Food and the Human Body

The body is made up of 60 trillion tiny cells. The different kinds of cells include blood cells, fat cells, muscle cells, nerve cells and skin cells. Each kind of cell has a special function. These different kinds of cells work together to keep us alive.

The foods we take keep the cells functioning. When we eat, our teeth chomp the food into tiny bits so that it is easier to swallow. The food passes down the throat and goes down a long tube into the stomach. Juices in the stomach mash the food into a soup. The mush is then squeezed through a long, coiled tube called the intestine. From the intestine, the goodness and badness from the food passes into our blood to be carried all around our bodies. In the process, the liver helps to break down the food while the kidneys assist to get rid of waste water. Our bodies cannot use all the food we eat. The bits we do not need pass out of the body as urine or stools.

It is the desire of every sentient being to live a healthy life. There is increasing awareness that there is a close relationship between health and eating habits. What type of food and in what ratio should we take to keep us healthy? According to Dr. William Howard Hay (1866-1940), a healthy body requires 20% acidic food and 80% alkaline food to keep it functioning properly.

However, the majority of modern man’s daily food intake is the reverse, i.e. consuming probably 20% alkaline food and 80% acidic food. Such imbalance and inappropriate food intake has tremendous impacts on human health. Over the years, as more acidic food is being consumed, the cells in the body also become more acidic. An acidic environment gives rise to various diseases.

If you wish to stay healthy, this 20 (acidic food): 80 (alkaline food) is an important reference in food consumption.