by Sam Suska
Holistic self-care is a heightened manner of living with the ultimate goal of taking control of our own health. We can take control of our own health by giving our holistic self balanced, loving care and attention on a regular, daily basis. Holistic self-care is a lifestyle designed to help us routinely fulfill and perform the basic functions (breathing, eating, drinking, etc.) with the optimal manners and sources which promote the intended physiology of our mind, body and spirit. The mind, body and spirit are intimately connected which make us a whole 'being' and understanding the human body and the interactions of the aspects which comprise us is essential for holistic self-care. The intended physiology of our body is deeply connected to our mind and spirit which starts with the blood.
The blood plays the greatest role in the physiological processes in our body. The blood flows in the circulatory system constructed of 66,000 miles of blood vessels with two primary intentions: nourish our 70 trillion cells and assist the spreading, balancing and functioning of the 'energy' system. The 'energy' system generates, conducts and moves the electrical energy our body "runs" on by fueling body movement, internal function and metabolism. The circulatory system of the blood works directly and indirectly with the 'energy' system, which helps make the blood viable while the blood is needed to nourish the 'energy' system. The circulatory and 'energy' systems are deeply connected, much like our mind, body and spirit are dependent on each other.
Human blood can be made from more than just bone marrow, it can also be made within the liver or from virtually every tissue in our body. However, the blood is intended to be made by the small intestine from the liquefied, partially digested matter that was once food and drink. Our small intestine has over 7,000 feet of surface area within its 9 or 10 foot of length designed to absorb the nutrients, water and 'energy' from the foods and drinks we consume. This is quite similar to a plant in the soil, which enabled microbiologist Dr. Robert Young to name this the digestive root system. The stomach also has the ability to absorb many substances, water and 'energy' making it a vital part of the digestive root system as well. Like plants, our ability to generate 'energy' and prosper is heavily dependent upon what is absorbed by the root system; poor quality foods and drinks can damage the root system and lead to health issues within the body or mental disorders of the mind. 1
Not only is our digestive system similar to plants, so is our blood. The green substance chlorophyll is the well known blood of plants which is nearly molecularly identical to our own hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports the oxygen we need to maintain life and promote health. Chlorophyll can nourish our root system, build healthy red blood cells and promote oxygen movement. The best-selling author and world renowned microbiologist Dr. Robert Young has been helping thousands of people take control of their own health by instituting programs which enable patients to build their blood with dietary regimens based on green plants and supplementation with chlorophyll. Dr. Young runs the pH miracle facility, which has helped thousands of people beat chronic diseases like diabetes, MS, some forms of cancer and many more by simply building their blood, raising pH, eliminating acids from the body and hydrating in full. Dr. Young's program always includes nourishing the root system with green vegetables which are dense with nutrients, 'energy' and chlorophyll.
The functional ability of our mind is also heavily dependent upon on the root system, due to the great majority of the brain neurotransmitter receptors located in the root system. The neurotransmitters play a great role in mood, outlook and overall thought process which means just one deficiency can create or maintain an issue like depression or anxiety, which are common in modern society. Depression, anxiety and many serious disorders like autism and schizophrenia are heavily dependent on the functionality of the root system and the choices we make to nourish or damage our vital root system. A damaged root system is a common underlying factor, and some may say cause, of virtually every chronic disease and mental disorder known to man. 2
The root system begins in the stomach, which has the ability to absorb 'energy' from food and drink in addition to the multitude of neurotransmitter receptors. The stomach can absorb 'energy' and pass it directly to the spleen; an important organ which helps form and build the electrical energy needed to operate the 'energy' system. The thymus, located in our chest cavity also plays a significant role in the 'energy' system and the lymphatic system by helping to build electrical energy and distribute it throughout the entire 'energy' system. The root system is the foundational role determining our blood quality and 'energy' quantity which is why our food and drink choices are so monumental in our health and vitality. 10
The 'energy' system facilitates the smooth flow of electrical energy needed for all body function, metabolism, movement and smooth function of the digestive root system. The 'energy' system consists of 2 inter-connected pathways or circuits and 7 collection centers which have been studied and therapeutically applied for thousands of years by Chinese and Indian practitioners. There is a circuit which flows between the internal organs and another circuit which flows from the internal organs throughout much of the body arising superficially on the arms, legs, torso and head. The more superficial 'energy' circuit are known as the meridians and studied by Oriental Medicine and can be addressed by Acupuncture and Qigong. 9
In addition to fueling the 'energy' system, the digestive root system can absorb nutrients and build red blood cells and blood plasma in the crypts of the small intestine. Red blood cells can be the foundational cell for the entire body, meaning they have the ability to become virtually every type of cell and tissue in the human body.When the root system is operating efficiently in a state of alkaline pH and balanced 'energy' flow the small intestine has the ability to generate healthy red blood cells, which can then build all of the body cells and tissues. 3
However, when the desired alkaline pH of the small intestine is not maintained the root system will not function as intended. The immediate results can be poor red blood cells without proper amounts of 'energy' and oxygen; but the long-term results are more serious as patterns develop. The root system can be damaged to the point where it cannot readily make the red blood cells, and the body goes into a state where it converts it's own tissues and cells back into red blood cells to maintain the needed requirement of approximately 30 trillion red blood cells at all times. This homeostatic mechanism of maintaining the red blood cell count is quite essential and influential to the health of our entire body, so why not preserve the red blood cell count by feeding the root system alkaline pH foods dense with chlorophyll like green vegetables? 7
Our root system is dense with neurotransmitter receptors, absorbs nutrients and 'energy' while also building the red blood cells that go on to build our body will function best when the pH is alkaline. Therefore our overall health and ability to prosper physically and mentally absolutely require an alkaline pH in the digestive root system. Our mind and spirit are operated by the brain and move within the blood and 'energy' system. It may be easier to consider the mind and spirit as one entity due to the consistent interaction between these two aspects of our holistic 'being'. The mind can be considered in charge of conscious thought with the valuable job of determining the options we have to fulfill and perform the basic functions; whereas the spirit is more subconscious and interacts with the mind to make the actual choices. The all-important, health-impacting choices are made by the spirit after shifting through the options presented by the mind.
The mind actually flows through the body within the blood and 'anchored' by the blood within the heart, which is a main reason the heart and mind are so connected. The mind can be 'anchored' by blood when there is proper hydration, pure salt (found in Sea Salt) and a minimal amount of impurities (like acids); this once again points to the importance of what we supply our digestive root system. Our spiritual realm of 'being' encompasses our subconscious aspect and resides within the body in the 'energy' of our vital organs. The spiritual aspect is closely inter-twined with the 'energy' pathways and collection centers affecting the movement mechanisms within the meridians and between internal organs.
The mind and spirit, or are consciousness and sub-consciousness interact within the heart and then operated by the brain; making the heart like the 'emperor' organ and the brain like a loyal soldier following orders. There is a deeply inter-connected aspect of the 'energy' system which flows between the internal organs and is dictated heavily by the mind and spirit. This aspect will be referred to as our spiritual aspect of 'being', which is housed in the 'energy' of organs, with each organ holding at least one aspect of our emotions. The main organ/spiritual relationships involve the lungs, kidneys, spleen, liver and heart, but the large and small intestines, gallbladder and urinary bladder also have a spiritual element. The 'energy' of the lungs harbors our emotional response to adversity, the kidney 'energy' is responsible for the ability to focus, enacting will-power and rationalizing fear, while applied thinking resides within the spleen. The liver and heart interact more than other organ spiritual 'energies' as the liver not only houses dreams and aspirations but also promotes the movement of the spiritual 'energies'. 8
The spiritual 'energy' of the heart may be the most valuable as it in charge of our mind and conscious thought which creates perceptions, which go on to form feelings and lead to the emotions. The heart also provides the necessary insight to rationalize emotions and interact with the mind, which is 'anchored' by the blood in the heart as well. All emotional issues affect the heart, and can deplete the 'energy' of the whole body or simply stagnate the 'energy' flow between the organs and throughout our bodies. Long-standing issues, extreme intensity or obsessive, compulsive emotions have the ability to affect our spiritual 'being', and then our physical 'being' in many fashions.
Spiritual issues have the ability to restrict the 'energy' flow within our organs and between our organs, meaning they can be a powerful internal cause of health issues and general illness. A physically damaged organ, which can be expressed with infection, inflammation or a known chronic disease has the ability to lead to spiritual/emotional issues as well. In some cases physical damage can cause spiritual/emotional issues, but it is more likely for the spiritual aspect of one's 'being' to play a causative role in physical health issues by creating imbalances within the 'energy' system. The 'energy' system desires consistent and proper flow within each organ and between all of the organs; there are 'energy' mechanisms in which the body is designed to operate for proper metabolism and function. Ancient holistic health practices like Oriental Medicine and Ayurveda attempt to return the 'energy' flow to the proper, balanced state for intended function. 8
Oriental Medicine can address the spiritual aspect with Acupuncture, Qigong and herbology; there are many holistic minded professionals in this field who often times make conscious effort to balance the spiritual/emotional aspect of patients. Dr. Chris Salah has experience helping patients address physical ailments likes aches, pains, etc. and the more serious health issues which derive from spiritual/emotional imbalances and conflicts. Dr. Salah uses Acupuncture to correct 'energy' flow within and between the affected organs while helping patients address the underlying issues with mindfulness (conscious choices, stress-relief, etc.), herbs and commitment to ongoing care.
The spiritual aspect of our 'being' is constantly interacting with the mind along with a deep connection to the body within the 'energy' of many of our vital organs. The 'energy' system also has the important job of making the blood viable by supplying it with the 'energy' which adds a spark of life to the fluids in our body; without the smooth operation of the 'energy' system we may have blood which barely keeps us alive and functioning. Our blood passes through the blood-brain-barrier on the way into the brain, which is set up to filter out unnecessary and potentially harmful substances. However, the blood-brain-barrier like the root system needs 'energy for operation and desires a state of alkaline pH in the blood and surrounding fluids to function optimally as intended by the body. When the blood-brain-barrier is compromised by these undesirable characteristics the brain is subject to many of the potentially harmful substances which can flow in the blood.
When the pH of the blood is not alkaline microforms like yeast, bacteria and viruses can develop and flourish. Acidic substances like like sugar (all sugar is acidic), carbonic acid (from soda's), uric acid (from animal foods), aluminum (from many processed foods and table salt), mercury (from fish and vaccines) and many, many more have the ability to harm our brain after they break down the blood-brain-barrier. Additionally, the microforms (yeast, bacteria, viruses)
can get a foothold in our body fluids and tissues and create a multitude of negative effects in our physical body. The results is an overloaded blood-brain-barrier which decreases effectiveness and begins to let these harmful substances into the brain. The choices we make in supplying our root system impacts our mental health, spiritual health and physical health leading to the question, will you continually supply your root system with low-quality foods and drinks?
The brain itself is primarily constructed by fats derived from Omega 3 fatty acids; yes the same Omega 3's found in Fish Oil, Hemp Oil and Flaxseed Oil. The construction of the brain is heavily dependent on the foods and drinks we choose to eat because we cannot generate Omega 3's in our body without a food source, which is why Omega 3 fats are a necessary nutrient. Not only is the brain constructed of these fats, but each one of our 70 trillion cells is built from fatty acids of some sort which determine the ultimate strength and resiliency of the cellular membrane which surrounds the nucleus. Once again, choosing high quality foods is essential to not only brain function, but brain construction and general cellular construction. 2
Thankfully our body has the ability to adapt to low quality foods and drinks which lower the pH, decrease blood quality and eventually lead to health issues. We have an alkalizing buffering system to maintain the intended pH of the blood, all body fluids including the extracellular fluid(which surrounds the cells) and the root system as a whole. Alkalinity is the higher end of the pH scale (from 7.1 to 14), while acidity is on the lower end of the pH scale (from 0.1 to 6.9), divided by neutral pH of 7. Interestingly enough is that the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning it grows exponentially wider as it changes; for example a pH of 6 (acidic) is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 7 (neutral), while a pH of 5 is 100 times more acidic than a pH of 7, meaning that a pH of 4, which is common for soda, vinegars, processed juices, OTC and prescription drugs is 1000 times more acidic than a neutral pH of 7.
This helps explains why seemingly minor, low-calorie drinks like diet soda's, coffee drinks and vinegar's with very low pH in the 3 to 5 range can be so damaging to many people. Simply choosing foods and drinks with higher pH will greatly support the intended state of the blood (an alkaline pH of 7.365); but the body has the innate ability to withstand poor choices to varying degrees depending on the genetic, constitutional strength of the individual. This alkalizing buffering system is the ultimate reason why some people can live reasonably healthy lives (meaning free of major disease, not necessarily vitality) while routinely insulting their root system with nutrition-less foods and drinks.
The alkalizing buffering system addresses acidity in a multitude of ways; most notably generating and secreting sodium bicarbonate to increase the lowered pH. The blood component hemoglobin can also be a powerful neutralizer with it's oxygen component while minerals scavenged from the bones, muscles or teeth can also neutralize acidity. Once acids are neutralized the alkalizing buffering system will attempt to preserve the tissues from damage by chelating the acids with cholesterol generated by the liver or by encapsulating them with bodyfat or even tumors. The human body also has the ability to immediately "burn" the acids by first absorbing acids with circulating unsaturated fats (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) which have the ability to quickly and cleanly be used by the cells as a source of 'energy'. Heck, our kidneys and many of our tissues have the ability to generate and secrete ammonia and hydrogen peroxide which are also powerful neutralizing agents intended to be used in dire situations when acidity must be addressed.
The alkalizing buffering system also includes the glands of the mouth along with organs like the pancreas and gallbladder which help prepare our foods and drinks by raising pH so they can eventually become blood within the root system. The stomach also plays a vital role in the alkalizing buffering system as it's cover cells have the ability to draw sodium, chloride, water and carbon dioxide from the blood in order to form sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda as it is widely known is then used to alkalize food ingested into the stomach or neutralize various acidic substances within the blood, connective tissue or extracellular space. 1
The byproduct drawing sodium, chloride, water and carbon dioxide to generate sodium bicarbonate is hydrochloric acid or stomach acid which is intended to fall to the gastric pits of the stomach and be absorbed into the blood for removal through the kidneys. The stomach shall be known as a vital organ for maintaining alkalinity, but potential issues may arise if the cover cells are stressed and over-used (nausea or heart burn may result), the blood is short of the substances required to form sodium bicarbonate or the gastric pits of the stomach cannot keep up with heightened demand to rid the stomach of acidity and begin to malfunction which may result in GERD or heart burn.
The alkalizing buffering system greatly impacts the connective tissues and the extracellular fluids. The alkalizing buffering system preserves blood pH by removing acidic substances from things like caffeine, dairy, eggs, sugar, etc. and placing them in the connective tissues and the extracellular space, at least temporarily. This helps explain why the joints are so responsive to the choices made in food and drink as one ages and the body slowly breaks down. Following acid deposit in the connective tissue the body can also push it's acids to the extracellular space, which includes body fluids that coat and bathe the cells which make up the body. The functional ability of the human cell heavily depends on the fluid surrounding it; the overall internal environment of the human body is of utmost importance, and begins with the choice we make in nourishing or "challenging" the root system.
The lymphatic system runs within the connective tissues and extracellular space with the intention to filter acidity from the body fluids and even help preserve tissues which are damaged by acidity. The lymphatic system does not have built-in pumps like the circulatory system so it needs the holistic exercises, stretching and resulting perspiration from holistic self-care to assist intended movement
The lymphatic system also plays the most influential role in determining the quantity and quality of the white blood cells. The white blood cells help remove acids which have caused damage (like in the nervous system) or have potential to create damage; meaning the white blood cells are intended to preserve our alkaline design. The body will go to great depths (with powerful side effects) to preserve the alkaline, balanced 'energy' flow design of our body by generating white blood cells and sending them to damaged tissues like those in the pancreas or in the nervous system for acid removal. The white blood cells attempt to remove acids and preserve the desired alkalinity of our tissues, conventional health care does not share this view and instead makes the assumption (I believe very flawed) that the body is "attacking" itself, labeling these "auto-immune" diseases.
The nervous system can be affected by white blood cells, which are attempting to remove acids and their damage from this vital system, which moves 'energy' to our organs, tissues and muscles by using salt to conduct the electricity. The nervous system, like the rest of our internal parts is heavily impacted by the surrounding environment, which means the nervous system is quite susceptible to acid damage and the resulting acid removal by the white blood cells.
The balancing between the separate aspects of the nervous system, the parasympathetic and the sympathetic aspects of the nervous system, is also instrumental to the intended function of the human body. In short, the parasympathetic nervous system enables the body to relax following stimulation from the sympathetic nervous system which excites the body; and the two cannot completely function simultaneously.
Our body is designed to function in a primarily relaxed state with the ability for stimulation when necessary, like the fight or flight response. The mind and spirit have the ability to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system for extended time periods. However, this comes with many undesirable side effects including impaired digestive organ function, which is operated by the parasympathetic as well as the numerous hormones (like adrenaline, cortisol and estrogen) which are not only acids themselves but initiate a cascade of damaging effects. Practicing meditation, performing holistic exercise movements like qigong and yoga along with the ultra-important institution of a rational thought process (both instrumental in holistic self-care) can powerfully influence the proper balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
Maintaining the alkalinity of the digestive root system, blood, connective tissue and extracellular fluids will take time but it can be done with holistic self-care, perseverance and patience. Balancing and promoting the intended flow and balance within the 'energy' system will complete the whole program of restoring health by restoring the internal terrain of the body. Cellular malfunction is also considered to be at the root of every disease, and by alkalizing the extracellular fluid you can address an underlying factor in whatever disease, health issue, minor symptom or simple fatigue you want to help address within yourself. 4
The alkalizing buffering system can greatly affect our appearance in addition to playing a great role in overall health and vitality. This alkalizing buffering system will strip down the alkaline reserves in the bones, muscles and glands to maintain the alkaline design of the human body. The bones or teeth can depleted of calcium, the muscles depleted of magnesium and the glandular tissue depleted of sodium bicarbonate when we are living an existence of even low-grade metabolic acidosis. Acidity is not only created by nutritional choices but with poor emotional management, over-exercise, poor sleep habits and environmental pollution.
Emotions are a powerful internal cause of acidity when poorly managed they can produce powerful hormones like cortisol, estrogen and adrenaline amongst many more, which are very acidic and powerfully stress the alkalizing buffering system. The alkalizing buffering system empties the neutralized and collected acidity into the elimination system, which removes acidity from the body via breathing, sweating, urinating and defecating (stool).
The ultimate acid load of the body is determined by the balance of acids ingested (by nutrition) or created (by emotions or movement) and the acids eliminated. The elimination system preserves the alkaline design!
The body will go to great lengths to remove an overload of acids, this includes raising the internal temperature to open the pores to sweat out acids, generate mucus to preserve internal cavities and move acids out of the sinuses, create nausea to induce vomit and remove acids from the stomach, increase urination to expel acids through the kidneys which may be seen with cloudy urine or diarrhea to quickly expel acids through the colon. These symptoms are generally called the "flu", but in actuality they are signs the body is preserving it's alkaline design in a manner other than storage, which is why the body generates fat (to store acids!). 5
The elimination system works closely with the alkalizing buffering system to preserve the alkaline design of the human body by ridding the body of as many of the harmful microforms (yeast, bacteria, viruses), acids (like lactic acid from dairy and movement, as well as uric, nitric, phosphoric and sulfuric acids from animal foods and processed foods) and other inorganic substances like table salt (sodium hydroxylate not NaCl), aluminum (in many processed foods and table salt), mercury (in many fish and significantly found in vaccines) and additives like MSG and aspartame which have been found to be neurotoxins which damage neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain. 6
Understanding our holistic 'being' can really help us stick to our individualized holistic self-care plan which can be determined in my upcoming book "The True Health Lifestyle: Guide for Holistic Self-Care". A thorough understanding of our holistic 'being', which has been described in this article can go a long way toward making holistic self-care more than a fad or short-term project. Holistic self-care is a deep commitment to providing ourselves with balanced, loving care and attention which supports the alkaline design and balanced 'energy' flow within our body which powerfully influences and interacts with our mind and spirit.
The conventional science community is beginning to realize the powerful impact of what we eat has on our health. The China Study, a significant and best-selling book by noted nutritionist Dr. T. Colin Campbell, lists a plethora of studies and findings which implicate animal protein as a powerful factor in many diseases. Upon applying my holistic understanding of the human physiology it quickly becomes apparent this is due to the significant acidity from animal foods (uric, nitric, phosphoric, sulfuric) along with congesting the digestive root system due to inefficiency in breaking down these substances. Therefore, we can begin to make the connection between our choices and our health, our thinking and our emotions.
Please refer to my past articles to learn which foods supply the root system with nutrients, 'energy' and maintain the alkaline pH. My past articles also list and explain which foods fund the alkaline reserve (with sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium) that supplies the alkalizing buffering system in maintaining the intended high pH of our body. Please refer to my past articles to learn what types of moves, exercises and techniques balance and regulate the 'energy' system of our spiritual aspect of 'being'. Please refer to my past articles to learn techniques, exercises, moves and foods which assist the elimination system in preserving the alkaline design of the human body.
In addition to my past articles, please refer to the ground breaking work of Dr. Robert Young, who has defined many of the terms I use in this article; including the digestive root system and the alkalizing buffering system. Dr. Young has authored the "pH Miracle" series of books, and I highly recommend his newest installment which is an updated and revised version of his classic text, "The pH Miracle ". Dr. Young is doing some revolutionary work based on his viewing and assessing the live blood of patients, which enables him to see "inside" the body of the patient and put together a holistic health plan which builds the body by re-building the blood and digestive root system.
If you are so inclined to gather more information you can also begin your own research with the bibliography I have included with this article. The sources I have used here can all be practically read and understood by a non-scientist, so please educate and empower yourself.
I am presently finishing "The True Health Lifestyle: Guide for Holistic Self-Care" for a 2011 publishing. This is a simple handbook for implementing and maintaining a life of holistic self-care, which is a very practical and meaningful lifestyle that can help all of us, regardless of perceived barriers or limitations. This text will enable you to determine your own individualized holistic self-care plan and provide the scientific rationale for each and every lifestyle suggestion offered by myself.
Thank you for reading, and please e-mail me at truehealthservices@gmail.com with any questions or comments. Thank you and take care, I hope you take some steps this very day toward holistic self-care!
1. The pH Miracle, Dr. Robert Young. 2010
2. The Ultra Mind Solution, Dr. Mark Hyman. 2008
3. Articlesofhealth.blogspot.com Dr. Robert Young. 2009
4. Never Be Sick Again, Raymond Francis M.S. 2007
5. The pH Miracle for Weight Loss, Dr. Roberty Young. 2005
6. Excitotoxins, Dr. Russell Blaylock. 1996
7. Human Physiology: An Integrated Appriach, Dr. Dee Unglaub Silverthorn. 2009
8. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text, Giovanni Maciocia. 2005
9. Energy Medicine: Balancing Your Bodies Energy for Optimal Health, Donna Eden. 2008
10. Your Body Doesn't Lie, Dr. John Diamond. 1977
