Interesting, please read.

Good morning lovely ladies:

I received this email from a co-worker who is a chemical engineer. Thought it might interest you.

Friends and Colleagues,

This message has nothing to do with any of the things about which we usually communicate. Every once in a while people come across things that they feel obligated to share with others. I have recently been exposed to some things that I want everybody who I know and like to have a chance to evaluate.

Last May I sent the following message to a family member whose spouse is a breast cancer survivor and who has an osteoporosis problem

“Susan has a student who has been an oncology nurse for about 20 years and currently works at a prestigious NYC hospital who believes that the hospital at which she works will soon be using nutrition control to fight cancer based on the results of a decades long study by some well known medical researchers. It seems that cancer doesn't do well in slightly alkaline environments, that is, those with a pH slightly above 7.0. Most people (in this country) are acidic, that is, they have pHs below 7.0. Acidic body chemistry is produced by eating animal protein, sugar, and processed foods. Reducing those kinds of foods will increase pH, that is, make the body more alkaline and, hence, more resistant to cancer. It is claimed that this is especially true of breast cancer. Since we received this information in confidence the name of the hospital cannot be divulged because it might put the teller at risk. When it becomes the official policy of the hospital more may be made known and other medical institutions may follow suit. According to the literature acidic body chemistry has the further disadvantage of encouraging osteoporosis. From what we can determine it is not the absolute amount of the foods eaten that matters but rather the relative amounts of acidic and alkaline foods. Most fruits and vegetables have an alkaline effect (even if they themselves are acidic). Most protein rich foods are acidic, and the need for protein makes the eating of some acidic foods necessary. We are trying to learn more about this, but in the interim will be adjusting our eating habits to take advantage of what we think we know. I am off to a short trip to the midwest but should know more when I return.”

Subsequently I read much of the following two books

The Acid Alkaline Food Guide, by Susan E. Brown & Larry Trivieri, Jr; and
The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell w/ Thomas M. Campell, II

To get a little of what I read, and perhaps a little more, I suggest the following links

http://www.womentowomen.com/bonehealth/osteoporosis-drugtherapy.aspx

http://www.foodandhealing.com/articles/article-foodbones.htm

http://www.foodandhealing.com/books/whole-food_guide_to_strong_bones.htm

http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7B417F65B0EB39F10B259B2D9DAE643F

The last listed link is the most important. It is a TV show highlighting a movie, “Forks over Knives,” based on the book, The China Study. This is a relatively easy to read book packed with information that seems to tell us that many of the major diseases from which Americans suffer are the result of eating a “western diet” rich in animal based foods and the other things that make the body acidic. It is called The China Study because much of the data presented comes from China, but many other sources of information are cited. The book very convincingly claims that diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and others would be dramatically reduced, if not eliminated, if Americans ate exclusively plant based foods. There seems to be a lot of data to support that conclusion, more than enough to convince me to change the way I eat.

Check out that last link. Hear what Dr Oz has to say about the book and the film, and what both are telling us. I have read the book and seen the film. The film has not yet been released to the general public but it should become available before the end of the summer. If you have questions please ask them. If it is in the book or the film and I can remember either well enough I may be able to answer them.