Expert: Tonja Wells - 11/20/2008

Question
Tonya
I take a lot of different supplements,probably too many,as I am actually a normal healthy 50 year old guy. I guess I like to experiment.
I find that about half of the things I try dont do anything,while about 25% have some benefit.
I have been taking Hyaluronic acid. It is supposed to relieve sore joints. I tend to get stiff and sore more these days-just old age really.
I noticed that my blood pressure was sneaking up. It was always in the healthy range as I eat properly,am not significantly overweight,and dont smoke or drink.
WHen it hit 160 over 102 I checked all the things I was taking,mostly vitamins and digetive herbs, and could find no info that increased blood pressure was a side effect.
Most sites on the HA gave no side effects,only two mentioned that it could spike blood pressure.
I have stopped taking it and my blood pressure is slowly going down.
Have you heard of anyone else that has had this problem?
How can the companies and the internet promote such products that are potentialy dangerous?
Your thoughts appreciated!

Answer
Hello Barry,

Your above information is one of the best reasons to find a herbalist you can work with who knows your health history and can help you work with your specific issues.

Hyaluronic Acid is fairly new to the market and is not an herb.  I have not found anyone to have issues with it but everyone is individual and nothing ever surprises me anymore after 16 years of working with clients on an individual basis.  

Stiff muscles would be more of a pH issues.  Helping to balance your pH would be more important to address the root issues.
Colloidal Minerals
Probiotic 11 - good flora
Proactazyme as a digestive enzyme
would all be better choices to help balance the body's pH.  Eating lots of green foods and lots of veggies and fruits and cutting out acid forming foods would be a great way to go. Sugar, artificial sweeter's, coffee, heavy meats, etc are all very acid.

Blood pressure usually relates to the kidneys.  I use a product called Kidney drainage and find many get great results with this.  
Magnesium may also be of benefit here as well.

Natural Products are not regulated by the FDA.  Making sure you purchase quality products and not taking more than suggested on the bottle is usually a good rule to follow. Working with someone who knows your body is also important. I don't every use this product by itself.  

Below is some pH information.  I will check to see what I can find on blood pressure but I don't think this system allows me to send you another e-mail.  

You can learn more at my web site at
www.yourherbalhealthsolutions.com
To your health,
Tonja Wells, CNHP, NHC
ARE YOU pH BALANCED
Have you ever started an herbal or nutritional program and failed to achieve satisfactory results? There could have been several reasons. This newsletter will explore one of the most common: a
very acid body system.

I recommend that you listen to the cassette tape "pH Balancing Simplified.  You can purchase the book and tape through me for $1.5 or through NSP for $3.75.

The Cause of Disease

Have you ever wondered if many of the diseases raging through our society have a common cause? Many doctors, herbalists and nutritionists believe that the explanation may come down to three words: Acid Alkaline Imbalance.

Over acidity, which can become a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, is very common today. It gives rise to an internal environment conducive to disease, as opposed to a pH-balanced environment which allows normal body function necessary for the body to resist disease. A healthy body maintains adequate alkaline reserves to meet emergency demands. When
access acids must be neutralized our alkaline reserves are depleted leaving the body in a weakened condition.

The concept of acid alkaline imbalance as the cause of disease is not new. In 1933 a New York doctor named William Howard Hay published a groundbreaking book, A New Health Era in which he maintains that all disease is cause by autotoxication (or "self-poisoning") due to acid accumulation in the body:
"Now we depart from health in just the proportion to which we have allowed our alkalies to be dissipated by introduction of acid-forming food in too great amount... It may seem strange to say that all
disease is the same thing, no matter what its myriad modes of expression, but it is verily so."
             William Howard Hay, M.D.

More recently, in his remarkable book Alkalize or Die (see recommended reading), Dr. Theodore A. Baroody says essentially the same thing:

"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!"
             Theodore A. Baroody, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.

Understanding pH

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 -- the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor
alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral.

Water is the most abundant compound in the human body,
comprising 70% of the body. The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH which is a balance between positively charges ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming). The body continually strives to balance pH. When this
balance is compromised many problems can occur.

It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We are talking about the pH of the body's fluids and tissues which is an entirely different matter.

Test Your Body's Acidity or Alkalinity with pH Strips:

It is recommended that you test your pH levels to determine if your body's pH needs immediate attention. By using pH test strips, you can determine your pH factor quickly and easily in the privacy of
your own home. If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening, your body is functioning within a healthy range. If you saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5 all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range.
The best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal. Test your pH two days a week. (pH Test Strips are available from NSP or you can purchase them from me).

Most people who suffer from unbalanced pH are acidic. This  condition forces the body to borrow minerals -- including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium -- from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged
damage due to high acidity -- a condition that may go undetected for years.

Even Mild acidosis can cause such problems as:

o Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of
       blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
o Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
o Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
o Immune deficiency.
o Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly
        contributing to cancerous mutations.
o Premature aging.
o Weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
o Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
o Low energy and chronic fatigue.
                                              
pH and Bone Loss:
                                        
A recent seven-year study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, on 9,000 women showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. The scientists who carried out this experiment believe that many of the hip fractures prevalent among
middle-aged  women are connected to high acidity caused by a diet rich in animal foods and low in vegetables. This is because the body borrows calcium from the bones in order to balance pH. --
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Urine pH

The results of urine testing indicate how well your body is assimilating minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. These are called the "acid buffers" because they are used by the body to control the acid level. If acid levels are too
high, the body will not be able to excrete acid. It must either store the acid in body tissues (autotoxication) or buffer it -- that is,
borrow minerals from organs, bones, etc., in order to neutralize
acidity.

Saliva pH

You'll also want to test the pH of your saliva. The results of saliva testing indicate the activity of digestive enzymes in your body, especially the activity of the liver and stomach. This reveals the
flow of enzymes running through your body and shows their effect on all the body systems. Some people will have acidic pH readings
from both urine and saliva -- this is referred to as "double acid."

Keeping the Balance Right for Excellent Health

Your body is able to assimilate minerals and nutrients properly only when its pH is balanced. It is therefore possible for you to be taking healthy nutrients and yet be unable to absorb or use them. If you are not getting the results you expected from your nutritional or
herbal program, look for an acid alkaline imbalance. Even the right herbal program may not work if your body's pH is out of balance.

What if I'm Acidic?

By far the most common imbalance seen in our society is over acidity. If your urine and/or saliva test below 6.5 pH start with steps 1, 2 and 3 below and continue adding steps until desired results are achieved. Be sure to monitor your progress with easy-to-use
pH test strips:
1.Enzymes are essential: Take 1-2 capsules of Food Enzymes or Proactazyme with every meal. If you have both over-acid urine and saliva, also take 1-2 capsules of Protease Plus between meals on an empty stomach.

2. Correct calcium is needed: Take 4-6 Skeletal Strength tablets daily. This contains a very absorbable calcium and magnesium.
Children should use Chewable Calcium for Kids or liquid calcium.

3. Alkaline minerals are essential: Take 1 ounce of either Colloidal Minerals or Mineral Chi Tonic once daily, or take 1 teaspoon of Liquid Chlorophyll in water up to eight times daily.

4. Anything green is alkaline: Take Ultimate GreenZone or Herbal Potassium Combination according to label directions. Eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal products. Think green not white where vegetables are concerned.

5. Vitamin A & D hold calcium in the body. Taking NSP's Vitamin A & D will help the body buffer acid.

6. What if my pH is still too acidic? As a temporary measure take 2 Stomach Comfort tablets twice daily between meals. (Not for long-term use.) Monitor your pH daily.

7. Cleanse as needed: Take a psyllium hulls supplement such as Psyllium Hulls Combination at bedtime to maintain regular bowel movements. Use NSP's Chinese Tiao He Cleanse or CleanStart twice a year for liver, bowel and kidney detoxification.

Get the book! Get a copy of the book Alkalize or Die by Dr. Baroody (see recommended reading below) and carefully follow his dietary recommendations choosing more foods that are alkaline-forming and less that are acid-forming. A healthy diet should consist of 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming
foods.

What Causes Me to be Acidic?

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet, which is far too high in acid-producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat
acid-producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid-producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks. We use too many drugs, which are acid-forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Equal, or aspartame, which are extremely acid-forming. One of the best things we can do to
correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.


What if I'm overly alkaline?

Alkalinity is relatively rare, but if your urine and/or saliva consistently test above 7.0 pH, start with steps 1, 2 and 3 below and continue adding steps until the desired results are achieved.
Be sure to monitor your progress with easy-to-use pH test strips. You will notice that some of these steps are the same as those recommended above for an overly acidic condition. This is because such steps are balancing, tending to bring the pH back toward
normal no matter which direction it has gone:

1. Enzymes are essential: Use 1-2 capsules of Proactazyme with each meal. For stronger enzymatic action in difficult cases add 1-2 capsules of Protease Plus between meals on an empty stomach.

2. Correct calcium is needed: Take 4-6 Skeletal Strength tablets daily.

3. Vitamin C: Use Timed-Release or Vitamin C Ascorbates. Use 3,000 mg or more, to maximum bowel tolerance. (If diarrhea occurs, reduce intake.)

4. Flax Seed Oil: Use 1 capsules of Flax Seed Oil 3 times a day or 2 tablespoons of oil daily.

5. Ultimate GreenZone: Follow label directions.

6. Cleanse as needed: Take a psyllium hulls supplement such as Psyllium Hulls Combination at bedtime to maintain regular bowel movements. Use NSP's Chinese Tiao He Cleanse or CleanStart twice a year for liver, bowel and kidney detoxification.

Note that a food's acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end-products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so lemons are
alkaline-forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid-forming.

For more information on this topic:
Alkalize or Die by Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, Available at
Amazon.com for $14.95. Click on this link to order from Amazon.com:
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0961959533/naturalheal00-20


This information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to
diagnose and treat diseases.  If you have any health problems consult a
health practitioner before embarking on any course of treatment.