Living Healthful

Love – The most excellent way!

During these times, where at every turn, our world is experiencing senseless acts of sin and evil. Through mass shootings, devastating fires with significant loss of lives, homes, and businesses. Massive drug and alcohol abuse and addictions that are tearing families apart and killing people. To the change in the family unit where many elderly are distanced from their families in their final years and put into institutionalized care which is sometimes a blessing but often times not optimal. They may have security and safety, but they are missing out on the interaction and love from those that they love, those that they cared for and nourished most of their lives. Our children are losing the experience to live in an extended family unit, learning from them, and seeing through example how they should respect their elders. This is not what God’s original plan looked like. But the fact that he gave us free will, and sin entered into the world, this is what we are now experiencing.

What are we to do? People say, “I’ll pray for you”. Some people say “Why pray, it does no good”.

Let me show you what I have done and what I am going to continue to do –

First of all, I choose to believe the bible. I believe the bible was recorded by man and inspired by the Holy Spirit. I believe, just as Samuel was instructing the Israelites, that our God is in control of all things in heaven and on earth and has been since the beginning. And then, I choose to set my heart with the intention to live each day following the bibles instruction and examples of loving one another. Living a life full of love.

1 Samuel 12:6-7, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your forefathers up out of Egypt. Now then stand here because I am going to confront you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your fathers”.

Then In Romans, Paul instructs that not one person has an excuse for not knowing or hearing of the Bible or of Christ because it has all been revealed through this wonderfully created world we live in.

Romans 1:20, “ For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” No excuses, not one.

Romans 3:23, “For we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

1 John 1:8-9, “For if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life.”

Then as Paul is instructing the Ephesians, God poured out his love for us when he gave his only son to be the sacrifice for our sin. And Jesus Christ, God’s son, expressed his love for us through the sacrifice of his earthly life. We are commanded to love one other because they first loved us!

John 13:34, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Ephesians 5:1, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

And then we have and entire chapter documented by man, inspired by the Holy Spirit, on LOVE!

What I will continue to do – I Choose to walk in LOVE.

I determine in my heart to believe the best in all circumstances and in all people. I will think, believe, and speak the best about every one and every situation, including myself. I will pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to keep my heart soft from the pain and evil I see (and sometimes directly feel) in this world and to love in obedience to God’s command. I will look for opportunities to come along side of people and love on them. I will pray that more people will step out in faith and prayer, and focus on love.

1 Corinthians 13, ¹“The Way of Love – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, [a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [b] ⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

⁸Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹²For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Let’s do this together. If you desire to see change, it must start with each one of us…living in love.

Update 11/17/2018 –

I wrote this blog yesterday regarding choosing to live in love. Then this morning I reviewed 1 Corinthians 13 (because yesterday I had decided I was going to make it a priority to memorize the whole chapter).

Then I get into my car and turn on the radio and hear this song. This song is basically repeating what my blog was intended to portray.

This is an example of one way in which God speaks to me. He affirms that I am on track. Some could say this was just coincidence, but I know it is not that. Yesterday I had no intent to write that article. I was moved to do it after reading my devotional and went to the computer and didn’t stop until I wrote down my thoughts. I feel nudges from God almost everyday because I seek him through his word and through prayer. Check out my article called “A Life Devoted to God” which includes an exercise guide to help in this area.

Here is a link to the song — beautiful. And towards the end he even quotes some of 1 Corinthians 13.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2dKOfbC9c

What is visceral fat and how should we lose it?

Although it plays an important role in storing energy, building cells, cushioning and supporting our organs, as well as keeping us warm, body fat has a bad reputation. From the dimply stuff that plagues women to the beer bellies that plague men. While people usually think of the visible fat, this topic goes deeper. Visceral fat is not really as visible since it is the deep abdominal fat, but it can seriously harm our health and performance.

Visceral fat can accumulate with a carbohydrate-heavy diet, inflammation, and chronic stress. The interesting learning is that while a poor diet provides the building blocks for obesity, stress can actually amplify the rate by activating neurotransmitter NPY and the hormone cortisol. These signal your body’s sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response, which triggers the storage of more visceral fat.¹

The well-established “heart-healthy” diet was designed to help with obesity along with other cardiovascular issue but a recent study has reported that the ISAGENIX system well outperformed in these areas as shown below.²

Amazing results! Not only did ISAGENIX address visceral fat but it address overall fat and certain cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, the Ionix® Supreme product is nature’s answer to stress. A nutrient-rich botanical concentrate that helps our body better cope with the effect of stress.

¹Chronic stress, combined with a high-fat/high-sugar diet, shifts sympathetic signaling toward neuropeptide Y and leads to obesity and the metabolic syndrome. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19120115

² Isagenix Clinical Research Summary. University of Illinois at Chicago.
http://anz.isafyi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Isagenix-Clinical-Research-Summary-Web2.pdf

Peperonata with Chicken

Based on a Southern Italian side dish of sweet bell peppers with onions and garlic melted in olive oil and blended with tomatoes and garden fresh herbs, this dish is paired with chicken breasts. The featured bell peppers are readily available in summer and fall. (604 calories per serving, serves 2)

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 sweet onion, sliced in thin strips
3 sweet bell peppers, sliced in thin strips
1 chicken breast (8-10 ounces), sliced in about 6 pieces
½ cup tomatoes, pureed
3 San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice (squeezed fresh onto dish)

Directions:

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, or like deep pan, and cook garlic, stirring until it starts to turn golden.

Add onion strips and stir for 2 more minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add sweet pepper strips and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken to cooking pan and cook for an additional 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes (diced and pureed), basil, and oregano to cooking pan and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to integrate flavors.

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up.

Vacationing in Italy’s Barolo wine region

There is something exciting, something romantic, about vacationing in Italy. If you tell someone you are headed to Italy for vacation, you usually get a very enthusiastic response. “Oh, I love Italy!”, “Can I come along?” It is a desirable destination for vacation. For us it is usually a vacation to a wine region of Italy. After all, the wine regions are beautiful, and where there’s good wine, there’s good food.

One of the world renowned wine region of Italy is Barolo and a couple of favorite places we have stayed at within that region are the municipality of La Morra and the smaller Castiglione Falletto. These are small places, around 2,700 and 700 inhabitants respectively. They are exactly the places you think about when dreaming of a vacation in the Italian countryside. A very different vacation from visiting Rome (Although a very wonderful vacation of its own). Arriving to such destinations is always so exciting and rewarding.

Driving toward La Morra, for example, unfolds a typical village scene above a hilltop.

On our stay in Castiglione Falletto, once settled in our accommodation, we set out to enjoy a glass of wine overlooking the hillside from a local restaurant. Amazing views!

For us a vacation is being in a location where we can truly disconnect and be able to relax, take a breather, and enjoy the local culture. It warms the heart!

Fish Tacos with Heart Healthy Garden Fresh Mix

Fish tacos have such wonderful flavors and are so versatile. Try this version for a healthy, flavorful meal – 503 calories per serving

Ingredients:

Garden fresh mix:

3 medium size, San Marzano tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
>½ small red onion, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)

In a bowl toss all ingredients to mix. Then prepare 2 cups arugula (cleaned & dried) then set aside. Any salad type green will work as well.

Cucumber and onion slaw:

1 sweet onion, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoons sour cream

Place layers of sweet onion slices, with a heavy salt topping and layers of cucumber slices with a heavy salt topping in a glass container. Place a plate on the slaw to squeeze by gravity. Let sit 8 to 24 hours and pour out liquid, rinse, and drain to remove excess salt. Add vinegar and blend in sour cream. Lightly pepper to taste

Grilled fish tacos:

¾ pound fillet of haddock, cod, or grouper (or other), ½ to 1 inch thick
Kosher salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste (see below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Garden fresh mix (see above)
Slaw (see above)
Soft corn tortillas
Lime wedges for serving

Set a cast iron skillet on a grill. Close the grill, set it to high, and let it heat up to 550° F or 600° F.
Meanwhile, if the fillet of fish is long, cut in half so that it will fit in your skillet. Season the fish generously with salt on both sides. Season with cayenne according to your heat tolerance—go light if you are sensitive to heat. Gather your tools for the grill: a reliable potholder, a spatula, a clean platter for the cooked fish, the olive oil, the tortillas, and a plate to put them on.
Lift the lid of the grill. Pour a teaspoon or so of olive oil into the hot skillet—enough to coat the bottom in a thin layer. Using the potholder if necessary to bring the skillet closer to you, carefully lower the fish into the skillet. If you are slow and controlled, the oil won’t splatter.
Close the lid. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Check the fish by prodding it with a spatula—it should flake fairly easily. If it doesn’t, close the lid and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the fish with a spatula, using the potholder as needed, and transfer it to a platter.
Turn off the grill. Throw the tortillas on the grill, leaving it open. Check after 20 seconds or so, flip, and cook for another 20 seconds or until tortillas are soft and have nice grill marks on each side. Transfer to a platter.
To serve: Place arugula or similar green into the tortilla, flake pieces of fish over top. Drizzle taco with garden fresh mix, top with additional cilantro if desired. Spoon slaw on plate side and squeeze fresh lime over top of tacos and serve with limes on the side. I find the slaw to be cooling when I make the garden fresh mix spicy hot with extra jalapeño.

Serves 2 (about 2 tacos each)

How does Isagenix compare to the (Golden Standard) Heart Healthy Diet?

This Clinical Research Study demonstrated clear, clinical validation for incorporating the Isagenix weight loss lifestyle. Not only does it support these things but it far exceeded the Heart Healthy Diet.

Here are a few highlighted findings from the Short term (8wks) and the Long Term (52wks) studies:

Weight Loss – 56% more weight loss than heart healthy diet in first 8 weeks; 47% more fat loss; 2x as much visceral (abdominal) fat loss

Long-Term Weight Maintenance in first 12 weeks – Participants seemed to adhere to the system better because of convenience and ease of use with 20% reduction of fat mass, 9% increase in lean body weight percentage, 25% decrease in oxidative stress, 5% increase in total antioxidant capacity

Improved Performance – Improved Endurance through increased body strength, 2x upper body and core muscular endurance, in men 14x more lower body explosive power and 3x more lower back and hamstring muscle flexibility

Improved Cardiovascular Health – 4x more aerobic (cardio) power, and 5x less arterial stiffness!

Toxin Release from Fat Stores. 33% increase in total PCBs released in first 12 weeks

Take a look at these Fast Facts! Absolutely amazing results!

Combining dense nutrition and cellular cleansing can have amazing results with the side benefit of weight loss!

These photos amaze me! They are real examples of blood cells under microscope and they show how ISAGENIX’s Cleanse for Life® and IsaLean™ Shakes can have amazing results at restoring our immune systems as well as healthy weight loss in just 11 days.

Cellular cleanse - Ideal blood cells — Ideal blood cells – Round, hydrated, white blood cell checking on things

Cellular cleanse - Too much sugar — Before (on left) – Maybe too much sugar? After (on right) – Results after 11 day regiment

Cellular cleanse - Deeper challenge — Before (on left) – Deeper challenge, stuck together, translucent After (on right) – Results after 11 day regiment

Cellular cleanse - Too much meat — Before (on left) – Too much meat? Fat in blood cells, triglycerides After (on right) – Results after 11 day regiment

Cellular cleanse - Exposed to chemical or something — Before (on left) – Exposed to something, maybe a chemical? After (on right) – Results after 11 day regiment

Cellular cleanse - Not feeling well — Before (on left) – Someone not feeling well After (on right) – Results after 11 day regiment

Our body’s immune systems are our most important defense against illness and disease. Our bodies have 60 trillion cells that replicate, divide & renew every 7 years (except for brain cells & certain nerve cells). We are a body of re-generation. When we feed the body the necessary nutritional building blocks, the miracle of the body will work. With Cleanse for Life® ISAGENIX’s Master Formulator, John Anderson also created a way to rid substances that do not belong in the body. While the body cleanses naturally, it is constantly bombarded by impurities from our food, air and water. These impurities lodge in our large filters (colon, liver, kidney, lymphatic system & cardiovascular system) and in our cells.
The liver performs over 100 different functions and the lymphatic system is like a vacuum system that opens and closes miles of vessels pulling out metabolic fluids and waste. Cleanse for Life® cleanses the whole body at the cellular level.
The 11 day regiment would usually consist of 2 Shake days, 2 Cleanse days, 5 Shake days, and finishing off with 2 more Cleanse days.
A Shake day would be replacing 2 conventional meals with 2 IsaLean™ Shakes plus one healthy low-glycemic, 400-600 calorie meal as well as 2 snacks (More calories can be consumed once in weight maintenance). The IsaLean® shakes are nutrient rich and contain superior un-denatured whey and milk proteins. (A dairy-free version exists) They are more than a shake, it’s a meal replacement (240 cal.) with its proteins (24 g), energy-fueling carbohydrates (8 g fiber), good fats, and 23 vitamins and minerals per serving.
A Cleanse days would comprise of 4 deep cleanse servings as well as 4 to 6 Isagenix® snacks servings throughout the day. The Cleanse for Life® dietary supplement contains plant botanicals and antioxidants which grab the toxins out of the fat cells and flush them out. Unlike harsh laxative cleanses, this dietary supplement is scientifically developed to nourish the body with the vital nutrients it needs while ridding the body of impurities. Once toxins are removed, the body naturally burns off the extra fat cells that are no longer needed to protect the body.
Amazing!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The ISAGENIX products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Chili-Lime Seafood with Tarragon Mashed and Broccoli

Enjoy the flavors of shrimps and scallops with the surprisingly good combination of tarragon and mashed potatoes with a side of broccoli. (588 calories per serving)

Here is the recipe – (Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

Seafood:

½ lb. fresh or frozen large shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined
8 medium fresh or frozen scallops, thawed, dried
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mashed potatoes:

2 large potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup arugula
3 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon

Broccoli:

2 cups fresh broccoli
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

To prepare the seafood marinade, combine in a small bowl the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika and pour on seafood in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Cook on grill at medium-high for about 7 minutes by placing seafood in slotted cooking pan. Toss a few times during cooking to ensure even doneness and even coating.

To prepare mashed potatoes, boil potatoes until done and mash. Fold in tarragon with potatoes and serve on bed of arugula with butter on top to melt.

A Life Devoted to God

Staying the Course – God’s exercise plan for Godliness 1 Timothy 4: 6-10

We must discipline ourself for the purpose of Godliness (a life devoted to God). God gives us specific instruction. It is not just up to us, as we are not capable on our own. We need God’s help with this. A life lived to please God and in all circumstances to glorify him because we want to please God; this means to be temperate – not impulsive, not combative, regardless of our circumstance.

Gal 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Against such things ther is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”.

The Fruit of the Spirit working in us–the Holy Spirits’ power in our lives enables us to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The desire to reflect Christ everywhere and always.

John 15: 4-5 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” Jesus says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from God, we can do nothing.

Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”. He gives us strength.

John 14:27 “My peace I will leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives! Do not let your hears be troubled and do not be afraid”. He gives us his peace.

Gal 2:20 “I have been crucifid with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”. God changes our hearts.

Clearly we are responsible for certain things: Discipline yourself to godliness to get into the circle where God will help. Godliness is obeying Gods word. Timothy 4: 6-10

Labor and strive to fix your hope on the living God. (vs 10) “And for this we labor and strive”. Trusting with constant focus and responding in obedience. Hebrews 4:2 “For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith” The Israelites had Gods promises but not his power because they never joined his promises with faith. In Numbers Chapters 13 & 14, the Israelites could not cross the river and enter into Canaan. Take note: this place of obeying and trusting must be hard to get to and you will have to work at it!
Obeying and Trusting is Gods will for us (vs 9). “This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance”. It’s simple. You have God, what God told you, and then yourself. How are you going to respond? Believe and trust?
Godliness requires a great effort. Just asking for Gods help is not enough! (vs10) “we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially for those who believe”. Counter cultural in today’s world. Then in 1 Pet 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war aginst your soul”. Abstain from your own fleshy desires for self-gratification, constantly waging war. In 2 Corinthians 10: 4&5 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”. I cast down every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Satan also attacks! You must resist and he will flee from you; he tries to get you to buy lies of what God is withholding from you. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. – roll them into God and get in the circle! The adversary the devil is seeking to devour you.
Godliness requires firm resolve. Discipline yourself – God will empower you as you obey him and do the things he has asked you to do. Train yourself, eat right, practice, in your mind. (I want to be worthy because God is worthy- not because I just want to get myself to heaven.) Joshua 24:14 “Fear the Lord, serve him with faithfulness (sincerity and truth) and cast away false Gods!”. This must be a responsible effort. This is a command to discipline yourself. Take responsibility for your sin. It must be a personal effort to get into that circle–Never ending until heaven. It must be NO to Sin and YES to God. Colossians 3: 5,6 “Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature”. (sin) Rom 8:12 “We have an obligation–but not to our sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live beause those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God”. We are under obligation to Christ to put to death the sinful deeds of our body. Completely destroy it! Put it to death so it cannot spring back up again. Deal with the root. Romans 13:14 “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature”. Make no provisions for the flesh — do not put away sin but then give space for it.

God’s Exercises –

Nourish yourself in/on God’s word. Feed your soul. You must do this yourself. Continual and intentional. Hide his word in your heart so that you will not sin against him – Psalm 1:19 Guard what you eat and what you don’t eat! Hebrews 4:12 The work of God is alive and active. Set a schedule to read. a. Pray first; b. Meditate- don’t rush; c. Pray as you read and talk to God as he is talking to you; d. Jot down what God has said to you – memorize one verse, write it down and carry it with you all day!
Eat right, refuse spiritual junk food. Stories not rooted in reality-anything away from the truth. Otherwise you will not be in the circle. You must be hearing the truth to remain in the circle. Psalms 101: 2,3 – No worthless thing in my eyes! Discretionary things TV shows, movies, evaluate if it tempts me to discouragement, worry, anxious, covetousness, unthankful, desensitized to sin?
Train together, encourage each other, love one another vs 6; The church will encourage you. Get in a life group – otherwise you will lose heart.
Stay motivated! Requires the motivation of Gods great reward. 8 profitable for all things present life and life to come–Gods presence. He will give us rest. Mark 10:29. 100 times more in both this life and next. 100 times joy and peace. If you get out of the circle and come back in after fear, anxiety, and sin, God will meet you and build back what you thought you lost. Romans 1 – human race knew about, but refuse to honor and he gives them over to their sins. They were filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, murder, strife, lying, gossip, slander, arrogant, boastful, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. God produces the opposite when you are in Gods circle.

1 Peter 3:8 – Be godly and give blessings so you will inherit blessings.

Authors note: God bless you as you glean from these scriptures and thoughts to focus on living a life devoted to God. I pray that the Holy Spirit will urge and prompt you as you walk in God’s circle. Sometimes sermons have a way of resonating with me to the degree in which I just need to write it all down. I can come back to the message and references to consume it over and over again when I need motivation or just a small a boost to get back on track.

Should you worry about the alkalinity of your body?

There have been many arguments about the alkalinity of the body and the relationship to cancer. I had to dig into this topic and know for myself! ^1,2

Keeping a balance between acid forming and alkaline forming foods is often discussed in the context of cancer. Comments such as “I avoid acidic foods because cancer thrives in an acidic environment.” or “I have litmus strips to check my saliva (or urine) because somebody told me to monitor my body’s acidity.”

In the early 1900s, the Nobel-prize winning Dr. Otto Warburg, discovered that cancer cells were low in oxygen due to a change in cellular respiration from using oxygen to using fermentation of sugar. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar.” These were revolutionary findings!

However, given these findings, it is easy to see where the acid-alkaline idea came from, BUT one must remember that science has dramatically advanced since these times.

Today’s Science: (this gets a bit deep)

In order for a cancer cell to grow, it relies on growth of blood vessels in efforts to provide enough oxygen to metabolize energy.^3,4 However, the pace of cancer cell growth and division is quicker than the production of oxygen-supplying blood vessels.⁵ This results in the inefficient metabolism of its energy supply, and ultimately, lactic acid is produced.

Because the cancer cell is producing lactic acid, does not mean that the whole body becomes acidic.⁵ In fact, the body has a very tight set of checks and balances which keeps your blood’s (i.e., body’s) pH between 7.35 – 7.45, or near neutral. It is also impossible to significantly alter one’s blood pH with the food you eat. Therefore, checking your saliva for acidity or alkalinity is not an accurate measure of your body’s actual pH balance.

So, as you can see, it is not the body that is too acidic and gives cancer cells a medium to grow and divide. Rather, it’s the opposite. Cancer cells produce acid, but that does not make the entire body more acidic.

What can we do?

Fortunately, the same foods found to be alkaline as far back as the 1800s are many of the same foods that are recommended today for their cancer-fighting properties. These plant-based foods – including citrus fruits and tomatoes – protect cells from damage, encourage normal cell growth, and other processes which help fight cancer and other chronic illnesses.[5] Conversely, high-intakes acidic foods such as meat and animal-based proteins, have been linked to inflammation, insulin insensitivity, and increased cell division.

As you can see, the myth of the need to make the body more alkaline does not have significant value with respect to cancer cell growth or development. However, we do know that incorporating more alkaline-type foods is recommended. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends a plant-based diet which aims at receiving at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (at least 2 ½ cups), using whole grains versus refined grains, incorporating beans/legumes more often and meat less often. Incorporating these dietary habits will limit your intake of acidic foods, increase your intake of alkaline foods, and provide your body with the cancer-fighting nutrients it craves.

Because the ISAGENIX IsaLean® shakes are formulated to have a neutral pH I feel great about continuing to incorporate them in my daily life. They are made with the best quality products and are nutrient rich and contain superior un-denatured whey and milk proteins. (A dairy-free version exists) They are more than a shake, it’s a meal replacement (240 cal.) with its proteins (24 g), energy-fueling carbohydrates (8 g fiber), good fats, and 23 vitamins and minerals per serving. It is used to replace conventional meals with 2 Shakes per day plus one healthy low-glycemic, 400-600 calorie meal as well as 2 snacks (More calories can be consumed once in weight maintenance).

¹By Dianne Piepenburg, MS, RD, CSO, LD – Minnesota Oncology (mnoncology.com)

²What Otto Warburg Actually Discovered about Cancer (thetruthaboutcancer.com)

³Schor, Jacob. Acid Alkaline Diets and Cancer, an ethical question. December 12, 2007

⁴Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Otto Heinrich Warburg: The Cause of Cancer

(https://michael2108.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/nobel-peace-prize-winner-dr-otto-heinrich-warburg-the-cause-of-cancer/)

⁵American Institute for Cancer Research (www.aicr.org)

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The ISAGENIX products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.