Different foods are either acid-forming or alkali-forming in the body, eg. lemon contains citric acid in its juice which makes it very acidic but as citric acid is an organic acid the body can metabolize it to CO2 and H2O. In the whole lemon, negative charges on the citrate ions are balanced by positively charged metal ions (potassium and calcium). Once the citric acid has been metabolized, the potassium and calcium are balanced against negative ions (eg. chloride or bicarbonate) instead of the citrate. This discourages the formation of H+ and thus has an alkaline reaction. Thus although lemon itself may be acidic, in the body it is alkali-forming.

Also know as Co-enzyme thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), Vitamin B1 is needed in regular supply by the body and its odor and flavour are similar to those of yeast. It is needed by the Central Nervous System the Gasto-intestinal system and the cardiovascular system. It helps convert carbohydrate to fat for storage for potential energy and plays a role in glucose metabolism. It is thought that adequate amounts of Vit B1 may help reduce the progression of atherosclerosis by preventing the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries, thus it is also helpful to the heart.

Also known as flaxseed or linseed oil, flax oil is an important source of Omega-3 fatty acid or alpha-linolenic acid(LNA) which is essential to the body and is the precursor to other important Omega-3 oils, EPA and DHA.
Flax oil is the best oil for people with an omega-3 deficiency as it contains the largest amount of LNA, which is the strongest dispersing essential fatty acid. It is also suitable for vegetarians who may not wish to take fish oils. LNA helps to break up saturated fat deposits and cholesterol but must be taken with caution as if it is taken for too long it can actually start to cause Omega-6 deficiency.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A; also known as retinol or beta-carotene was the first vitamin to be named, thus the letter A. Preformed Vitamin A is known as retinol because of its importance in vision (retina-part of the eye) and beta-carotene is one of several carotenes (found in mainly orange and yellow vegetables and fruits) which can be converted into Vitamin A in the body and are known as provitamin A, beta-carotene is the one that gives the most Vitamin A.

A well hydrated body is able to respond to internal and external signals of change in its health picture with ease and to the best of its abilities, thus furthering the beings development and creating optimum health. On the other hand, a dehydrated or underhydrated body is not able to respond as efficiently or speedily to these signals. De-hydration causes cells to coat themselves with cholesterol in order to preserve their internal environment, thereby making cellular communication more difficult. The cells are not able to function to full capacity as the more de-hydrated a body becomes, the more 'cut-off' the cells become and the increased mucus load leads to a stagnation in the movement of fluids. The body only functions with what is available to it and thus dehydration causes more and more cells to become ‘cut-off' so the body will be functioning more and more below par. The seasons play an important role in our health picture...