Your Wellness Options Newsletter - Acidosis, pH Level, Fruits, Vegetables

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For those of you who have recently subscribed, welcome.   I hope you enjoy the newsletter. Select newsletter articles are available in our library.

If there is a topic you would like us to look into, please e-mail your request to: editor@yourwellnessoptions.com. I look forward to learning more and sharing the knowledge with all who are willing to learn.

Over the next few months we are going to be looking at things from the inside out. Specifically, a series of pH articles. I've always known how important pH was but it really did not hit me until recently. Compared to our current Western medicine, pH really is a different point of view.

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Have a blessed day!
LeeAnn Rahn
editor@yourwellnessoptions.com

A Different Point of View
by LeeAnn Rahn

For a few moments, while you read this article at the very least, forget everything you have been told about illness and disease. Think about the possibility that another answer to your questions may exist. An answer very few are aware of even though it is very basic and may just be at the root of most illnesses known to man.

How are conditions such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cancer defined by our current medical establishment? They are defined as "diseases". Are they really diseases though? Could it be they are symptoms of another underlying problem? Why is it, the root cause of our illnesses are rarely treated? If you treat the root cause instead of just the symptoms, the probability of "disease" diminishes greatly. The profits from "disease" diminish greatly then also.

Let's take a closer look at one of our "diseases". What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is basically defined as weak, brittle bones. Weak, brittle bones do not just magically appear overnight now do they. So what causes weak, brittle bones? What is the root problem associated with the symptom or end result of weak, brittle bones?

There are definitely multiple, valid answers to this question. Genetics and outside sources are one. Fluoride is another. The most probable answer though is acidosis. Acidosis is the result of a pH imbalance within our bodies.

What is pH? pH is actually a scale which measures acidity and alkalinity. It ranges from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. 1 is very acidic and 14 is very alkaline. But why does PH play such an important role in all of our body functions? First and foremost, without a stable blood PH you would not survive. The electrical impulses that operate your body would simply short circuit.

Urine pH should be around 6.6 - slightly acidic. You should have an alkaline saliva pH. The most important though, is blood pH, and ideally, it should be around 7.4 (7.35 - 7.45) - slightly alkaline. Your body will go to great lengths to maintain this delicate balance and will do this at the expense of all other organs in the body.

What causes your body's pH to fluctuate. The most common reason is a diet high in acidic foods. I will get into this topic more in the next newsletter, but in case you decide to do some research before then, don't believe everything you read. I saw so many sites with food pH listings that were very misleading. Here is an example, as well as, a quick lesson on acidity/alkalinity. The pH of a food before it is digested really does not matter, it is the pH of a food once it has been digested that dictates the biological chemical reactions that take place. Let's say you eat an orange. Most consider citrus fruits very acidic, when in actuality, once they are digested they leave an alkaline ash or residue in your system. Now drink orange juice with sugar added and you will definitely be left with an acidic ash. Generally, most fruits and vegetables leave an alkaline ash (with a few exceptions) and most processed foods and meat (breads, cereals, sweets, soda, alcohol, meat, seafood, etc.) leave an acidic ash.

When you body encounters an influx of acidity, your body's natural buffers respond immediately to bring the blood to a stable pH. Some of these buffers include plasma bicarbonate, hemoglobin (from red blood cells), calcium (from bones), magnesium (from muscles), and an increased production of cholesterol in the liver. When your body does not have the necessary buffers (minerals, etc.) in the blood stream, your body does what is necessary to survive and unfortunately that may mean robbing Peter to pay Paul. When your body can no longer keep up with the task of neutralizing acid, your pH falls to an acidic level. This is not a good place to be. Just about all cancer victims have an acidic pH level. Acidic blood is not conducive to the transit of oxygen thus fungus, bacteria, yeasts, cancers, and other toxins thrive. On the other hand, alkaline blood is oxygen rich which prohibits the growth of those nasty little critters.

So let's get back to our osteoporosis example. One way in which your body stabilizes blood pH is by pulling calcium out of the bones. Does this give you a little different view on osteoporosis?

Watch for more information on pH and how your body reacts to acids in next month's newsletter (including how it is tied to weight gain or inability to lose weight).

Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
by Jane Oelke

We know we need to eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. Actually now, to prevent cancer, 8 to 13 servings per day are recommended. A serving is one cup of raw fruits or vegetables, or ½ cup cooked. At a recent lecture I asked a lunch audience to raise their hand if they had at least one fruit or vegetable already that day. No one in that group raised their hand. This is not uncommon. Our processed and convenience foods contain very few fruits and vegetables.

To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system.

Each color found in fruits and vegetables focus on building the immune system in its own way. It is important to get a variety of colors, so that you will get a full range of phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) in your daily diet. Research is finding that eating whole fruits and vegetables gives you many more nutrients than you could possible add to a vitamin and mineral supplement. There are over 12,000 phytochemicals, and I have yet to see a supplement, unless it has whole fruits and vegetables in it, have all of the 180 different vitamins or minerals that are required by our body to function daily.

The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet.

Green Foods – broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form.

Red Foods – tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage.
Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color.

Orange Foods – carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe.
The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis.

Green/Yellow Foods – yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon.
This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Orange /Yellow Foods – oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines
These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation.

White/Green Foods – onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives
White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man’s antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy.

Red/Blue/Purple Foods – red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries.
These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating reducing the effects of the Standard American Diet rich in trans fats and processed foods.

When you make a salad make sure you have a variety of different colors. Strive to get at least 5 colors on your plate. Use fruits to balance the rest of the colors needed. This way you will get closer to the 8 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables required, and you will get the variety of nutrients you need daily.

About the author:
Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is a Traditional Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of “Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia” and “Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder.” She is a professional speaker on natural health topics. She can be contacted at DoctorOelke@aol.com or through her website at

School Principal Discovers Effective Supplement for Kids with Concentration Problems
by David Lear

For Dallas elementary school principal Denise Hampton, the miraculous journey that was about to unfold started with her niece Ashley's concentration problems in school.

Ashley, who was ten years old at the time, was having the same problem that many kids her age experience in school: lack of focus and concentration. Far too often, kids with these issues are hastily labeled with ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. Ashley's fate, however, was taking a turn for the better.

Hampton was exploring therapy options for her niece when a Dallas physician suggested a new class of nutrients called glyconutrients. Hampton found that these nutrients provide the body with eight special sugars called monosaccharides.
She also discovered that mainstream science had validated these newly discovered sugars as absolutely necessary for the healthy functioning of the body. Without these sugars in the diet, a variety of health issues could arise including poor concentration.

For Hampton, the clincher was research showing that these special sugars are rarely found in kid's (or adult's) diets. She reasoned that if these nutrients were added to her niece's diet, then perhaps she would see a change in Ashley's behavior.

Hampton ordered some of the supplements and started Ashley on them right away. She didn't have to wait long. Within two weeks, Ashley began to show obvious improvements in her ability to focus and concentrate. Over the following weeks it became even more evident something very special was happening. Not only were Ashley's powers of concentration increasing but remarkably, so were her grades.

Seeing such obvious changes in her niece, it occurred to Hampton that similar transformations might also be possible in some of the other students in her school. It was known to Hampton that many of the kids in her school had learning and concentration difficulties and that a number of them were on prescription medications.

Having seen such a remarkable turnaround in Ashley, she wondered what would happen if she could get some of the more difficult kids in her school on the same glyconutritional regimen.

As luck would have it, Hampton made a connection with a charitable group that provides glyconutritional supplements to disadvantaged children around the world. Working with this group (Manna Relief), as well as with parents and medical professionals, Hampton's dream of providing these supplements to some of Ashley's classmates became a reality.

It wasn't long before a large group of kids in Ashley's school with severe learning and emotional disabilities were started on a glyconutritional regimen. As Hampton predicted, within two weeks, she and her staff began to see positive changes. Not only were these kids focusing better but they were also retaining information more fully and becoming more emotionally stable.

As the kids continued their glyconutritional regimen, an unexpected side benefit occurred: the school's poor academic standing climbed to one of the highest in the state of Texas.

Hampton has no doubt that these supplements are playing a pivotal role in helping kids to excel in their studies. Based on everything she's seen, Hampton believes that parents would greatly increase their kid's chances of success at school by providing them with these remarkable supplements.

About the author: David Lear is an independent nutrition researcher and free-lance writer. His main interest is in cutting-edge supplements that improve health and reverse illness. For further information, visit