Awakening The Healing Power Within Holistic Nutrition And Natural Therapies

By Michael Palma

Awakening the Healing Power Within is based on my twenty-five years of experience as a health and wellness professional and intuitive healer. It is through the process of counseling hundreds of clients and doing independent research on holistic nutrition and natural therapies that has led me to this point. As a medium, a large part of this book has been channeled during meditation. It is through the help of ascended masters, spirit guides, archangels, and departed healers that enabled me to synthesize these ideas into a coherent book.

Awakening the Healing Power Within is designed for individuals to take back their power and learn how to heal themselves. It was Hippocrates who said, "If you are not your own doctor, you are a fool." The intention of this book is to educate and inform the reader so that they may become an advocate for their own health. The only person who can save you from disease and illness is yourself. It is the responsibility of each person to take a proactive approach to their health and wellness.

Awakening the Healing Power Within takes the reader from beginning to end on their wellness journey. Within this book are all the resources and information you will need to take back and reclaim your vitality, health, and longevity. It gives information on how to heal the mind, body, and soul from a holistic approach. It is only through mastering all three aspects that true healing is possible. By taking small actionable steps every day toward wellness, the reader will undoubtedly become an improved version of themselves and create changes in their health that seems like miracles. We all have the innate capacity to heal ourselves, as we are spiritual beings having a brief human experience. It is through these spiritual abilities that we possess in each of us and is our birthright that will lead us back to our true state, which is perfect health. Remember, our bodies were designed to function with optimal health, not disease and illness, as most of us have become accustomed to.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890611291

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Chapter 1: The Healing Power of Food, Plants, Minerals, and Nature on Our Bodies

Chapter 2: The Importance of the Acid/Alkaline Environment on Our Health and How to Maintain It

Chapter 3: How to Properly Detoxify the Body

Chapter 4: The Miracle of Water

Chapter 5: Toxic Processed Foods

Chapter 6: Reevaluating the Food Guide Pyramid and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Chapter 7: How Marketing and Advertising Affects Our Food Choices

Chapter 8: Holistic Nutrition and Natural Therapies

Chapter 9: The Amazing Uses and Benefits of Baking Soda

Chapter 10: The Benefits of Herbs and Spices

Chapter 11: Exercise Is Medicine

Chapter 12: How Our Thoughts and Emotions Affect the Body

Chapter 13: The Healing Power of Prana, Qi, or Chi Energy

References

About the Author

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Awakening The Healing Power Within Holistic Nutrition And Natural Therapies

Michael Palma

Copyright © 2023 Michael Palma

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-89061-128-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89061-129-1 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Chapter 1

The Healing Power of Food, Plants, Minerals, and Nature on Our Bodies

Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.

—Hippocrates

Food has the power to heal or to slowly make you sick, and it is an action that we do several times a day, seven days a week. It will have a profound effect on your mental, physical, and spiritual health. The daily choices we make will impact how our cells function and the body we will have in the future.

The body has the ability to heal and regenerate itself. The cells, tissues, organs, muscles, tendons, red blood cells, and ligaments we have today will have changed in five to seven years. Our human anatomy is constantly in flux and is a miracle in how it responds to the environment it is surrounded by.

Epigenetics is the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. Epi means on or above in Greek, and epigenetic describes factors beyond the genetic code. Epigenetic changes are modifications to DNA that regulate whether genes are turned on or off. These modifications are attached to DNA and do not change the sequence of DNA building blocks. Within the complete set of DNA in a cell (genome), all of the modifications that regulate the activity (expression) of the genes is known as the epigenome.

Because epigenetic changes help determine whether genes are turned on or off, they influence the production of proteins in cells. This regulation helps ensure that each cell produces only proteins that are necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Patterns of epigenetic modification vary among individuals, in different tissues within an individual, and even in different cells within a tissue. Environmental influences, such as a person's diet and exposure to pollutants, can impact the epigenome. Epigenetic modifications can be maintained from cell to cell as cells divide and, in some cases, can be inherited through the generations.

For example, the red blood cells we have today will have died and regenerated in four months' time, leaving us with a whole new inner terrain. What determines how healthy and optimal your red blood cells develop is the quality and amount of nutrients the body has ingested during that time. If you are consuming processed foods, have a highly stressed lifestyle, have poor-quality sleep, and are not exercising, the new red blood cells you have created will be smaller, stick together, and not function optimally, causing the body to supply less oxygen.

Another example is our muscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular, and skeleton system. Exercise, especially weight-bearing, will increase the efficiency, efficacy, and functioning of all three systems. However, a sedentary lifestyle will do the opposite, which is a decrease in all aspects. Studies have proven that within only two weeks, your body starts to lose muscle and your cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and bone density decreases. It is imperative that we make exercise a part of our daily routine for the rest of our lives, as all the healthiest people have incorporated exercise into their longevity habits. Just as we take a shower, brush our teeth, and comb our hair regularly, exercise needs to be the same.

Food has an amazing ability to detoxify and heal the cells, tissues, and organs of our body. All health starts at the cellular level, and we are only as healthy as our red blood cells. This was demonstrated by a Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg, who was born in 1883 in Freiburg, Germany. He studied under Emil Fischer in Berlin, until receiving a doctorate in chemistry in 1906. By the age of twenty-eight, he also received a doctorate in medicine, and he demonstrated that cells could live indefinitely as long as they are bathed in an alkaline environment. He has proven that cancer can only exist in an acidic environment, and optimal health takes place in an alkaline environment.

As a result, it is imperative that we consume foods that are alkaline in nature and reduce or eliminate foods that are acidic. As long as our diet is comprised of 80 percent alkaline and 20 percent acidic foods, our inner environment will maintain a healthy homeostasis, and our red blood cells will not transform into bacteria, viruses, or mold by the function of pleomorphism.

Pleomorphism occurs when the pH of our inner terrain becomes too acidic, signaling the red blood cells to transform to survive in its new environment. We have the amazing ability to control our health by keeping our cells bathed in an alkaline environment, eliminating 90 percent of all common ailments and health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, gout, dementia, MS, and all degenerative diseases. This may seem impossible to some, but the research done by a Noble Prize winner says otherwise.

Not only does food detoxify and heal cells in our body, but it also gives us energy through phytonutrients and electrons that are derived from the food we eat. That is why we want 80 percent of the food we eat to be found in vegetables, fruits, nuts, and root vegetables. Through the process of photosynthesis, we absorb the light energy from the food. Our bodies are an electrical system that needs electrical energy to maintain the function of cells, nerves, organs, brain activity, and tissues.

Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives plants their green color, and it helps plants create their own food through photosynthesis. It has many healing benefits to humans, and it is a wonder drug as it can aid in detoxification, help boost your immune system, improve red blood cell quality, support healthy skin, provide cancer prevention, help with weight loss, neutralize body order, and increase energy. All of this is done by simply consuming more green foods; as this may seem too good to be true, but it is not the case. We, as a culture, have lost our way, and we need to get back to the basics and fundamentals of good eating habits.

Salt has played a critical role in ancestral food preparation for thousands of years. Yet in the last few decades, salt has been made into somewhat of a villain as it's been associated with hypertension and heart disease. The notion that a low-salt diet is better for us began about two hundred years ago and was founded on flawed science. Doctors knew then that our bodies relied on salt to maintain blood pressure balance. They believed that consuming too much salt contributed to high blood pressure and heart disease. The results were huge (unsuccessful) government campaigns to get people to eat less salt.

However, research is finding that this fundamental theory isn't as clear-cut as we once thought. A meta-analysis of over 6,250 patients found there was no actual link between salt intake, high blood pressure, and risk of heart disease. Like many of our dietary recommendations, our beliefs surrounding salt need to be re-examined. If you don't get enough salt, it can cause problems with your body and health. A few signs of salt deficiency from salt restriction are reduced hydration (especially in athletes), muscle cramps, higher risk of heart attack, headaches, weakness, cognitive decline in the elderly, and irritability.

We used to think that our bodies weren't very good at regulating salt levels. For example, it was believed that if you ate more salt, you'd become thirsty and drink more water, which would cause you to dilute the sodium levels in your body.

However, studies are finding that salt has many benefits in the body, including increasing body water conservation and making you less thirsty—probably the opposite of what you might have guessed. This means that your body can prioritize its salt levels, which has been shown to help manage metabolism in a positive way.

Salt also helps you to stay better hydrated, and your body needs a delicate balance of sodium and potassium. This is because water in your body follows sodium, so if you have too much, your body will retain water. Potassium works to balance this out, which is why sea salt is much better than sodium chloride or table salt. It promotes good vascular health. When it comes to sea salt specifically, it actually has protective effects against heart disease. Again, it's important to differentiate between sea salt and table salt, which is much less beneficial due to its nonexistent mineral profile. The findings on how sea salt helps heart-disease markers directly contradict the years of recommendations against salt in diets; it's just important which type of salt you're using.

Salt supports a healthy nervous system, as sodium regulates water flow throughout your body, which is critical for a healthy nervous system. Additionally, the water of your nervous system requires salt for electrical conduction to send and receive nervous system signals. Just as with other functions of the body, your brain needs the right balance of sodium to other electrolytes, which is why sea salt is a much-better option than table salt.

It will also improve sleep. When you read about salt and sleep, it initially appears there are mixed reports. But if you pay close attention, you'll realize that the advice against eating salt before bed is referring to table salt and processed foods, which can cause an unbalanced amount of sodium in the body. Sea salt is thought to improve sleep because it contains so many helpful electrolytes for regulating hormones.

Electrolytes, which are made up of minerals and trace minerals, come from an outside source, and we need to consume them regularly, or we will become deficient. Some of the important minerals our body needs are iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, zinc, phosphorus, bromine, boron, iron, manganese, copper, and silicon, just to name a few. If the heart becomes lacking in electrolytes, it may impair the heart from beating properly or cause cardiac arrest. A large part of the population, especially the elderly, are needing more mineral supplementation as they are not getting enough from their diet.

Many doctors recommend reducing salt intake, but this may be one of the worst things a person can do. The body needs unrefined, nonprocessed quality salt for good health. Most table salt and the more popular salts bought at the grocery store are refined and have been processed. The majority of salt has been stripped away of its mineral and trace-mineral content through the heating process as it is being made. As a result, the majority of individuals are deficient in minerals, which has a profound effect on their health. Some examples of untreated and minimally processed salt that come from natural sources are Real Salt, Celtic Salt, Himalayan Salt, and Aztec Sea Salt.

Without it, an individual cannot be well, and it is as important as breathing. Many older people have heart issues that are directly related to lack of minerals in their diet. The heart may not pump properly, causing a cardiac arrhythmia. The body simply cannot function properly without it. Anyone who has performed strenuous exercise in the heat knows how important salt is on their athletic performance. Once your electrolytes are depleted, you can no longer preform any tasks as the muscles of the body stop working due to a lack of electrical impulses from the central nervous system.

Salt is one of those food items where you must specify which kind you're discussing to make the right decision. There's a big difference between table salt and sea salt. The more processed food we eat, the harder our body has to work to process and eliminate the food without absorbing the macronutrients, micronutrients, and minerals it needs to function at a normal level. This will result in disease, fatigue, poor cognition, hormonal imbalance, and a poor quality of life.

Prana comes through the five elements of nature, which are earth, water, fire, air, and ether. We can increase prana through the earth element by living in nature (for example, camping), walking on earth barefoot, touching the earth (gardening), hugging trees, looking at mountains, eating fresh-picked fruits and vegetables, living in natural houses, and above all, respecting nature. By drinking clean pure water that is free of chemicals and toxins, we increase our prana through the water element. Swimming in oceans, rivers, streams also increases prana. Spending some time daily outdoors in the sunshine or even opening windows and doors to let the sunshine in increases prana through the fire element. It is also important to drink warm water and eat warm food and cook food in flame stoves if possible. The main source of prana is through breathing (the air element). Having a consistent pranayama (breathing exercises) practice, inhaling pure fresh air, living in fresh air, airing out rooms, and staying away from polluted environments are some ways we can increase prana. The ether element is associated with thoughts. We are all living in an ocean of thoughts. Chanting mantras, being in a positive atmosphere (for example, places of worship), and keeping good company (satsanga) increase prana and help us connect to a higher vibration of thinking.

Just look at Chinese, ancient Egyptian, and Ayurvedic medicines. They harnessed, developed, and practiced the art of healing through nature itself and have incorporated it into their lifestyle. It can be demonstrated in their art, history, and culture. The best doctor is one who prescribes no medicine other than good rest, proper nutrition, detoxification, good thoughts, exercise, quality relationships, and spending time in nature.

You have to cultivate these principles and habits, and only you are responsible for your health. In our American culture, we have been raised to believe that we are not responsible for our health and wellness, and if we become sick, we can go to a doctor and take a pill to fix it. However, your health is not that simple and is more complex and layered than that, so as we pursue a new paradigm for our wellness, we become aware of integrating the mind, body, and spirit as an interconnected system. We must take more time in understanding, contemplating, and implementing healthy habits and behaviors that will lead to greater health over time. Learning more about alternative therapies that are not promoted in mainstream media will give us the ability to have other options or tools in our health-and-wellness toolbox.

American health care is the best in the world when it comes to acute care, such as surgery dealing with broken bones, gunshots or knife wounds, plastic surgery, athletic injuries, and car accidents. We also have medications that complement surgery and pain management for recovery afterward. However, when it comes to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension, fibromyalgia, and any other autoimmune conditions, American health care ranks lower than some third world countries. Most doctors try to fix any health problem with a pill or medication but would be better suited with using foods, herbs, plants, essential oils, and root tonics.

The side effects of the medicine we take make the body, over time, become more toxic and acidic. The liver is a major filtering organ in the body and becomes compromised or overly taxed, and this then leads to the body gaining more weight, as anyone knows who has been prescribed prescription drugs for any duration of time. One self-preservation strategy the body uses to defend itself from an acidic environment is to crystallize any toxic material into fatty tissues to be stored so that it will not compromise the organs, arteries, and veins, because if it did not do so, the individual would be in imminent danger.

Only through a detoxification program using alkaline buffers, such as alkaline-structured water, bentonite clay, baking soda, salt, vegetables, and oils can the body safely bind and remove the acidic crystallization and heavy metal buildup out through the elimination channels. The four channels are urination, defecation, respiration, perspiration, and for women, menstruation. By using these natural remedies, the body will not only return to a state of homeostasis, but it will also filter out impurities and heal any diseased organs, arteries, muscles, or tendons.

Juicing is a fantastic way of getting many different nutrients from vegetables and fruits in its raw state, as it takes four parts alkalinity to neutralize one part acid. That means that you need to consume four times as many alkaline foods to one acidic. This is hard to do by just eating one or two salads a day, and by juicing, you can have up to twelve to fourteen servings of raw alkaline nutrients, allowing the body to absorb a large amount of nutrients, phytochemicals, and electrons, which will enable the body to detox and repair itself. Juices want to consist of alkaline vegetables, fruits, and spices that include celery, peppers, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, broccoli rabe, beets, parsley, cilantro, lemons, limes, garlic, ginger, and turmeric, just to name a few.

Another way, besides food, to heal is through nature, and one of the most healing places is the shore. The roar of crashing waves, the fresh ocean air, and the humbling sight of an endless blue horizon—there's no denying the restorative effects of the ocean. The benefits of swimming in the sea expand far beyond experiencing nature at its most awe-inspiring. It is good for your mood and boosts your health. The only thing that sea water does not do is hydrate our bodies, but that is not even a downside compared to its immense benefits. Sea water can be a natural drug and medicine. It stimulates our body and promotes the feeling of well-being that surfers very well know. If you live by the beach or spend a lot of time in coastal areas, you know how receptive we are to sea-sprayed shores. So what does sea water contain? On average, sea water has 3.5 percent of salt (sodium chloride). In other words, you get thirty-five grams of salt for one liter of water and then small parts of magnesium, sulfate, and calcium.

At the beach, we are usually barefoot, which allows the body to ground its feet through the foot chakra to the sand. The ground emits electrons, which helps to give the cells of the body more energy to heal. Also, the ground clears the energy channels and chakras, bringing the body a sense of peace and tranquility. The air we breathe, added with the salt water, helps to heal the respiratory system and remove toxins form the body. People who suffer from asthma, severe cough, phlegm, and other respiratory problems should go to the beach to breathe the breeze and swim in the sea. Salt water helps eliminate toxins and other elements that attack the lungs. The ingestion of small amounts of ocean water facilitates the cleansing of the colon, detoxifies the body, and renews the body's energies. Because it is rich in mineral salts, such as sodium and iodine, ocean water has antiseptic and cicatrizing actions on your skin. Ocean water accelerates the process of cell regeneration, especially for those damaged by diseases such as cirrhosis.

It also helps eliminate the excess water accumulated in the abdomen that occurs due to the disease. Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates discovered that sea water helped heal wounds, prevented infections, and eased pain. Historically, doctors would recommend their patients go to the seaside to improve their health as sea water is high in iodine, which is essential for a healthy thyroid. You can also add seaweed flakes to your diet in salads or include nori sheets used in sushi rolls to boost your iodine intake. If you don't like eating seaweed or drinking sea water, sea air is also a good source of iodine. New research published in the Irish Medical Journal found that continued exposure to seaweed-rich air is able to supplement an individual's iodine intake.

Thanks to the high magnesium levels in salt water, being in or near the ocean helps regulate your muscles and nerve functionality, moderate blood sugar levels, and improve your sleep. This will leave you feeling rejuvenated, with the rhythmic sounds of the waves equally helping to balance out your circadian rhythm. Magnesium is a critical element in our bodies—and one many people are deficient in. The number of red blood cells increases between 5–20 percent after a swim or bath in the sea, and the number of white blood cells increases even more. So sea water is fantastic medicine for people with a weakened immune system, anemia, and high blood sugar levels. Salt water has so many healing properties, and I just touched on a few.

Humans of the twenty-first century spend up to 87 percent of their lives inside, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Yet scientific studies continue to demonstrate that contact with nature has significant benefits for our health. According to Yoshifumi Miyazaki, Japan's leading scholar on forest medicine, a walk in the forest does indeed calm a stressed baby, and much more. A walk in the woods, or shinrin-yoku, provides preventive medical effects by relieving stress and recovering the immune system diminished by stress. For the first time, Japanese scientists have found ways to quantify the impact that forest therapy (shinrin-ryoho) can have on humans. Being in the countryside, park, or wooded areas helps the body in many different ways. Studies show that forest bathing can significantly lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone), along with blood pressure and heart rate.

Walking in the woods can boost the body's immune system by increasing anticancer proteins and enhancing the activity of certain cancer-fighting cells. The research suggests that humans benefit from breathing in phytoncides, the volatile organic compounds plants emit to protect themselves from bacteria, fungi, and insects.

The body also absorbs electrons through the trees, grass, and flowers, allowing it to restore its homeostasis and remove excess proton buildup. Electrons heal, while protons destroy the body, and all EMF electronics such as cell phones, TVs, cable routers, microwaves, etc. produce protons, causing the red blood cells of the body to stick together. When the red blood cells stick together, hemoglobin cannot pass through the capillary system efficiently, causing swelling of joints and limbs, muddled thinking, lower immunity, high blood pressure, and an overall feeling of tiredness.

Drawing in air and tree prana is a technique used in pranic healing. You can draw in air or tree prana through the hand chakras to energize yourself. To draw in air prana through the hands, just concentrate on the hand chakras and simultaneously do pranic breathing. To draw in tree prana through the hand chakras, choose a big healthy tree and ask mentally or verbally permission of the tree to draw in its excess prana. Put your hands on the trunk of the tree or near it. Concentrate on the centers of your palms and simultaneously do pranic breathing. Do this for ten cycles, and thank the tree for the prana. Some of you may experience numbness or a tingling sensation throughout your body. After energizing yourself, it is advisable to circulate the prana throughout the body. Visualize yourself filled with white light or prana and circulate the prana continuously from the back to the front several times, then from the front to the back several times also. Once esoteric principles and techniques are fully explained, they are usually very simple.

Herbal remedies and traditional medicines are used by millions of people around the world. Plants were the original medicine used since the beginning of time. When you think about it, modern medicine was only introduced in the early 1900s; before that, people used nature to heal. That means that the pharmaceutical approach has only been around for less than 150 years, and all modern medicine is derived from plants, trees, and herbs. The pharmaceutical companies extract a compound from nature and then patent it so they can make money. Legally you cannot patent nature because by law, it is for all and cannot be owned by one company or entity.

As a result, companies synthesize compounds from a lab and market them as their own creation. For example, opioids come from the opium poppy plant, acetaminophen (aspirin) come from poplar trees, stimulants such as amphetamines are derived from the coca plant, and caffeine is produced by coffee beans, just to name a few. Why is this a problem, and why should I be concerned?

The concern is that we have a symbiotic relationship with nature, and our bodies know just how to react and process natural elements. Our bodies do not know how to process synthetic drugs made in a lab. For example, did you know that aspirin can cause holes in the lining of your stomach if taken too frequently? Or that statins used to lower cholesterol damage the liver and increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes? Chemotherapy not only destroys cancerous cells but all cells it comes into contact with, and suppresses the immune system. Also, since it is a poison extracted from mustard gas used in World War I and II, it causes loss of bone marrow, hair, and platelets. There are many side effects to using mainstream drugs.

Just watch any commercial or ad, and the list of side effects will be as long as the ad itself. We have come to accept or look over these harmful risks without questioning them or asking if there is a better way. Well, there is a better way, and that is the power of Mother Earth and nature. She has given us everything we need to be well and live a long and healthy life. We have had a relationship with her since the beginning of our creation, and we need only to simply go back to our roots, relearn and reclaim what we already know. In the upcoming chapters of this book, I will teach you just how to do so.

Chapter 2

The Importance of the Acid/Alkaline Environment on Our Health and How to Maintain It

No disease, including cancer, can exist in an alkaline environment.

—Dr. Otto Warburg

The most basic and important health concept to learn is the acid/alkaline design of the cells in our body. This is more important than counting calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, or minerals. Without knowing how to maintain the pH of your cells' health, it is impossible to have vibrant well-being, and it is equally necessary to fully understand the ramifications of living an acidic lifestyle on your physical body.

All diseases, aliments, autoimmune disorders, cancers, infections, viruses, bacteria, and mold are a direct result of an imbalance of this simple concept. Diseases, viruses, bacteria, and mold are born from within the body, from the red blood cells when the interstitial fluid is compromised. When the environment of the inner terrain becomes acidic, it signals the red blood cells to transform, called pleomorphism. Dr. Robert Young coined the term outfection instead of infection. This means that we don't get sick from catching something from outside ourselves but from the acidic environment we maintain within the body.

An example of this would be if you let trash build up at your front porch for a long period of time, and then you started to have an infestation of mice, rats, and other insects. They are allowed to flourish because of the garbage they are feeding on that is already present, and if there was no garbage, then you wouldn't have the pests in the first place. If you just kill the pests without removing the trash, more will just follow, as you have not gotten to the root cause. If the body is slightly alkaline, then no bacteria, virus, or mold that you come into contact with will have the ability to flourish or take hold in your inner terrain. These microbes cannot survive without the right kind of environment. It is important to remember that your environment/terrain is the most important factor in your health. This is done by detoxification, high-quality nutrition, quality sleep, and observing and maintaining positive or optimistic thoughts and emotions.

We discussed this briefly in chapter 1 that pleomorphism is the biological transformation of healthy red blood cells into bacteria, viruses, and mold due to an acidic or anaerobic (without oxygen) environment. Why would the body do this? Well, it is a natural process that Mother Nature has designed. Simply put, when the body's pH is acidic for a prolonged period of time, it signals the body to start breaking down all major parts such as cells, tissues, organs, muscle, tendons, and bones. This is called decomposition. If you left a bitten piece of fruit out on the table, it would develop black spots as it starts to decay or putrefy. Decomposition is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars, and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biosphere. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. All organisms decompose in the same way; they all undergo the same sequential stages of decomposition.

As we age, we become more acidic. The body of most aged individuals is very acidic, loaded with toxic wastes in the bloodstream, cells, and lymphatic system. These acidic wastes come from many sources. If you were to keep your skin, muscles, organs, and glands alkaline, like they were when you were a baby, you would dramatically slow down the aging process. Excess acidity is a condition that weakens all body systems. Excess acidity forces the body to borrow minerals—including calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium—from vital organs, bones, and teeth to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. As a result, the body can suffer severe and prolonged corrosion due to high acidity, a condition that may go undetected for years. Acidosis leads to serious problems with major organs such as the liver, heart, or kidneys. Also, this is why we shrink as we age because the body has to pull its resources from the skeleton system to survive, leaving us susceptible to a decrease in height.

An acidic pH may result in weight-related problems, such as diabetes and obesity. When our body is too acidic, we suffer from a condition known as insulin resistance. This insulin resistance forces excessive insulin to be produced in order to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. As a result, the body is flooded with so much insulin that it diligently converts every calorie into fat. It is very likely that an acidic pH from an imbalanced diet