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Authors: Brendan Brazier
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bone health. Studies indicate that it is not a lack of dietary calcium, as is commonly thought, but stress and overconsumption of acid-forming foods and supplements that lead to most cases of poor bone health and osteoporosis. The blood will always remain neutral—this is imperative for survival—so if the body is consistently fed acid-forming, denatured foods and supplements, or encounters stress from other sources, it must take measures to ensure a neutral blood pH is maintained. In doing so, the body pulls calcium, the mineral is our body that is most alkaline, from the bones. Over time, the bones weaken as a result of this survival mechanism.
The conventional way of treating low calcium levels and osteoporosis is to “take” more calcium, usually in the form of supplements. The calcium in tablets is usually derived from oyster shells, bovine bone meal, coral, or dolomite (a type of rock), all of which are extremely hard and unnatural for the body to assimilate—they are not food. The large size of these supplements and, with some types, the number recommended for daily intake is a testament to their poor bioavailability. The body must work very hard to get calcium from these sources.
pH levels and enjoyment of life
Diet has the greatest impact on the body’s pH level; however, there are other contributing factors. Maintaining a positive attitude and setting time aside to do an activity you enjoy on a regular basis will promote pH balance within the body. Taking time out of a busy schedule to do something pleasurable yet seemingly unproductive is actually a key element in improved health and longevity—and therefore greater productivity. Of course, if you enjoy your busy schedule, it will be less stress-producing than if you perceive it as daunting—what might seem a foreboding schedule to someone else may be a source of pleasure for you. If you enjoy working through the night, then there is no need to rest. This further underscores the value of enjoying what you do for the long-term sake of your health.
pH balance is a major factor in building and maintaining bone health.
Other ways of encouraging alkalinity within the body are—
• deep-breathing exercises,
• yoga,
• light stretching,
• meditation,
• any other activities you enjoy.
ratios of alkaline-forming to acid-forming foods
Some experts suggest that our diet consist of 75 percent alkaline-forming foods and 25 percent acid-forming foods. I believe that trying to hit a specific dietary ratio is unnecessary. This is partly because, as I noted above, several factors other than food affect the body’s pH. Stress in general has a significant impact on pH. The body will sway to the acidic side even if the diet is alkaline-forming when it is confronted with high levels of non-nutritional stress. In this case, trying to hit a certain dietary ratio of alkaline-forming to acid-forming foods will not be useful. Simply adopting the Thrive Diet is the simplest thing you can do to ensure the body’s pH is neutral or slightly alkaline.
one-step nutrition
One-step nutrition is the term I use to describe food containing nutrients already in a form usable by the body, with no breaking down required. The nutrients get into the body and go straight to work.
Nutrients in foods in a typical North American diet are in a form that the body must first break down and convert before it can utilize them.
form in typical north american food
form the body uses directly, prevalent in the thrive diet
Complex carbohydrates
must convert to …
Simple carbohydrate
Fat
must convert to …
Fatty acids
Protein
must convert to …
Amino acids
By consuming one-step foods, the body is fueled and able to rebuild efficiently. Requiring minimal energy to become usable and assimilated, foods containing one-step nutrients in effect provide the body with more energy by helping conserve energy. Gaining the
The conventional way of treating low calcium levels and osteoporosis is to “take” more calcium, usually in the form of supplements. The calcium in tablets is usually derived from oyster shells, bovine bone meal, coral, or dolomite (a type of rock), all of which are extremely hard and unnatural for the body to assimilate—they are not food. The large size of these supplements and, with some types, the number recommended for daily intake is a testament to their poor bioavailability. The body must work very hard to get calcium from these sources.
pH levels and enjoyment of life
Diet has the greatest impact on the body’s pH level; however, there are other contributing factors. Maintaining a positive attitude and setting time aside to do an activity you enjoy on a regular basis will promote pH balance within the body. Taking time out of a busy schedule to do something pleasurable yet seemingly unproductive is actually a key element in improved health and longevity—and therefore greater productivity. Of course, if you enjoy your busy schedule, it will be less stress-producing than if you perceive it as daunting—what might seem a foreboding schedule to someone else may be a source of pleasure for you. If you enjoy working through the night, then there is no need to rest. This further underscores the value of enjoying what you do for the long-term sake of your health.
pH balance is a major factor in building and maintaining bone health.
Other ways of encouraging alkalinity within the body are—
• deep-breathing exercises,
• yoga,
• light stretching,
• meditation,
• any other activities you enjoy.
ratios of alkaline-forming to acid-forming foods
Some experts suggest that our diet consist of 75 percent alkaline-forming foods and 25 percent acid-forming foods. I believe that trying to hit a specific dietary ratio is unnecessary. This is partly because, as I noted above, several factors other than food affect the body’s pH. Stress in general has a significant impact on pH. The body will sway to the acidic side even if the diet is alkaline-forming when it is confronted with high levels of non-nutritional stress. In this case, trying to hit a certain dietary ratio of alkaline-forming to acid-forming foods will not be useful. Simply adopting the Thrive Diet is the simplest thing you can do to ensure the body’s pH is neutral or slightly alkaline.
one-step nutrition
One-step nutrition is the term I use to describe food containing nutrients already in a form usable by the body, with no breaking down required. The nutrients get into the body and go straight to work.
Nutrients in foods in a typical North American diet are in a form that the body must first break down and convert before it can utilize them.
form in typical north american food
form the body uses directly, prevalent in the thrive diet
Complex carbohydrates
must convert to …
Simple carbohydrate
Fat
must convert to …
Fatty acids
Protein
must convert to …
Amino acids
By consuming one-step foods, the body is fueled and able to rebuild efficiently. Requiring minimal energy to become usable and assimilated, foods containing one-step nutrients in effect provide the body with more energy by helping conserve energy. Gaining the
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