.

However, there have been many people who have experienced great results after eliminating wheat, an acidic food. Wheat is not a food that one normally associates with ill health, however, eliminating wheat has been a godsend to many people who have suffered the symptoms of over-acidified diets. The amount of alkalizing vegetables in the diet will definitely do anybody good, whether or not they take the rest of the diet to heart. By eating from the list of alkaline foods, you will be improving your health no matter how strict you are on the diet.

This leads to another popular criticism of the book. Many people claim that the pH miracle diet program is too strict for daily life. The elimination of common foods like animal protein, milk and wheat seems overwhelming for people. They cannot fathom going through a whole day without eating something from one of these foods groups. The idea of sticking to a diet that is primarily plant based seems too rigid and strict. However, many people who use the pH miracle diet have seen beneficial results without being 100% strict with the rules of the diet.

Like with many other diets, the pH miracle diet outlines steps toward better health. The emphasis here is on steps. It is unreasonable to expect anyone to do a complete 180-degree change in his or her eating habits overnight. Taking a slower approach to changing your diet will create longer and more successful results. If the diet is followed word for word, it is difficult at first because people are so used to eating a certain way. With time and practice though, you can move toward better health and a more pH balanced diet.

One of the most important points of the pH miracle diet is that cancer can be prevented and reversed by applying the principles of the diet. Although these statements have caused some controversy in the world of health and wellness, many people credit the use of the pH miracle diet in reversing their cancer and improving their overall level of health.

According to Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH miracle diet, cancer is not a sickness or a disease as commonly thought. It is an effect of the metabolic acids that are built up in the blood and then released into the tissues. Cancer, according to Dr. Young, is actually an acidic liquid that spills into the cells, tissues and organs. It is not a mutation of the cells.

No condition happens without a cause. There are clear and direct causes for cancer, and as the pH miracle diet books show, the cause for cancer lies in over acidity. Diseases like cancer are due to systemic acidosis, which is extremely low pH (below 7.4). Any pH below 7.0 is considered acidic, and the lower the pH is the higher the acidity level in a person’s body is.

At the cellular level, your cells consume the food that you eat and produce metabolic acids. Those acids are normally expelled by the body through sweat or urine. When you consume a vast amount of acidic foods and lead a lifestyle that produces even more acidity, your body does not know what to do with the rest of the acid waste. When you eat highly acidic foods on a regular basis, your body simply does not have enough energy to get rid of the excess acids. They collect in the body, and create disruptions at the cellular level.

Metabolic acids are first kept in the blood and then they are kept in the tissues. When acid is kept in the tissue, it causes sickness, disease and cancerous tissues. Cancer is the acidic liquid from metabolism that pools in the body. It affects the cells around it and, like a rotten apple in a barrel, the effects spread from cell to cell causing disease. Cancer is not made of mutated cells. The cells themselves do not change form but they are limited in their function due to the presence of excess metabolic acid. There is no such thing as “cancer cells”; the cells are actually normal cells that have become highly acidic.

One of the most surprising parts of the relationship between pH and cancer is that tumors are in fact trying to help the body. They form in areas where the metabolic acid is becoming rampant and effecting cellular function. Tumors are your body’s attempt to prevent the spreading of the acidic cells to other parts of the body. The tumor is actually a signpost to where your body is collecting excess metabolic acid. Some people are genetically predisposed to collect metabolic acid in certain places. This is why some families have a history of, for example, breast cancer.

The tumors themselves are not the problem, but are just signs of what is going wrong in that part of the body. When cancer metastasizes, it is a sign of the acidic condition moving to other cells and making them acidic as well.

Cancer is not something that people get out of the blue. Cancer forming in the body is a sign of the choices that we make in what we eat, what we drink and how we live. An alkaline lifestyle that focuses on an alkaline diet and other calming behaviors will be much less likely to produce cancer, if it does at all. An acidic lifestyle and diet will be full of the pains of the build up of metabolic acid which can, in extremes, lead to cancer.

That is exciting news because it means that cancer is preventable and treatable. A cancer patient can start taking steps toward reversing the effects of cancer and preventing the spread of it. His or her alkaline centered diet may be more aggressive than someone’s who is just trying to get better overall health. However, by applying the principles of the pH miracle diet they can effectively reduce, control and eliminate cancer from their bodies.

The pH miracle diet is a revolutionary new way to look at how you eat. The essentials of the diet are to keep the ph balance of food intake at 80% alkaline with 20% acidity. The goal with this diet is to match the ph level of the bloodstream, which runs on the alkaline side. This task can be daunting for many because foods that most people love to indulge themselves on are considered high in acidity. The goal in adding more alkaline into your diet is to identify good sources of alkaline. Creating a comprehensive list of alkaline producing foods will help you make the most of the pH miracle diet.

Alkalizing foods have a tonic effect on the body. By neutralizing the acidity in the bloodstream, alkaline foods act as a “breath of fresh air” to the system regenerating and restoring damaged cells. Diets high in acidic foods cause the body to break down prematurely, the bloodstream carries these “acid bombs” throughout the system wreaking havoc in their wake. By determining what foods have an alkalizing effect on the body, we can incorporate them into our diet in larger amounts, setting the pH levels in the bloodstream to the optimum level. On average, the pH level of human blood is between 7.35 and 7.45; levels 7 and above are considered alkaline.

Vegetables and fruits are the easiest ways to get more alkaline into your diet. Vegetables that are alkalizing are: alfalfa, barley grass, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard greens, collard greens, cucumber, dandelions, eggplant, garlic, green beans, green peas, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, nightshade veggies, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, rutabaga, sea veggies, spinach, sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watercress, wheat grass, and wild greens.

Fruits that have an alkalizing effect are: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, blackberries, cantaloupe, cherries, coconut, currants, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew, lemons, limes, muskmelons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, raisins, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, tropical fruits, and watermelon.

Protein can be a problem when attempting to add more alkaline into your diet. All protein derived from animals is acidic. It is possible to add protein to your diet that will have an alkalizing effect in your bloodstream. Proteins that are alkaline are: almonds, chestnuts, millet, tempeh, tofu, and whey protein powder.

Food is nothing without the spices, herbs and sweeteners that give it that extra bit of character. You can add these alkalizing additions to your culinary efforts to bring your PH levels into balance. Alkalizing condiments are: cinnamon, curry, ginger, mustard, chili pepper, sea salt, stevia, miso, tamari, and all herbs.

Minerals are essential to optimum health. Paying attention to which minerals have alkalizing effects can add the proper balance to your blood pH. Minerals that have an alkalizing effect on the body are: cesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium.

There are other incidentals that can make adding alkaline to your diet even easier. Other ways to add alkaline to your diet are: apple cider vinegar, alkaline antioxidant water, bee pollen, lecithin granules, molasses, probiotic cultures, soured dairy products, green juices, veggie juices, fresh fruit juice, and mineral water.

Knowing which foods and supplements that add alkaline to your pH levels is just the beginning. Implementing them is the next step which takes planning and commitment. After adding these healing foods to your diet you can test your body’s pH levels with a  saliva strip test available at most health food stores. Keeping your pH level between 7 and 8 is the target for good health.

Remember the goal of the pH miracle diet is to have the alkaline intake higher than your acidic intake. This does not mean that you can’t enjoy the foods that are higher in acidity, quite the contrary; the balance of your diet should be geared toward alkaline producing foods. By maintaining a proper pH balance you can ensure that your body is performing at its optimum level.

The pH miracle diet is a new way to look at how you eat. By addressing each food, beverage, supplement, and additive by it’s acidic or alkaline signature a balance can be negotiated. Our bodies work according to the pH scale, which works on a range of 1 to 14. A ranking of 1 on this scale denotes a high level of acid while a ranking of 14 indicates that there is a high concentration of alkaline present. A ranking of 7 on the pH scale represents neutrality in pH. The blood in the human bloodstream regulates at the level of 7.35, which is mildly alkaline. The pH miracle diet advocates keeping the intake of food into your body in line with this optimum level. The method of implementation is quite simple, by coordinating an eating planned structured around a comprehensive list of foods, and supplements you can create an effective strategy to lower acidity in your body.

Alkaline intake will counter act this stored acidity by being metabolized and neutralizing them at the source. With balance as the benchmark for a workable health plan; constant monitoring of the body’s pH levels is essential. Saliva pH test strips with a base range of 4.5 to 8.5 will allow for accurate readings that can assist you in making the proper adjustments to your diet. Even with all of this knowledge and action there are outside influences that will affect your body’s acid production. These outside factors will greatly determine how you will implement the alkalizing foods and supplements. The most significant of these external factors will be stress.

Stress is ubiquitous, it is everywhere and it affects everyone. This universal problem has a very traumatic effect on your body. The body works overtime to combat stress that in turn creates more stress. This vicious cycle is propagated by an increase in acid production. As stated previously, acid is a detriment to your body. When the body is overly acidic it does not run well, on the cellular level, the body cannot maintain the immune system. The circulation is adversely affected with the heart having to compensate by working harder. With the heart beating at a higher rate to push this sticky blood through the bloodstream many of these sticky cell clumps break free from the path and attach themselves to the arterial walls creating further slowdowns in the circulation. Your body needs blood to function if the blood reaching the cells and organs are of poor quality this can have serious repercussions. Stress is an acid-producing killer.

There are many techniques in addition to diet that can help in your quest for a balanced pH level. Getting the adequate rest is always the best way to achieve stress relief, as well as meditation which can be two to three times more restful and rejuvenating than actual sleep. Limiting the intake of caffeine and other stimulants also works toward lowering stress in the body by removing these narcotics from the equation. At the heart of stress reduction is eating more foods that are alkaline in nature that will neutralize the acid waste in the body. Exercising is by far the most effective way to receive direct stress relief, and will also help reduce the fat stores of the body where acid waste inhabits in abundance.

The pH miracle diet attempts to control many different conditions in the body, including obesity, through the omission of acidifying foods and behaviors. One of the most surprising inclusions on the list, at least to Westerners, is milk. Dairy products, although a mainstay of the Western diet, are not included in the diets of most of the populations around the world. So what does the rest of the world know that we don’t? Dairy is not necessary for health; from a pH perspective, it is actually harmful to the body.

Many people believe that dairy and milk are essential for bone density and for overall health. However, dairy products have large amounts of protein and fat, which are both acid forming elements. Cow’s milk and products made from cow’s milk produce acid. Goat and sheep milk and cheeses, which have less fat and protein, produce less acid. The only dairy exception is clarified butter that is alkalizing due to the short chain fats within it.

In 2003, the Harvard School of Public Health released an alternative pyramid to the FDA recommendations based on imbalances that the members saw in the original pyramid. Although it did not mention acid and alkaline foods specifically, the pyramid shows a tendency toward alkaline foods. One of the most striking differences between the FDA pyramid and the Harvard pyramid is the inclusion of a dairy serving or calcium supplement 1 time daily. The FDA recommends 2 to 3 servings per day, in addition to dietary supplements.

Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor in the departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, points out in an explanation of the Harvard pyramid that Americans should be eating less dairy products. The body needs calcium, but not at the levels present in the two to three servings recommended by the FDA. Calcium is necessary for normal bone development and maintenance; yet the average adult can get enough calcium from a supplement. The levels of calcium present in 2 to 3 servings of dairy per day can actually be harmful to health. Excess calcium intake may increase the risk for certain cancers and there have been no links between massive amounts of calcium and osteoporosis prevention.

In addition, dairy is far from being a pure food. The dairy industry has worked hard to proliferate the image of cow’s milk being essential and harmless. Consider, however, that fifty years ago the average cow produces 2,000 pounds of milk per year and today cows average 50,000 pounds per year. Drugs, antibiotics, hormones, specialized breeding and forced feeding all up milk production so dairy farmers can produce in mass quantities. All of these additives are part of the milk that people drink everyday.

A growing number of Americans, including those who follow the pH miracle diet, are eliminating dairy from their diet and having fantastic results. In recent studies, milk has been linked to intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, anemia and allergic reactions in infants and children. In children, the main problems were allergy, ear and tonsil infection, asthma, colic and childhood diabetes. The studies showed that adults suffered from heart disease, arthritis, allergy and sinusitis as a result of conventionally produced milk.

Just a quick search on the dangers of dairy can really open your eyes about this “safe” food. Reading the research and seeing the acidic effects of milk and other dairy products make it clear why it is excluded on the pH miracle diet.