How to Prevent Premature Aging

Aging gracefully through alkalinity

By Janelle Deeds, Nutrition Consultant and Educator

With every breath you take, a flurry of activity is taking place in every cell of your body. Every second, with almost utmost precision, millions of cells are regenerating. Since cells are the building blocks from which all living tissue and organs are made, to understand degenerative and metabolic disease you must become familiar with the miniature world of the cell and how they are able to perform amazing chemical transformations producing infinitely complex proteins, vitamins, hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, enzymes and metabolic energy called ATP.

At HealthWalk™, we understand that a healthy body is determined by the health of each of its single cells. Unhealthy cells create inflammation and if your body is on fire internally there will be warning signs demanding attention to prevent the sparks from turning into an inferno.

All disease originates at the cellular level and not at the organ or system level. Healthy cells create healthy tissues. Healthy tissues create healthy organs. Healthy organs create healthy systems like the neuro-endocrine, immune and gastrointestinal systems. All together, these intricate systems when in optimal condition make up a healthy vibrant body.

So if the health of the cell is the answer, what is a healthy cell made from? What you eat, drink, breathe and apply to your body will either nourish your cells or break them down until they can no longer function properly. The key is that all of these things end up in the blood stream and the blood stream is at the heart of the internal process. In the simplest of terms…healthy nutrients in, metabolic waste and toxins out. Healthy regulation of the cellular process is dependent on the body’s pH. A slightly alkaline pH facilities the normalization of metabolized acids from body tissues that supports health and vitality.

We often observe dysfunction of the cell process during a Vital Hematology (live blood analysis) session or through a functional review of serum lab results (Biomarker Analysis). An increase in the acidity of blood plasma will result in a loss of the buffering capacity which impacts mineral levels. Alteration in the excretion of carbon dioxide and excessive loss of alkalinity from the body allow for proliferation of microorganism activity and reduction of energy production.

The human body functions best when blood and tissue fluids are neither too alkaline nor too acidic. An abnormally high acidity of blood and tissue fluids is called acidosis. It results in chemical reactions taking place less efficiently and can impair muscular contractions which may lead to fatigue.

Wastes produced from food metabolism are highly acidic and acidosis is one of the main contributors that lead to the aging process and various illnesses. Acid waste is excreted from the human body in the form of urine or sweat. But the wastes not excreted will be circulating throughout the body in the blood. This acidic waste will gradually accumulate somewhere in our capillary blood vessels, and eventually clog them up. Also as a consequence of this, the cells of the human body will be deprived of their supply of oxygen and essential nutrients, rendering these cells inactive in reproduction. That's the main reason why people age, the body is now breaking down. With this congestion, the function of every organ in the human body accumulating acidic waste will begin to deteriorate, potentially causing serious illnesses, continued inflammation which in turn triggers more diseases.

In his book Alkalize or Die , Dr. Theodore A. Baroody says, “The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What does matter is that they all come from the same root cause...too much tissue acid waste in the body!”

It has been demonstrated that an acidic, anaerobic (lacking oxygen) body environment encourages the breeding of fungus, mold, bacteria, and viruses. It is simply that the body’s (pH balance) changed to a more inviting one for these organisms to live in. This can be likened to a shift in our biological terrain from a healthy oxygenated, alkaline environment to an unhealthy anaerobic acidic environment. What is healthy for us is unhealthy for the body attackers and what is healthy for them is what is generally unhealthy for our body.

If the cause of aging lies in acidosis, then the answer to quality of life and vibrancy must lie in the body’s pH balance. Some options for bringing more alkalinity into your body could include:

• Eating more fruits and vegetables, especially greens. Use the 80/20 guideline. 80% of your foods should be alkaline, 20% acid. A predominately vegetarian or low meat diet help neutralize acidic waste. Vegetables contain a small amount of alkaline minerals and that is why non starchy vegetables and greens should make up a larger percentage of your meals in order to neutralize these wastes in the body.
• Drinking alkaline water is an easy and efficient way to help neutralize an acidic human body. If we look at the basic functions of water in the body, as a solvent, lubricant, nutrient delivery, waste removal, and most of all, enabling almost all key biological processes (i.e., life), it is clear that good quality water provides a significant health benefit. Some people feel that many of our health problems are due to chronic dehydration, and that proper hydration alone would cure many of our common diseases. HealthWalk’s Hydromag™ products are cost effective, convenient and effective method of water treatment which will provide your body with a critical piece of your health program.
• Reducing your level of stress. Stress plays a significant role in creating excess acid. This is why Type A personalities—who tend to live in a perpetual state of tension and urgency—are prone to develop acidic conditions. If you don’t get enough sleep or exercise or face life-changing events—loss of a job, divorce, moving to a new city, etc.—your body probably has more acid than it can handle. Breathing, meditation or guided programs such as MindSoul Emotional Imprint Resolution CDs, prayer or gentle exercises such as Qigong, tai chi, yoga, walking and stretching can provide beneficial support.
• Balancing out your exercise program. There can be too much of a good thing. Exercise is hands down a necessity for health. There are times when over-exercise can produce a stress response and this is where balance is important. Active recovery or a change in routine can provide the body with much needed reprieve to rigorous programming. Mixing it up between weight lifting, cardiovascular, stretching and some basic physical training will work wonders and offer some diversity. Remember, honor the work, honor the rest.

We live and die at the cellular level. All the billions of cells that make up our human body are slightly alkaline, and must maintain alkalinity in order to function and remain healthy and alive.