Guest guest Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 This is an original post, not sent in direct response to any inquiry. This is a long post. Elchanan ________________________ COPYRIGHT NOTICE Copyright under Natural Law and Common Law, 5765 (2005 CE) by The Office of the Presiding Chaplain of Vibrant Life and His/Her Successors, a Corporation Sole. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to any natural man, woman, or child to excerpt or use all or any portion of the following text for any noncommercial purpose whatsoever, subject to the following conditions: 1. Any portion excerpted must be sufficiently complete to assure no loss of meaning or context. 2. The man, woman or child excerpting or otherwise using all or any portion hereof must place the following (or substantially similar) text prominently and in close proximity to the material excerpted or used: Written by Elchanan. Copyright under Natural Law and Common Law, 5765 (2005 CE) by The Office of the Presiding Chaplain of Vibrant Life and His/Her Successors, a Corporation Sole. All rights reserved. ________________________ I hear and read that many people feel confused and overwhelmed in response to the vast quantity of often-conflicting information about nutrition and health. The intention of this article is to provide a means for gaining at least some clarity in the midst of this bewildering deluge. People feel miserable, they know it, and they haven't the foggiest idea how or why this occurs nor what to do about it. We can all clearly see people for whom aging is turning into the most gruesome of nightmares, and all around us people our own age -- at ANY age -- are obese, have joint pain, skin problems, smell terrible, and so on. I imagine literally everyone personally knows at least one person who has died of heart disease and another who has died of cancer. This is all very frightening for most of us, and my sense is that most people are terrified to the point of emotional numbness. In a sense, at the heart of the confusion lie the terms " nutritional science " and " medical science. " In my opinion, these phrases are oxymorons, that is, they are inherently contradictory. You will not find much science in " nutritional science " or " medical science. " Instead, you will encounter an endless stream of marketing messages and religious dogma, sometimes backed by " research. " If you are looking to these fields for knowledge or insight about health, you won't find any. No one can give what he/she does not have, and neither " nutritional science " nor " medical science " has any such knowledge or insight to give. Nutrition and medicine are businesses, not sciences. And the sooner we just accept this, the sooner we can refocus our attention on creating health in our lives. DEFICIENCY Companies, desirous of finding things they can sell successfully, know all too well that most Americans and people living in other " Western " countries feel " concerned " about their health. And the term " deficiency " offers them just the ticket they need. A " deficiency " in the body refers to a shortage of something -- anything -- the body needs. And given the way people are eating and living, almost everyone is deficient in a long list of substances -- vitamins, minerals, various types of fatty acids, etc. Actually, the two most severe deficiencies from which almost everyone suffers are shortages of oxygen and water at the cellular level, but not too many companies have figured out how to address these two deficiencies yet, so they focus on secondary, tertiary, and even less important topics, endlessly scanning the " research " for new " deficiencies " to " correct. " As a brief aside, let us all recognize that absolutely no one anywhere has the foggiest idea as to how much of anything " should " be in our bodies, nor when nor under what circumstances. So all this research consists largely of vapor. But that is not the topic for this article, I only mention this point here for perspective and to encourage everyone to remain a open-minded and even light of spirit about the whole discussion. Now let us all suppose together that I am indeed " deficient " in substance X, that somehow we DO know how much of substance X I " should " have in my body right now, and that I have less than that amount. The instant, programmed and therefore knee-jerk reaction of most people would be to presume that substance X is missing from my diet, and then for most people to seek a supplement. In the present example, I am a candidate, that is, a target customer, for an X Supplement. I wonder, will it be a tablet, a capsule, a sublingual drop a tincture? Will I take it in the snow, will it help me knead my dough? ... Typically, nowhere in such a sequence of events does anyone stop to ask, " What actually causes this substance X deficiency Elchanan is experiencing? " Everyone simply assumes that a physiological deficiency implies a corresponding dietary/nutritional deficiency. But what if there is a different cause? You see, the moment we ask that question, we entertain the possibility that my substance X deficiency was NOT caused by an intake (dietary, nutritional) deficiency, that is, we begin to consider the possibility that my substance X deficiency is not caused by eating an insufficient quantity of substance X or enough foods containing substance X. Instead, we open the door to other possible explanations. Of course, such thinking may not lead us to purchase supplements. TOXICITY " Toxicity " in the body refers to an excess of any substance, including not only foreign matter that the body rejects outright, but also any excess of a necessary substance. LET ME REPEAT: TOXIC SUBSTANCES INCLUDE NOT ONLY OVERTLY UNHEALTHY OR FOREIGN MATTER, THEY ALSO INCLUDE ALL EXCESSES OF HEALTHY SUBSTANCES. In this sense, juices, " superfoods, and other sources of concentrated nutrients may produce toxicity, by enabling us to ingest more of certain " healthy " substance than the body can use or store. The body must eliminate any such excess, and the body diverts energy and other resources toward this elimination task and away from ordinary metabolic activity. This depletes our resources and prevents us from reaching our true potential and enjoying life to the fullest. In other words, more is not always better. The body seeks sufficiency (often with the protection of stored reserves), not overflowing abundance, in seeking to meet all its nutritional (and other) needs. _____ QUESTION: How do we know which micronutrients our bodies can and cannot store? As a broad generalization, our bodies flush water-soluble materials and store fat-soluble materials. For example, our bodies flush vitamin C, which is water soluble, but can store vitamins A, D, E, and K, as these are all fat soluble. However, the question gives rise to far more complexity than we explore in this brief writing. All of the nutrients we need in relatively large quantities, such as sugar, mineral salts, vitamin C, several of the B vitamins, are either water-soluble or water-transportable (they travel in water. Therefore, In general, when we consume a diet comprised primarily of foods high in water (and therefore oxygen), simple sugar, and soluble fiber, and low in fats, proteins, and insoluble (nondigestible) fiber, we receive the nutrient mix on which our bodies are designed to run optimally. As we have written previously, this means a diet high in fruits and tender greens. We can then add small quantities of foods high in fat and protein (typically to a much lesser extent), to complete a healthy, balanced nutritional program. _____ Toxicity can " sneak up " on us and catch us by surprise. This occurs because we often become consciously aware of toxicity only after the concentration in our system rises above some threshold level, triggering an observable breakdown or " symptom " of some kind. Many medical (allopathic and alternative) treatments work through " suppression. " That is, when you experience symptoms and therefore go shopping for a " diagnosis " and a " treatment " or " cure, " the proposed remedy is to usually to " kill " or suppress the symptom. In this sense, taking olive oil extract to " kill " candida is functionally the same course of action as taking antibiotics to kill some other " infectious " bacteria. What this means in practice is rather frightening: these practitioners seek to suppress the body's innate vital response (often called an " immune response " ), with the specific intention of enabling the body to absorb more of the toxin before reacting. In other words, these " drugs " actually seek to raise the body's tolerance threshold, so that we can take in more toxins before exhibiting outward symptoms!! When the body's innate physiological response is suppressed, we may experience symptomatic relief, even the complete disappearance of the original symptoms for awhile. Given the virtually nonexistent health education and self-awareness of almost the entire population, when the symptoms dissipate (albeit temporarily), people think they are " cured " or " well " or just plain fine. They are not. Some companies offering more " natural " solutions have found a market filled with people willing to buy solutions to toxicity. Virtually all cleanses of every type fall into this category. But the toxicity did not arise from a " cleanse deficiency. " And all such solutions inflict an intrusive, forceful assault on the body. In every case I have ever seen, the first thing the body eliminates is the cleanse material itself. Regardless of whether the cleanse material is dehydrating and abrasive foreign matter to the body or a stimulant or suppressant of some kind, in every case, the body's first, often urgent, response is to eliminate the cleanse material itself. Now people often observe all manner of " crud " coming out, but if the causes that created the crud are not addressed, then the symptoms will return, usually with the same or greater intensity than before. DEFICIENCY AND TOXICITY: CALCIUM EXAMPLE I rarely hear anyone seek the intersection of these two concepts, deficiency and toxicity. Are they related, and if so, how? Can a dietary deficiency cause bodily toxicity? Can bodily toxicity cause a bodily deficiency independent of diet? And so on. The following example begins to address such questions. In the " civilized, developed, industrialized " Western countries, scientists, researchers, practitioners, and public health officials of almost every persuasion agree that most people apparently suffer from at least some degree of bodily calcium deficiency. And as described in the " Deficiency " section above, almost universally all these pundits look immediately for a dietary or nutritional deficiency that matches the bodily deficiency. As a result, we have calcium-fortified foods, calcium supplements, calcium infusers, and so on. Even antacids such as Rolaids and Tums are marketed as calcium supplements!! But does this almost universal BODILY calcium deficiency actually arise from some dietary/nutritional calcium deficiency? Or does the actual cause of the bodily deficiency lie elsewhere? Let's see... Calcium is very alkaline, with a pH of around 12. Calcium is also abundant throughout the body. Therefore, calcium, along with sodium, is a primary buffer used by the body to neutralize hyperacidity (too much acid). So what causes hyperacidity? As I've written previously, the human body may be perceived as an acid-forming, alkaline-seeking organism. - Activity produces acid byproducts. This includes all metabolic activity; all movement or exercise; all mental activity such as thinking, imagining, feeling, emoting, or expressing; reading, eating, playing, and anything other form of activity one might think of. - All forms of stress (fight-or-flight response, adrenal response) produce acid byproducts in the body. - Many substances we eat (and call " food " ) stress our systems by increasing acidity at the end of the digestive process (more acid byproducts). Common examples of " foods " acidifying to the body include animal flesh, dairy products, grains, and to a lesser extent legumes. Nuts and seeds are also slightly acidifying. - Almost all drugs (prescription and otherwise) and medicinal herbs are either suppressants or stimulants that produce a stress (fight-or-flight or adrenal) response. For the most part, such products are extremely acidifying to the body (more acid byproducts). Hyperacidity occurs when the the quantity of these acid byproducts exceeds the body's capacity to neutralize and eliminate them. Our blood pH is around 7.35, slightly to the alkaline side of neutral. If the blood pH moves even slightly above or below this level (generally in the range 7.3-7.4), we can suffer severe and immediate consequences, including death. Therefore, the body will do virtually anything to maintain stable blood pH. The body has a brilliant sense of prioritization: it will always resolve the most severe, life threatening conditions first, sacrificing other functions and system according to the same prioritization. For example, blood pH ranks at the top of the priority list, hair growth near the very bottom. This means that the body cannot simply elevate blood acidity to eliminate or control hyperacidity. That is, the body cannot respond by moving the full load of acidic materials through the bloodstream and out through the urine or lungs. The result could easily be fatal. Instead, the body must find or invent ways to store all the excess acidic substances until they can be removed gradually and safely. Hence, when acid byproducts exceed the body's overall neutralizing capacity, systemic acidity rises, with concentrations in certain parts of the body, and a state of hyperacidity exists. The body does its very best to use alkaline minerals (primarily calcium and sodium, also potassium, magnesium, manganese, and others available in much smaller quantities)) to neutralize the accumulating acid material. Alkaline minerals can generally come from one of two sources: incoming food, or from the body's own " reserves. " Since most people are eating an acidifying diet, that is not an available source. And even when the diet IS alkalizing (accomplished only when the overwhelming majority of your diet consists primarily of raw fruits and greens), if the level of stress, meds, etc. produce acid byproducts at a rate greater than the rate of incoming/dietary alkaline minerals, the body begins to draw on its " mineral reserves. " Now this term " mineral reserves " is really a euphemism. Much of this " reserve " material actually resides in bone, cartilage, teeth, and other vital locations. The human organism, while immensely resilient, was not designed to withstand an endless acid flood. These reserves exist for occasional use, not for 24 x 7 x 365 consumption. So when the body " draws upon its reserves, " what is actually occurring is the leaching of stored alkaline minerals from vital structures. If this were to occur a few times per year, in the presence of a lion or other impending danger in Nature, the body could easily replenish the withdrawal. But when the leaching becomes continuous, replenishment becomes impossible, and bone density loss, tooth decay, and other degenerative events are set in motion. Eventually, a " calcium deficiency " may be observed. But this deficiency results primarily and directly from the long-term result of toxicity, and only secondarily from any corresponding primary dietary deficiency. My first raw food teacher, Pam Masters, used to offer the following example to illustrate this point. Imagine a bathtub with a 12-inch diameter hole in the bottom. No achievable amount of water pressure will ever cause the tub to fill with water. One's diet may be rich in calcium per se, but if the totality of events affecting the system result in calcium leaching, deficiency occurs. And no amount of supplementation can offset this rate of loss: even if the incoming calcium is somewhat digestible (which most supplements are not), the body simply cannot assimilate and integrate the incoming calcium quickly enough. Best to all, Elchanan -- ---------------------[ Ciphire Signature ]---------------------- vlinfo signed email body (13509 characters) on 05 April 2005 at 21:24:07 UTC rawfood ------------------------------- : Ciphire has secured this email against identity theft. : Free download at www.ciphire.com. The garbled lines : below are the sender's verifiable digital signature. ------------------------------- 00fAAAAAEAAAD3AVNCxTQAAAMDAAIAAgACACBZ36NZd8ice9rJ4ZlYrt6BrEjH8O zzmKDQLsTNDUWDmAEAhgSkE5NuzzvORJkeFIi/NVXB9GCG1XVfaMj+yPGZ0X2eEF D5x2kGMdEACcj/kNM5+Z8Lc5ascOdQbhBGXtPQRw== ------------------[ End Ciphire Signed Message ]---------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Hello Elchanan. I have been reading your posts with interest. I have been raw vegan for 4 months. Before that I was lacto-ova vegetarian for 4 years. The rest of my family remains lacto-ova vegetarian. We try to minimize our packaged food intake (of course, I have none), use as many whole grains as possible, no (or minimal) refined sugars and grains, and try to use organic products as much as possible. For the most part, I believe my family to be healthy. *I* was not healthy, thus my move to RF. But, that's for another post. This post comes from my wife. She has a chemistry background and finds most of the RF claims to be utterly rediculous. She agreed with you on the enzyme topic, but explains it with chemical and scientific terms. That, too, is for another discussion. I forwarded her your long " Deficiency vs. Toxicity " post. She found it very interesting, but responded with the following. I would appreciate any feedback you might offer. Begin post from my wife, Mara: **************************************************************************** ************ I'd like to see evidence of this acid forming food theory. I've heard this before, but have never understood the biochemical basis for it. Where can I get information on it? My understanding of biochemistry is that metabolic function is one of two main ways that the body's acid balance in the blood can be altered. Respiration is the other. When there is an overload of acid in the blood from metabolis, the body can easily compensate by changing the breathing rate. The main buffer system in the blood is carbonic acid(H2CO3)/hydrogen carbonate(HCO3-). Buffer systems will have two parts, in this case, carbonic acid which neutralizes any added base, and its conjugate base, hydrogen carbonate, which will neutralize any added acid. Carbonic acid has the other little nifty feature of decomposing in aqueous solution to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and water. CO2 + H2O <-----> H2CO3 <-----> H+ + HCO3- This is an equilibrium equation, so if acid increases in the blood, the equilibrium will shift to the left to compensate (shift to relieve stress) and we would breath a little faster to release excess CO2. The body shouldn't have to go to any kind of reserve to do this! Elchanan says: Calcium is very alkaline, with a pH of around 12. Calcium is also abundant throughout the body. Therefore, calcium, along with sodium, is a primary buffer used by the body to neutralize hyperacidity (too much acid). The pH of calcium HYDROXIDE (Ca(OH)2) is near 12, not the pH of the Ca2+ ion. The calcium ion is not responsible for the basicity of calcium hydroxide, the hydroxide ion is. If you were to dissolve a different calcium compound in water, for example calcium sulfate (CaSO4), calcium ions would be present, but would not change the pH of the solution. It's a neutral salt. The high pH of calcium hydroxide, and it's lack of solubility in aqueous solution, make it a very poor choice for the body to use as part of a buffer system. Instead, the body uses carbonic acid/hydrogen carbonate for extracellular buffer, and hydrogen phosphate/dihydrogen phosphate for intracellular buffer. Read more about it here: <BLOCKED::http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/BioBuff/BioBuffers.html> http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/BioBuff/BioBuffers.html Mara **************************************************************************** ************ end post from my wife. Thanks! === Tim --- Tim Winders Associate Dean of Information Technology South Plains College Levelland, TX 79336 Problem replying to my email? Click the " Sign " button in the OE toolbar or, better yet, get your own FREE Personal E-Mail Digital ID: http://www.thawte.com/email/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Hi Tim, Thanks for your kind message and for sharing Mara's comments. I do plan to respond, however, this is in a queue behind some other things right now. I appreciate your patience and understanding...Elchanan Tim Winders [twinders] Thursday, April 07, 2005 8:51 PM rawfood RE: [Raw Food] Deficiency vs. Toxicity This post comes from my wife. She has a chemistry background and finds most of the RF claims to be utterly rediculous. She agreed with you on the enzyme topic, but explains it with chemical and scientific terms. That, too, is for another discussion. I forwarded her your long " Deficiency vs. Toxicity " post. She found it very interesting, but responded with the following. I would appreciate any feedback you might offer. snip snip -- ---------------------[ Ciphire Signature ]---------------------- vlinfo signed email body (715 characters) on 08 April 2005 at 17:32:55 UTC rawfood ------------------------------- : Ciphire has secured this email against identity theft. : Free download at www.ciphire.com. The garbled lines : below are the sender's verifiable digital signature. ------------------------------- 00fAAAAAEAAABHwFZCywIAAOkCAAIAAgACACBZ36NZd8ice9rJ4ZlYrt6BrEjH8O zzmKDQLsTNDUWDmAEAhgSkE5NuzzvORJkeFIi/NVXB9GCG1XVfaMj+yPGZ0X0EBu VI0M8UDsNzCPHn/V1Z8Q17QLOl8Bg6ikJX1lQVNA== ------------------[ End Ciphire Signed Message ]---------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2005 Report Share Posted April 15, 2005 Thanks! rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of Colleen Rivera Friday, April 15, 2005 8:20 AM Re: [Raw Food] Deficiency vs. Toxicity Excellent article!! Very enlightening. Colleen ~ Wife to Adam, my beloved and my friend -- ---------------------[ Ciphire Signature ]---------------------- vlinfo signed email body (260 characters) on 15 April 2005 at 15:35:30 UTC rawfood ------------------------------- : Ciphire has secured this email against identity theft. : Free download at www.ciphire.com. The garbled lines : below are the sender's verifiable digital signature. ------------------------------- 00fAAAAAEAAABC319CBAEAAEQCAAIAAgACACBZ36NZd8ice9rJ4ZlYrt6BrEjH8O zzmKDQLsTNDUWDmAEAhgSkE5NuzzvORJkeFIi/NVXB9GCG1XVfaMj+yPGZ0X1vde uUhmEFAN/J8gz8iQxWhJqYhrldlmWOFonhuS48Rw== ------------------[ End Ciphire Signed Message ]---------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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