New Connexion; January, 2003
There is an overabundance of diet books assuring the hopeful dieter that he/she will achieve everlasting weight loss and abundant energy. New research indicates that these diets only work in the long term when they are compatible with your specific metabolic type. This explains the mystery of why one person can lose weight, while another might gain weight on exactly the same diet! It also explains why there is always room for yet another theory (and diet book).
Of course, while junk food isn't good for anyone, the truth is that not all "good" foods and supplements are equally beneficial for all people. We have all watched with envy as a friend ate foods we knew would not agree with us. Metabolic Typing is the science of discovering the fundamental way in which your body produces energy from your food, in other words, the explanation of why "one person's medicine is another's poison."
One of the basic principles of Metabolic Typing is that protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, which are transported by the blood, are best absorbed and utilized by the cells in your body at the ideal blood pH level of 7.46. Below this figure the blood is too acidic, above this figure the blood is too alkaline. The more your pH deviates from the ideal, the less efficient will be the conversion of food to energy. A reduced ability to feed the body on a cellular level causes cascading imbalances and eventually an breakdown that a doctor can hang a diagnosis on. The hip bone is indeed connected to the thigh bone.
The second principle of Metabolic Typing is that any nutrient can be acidifying or alkalizing, stimulating or inhibiting, depending on your metabolic type. Your ability to best utilize food, vitamins and minerals is determined by which of the two main control mechanisms dominates your metabolism: the Autonomic Nervous System or the Oxidative System. The Autonomic Nervous System governs the "fight or flight" and "rest and relax" responses to internal or external stimuli. The Oxidative System determines the speed at which your cells convert food to energy.
Nutrients that acidify Oxidative dominants actually alkalize Autonomic types, and foods and nutrients that alkalize the Oxidative types acidify the Autonomic dominants! For example, traditionally, people suffering from osteoporosis are prescribed calcium supplementation. However, calcium alkalizes Oxidative types and acidifies Autonomic types. So calcium will help some patients' osteoporosis while actually aggravating others! An example of opposite effects of the same food is tomato, which is acidifying to Oxidative types and alkalizing to Autonomic types. Clearly, though tomato is a "good" food, it isn't healthy for everyone to eat. If your blood is overly alkaline and you eat foods that alkalize your blood, they will erode your health instead of nourishing you.
In 1983 W.L. Wolcott formulated this phenomenon into the principle he called the Dominance Factor. W.L. Wolcott in collaboration with Dr. Harold Kristal developed the current protocol of Metabolic Typing. Their work was based on the groundwork of many great scientists who had been exploring the mysteries of nutrition since the 1920's, among them Francis Pottenger, M.D., George Watson, Ph.D., and William Donald Kelley, D.D.S.
Metabolic Typing today involves a series of simple tests performed on an empty stomach. The testing takes two to three hours to perform. After a series of baseline readings, a modified glucose (sugar) challenge drink is given, followed by three more test cycles. These consist of blood pressure and pulse readings, blood glucose levels, urine and saliva pH, urine specific gravity, breath holding capacity and respiration rate. These test results identify the metabolic type of the person. For each type there is a specific list of foods and supplements which will balance the blood pH over time so that optimum metabolism can be restored.
This concept is different from the idea of acid/alkaline ash foods. Biochemists have burned different food substances and measured the pH level of the residue. The assumption was that foods behave the same outside the body as they do inside the body. However, that is not the case. Since we know that each food can acidify or alkalize, it does not matter what the pH of the ash is. It's the internal effect of the food on your metabolic controls that counts. We now know that Metabolic Typing is the only way to accurately correct nutritional imbalances at a cellular level. Eating according to your metabolic type is indeed the key to increased energy and sense of well being, weight normalizing (loss/gain) and greater resistance to disease.
More articles by Agnes
Blood sugar — Blood sugar levels crucial to maintaining a healthy body and mind
FDA food pyramid — Eat your fats: the skinny on the new pyramid
Herbal medicine — Secret garden medicine: a medicinal walk through the garden
Male hormones— Vitality, vigor and virility: are we losing It?
Metabolic typing — Metabolic typing:the key to normalizing weight and improving metabolism
Nutrition & personality — Baby, is it really you? The connection between "personality" and nutritional deficiencies
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