Often what is mistakenly interpreted as too much stomach acid is actually a lack of it. Hydrochloric acid tends to decrease with age. On average, a 40 year old will have 15% less HCL than they had at age 25, and by 65 they have 85% less. Hydrochloric acid can be supplemented. In capsule form it is generally paired with either betaine or with the amino acid glutamic acid. If you supplement take H.C.L. only with meals or you will feel an intense burning in your stomach.
When there is not enough hydrochloric acid to activate pepsin protein can’t be broken down into amino acids. (Proteins are chains of amino acids). Of the 20 standard amino acids, 8 are categorized as “essential” meaning the body cannot make these on its own. When protein isn’t digested properly due to lack of H.C.L., a person can become deficient in any of these eight amino acids. Our body uses amino acids to make digestive enzymes and the mineral carriers that transport alkalizing materials to the rest of the body. It becomes a vicious circle: less digestion results in less assimilation of the needed raw materials to keep the body pH balanced, which results in even less digestion.
In chemical terms, minerals need an electrical charge to be absorbed and H.C.L. provides this electrical charge. Magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, several other trace minerals, as well as vitamins B6 and B12, are not well absorbed when there is not enough H.C.L. production by the stomach. Malnutrition then results.
When the stomach makes hydrochloric acid it also makes the off-setting base which is sodium bicarbonate. The body splits salt into hydrochloric acid and sodium bicarbonate so that the production of each molecule is evenly in proportion. The H.C.L. is used by the stomach and the sodium bicarbonate goes into the bloodstream to bind to acids. Any sodium bicarbonate that is leftover is routed to the adrenal glands, the liver, and the pancreas to be in reserve should the body take in a sudden dose of an acid. Therefore a lack of H.C.L. production causes a lack of bicarbonate production which results in a lack of alkalizing reserves to prevent acids from piling up in the tissues.
The mast cells of the stomach secrete histamine, which is made from the amino acid histidine. A lack of hydrochloric acid prevents the conversion of histidine into histamine. Histamine is involved in immune response and acts like a neurotransmitter. Without an appropriate level of histamine, our body’s immune signals can become confused, mistaking proteins for allergens, developing auto-immunity against its own cells, and failing to tackle invading microbes.
A reduction in gastric acid secretion negatively affects subsequent enzymatic reactions, which occur in later stages of digestion. Bile, which has had its alkalinizing properties robbed and is instead acidic, will hamper enzyme activity. Even worse, bile can switch these enzymes into harmful agents, as well as interfere with the function of the ileo-cecal valve (which connects the small and the large intestine).
The Heidelberg test is the method used to measure the ability of one’s stomach to produce H.C.L. Getting a stomach to return to full H.C.L. production is much more difficult and lengthy than avoiding what ceased the production in the first place.
Compromised digestion, due to a lack of H.C.L. and enzymes, results in a fermentation of carbohydrates, putrefaction of proteins, and rancidity of fats and oils, all of which adds to internal acidity. Dealing with these substances requires effort by other bodily processes and places a burden on your entire system.
Copyright 2009 Amy Mosher
The above is an excerpt from my book "Your Health = Your pH: How To Reverse Illness & Gain Vitality". You can view the 1st 2 chapters (for free) on line at http://www.LiveLifeWellInfo.com and download the book (comes with free audio version).
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Why Traveling Can Feed Your Inner Spirit
At a time of rising oil prices, economic downturn, and international unrest, what might be the value proposition to exporting yourself overseas for a vacation? The following are just a few of the reasons you might consider rewarding yourself with a cross-cultural trip:
• Expand your experiences: You’ll undergo endeavors that are quite different from your everyday life.
• Gain awareness: You’ll observe how our counterparts in other nations live.
• You will be forever changed: You’ll see new things and when you return, you’ll see the familiar things in your life in a new way.
Last year, 75% of those who went on nature, adventure or cultural trips were women. Women are seeking meaningful experiences with their vacation hours and there are a multitude of options available.
Before traveling internationally, it’s important to consider what you’d like to get out of the vacation:
• Relaxation?
• To be active?
• Cultural education?
• Site seeing?
All of the above and more can often be combined in one trip, so establish an itinerary (or verify the one a tour offers) to provide you the right mix of what you’re after. You may be interested in folding in some volunteerism (for which you may be able to write off a portion of your trip on your taxes). Conferences, theme trips, and learning expeditions provide the safety of groups and often allow for time on your own to explore the sites that most interest you.
Having traveled through 40 countries on 6 continents in the last 16 years, I encourage you to experience the unique confidence gained from navigating through lands in which the best thing you brought with you was your ingenuity. Some recommendations include:
• Get a good guide book in advance (don’t rely on a tour guide to let you know the interesting points of what you’ll be seeing, he or she might not cover the aspects that are of intrigue to you).
• Dress conservatively if in non-Western countries. In addition to avoiding sending a wrong message, your clothing will depict respect for the culture and people whom you’ll be visiting.
• Learn at least 3 words in the host language, they will go a long way:
o Hello (or good day)
o Please (or excuse me)
o Thank you
Your new perspective will be the best souvenir you brought home. Bon voyage!
Copyright 2008 Amy Mosher written for http://www.careerwomaninc.com/blog/?p=96
• Expand your experiences: You’ll undergo endeavors that are quite different from your everyday life.
• Gain awareness: You’ll observe how our counterparts in other nations live.
• You will be forever changed: You’ll see new things and when you return, you’ll see the familiar things in your life in a new way.
Last year, 75% of those who went on nature, adventure or cultural trips were women. Women are seeking meaningful experiences with their vacation hours and there are a multitude of options available.
Before traveling internationally, it’s important to consider what you’d like to get out of the vacation:
• Relaxation?
• To be active?
• Cultural education?
• Site seeing?
All of the above and more can often be combined in one trip, so establish an itinerary (or verify the one a tour offers) to provide you the right mix of what you’re after. You may be interested in folding in some volunteerism (for which you may be able to write off a portion of your trip on your taxes). Conferences, theme trips, and learning expeditions provide the safety of groups and often allow for time on your own to explore the sites that most interest you.
Having traveled through 40 countries on 6 continents in the last 16 years, I encourage you to experience the unique confidence gained from navigating through lands in which the best thing you brought with you was your ingenuity. Some recommendations include:
• Get a good guide book in advance (don’t rely on a tour guide to let you know the interesting points of what you’ll be seeing, he or she might not cover the aspects that are of intrigue to you).
• Dress conservatively if in non-Western countries. In addition to avoiding sending a wrong message, your clothing will depict respect for the culture and people whom you’ll be visiting.
• Learn at least 3 words in the host language, they will go a long way:
o Hello (or good day)
o Please (or excuse me)
o Thank you
Your new perspective will be the best souvenir you brought home. Bon voyage!
Copyright 2008 Amy Mosher written for http://www.careerwomaninc.com/blog/?p=96
Friday, May 8, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
pH, Health, & Minerals: How They Affect Each Other
Minerals are co-enzymes which help vitamins and other nutrients to function, and are responsible for most actions within and around our cells. There are 90+ known minerals (thus far) for human health. The minerals you ingest affect your pH and your pH affects your ability to assimilate minerals.
Minerals have different pH levels at which they can be assimilated into the body. Minerals on the lower end of the atomic scale, such as sodium and magnesium, can be assimilated in a wider pH range. Minerals higher up on the scale, such as zinc and copper, require a narrower pH range in order to be assimilated by the body. Iodine, which is a major factor in thyroid health, is high up on the atomic scale and requires near perfect pH for its assimilation into the body.
What this means is that without an adequate supply of minerals you can't balance your pH, and without a balanced pH you won't be able to assimilate some key minerals. The answer? Test your salivary pH regularly and start with a good blood test to analyze the status of your various mineral levels.
To read more on how pH affects health and what minerals have to do with this check out my book "Your Health = Your pH: How To Reverse Illness & Gain Vitality" downloadable at http://www.livelifewellinfo.com/
Minerals have different pH levels at which they can be assimilated into the body. Minerals on the lower end of the atomic scale, such as sodium and magnesium, can be assimilated in a wider pH range. Minerals higher up on the scale, such as zinc and copper, require a narrower pH range in order to be assimilated by the body. Iodine, which is a major factor in thyroid health, is high up on the atomic scale and requires near perfect pH for its assimilation into the body.
What this means is that without an adequate supply of minerals you can't balance your pH, and without a balanced pH you won't be able to assimilate some key minerals. The answer? Test your salivary pH regularly and start with a good blood test to analyze the status of your various mineral levels.
To read more on how pH affects health and what minerals have to do with this check out my book "Your Health = Your pH: How To Reverse Illness & Gain Vitality" downloadable at http://www.livelifewellinfo.com/
Body Mind Spirit: What Leading M.D.'s Have To Say
I have been fascinated with the connection between mind and body for most of my life. Below are quotes by leading medical authorities in the U.S.A. For more info please see my book at http://www.livelifewellinfo.com/
“The brain and body communicate using a flood of chemical messengers that hook up to receptors on the surface membranes of our cells, and our very thoughts, moods, and attitudes have a significant impact on which chemical messengers are sent and how they are received.” “These neurotransmitters translate our every fleeting thought, reaction, and emotion- conscious or unconscious- into physiological changes.” “By causing the release of neuropeptides, which communicate directly with every cell in our bodies, our moods and attitudes become incarnate.” “Feelings and thoughts seem intangible but produce a cascade of cellular action, telling each of our cells when to divide, which genes to turn on and when, to make more of this protein or less of that one.” “We are not only what we eat, but what we think.”
Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. (founding president of Bastyr University)
“You can’t afford prejudice, dislike, hatred, resentment, greed, or ignorance (the failure to accept truth or facts). Fear, anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, pessimism, prejudice, hatred, resentment and greed sap or zap our health. What are the antidotes? Joy, laughter, happiness, serenity, peacefulness, optimism, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, compassion, and love- a desire to do good and help others. These attributes of the spirit enhance health and well-being. They build beta endorphins, the feel-good natural narcotics, D.H.E.A. and immune competency. The key to good health is attitude, that is, one’s belief in the ultimate goodness of the universe.”
Norman Sheally, M.D., Ph.D. (neurosurgeon)
“Your body has a remarkable capacity to begin healing itself if you give it a chance to do so. Loneliness, depression, and isolation increase mortality by 3 – 7 times. Anything that creates a sense of connection, community, and love is healing. Meditation, compassion, and service are in a sense the most selfish things we can do because they create intimacy and create healing.”
Dean Ornish, M.D. (clinical professor of medicine at University of California, private practice is with coronary artery disease)
“Research supports that guided imagery can help people cope with allergies, and reduce allergy symptoms, office visits, and medication usage in many cases.”
American Academy of Allergies, Asthma, & Immunology
“Deep healing involves awakening and nurturing yourself at your most essential levels, that is, at those levels we sometimes describe as ‘unconscious’….Our self-talk is a powerful inner mechanism through which we can make dramatic changes in our lives. It can affect every part of our being—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. As such, I consider this kind of inner talk to be one of the key tools we need to develop for deep healing.”
Emmett Miller, M.D. (founder and medical director of the Cancer Support and Education Center)
“It's paying attention to heart wisdom, feelings, not living a role, but having a unique, authentic life, having something to contribute, finding time to love and laugh. All these things are qualities of survivors.”
Bernie Siegel, M.D. (surgeon and oncologist)
“By getting very clear about whether they really want to live and why they want to live, patients often find previously unknown reserves of energy and strength which can be extremely valuable on their journey through cancer.” “Fully honor and embrace your spiritual essence. It is not only the source of the love, joy, and fulfillment that we all seek, but of physical healing as well. Seek this through meditation, prayer, reflection, time in nature, and sharing with loved ones. Remember that just as your body, mind, and heart need attention, so does your spirit.”
Jeremy Geffen, M.D. (director of integrative oncology at Caring4Cancer, and 1999 and 2000 advisor to United States Congress on cancer care)
“Regardless of what supplements you take and what kind of exercise you do, when all is said and done it is your attitude, your beliefs, and your daily thought patterns that have the most profound effect on your health.”
Christiane Northrup, M.D. (obgyn)
Makes you think, doesn't it? http://www.livelifewellinfo.com
“The brain and body communicate using a flood of chemical messengers that hook up to receptors on the surface membranes of our cells, and our very thoughts, moods, and attitudes have a significant impact on which chemical messengers are sent and how they are received.” “These neurotransmitters translate our every fleeting thought, reaction, and emotion- conscious or unconscious- into physiological changes.” “By causing the release of neuropeptides, which communicate directly with every cell in our bodies, our moods and attitudes become incarnate.” “Feelings and thoughts seem intangible but produce a cascade of cellular action, telling each of our cells when to divide, which genes to turn on and when, to make more of this protein or less of that one.” “We are not only what we eat, but what we think.”
Joseph Pizzorno, N.D. (founding president of Bastyr University)
“You can’t afford prejudice, dislike, hatred, resentment, greed, or ignorance (the failure to accept truth or facts). Fear, anger, guilt, anxiety, depression, pessimism, prejudice, hatred, resentment and greed sap or zap our health. What are the antidotes? Joy, laughter, happiness, serenity, peacefulness, optimism, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, compassion, and love- a desire to do good and help others. These attributes of the spirit enhance health and well-being. They build beta endorphins, the feel-good natural narcotics, D.H.E.A. and immune competency. The key to good health is attitude, that is, one’s belief in the ultimate goodness of the universe.”
Norman Sheally, M.D., Ph.D. (neurosurgeon)
“Your body has a remarkable capacity to begin healing itself if you give it a chance to do so. Loneliness, depression, and isolation increase mortality by 3 – 7 times. Anything that creates a sense of connection, community, and love is healing. Meditation, compassion, and service are in a sense the most selfish things we can do because they create intimacy and create healing.”
Dean Ornish, M.D. (clinical professor of medicine at University of California, private practice is with coronary artery disease)
“Research supports that guided imagery can help people cope with allergies, and reduce allergy symptoms, office visits, and medication usage in many cases.”
American Academy of Allergies, Asthma, & Immunology
“Deep healing involves awakening and nurturing yourself at your most essential levels, that is, at those levels we sometimes describe as ‘unconscious’….Our self-talk is a powerful inner mechanism through which we can make dramatic changes in our lives. It can affect every part of our being—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. As such, I consider this kind of inner talk to be one of the key tools we need to develop for deep healing.”
Emmett Miller, M.D. (founder and medical director of the Cancer Support and Education Center)
“It's paying attention to heart wisdom, feelings, not living a role, but having a unique, authentic life, having something to contribute, finding time to love and laugh. All these things are qualities of survivors.”
Bernie Siegel, M.D. (surgeon and oncologist)
“By getting very clear about whether they really want to live and why they want to live, patients often find previously unknown reserves of energy and strength which can be extremely valuable on their journey through cancer.” “Fully honor and embrace your spiritual essence. It is not only the source of the love, joy, and fulfillment that we all seek, but of physical healing as well. Seek this through meditation, prayer, reflection, time in nature, and sharing with loved ones. Remember that just as your body, mind, and heart need attention, so does your spirit.”
Jeremy Geffen, M.D. (director of integrative oncology at Caring4Cancer, and 1999 and 2000 advisor to United States Congress on cancer care)
“Regardless of what supplements you take and what kind of exercise you do, when all is said and done it is your attitude, your beliefs, and your daily thought patterns that have the most profound effect on your health.”
Christiane Northrup, M.D. (obgyn)
Makes you think, doesn't it? http://www.livelifewellinfo.com
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