Your Body’s Ph

Your Body’s Ph

This month we are discussing what ph balance is in our bodies. Let’s begin at the beginning by explaining what Ph is as it relates to our bodies. In our bodies we are filled with solutions which are either acids or bases. Acids are…. acidic, bases are more alkaline (the opposite of acidic). To ensure proper functioning of all body systems our fluids must contain almost balanced quantities of acids and bases. For aspiring science nerds: The more hydrogen ions (H+) dissolved in a solution the more acidic the solution, conversely the more hydroxide ions (OH-) the more basic (alkaline) the solution. In other words we need an acid/ alkaline ph balance to ensure that our bodies can keep us in homeostasis. This happens by the regulation of the sensitive chemical reactions which are constantly occurring in the body which require acidity or alkalinity in the fluids which they occur.

The reason we hear so much about ph balance and “alkalizing our systems” is that most of us are constantly bombarding our systems with too many acid causing situations and need to be proactive toward building a more alkaline environment. But back to the chemistry of ph: So now we know what the spectrum of ph is and next we need to know how it’s measured. When we see or read anything about ph there is usually a # next to it. Ph is measured on a scale of 0-14. For some this next part might seem counter intuitive but a lower number closer to the “0” end of the scale is more acid. A number closer to 14 is more alkaline. 7 on the scale is neutral (neither acid nor alkaline). So to give you an example of what this looks like in our day to day world take a look at some of these examples of substances and their corresponding ph values:

Gastric Juice 1.2-3.0

Grape fruit juice, vinegar, wine 3.0

Vaginal Fluid 3.5-4.5

Urine 4.6-8.0

Saliva 6.35-6.85

Distilled (pure) water 7.0

Blood 7.35-7.45

Semen 7.20-7.60

Bile (liver secretion that aids fat digestion) 7.6-8.6

Milk of Magnesia 10.5

Lye 14

Another thing to consider when looking at the ph scale is that a change of one whole number is a 10 fold change in acidity or alkalizing. So a substance with a ph of 5 is 10 times more acidic than something with a ph of 6.

So what does all this mean to me and why do I care about my body’s ph? Our bodies are working very hard to maintain a ph balance in our blood between 7.35 and 7.45 so that it is slightly more alkaline than water. That is a narrow margin!! The miracle of our bodies is that they can accomplish this day in day out 24/7, and unless we have a life threatening illness our systems will keep us in balance. So as the wise and venerable Douglas Adams says “Don’t Panic!”. However we should be kind to our bodies and give them all the help they need to function properly instead of working against them and following short lived happiness by loading up on acid forming foods. And acid forming diet would require our bodies to process and expel all the extra acid (mostly through our sweat and urine) to bring us back into balance. This is very taxing on our systems and there have been studies showing that cancer cells thrive in and acid environment and cannot survive in a more alkaline environment… Hmmm.

A more acidic system is also a breeding ground for yeast infections, rashes, dandruff, mouth ulcers, herpes outbreaks, lethargy and general malaise (feeling crappy). You can test your ph level by purchasing some ph test strips from your local health food store (new seasons and whole foods has them) and test 3x’s a day morning noon and evening:

saliva –(which will test in a smaller range than urine) salivary pH mirrors the blood (if not around meals) and is also a fairly good indicator of health. It helps to tell us what the body retains.

Or test your urine- The pH of the urine indicates how the body is working to maintain the proper pH of the blood. The pH of urine indicates the efforts of the body via the kidneys, adrenals, lungs and gonads to regulate body pH balance through the buffer salts and hormones.

Urine can provide a fairly accurate picture of body chemistry, because the kidneys filter out the byproducts of pH regulation and provide ph values based on what the body is eliminating. Urine pH can vary from around 4.5 to 9.0 for its extremes, but the ideal range is 6.5 to 7.0+. Urinary pH tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening.

So our ph will vary depending on time of day or when you ate. It’s constantly changing. Generally you’ll be more acid first thing in the morning then you’ll become more alkaline as you drink water and eat fruits and veggies ect.

Doing this testing for about a week you’ll see a trend emerge and see how much you need to shift your lifestyle. We can bring our bodies back to a more alkaline environment first and foremost by the foods we eat.

For the most part eating more fruits and veggies will have an alkaline-forming effect on your body.

Most grains, animal foods, and highly processed foods have an acid-forming effect on your body fluids, especially refined wheat flour and Sugar.

You can purchase a chart showing foods with actual ph values from many sources online but here’s a list I found and “borrowed” from another website without ph#’s (url below)

ALKALIZING VEGETABLES
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Beet Greens
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens

ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Kombu
Maitake
Nori
Reishi
Shitake
Umeboshi
Wakame

ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder

ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia

ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Herbs (all)
Miso
Mustard
Sea Salt
Tamari

ALKALIZING OTHER
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules
Mineral Water
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Veggie Juices

ALKALIZING MINERALS
Calcium: pH 12
Cesium: pH 14
Magnesium: pH 9
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14

ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES
Corn
Lentils
Olives
Winter Squash

ACIDIFYING FRUITS
Blueberries
Canned or Glazed Fruits
Cranberries
Currants
Plums**
Prunes**

ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, oat
Bran, wheat
Bread
Corn
Cornstarch
Crackers, soda
Flour, wheat
Flour, white
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Macaroni
Noodles
Oatmeal
Oats (rolled)
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spaghetti
Spelt
Wheat Germ
Wheat

ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES
Almond Milk
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Rice Milk
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans

ACIDIFYING DAIRY
Butter
Cheese
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk

ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Legumes
Peanut Butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon
Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shellfish
Shrimp
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison

ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS
Avacado Oil
Butter
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Flax Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil

ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS
Carob
Corn Syrup
Sugar

ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL
Beer
Hard Liquor
Spirits
Wine

ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS
Catsup
Cocoa
Coffee
Mustard
Pepper
Soft Drinks
Vinegar

ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco

ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD
Beer: pH 2.5
Coca-Cola: pH 2
Coffee: pH 4

List taken from www.rense.com

One thing to keep in mind is that our emotions and stress levels affect our acid/ alkaline balance GREATLY! You can eat as healthfully as you like but if your adhering to rigid thought patterns (like adhering to a strict diet for years), working too many hours and not getting enough rest, have irregular sleep patterns, in a state of constant worry you’ll never correct your acid balance by food alone. So again “don’t panic”. If you would like to learn more about this subject or are interested in supplements or nutritional counseling to balance your ph levels contact us to learn about products we use and believe in, or schedule a nutrition session and learn how to bring yourself to an optimal level of health. Stay wellJ

Shawn Kinsella LMT, CA, PYT

Sources for this article include:

Introduction to the human body by Gerard J. Tortora and Bryan Derrickson

Wikipedia.com

Rense.com

My opinions

Nutrition and Vitamin D (Vitamin D part II)

This Months Article September 2011

Last month we explored how we are affected by sunlight, and it’s affects on our hormonal systems which control and regulate all the systems in our bodies. Also we looked at how vitamin D is produced via sunlight in our bodies and how important this vitamin/hormone is to our health. This month we’ll take a look at how we can increase this essential nutrient through our diet. I won’t repeat the chemistry of how our bodies produce vitamin D in this article as it was covered in last months article. Click here to read the archive.

As discussed in last months article we need to obtain as much vitamin D as possible from as many Natural sources as possible to keep our stores up, especially during the winter months. This is especially true if you live in the pacific northwest (where less UV rays reach the earths surface), are over 50 (when vitamin D production drops), or have darker skin (less UV penetration through the skin.

First don’t be afraid of taking in too much vitamin D and causing toxicity. According to leading vitamin D expert Sarfraz Zaidi, MD it’s impossible to develop vitamin D toxicity from the sun as the skin will degrade any excess vitamin D formed there. Further in his 10 years of treating and testing for vitamin D deficiency he has yet to find a single case of serious vitamin D toxicity in his patients while they are on vitamin D2 or D3 supplementation! This is also true and in line with many other experts in the field of vitamin D. When medical writers of newspapers and magazines talk of vitamin D toxicity they often make a blanket statement about vitamin D supplements which is a mistake. Because of the widespread epidemic of vitamin D deficiency, and the deficiency which occurs in patients who have kidney failure and are on dialysis, or have had their parathyroid glands removed, allopathic medicine has developed a synthetic form of vitamin D- Calcitrol aka Rocaltrol. This is a drug rather than a supplement and is much more powerful than vitamin D2 or D3 and if not monitored closely can cause vitamin D toxicity- thus the “toxicity” scare in the media.

So how much vitamin D should I be taking in?

Unless you have a job or life which allows you to be outside for a majority of the day I would highly recommend that you take some sort of vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D is measured in I.U.’s (international units). In pharmacology, the International Unit is a unit of measurement for the amount of a substance, based on biological activity or effect. Currently the recommended daily dose by the powers that be is 200-600 I.U. a day. This number was decided upon at the turn of the century during an epidemic of rickets caused by the industrialization of our culture where people were spending more time indoors (as factory or office workers) and from the radical shift in a nutrient poor diet also brought on by industrialization as well. So you may take a multivitamin that claims to meet 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in vitamin D however if you actually got your vitamin D levels checked via your MD or health practitioner you might find that you fall into the estimated 70-90% of Americans who are deficient in this nutrient (most of whom don’t even know it).

In an article published in the July 2006 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the authors concluded that for most people the optimal level of vitamin D cannot be obtained by current recommended daily doses. In March 2007 a number of researchers published an editorial urging that the recommended daily dosage be raised to 1700 I.U. a day to meet sufficient requirements. Keep in mind not all supplements are created equal and it’s vitally important to take supplementation from a researched, trusted, and bioavailable (made of ingredients your body can actually absorb and metabolize) product or you may just be wasting your money. Personally I take anywhere from 1000-2000 I.U. daily in a high quality and fully bioavailable fish oil supplement. This in addition to the foods I eat which contain some vitamin D already and being conscious of spending as much time as possible outside to absorb UV rays (without eyeglasses or sunglasses, and un-obstructed by glass i.e windows and car windshields). Therapeutic doses of vitamin D can range anywhere from 6000 to 50,000 I.U. and should be calculated by your health practitioner to be safe. (the 50,000 I.U. range is usually only for extreme medical conditions as mentioned earlier).

Although the experts claim diet is not a major source of vitamin D I feel it is essential to supplement and include foods that naturally contain vitamin D to keep your levels up as few of us are able to obtain sufficient amounts from sunlight alone. The body can store surplus vitamin D for up to 2 weeks in an ideal situation. Another speculation of note is that some researchers claim that sunlight is needed to metabolize dietary vitamin D.

To give you an idea of the amount of D that some foods are supposed to contain here’s a list of foods commonly indicated to contain Vitamin D.

Salmon, cooked (3.5oz) 360 I.U.

Mackerel, cooked (3.5oz) 345 I.U.

Canned Tuna (3oz) 200 I.U.

Sardines canned in oil, drained (1.75oz) 250 I.U.

Fortified Milk, one cup (8oz) 100 I.U.

Fortified Orange Juice, one cup (8oz) 100 I.U.

Fortified Cereal 40-80 I.U.

Egg, 1 whole (Vitamin D is in the yolk) 20 I.U.

Liver or Beef, cooked (3.5oz) 15 I.U.

Something to consider! Don’t rely on the stated quantities of vitamin D on food labels. In one study researchers found that D in fortified milk was less than 80% the stated amount.

In addition vitamin D content of fish is highly variable. Most people who are conscious of vitamin D intake ingest cod liver oil on a daily basis which is great as it contains EFA’s and is high in anti- inflammatory omega 3’s; but as a supplement to assist in calcium/mineral absorption and metabolizing you may want to look at the label more closely. Your body needs adequate levels of D for mineral absorption and in order to keep your D levels up there needs to be a balanced ratio between vitamin A and D in your intake. For every vitamin D receptor in the body there are 2 for vitamin A in every cell. An excess of one can cause a deficiency in the other. For example one brand of fish oil lists 650-1000 I.U. of A and a mere 20 I.U. of D on the label in an un-concentrated formula. The amount of D should be somewhere around 1000 I.U. to balance out the vitamin A quantity. Usually you’ll need to find a concentrated formula of cod liver oil which keeps these ratios in check for your supplementation to be effective.

Our ancestors weren’t subjected to the environment and food supplies depleted in nutrients that we have today in our lives. Which is why we need supplements unlike they did. So get outside as often as possible eat foods high in Vitamin D (and A) and make sure you have a high quality supplement so you can thrive not just survive.

If you want help or recommendations obtaining quality supplements send us an email at info@mettariver.com or ask us about it at your next class or session.

Stay Well-

Shawn Kinsella LMT, CA, PYT

Sources for this article:

Power of Vitamin D By Sarfraz Zaidi, MD

Primal Mind Primal Body by Nora Gedgaudas CNS, CNT

Sunlight and Vitamin D

This months article August 2011

There are a lot of questions that surround sunlight and vitamin d and it is difficult find definitive answers on how to receive the most beneficial amounts for each of our unique body systems. Because of this in my humble opinion there are no definitive answers, but there is a lot that we do know that can help each one of us find our own answers if we’re willing to look for them. Much like the questions that arise regarding diet and nutrition we are all different to some degree biologically and physiologically which are large factors in how much sunlight we need to keep in homeostasis- (the balancing act our bodies are constantly playing to keep us healthy and free from disease).

Although we refer to vitamin D as a vitamin, about 30 years ago while searching for a cure for rickets it was discovered that It’s actually a hormone.

What’s a Hormone?- A hormone is a substance that is produced in one part of the body, enters the bloodstream and exerts it’s effects at sites distant from the original site of production. It is also a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another. All multicellular organisms produce hormones.

What’s a Vitamin?- A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions, including function as hormones (e.g. vitamin D), antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E), and mediators of cell signaling and regulators of cell and tissue growth and differentiation (e.g. vitamin A

I’ve read some books based on this finding that “Vitamin D is not a vitamin but a hormone”. However it appears to have qualities of both vitamin and hormone, implying how incredibly important this substance is to our physiology, biochemistry and even psychological balance. Although we can obtain vitamin D from food I’m going to focus this article on mainly on sunlight, which is one way we obtain vitamin D and its many benefits to keep things more simple (for both of us). Vitamin D and food will be in a later article.

I feel it’s important to know how the vitamin D our bodies use is produced, so take a deep breath and here we go.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin from pro-vitamin D3 which is derived from cholesterol. Here is evidence that cholesterol is not all bad, contrary to what most people think. In fact cholesterol is a precursor for most hormones in your body. Type B Ultraviolet rays (UVB) from the sun act on pro-vitamin D3 and convert it into pre-vitamin D3, which is then converted into vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 then leaves the skin and gets into the blood stream where it is carried on a special protein called a vitamin D-binding protein. Through blood circulation, vitamin D3 reaches various organs in the body. In the liver, vitamin D3 undergoes a slight change in it’s chemical structure. At that point it’s called 25 (OH) vitamin D3. It is then carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys where it goes through another change in its chemical structure. At that point it’s called 1,25 (OH)2 vitamin D3. This is the active form of vitamin D. It goes back to the blood stream and goes to various parts of the body and exerts its actions (more actions than is known by modern science safe to say). This is why vitamin D was re defined as a hormone.

The lesson here is that the vitamin D obtained from sunlight or food goes through several changes before it’s transformed into a substance we can use. The above scenario is assuming that your organs are functioning optimally and your source of vitamin D is bioavailable (viable and able to be absorbed by the body) which in these modern times with troubled food sources and environmental challenges to the system is often not the case. Much of the D sources we take in can be lost for this reason. So don’t assume if you’re taking the RDA from the FDA by way of a supermarket multivitamin that your not deficient in vitamin D. A 2000-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that 50-78% of Americans suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. In the U.K. a national data collection survey in 1988-1994 showed 90% of adults to be found low in vitamin D.

So what happens if I don’t have enough vitamin D? In his book “Power of vitamin D” Safraz Zaidi MD links vitamin D deficiency as a factor to not only degenerative arthritis and Osteoporosis but also: body aches and pains, chronic fatigue syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, low immune system and the common cold, asthma, tuberculosis, lupus (SLE), M.S., type 1 diabetes, hyper- and hypo- thyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, crohn’s disease, heart disease, cancer, and hypertension.

Realizing the power of vitamin D as a hormone affecting so many bodily functions and systems helps us to realize how this could be possible, that so many disorders could be linked as a factor to a single deficiency such as this.

Some of the most amazing and startling findings on sunlight and its effects on humans, plants, and animals came from a man named John Ott. If you’ve heard of an ott light (which is a full spectrum light bulb), it’s named after him. He developed time lapse photography. All those cool films showing flowers growing from seed or fruits growing from flower to something big red and juicy that take weeks or months to happen in real time; he developed a method of showing that growth spurt in half a minute on film.

During the time as he was developing his filming methods he was continually asked to film this vegetable, flower or plant during it’s growth process from sprout to bloom or fruit which in order to film this long process had to be in a controlled environment often with artificial lighting. What he discovered was that the growth process was altered depending on the type of light being used, if color filters were used, or if he allowed sunlight to pass through glass or clear plastic pains. He was suffering from debilitating arthritis in his hip during this time and wore glasses. Inspired by his discoveries in working with plants he began giving himself sunlight therapy part of which involved removing his glasses and allowing unfiltered sunlight to enter through his eyes and his skin, and effectively completely reversed his arthritis and found it unnecessary to wear his glasses. (Sunlight therapy is a healing practice that has been well documented as having been used as early as pre Roman- Greece.)

He began conducting his own research with sunlight, including using time lapse photography to show the effects of sunlight on the cellular level through a microscope. These experiments showed cells moving in chaotic and distorted patterns when different parts of the light spectrum were cut out using different colored filters or glass. He spent the rest of his life with much support from leaders in the medical community lobbying to have research conducted that could be published and accepted by western science on his findings. This of course never came to pass, since if it were shown that sunlight could cure many of todays most baffling and destructive diseases it would take a huge bite out of the billions in profits enjoyed by the pharmaceutical industry. However he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science Degree from Loyola University of Chicago, authored many books and articles, produced a film of some of his work, gave literally thousands of lectures at conferences, scientific symposiums and to the general public over the years, including lectures to the Cancer Control Society. So his lifes work lives on. His work also showed that like plants, animals and humans evolved with and have a need for the full spectrum of sunlight to have all their systems function properly.

Consider this. In 1900 more than 75% of the population in the U.S. worked outdoors, while in 1970 less than 10% did. I can’t imagine what the current percentage is in 2011.

In the 1930’s sunlight therapy was very popular and a doctor named August Rollier who was director of a sunlight therapy clinic in Leysin, a town high in the Swiss Alps, attributed the therapeutic action of the sun to it’s ultraviolet rays. This clinic was built at a 5000 foot elevation to allow maximum exposure to U.V. rays for their therapies. They had patients who were completely cured of tuberculosis (among other diseases) and one doctor at the clinic discovered that the sunlight had no affect on patients who wore sunglasses. This is one among many reported examples of how important it is to receive natural full spectrum sunlight through the eyes in addition to the skin when possible.

There is much research showing how harmful and dangerous the sun is and we’re sold many products to help protect us from the “dangerous” sun because of “the increase in U.V. rays from our depleted ozone”. Dr. Ott said it best when he stated “If you stick your hand in a furnace it’s going to get burned. But this doesn’t mean you should avoid heat completely and keep your house at absolute zero! The public has to understand that light is a nutrient just like a vitamin or a mineral. Trace amounts of ultraviolet radiation are as important to people as trace amounts of vital nutrients.”

I could go on and on about the benefits of sunlight and some people have (take a look below at the books which were sources for this article). One of the most important aspects of receiving adequate sunlight on a daily basis in my minds eye is the synthesis of vitamin D. So I encourage you to do your own research and read some of the sources I list at the end of this article. Here are some helpful practices regarding sunlight that will help boost your vitamin D level among other health benefits:

1. Spend as much time as you can outdoors every day regardless of the weather. (1hour minimum is suggested). Even on a cloudy day or being in the shade (which is said to reduce U.V. rays by aprox. 50%) is extremely beneficial. Other considerations on this are:

The further north you are from the equator the less is the intensity of the sun rays reaching earth.

The hours between 10am and 2pm (aka the burning hours) should be utilized with caution. Sunburn damages skin cells and dna and is thought to cause skin cancer. If you have fair skin it might be best to avoid direct sunlight during these hours completely.

2. Regarding suntan lotion- SPF 8 blocks 95% of U.V. rays thus nullifying the benefits of skin exposure to the sun. Also a recent report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that fourteen out of seventeen suntan lotions containing PABA can be carcinogenic when exposed to the sun. Additional research indicates that PABA can cause genetic damage to the DNA in the skin. It might be advisable to use no suntan lotion and gradually build your time in the sun. Other ingredients to avoid include Benzophenones, Cinnamates, Salicylates, Digalloyl trioleate, Menthyl anthranilate, and Avobenzone. All found in most commercial sunscreens.

3. Ordinary window glass blocks almost 100% of short wave U.V. and this distorted light spectrum has in fact been implicated (by Dr. Ott and others) to cause a myriad of developmental issues in plants and animals especially by exposure through the eyes. How many hours a day do you spend wearing glasses that don’t have full spectrum lenses or looking through the windshield of a car?

4.The skin of an elderly person is said to produce 25% less vitamin D to that of a young person, so more exposure to sunlight may be advisable.

5.The color of your skin comes from a pigment called melanin. Melanin serves as a natural sunscreen and blocks sunrays from getting into deeper layers of your skin. Therefore although sunburn is less of a danger if you have darker skin the need for longer exposure to sunlight to get the same benefits as a person with fair skin would be necessary. For example an African American would need to spend about 10x’s the amount of time in the sun as compared to a fair skinned person to receive the same benefits.

I hope you’ll find these suggestions useful and are able to spend more time outdoors honoring the star that gives our planet life.

In Gratitude-

Shawn Kinsella LMT,CA,PYT

Sources for this article include:

“Light Medicine of the future” by Jacob Liberman, O.D. PH.D.

“Power of Vitamin D” By Sarfraz Zaidi, MD

“Health and Light” by John N. Ott

HCl

This Months Article. July 2011

This month we’re exploring the properties of a much talked about piece of our digestive process known as HCl. HCl stands for Hydrochloric acid (the “L” is written as a lower case) which is commonly referred to as “stomach acid”. It helps digest food by breaking up fats and proteins. The low pH of the stomach's hydrochloric acid also destroys ingested bacteria and other micro-organisms which are trying to invade the body and lower your immune system. If you have low stomach acid, these infecting invaders may not be destroyed by your stomach's acid bath. They can then cause many types of infections. Now you can see why low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) is associated with so many common health problems. If these infections are not cleared, over time they can cause many symptoms, paving the way for full-blown diseases. Furthermore adequate levels of HCl are necessary for adequate absorption of protein, calcium, vitamin B12 and iron.

This is an essential step in the digestive process facilitating the breakdown of fats, proteins, and minerals preparing them for our digestive enzymes in the small intestine to continue the digestive process so that we can assimilate (absorb and metabolize) these proteins and use them for fuel, repairing tissue, and maintaining healthy bodily functions. According to Jonathon Wright MD after testing the PH (acid levels) of thousands of patients approximately 90% of Americans produce too little HCl.

Looking at how it works in the digestive process: Lets say your doctor or nutritional counselor says you’re deficient in some nutrient…(fill in the blank). So you go to the supplement/herb shop or your local organic grocer and drop a fair amount of money on some product that’s supposed to bring you back into balance. Assuming that the product you purchased is of sufficient quality and has the nutrients you need, you should be on your way to health. Next you get home and start taking your food or supplement.

The first stage of the digestive process, chewing and or swallowing and mixing with saliva begins breaking down the nutrients into smaller pieces preparing them for the stomach and the next stage of digestion. Next as the nutrients enter the stomach the signal goes off for the parietal cells in the stomach lining to start producing HCl but because for various reasons your body can’t produce enough to break down the nutrients in your food or supplement, these large pieces of undigested nutrients move on to the small intestine skipping an essential piece of the digestive process.

The small intestine is largely responsible for the third stage of digestion. Digestion in the small intestine requires an alkaline environment as opposed to the acid environment in the stomach. If the foods entering into the small intestine aren’t sufficiently acidic the small intestine won’t be triggered to alkalize. The small intestine is where carbohydrate digestion, and absorption of most nutrients takes place; but because the nutrients you just ate weren’t broken down enough in the stomach before entering the small intestine these valuable foods will pass on through undigested and leave the system with all the other bodily wastes, making all you efforts a major loss.

Another fact that few people are aware of (including many health professionals) is that low stomach acid can cause indigestion. Believe it or not, too little stomach acid is the most common cause of an acid stomach, not excess acid. Some people take antacids to relieve the uncomfortable acid feeling in their stomachs but the vast majority of those with an "acid stomach" suffer from not enough acid. They simply can't digest what they've eaten. For some, an antacid may temporarily relieve a queasy stomach, but in the long run, regular use of antacids makes the problem worse. Taking antacids is a sure way to destroy your body’s ability to produce HCl.

So why don’t I have enough HCl?... Some of the many reasons may be taking antacids, insufficient intake of natural salt (non heat treated which binds the sodium and chloride in salt making it useless to us and impossible for our bodies to break down) during adolescent years. High carb diets- particularly when combined with inadequate intake of dietary protein. Also certain nutrient deficiencies such as B1, zinc, and C also needed for HCl production. And overeating at mealtimes and or a highly processed food diet.

Even though lemon juice and apple cider vinegar greatly help improve symptoms and help balance ph they do not help much with nutrient digestion and assimilation; which HCl replacement does. If your interested in finding out for sure if you’re deficient in HCl you can schedule a nutritional counseling session with us and learn about not only where you are deficient but also what you can do about it. Take a look at our nutrition page to learn more about our sessions. Stay well:)

Shawn Kinsella LMT, CA, PYT
Minga Lily PYT

Sources for this article:
Premier Research Labs product sheet
Primal Mind Primal Body by Nora Gedgaudas CNS, CNT
Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You by Jonathan Wright M.D. and Lane Lenard Ph.D.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Stretch

This Months Article. June 2011

When pondering writing this article (being the Yoga nerd that I am) I got really excited to get into talking about the anatomy and physiology of what occurs when we stretch, define different types of stretching, and provide a whole list of stretching recommendations. I set to work in front of my computer and spewed out more information than any normal person should know on the subject. I also realized that I would have bored most of you into a deep sleep after you got past the first paragraph. So instead here’s a 10 reason list of why you should stretch. I hope it inspires you.

1. It is essential in preventing common injuries such as sprains and strains.

2. It helps you recover from workouts quickly, by improving circulation to the muscles.

3. When your muscles are more limber your posture improves, and you have less difficulty performing everyday tasks.

4. It can help your breath more deeply and naturally, which reduces stress throughout the day.

5. Stretching improves body awareness which can help us be more informed of what’s going on in our bodies. You are your own best physician.

6. Improves proprioception (sense of the orientation of ones limbs in space) Why is this important? Because, believe it or not our bodies can forget our own range of motion when we restrict our movements and range of motion by our modern living patterns. We sit in our cars till we get to work where we sit at a desk then back in the car to get home where we watch tv while eating dinner in our favorite ez chair. Get the picture? When we don’t use our full range of motion chasing wild boars for dinner and running away from saber tooth tigers like we were designed to do, our muscles actually accommodate our lack of movement by getting shorter and less flexible. Use it or loose it baby!

7.Stretching can improve our health and energy level by increasing circulation which brings much needed oxygen to our muscles and removes wastes that otherwise build up in our tissues causing us to feel chronically sore and tired.

8. It can improve our mental focus. When we make our stretching routine a meditative practice by synchronizing our breath with our movements and focus on the breath while holding a static stretch we are engaging in a higher state of awareness and a type of mental focus not common in this modern society. It exercises your brain! Ancient yogis figured this out about 6 to 10 thousand years ago so it’s about time we reclaimed this ancient wisdom; don’t you think?

9. When we stretch we are actually relaxing our muscles and if our muscles are relaxed the rest of us is sure to follow, both mentally and physically. (Be sure when you’re doing your stretching routine you relax the target muscle or group of muscles. The only way to stretch and elongate muscle is to relax it. Any sort of “effort” or “powering into it” is counter productive. (If it’s not relaxed it’s not being stretched.)

10. Stress reduction is the gold mine benefit of stretching. For most of us one of the ways stress manifest in our bodies is by chronic tension or tightness in our muscles. This can cause a stiff neck, headaches, poor posture- pinching nerves, and even poor digestion. Becoming aware of where we hold our stress and stretching plus relaxing those areas can contribute to overall stress reduction.

Convinced yet? I hope so. For anyone interested in the mechanics of stretching in the human body a great resource is a free downloadable pdf called “Everything you never wanted to know about stretching”. Just google the title and you’ll find it. An anatomy teacher who holds a phd in kinesiology recommended it to me many years ago; and though the author is a self proclaimed non-expert in the health field, he discovered as I have that all the available information and books on stretching pretty much say the same things, and can be boiled down to 68 pages. So stretch intelligently and grow the happiness in your life by honoring your body and health.

Blessings-
Shawn Kinsella LMT, CA, PYT

shawn@mettariver.com