Omega-3, Cranberry Juice Detox, and Alkaline Diet Discussion.

I eat well, do not smoke, starting aerobic exercise.

Any suggestions on other foods? I do take Omega fish oil. It’s the purest EPA/DHA 1900/ 800. Only two fish oils in the country are close to pure. It’s from DR. BARRY SEARS; Been told even its pure. It Really doesn’t help the body, any info would be appreciated.

Heard pure Cranberry Juice cleanses the kidney/liver. As result cleanses the intestines. Your opinion…

Is it true the high PH water helps the cells work better? And cancer can not survive in a high PH environment?

Thank you.
Your reply would be greatly appreciated.
Robert

Hi Robert,

Wow, these are some good questions! I hope the following suggestions/information helps….

Regarding Fish Oil:

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) are touted not just because they are essential for health, but also because the typical American diet is deficient in them. In fact, it’s been estimated that the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of early humans was 1:1. Yet today, the ratio in the typical Western diet is almost 10:1. If you already eat healthy and are getting enough omega-3, you may not notice any benefits.

If you’re concerned about purity, you are already purchasing a quality brand, otherwise plant sources can provide less-tainted omega-3. V-pure is a brand of EPA/DHA supplement made from algae. Other plant sources, particularly flax and walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which the body can convert into omega-3 acids EPA and DHA. (also, it’s interesting to note that human breast milk contains all three — EPA, DHA, and ALA.)

Unfortunately, studies have shown that the body isn’t very efficient at this conversion, men less so than women (roughly 8% of dietary ALA is converted to EPA and 0-4% is converted to DHA in men). Yet, because the body cannot produce ALA, it is a good idea to eat some foods that contain it.

A second concern are the lignans (phytoestrogens) found in flax and walnuts, and many other plants. Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) are poorly understood. They are much weaker than the estrogens produced in the body but may have the effect of mimicking estrogen in some ways. Yet at the same time lignans have been noted to block, or counter estrogen’s activity in some tissues. Your decision to use sources of ALA containing lignans is up to you. (the algae derived EPA/DHA does not contain these as far as I’m aware)

My favorite online reference for omegas, lignans, and many other nutrients is the Linus Pauling Institute. It’s a bit technical, but it’s thorough and well-referenced.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/omega3fa/#intro

Here’s a Few How-To Guides That Can Help Clear Things Up:

How Much Omega-3 is Required Daily.

What is the Difference Between ALA, DHA, and EPA?

Alternative Sources of Omega-3.

As for Cranberry Juice:

It is well-documented that it helps prevent, and can even treat urinary tract infections. For many years, scientists weren’t sure why, and this effect was often attributed to its acidity.

But this is not the case anymore…

Researchers have found that chemicals called proanthocyanidins (PACs) affect the activity of E. Coli, which causes about 85% of UTIs and 90% of cases of acute pyelonephritis (kidney infection). Basically these prevent E. Coli from adhering to the cells lining the urinary tract.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309121937.htm

PACs are very powerful antioxidants, and can also be found in grape skins and seeds, pine bark, and lemon tree bark. As with a lot of nutrients, more research needs to be done, but some studies have shown that PACs may help:

• boost the effects of vitamin-C (enhance vitamin-C concentrations in blood)
• lower cholesterol levels
• reduce inflammation
• protect from cardiovascular disease
• reduce risk of cancer, stroke, and heart attack
• as an antioxidant, may prevent damage/aging of cells, especially from UV radiation
• may help protect brain and nervous tissue because PACs can penetrate the blood-brain barrier better than other antioxidants.

As for cranberry juice detoxifying the intestines, I wouldn’t hesitate adding it to a healthy detox diet.

Lastly, Cancer Cells and pH:

Technically, yes, cancer cells cannot survive a high pH environment (alkaline), but this is in the laboratory setting, not the human body. Our bodies tightly regulate pH for the proper signaling, health, and functioning of our cells. There is no concrete evidence that ingesting certain foods will change the pH of the body itself.

American Institute for Cancer Research
http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=13441

(Just an example) When we eat something, the stomach immediately reacts to create just the right pH for its proper functioning (acidic – pH of 4-2). Then as food enters the small intestine, pancreatic juice (contains sodium bicarbonate) neutralizes the acidic material from the stomach. This is so the small intestine has the proper pH to do its job (pH of 7-8). Essentially, no matter what we eat, our digestive system will alter the pH to suit its functioning…

About Alkaline Foods and Ionized Water:

Our bodies work very hard to maintain a pH between 7.36 to 7.44, hence proponents of alkaline foods/water theorize that our diets should also be somewhat alkaline. Generally they theorize that the body can become imbalanced by excessive intake of acidic foods such as sugar, caffeine, processed foods and animal proteins, and will become depleted of vital (alkaline) minerals such as potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.

Thinking about it, what they’re really promoting is a healthy diet:

• low in animal proteins (less saturated fat, less toxins/hormones/antibiotics),
• no processed foods (again, less toxins, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, trans fat etc…),
• and basically consuming more vegetables.

So, I suppose an alkaline diet is actually a healthy diet. There is no concrete evidence proving that it actually changes the pH of the body.

Alkaline water will become acidic as soon as it hits the stomach. Then, when it goes into the small intestine, it will become alkaline again but only because our bodies make it that way.

Technorati Tags: Omega-3 fatty acids, cancer cells, acidic foods, alkaline diet

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4. How Much Omega-3 Is Required Daily?
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