Acid versus Alkaline forming foods - how to give your body it's self healing powers back

Blood pH

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH, the more acidic the solution is, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or basic) the solution is.

When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7, which is neutral. A healthy pH of 7.4 - 7.5 is desirable. For healthy bodies, generally the pH of blood is 7.4, the pH of spinal fluid is 7.4, and the pH of saliva is 7.4. The pH of saliva parallels the extra cellular fluid... pH test of saliva represents the most consistent and most definitive physical sign of the ionic calcium deficiency syndrome. It is scientifically documented that up to 150 diseases are related to calcium deficiency.

It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We are talking about the pH of the body's fluids and tissues which is an entirely different matter.

Alkaline and Acid Forming Foods

The body needs both types of foods. However alkaline forming food should predominate over acid forming ones. Everyone is different, but for most, the ideal diet is 75 percent alkalizing and 25 percent acidifying foods by volume.

Acid forming foods meat, sugars, eggs and dairy and most grains, white flour and carbonated beverages are acid forming. Drugs are acid forming. Artificial chemical sweetener's like NutraSweet, Equal, or Aspartame, are extremely acid-forming.

Over acidity, which can become a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, is very common today. It gives rise to an internal environment conducive to disease, as opposed to a pH-balanced environment which allows normal body function necessary for the body to resist disease. A healthy body maintains adequate alkaline reserves (Electrolytes) to meet emergency demands. When excess acids must be neutralized our alkaline reserves are depleted leaving the body in a weakened condition.

This condition forces the body to borrow the (Electrolyte) minerals-including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium-from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage due to high acidity, a condition that may go undetected for years.

Acid forming foods rob your body of critical electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium). These nutrients are critical for neutralizing acids. Only fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline producing to help your body maintain a healthy pH balance.

Studies have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or without sugar) lose huge amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals into their urine. The more mineral loss, the greater the risk for osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and a long list of degenerative diseases.

Don't Be Fooled

Important. A food's acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food     itself. For example: Though lemons, limes, and grapefruits are chemically acid, tests show that when they are metabolized in the body they actually have an alkalizing effect and are very beneficial. They have very little sugar. And they contain an abundance of oxygen. Lemons are said to be the richest source of minerals and vitamins of any food or foods known to man.

Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid-forming.

Acid forming foods such as (meats, eggs, diary, white sugar and white flour, carbonated beverages and artificial chemical sweetener's like NutraSweet, Equal, or Aspartame) should be limited. Of course, you would do better with the least amount of meat and no milk products as they are very productive of mucus and hinder digestion and absorption of nutrients.

The internal balance of your pH is very important, unfortunately few medical practitioners in western medicine are aware of the major role it plays in causing diseases.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming in the body and contain many electrolyte minerals that help to maintain a healthy pH balance of 7.4 and a reserve of critical electrolytes.

Alkalizing the body fluids (raising pH) is one of the single most important health regeneration benefits available as disease causing microforms (fungi, bacteria, virus etc.) cannot survive well in an alkaline oxygenated environment. 

                                                                                             Alkaline Forming Foods

VEGETABLES Garlic Asparagus Fermented Veggies Watercress Beets Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Eggplant Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Dulce Dandelions Edible Flowers Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spirulina Sprouts Squashes Alfalfa Barley Grass Wheat Grass Wild Greens Nightshade Veggies

FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Cantaloupe Cherries Currants Dates/Figs Grapes Grapefruit Lime Honeydew Melon Nectarine Orange Lemon Peach Pear Pineapple All Berries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Watermelon PROTEIN Whey Protein Powder Cottage Cheese Chicken Breast Yogurt Almonds Chestnuts Tofu (fermented) Flax Seeds Pumpkin Seeds Tempeh (fermented) Squash Seeds Sunflower Seeds Millet Sprouted Seeds Nuts

OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Probiotic Cultures Green Juices Veggies Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Organic Milk (unpasteurized) Mineral Water Alkaline Antioxidant Water Green Tea Herbal Tea Dandelion Tea Ginseng Tea Banchi Tea Kombucha SWEETENERS Stevia SPICES/SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame Sea Veggies

Acid Forming foods

FATS & OILS Avocado Oil Canola Oil Corn Oil Hemp Seed Oil Flax Oil Lard Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil FRUITS Cranberries GRAINS Rice Cakes Wheat Cakes Amaranth Barley Buckwheat Corn Oats (rolled) Quinoi Rice (all) Rye Spelt Kamut Wheat Hemp Seed Flour DAIRY Cheese, Cow Cheese, Goat Cheese, Processed Cheese, Sheep Milk Butter

NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Brazil Nuts Peanuts Peanut Butter Pecans Tahini Walnuts ANIMAL PROTEIN Eggs Beef Carp Clams Fish Lamb Lobster Mussels Oyster Pork Rabbit Salmon Shrimp Scallops Tuna Turkey Venison PASTA (WHITE) Noodles Macaroni Spaghetti OTHER Distilled Vinegar Wheat Germ Potatoes

DRUGS & CHEMICALS Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Pesticides Herbicides ALCOHOL Beer Spirits Hard Liquor Wine BEANS & LEGUMES Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Lima Beans Pinto Beans Red Beans Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans Rice Milk Almond Milk

 

Alkaline & Acid Forming Foods Chart

Most Alkaline	Alkaline	Lowest Alkaline	FOOD CATEGORY	Lowest Acid	Acid	Most Acid
		Raw Honey, Raw Sugar	SWEETENERS	Processed Honey, Molasses	White Sugar, Brown Sugar	NutraSweet, Equal, Aspartame, Sweet 'N Low
Lemons, Watermelon, Limes, Grapefruit, Mangoes, Papayas	Dates, Figs, Melons, Grapes, Papaya, Kiwi, Berries, Apples, Pears, Raisins	Oranges, Bananas, Cherries, Pineapple, Peaches, Avocados	FRUITS	Plums, Processed Fruit Juices	Sour Cherries, Rhubarb	Blueberries, Cranberries, Prunes
Asparagus, Onions, Vegetable Juices, Parsley, Raw Spinach, Broccoli, Garlic	Okra, Squash, Green Beans, Beets, Celery, Lettuce, Zucchini, Sweet Potato, Carob	Carrots, Tomatoes, Fresh Corn, Mushrooms, Cabbage, Peas, Potato Skins, Olives, Soybeans, Tofu	BEANS VEGETABLES LEGUMES	Cooked Spinach, Kidney Beans, String Beans	Potatoes (without skins), Pinto Beans, Navy Beans, Lima Beans	Chocolate
	Almonds	Chestnuts	NUTS SEEDS	Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds	Pecans, Cashews	Peanuts, Walnuts
	Flax Seed Oil	Canola Oil	OILS	Corn Oil
		Amaranth, Millet, Wild Rice, Quinoa	GRAINS CEREALS	Sprouted Wheat Bread, Spelt, Brown Rice	White Rice, Corn, Buckwheat, Oats, Rye	Wheat, White Flour, Pastries, Pasta
			MEATS	Venison, Cold Water Fish	Turkey, Chicken, Lamb	Beef, Pork, Shellfish
	Breast Milk	Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Goat Milk, Goat Cheese, Whey	EGGS DAIRY	Eggs, Butter, Yogurt, Buttermilk, Cottage Cheese	Raw Milk	Cheese, Homogenized Milk, Ice Cream
Herb Teas, Lemon Water	Green Tea	Ginger Tea	BEVERAGES	Tea	Coffee	Beer, Soft Drinks

 

Additional Topic on TCM: Spring Wellness and TCM

Traditional Chinese Medicine places great importance on the changing of the seasons and believes that health and wellness is intrinsically linked to following the seasons in matters of diet, exercise and personal health practices. For example, one should be less active in the winter than in the summer. Winter is a yin time of self-nourishment and rest where as summer is a yang time of active energy.

Spring in TCM is related to growth, wood, the colour green and the organ the liver. During this time there is a stirring of growth, budding of trees, new leaves and twigs and a warming of the environment. We are moving from cold winter yin to warm summer yang.

The liver plays an important role during this time of awakening. According to TCM the liver is responsible for directing and organizing the flow of energy in the body. If the liver is stressed (by anger, depression or any excessive emotional states) it can not organize properly and may stagnate. For women this is especially important as the liver is largely in control of regulating the quality, quantity and flow of the menstrual cycle. Stagnation can cause PMS, painful, irregular or scanty menstruation. These symptoms can cause further emotional stress and develop in to a continual loop of stress, stagnation, leading to more stress and more stagnation. TCM can treat these symptoms with great success, breaking the cycle of illness and offer a more balanced state of mind and body throughout the month. If you’re feeling stressed, check in for some acupuncture, herbs and/or diet therapy to rebalance your body.

Liver qi stagnation and disharmony can cause heat and lead the liver to redirect our energy to flow in the wrong direction. This is referred to counter-flow of qi in TCM and is responsible for many internal imbalances which can cause illness. A classic example is too much anger, or excessive emotion too often can cause the body energy to rush to the head and combined with heat may result in headaches, chronic migraines, high blood pressure and eventually stroke. The liver may also attack the Spleen and Stomach resulting in a vast array of digestive problems. These can include constipation or alternating constipation and diarrhoea, and abdominal pain and discomfort.

The liver is the organ that stores the blood and by directing the qi flow it also directs the flow of blood in the body. The classic texts say that “qi moves the blood and blood caries the qi”. When the liver blood is undernourished (though improper diet and lack of exercise for example) it effects the ability of the liver to move the blood and nourish the other organs of the body. Deficient liver blood can lead to dryness, brittle and inflexible tendons, sinews and joints and other symptoms such as fatigue, dry eyes/blurred vision and scanty or absent periods.

Foods for Spring
As green is the colour of spring (and the liver) green foods such as leafy green vegetables are ideal for this time of year. Peas, broccoli, spinach, and others are excellent for the liver and for the new energies of spring. Make sure you steam your vegetables as they can have a cool or cold energy which may not be suitable for early spring if eaten raw. Steamed vegetables are also easier on your digestion. Keep your diet low in fats and avoid too much spicy food and alcohol especially if you have a tendency for migraines, one-sided headaches or high blood pressure.
Support your spleen (to ward off liver attacks) if you have digestive symptoms by eating yellow/orange foods like squash, and carrots and avoiding cold drinks and raw foods.

Exercise
Embody the spirit of new energy by getting out for walks in the fresh air. This will also help prevent qi stagnation and ward of the sluggishness of the winter.

Colds and Hay Fever
Spring is also a time of movement. We see a great deal of wind which can invade the body, especially if we are deficient or lacking from the winter. This may lead to head colds or flu which are often referred to as Wind-Cold attacks in TCM. If you have runny nose, cough, aches or a general feeling of cold, protect yourself from the wind by adding a scarf or hat and try drinking some ginger tea. If you feel hot and have yellow mucous or discharge avoid ginger and spices and try mint instead. Green onions are also an excellent way to drive out the wind.

Spring with its new growth also gives rise to a great deal of pollen production in the rush for fertility. For those who suffer from hay fever with sore itchy eyes, runny noses and difficulty sleeping, TCM can offer quick, soothing relief though herbal formulas and acupuncture. If you suffer from spring time allergies year after year why not give TCM a try? You’ll be surprised how well TCM can balance your body and restore health and wellness. Ask your TCM practitioner about food cures which can align your body with the season and compliment your treatments. We don't always take medicine but we eat all the time!

Wellness and Aging

As the body ages there is a general decline in the body's energy so that we are less resistant to illness and have greater difficulty recovering after illnesses. In TCM, practitioners focus heavily on prevention for this reason, working on strengthening the body, maintaining inner harmony and balance for optimum health and longevity. Diet therapy plays an important role in preventative medicine.

TCM attributes certain properties to food, just as it does to herbs and medicine. Food can be hot, cold or neutral (not in relation to temperature) and of the five flavours (bitter, sour, sweet, pungent and salty). Intake of too much of one category of food can cause injury to the body.

The classic TCM text Nei Jing states: "over eating the wrong food will damage Zheng Qi"

As a person begins to show signs of aging, chronic conditions they have dealt with their whole live begin to worsen. Yang begins to decline and yin and yang disharmony occurs more easily. TCM indicates that the individual should change their diet according to their specific symptoms/syndromes and yin or yang indications. This tends to follow by common sense (if feelings of heat or fever are present, avoid hot, spicy foods and eat more cold and cooling foods). To better understand your personal condition consult with a TCM Practitioner or Dr. of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Cold Conditions
Generally, a person experiencing a cold condition should eat foods that are warm in flavour (and temperature) and avoid cold and raw foods which will aggravate their symptoms. Sold signs may include cold hands and feet, aching in the back and knees, abdominal cold pain or discomfort. Here are some foods that are considered hot and warming in nature:

hot: beef, nutmeg, mustard, peppers, ginger, curry, black pepper.

warm: coffee, chicken, cuttlefish, garlic, green onion, guava, organ meats, rosemary, seeds and nuts, wine.

Hot Conditions
If experiencing sensations of heat a person should eat cool or neutral foods. Examples of heat signs may include: red face or eyes, fever, haemorrhoids, insomnia, anxiety. Avoid the above mentioned foods and eat more:

cool: bamboo shoots, clams, crab, grapefruit, kelp, wintermelon, watermelon, tomatoes, spinach (most green leafy vegetables), strawberries, mango, pears, apples (most fruit), peppermint tea.

neutral: apricots, beets, black fungus, chinese cabbage, carp, celery, chicken eggs, corn, figs, honey, kidney beans, anise, lotus, papaya, rice.

Balancing: Food Cures and Nutrients
TCM holds that too much hot food one's lifetime will result in Obseity while too much cold food will cause yang deficiency and cold conditions. A fatty and sugary diet may lead to cardiac conditions. Good preparation and combination of food will benefit the body health and lead to longevity.

Generally the diet should be high in protein, vitamins and fibre and low in cholesterol, fat, sugar and salt.

Protein
Protein warms the body and aids in recovery from injury and illness.
Good sources of protien are: lean pork, soy, chicken, fish and mushrooms. High protein diets are also good for people who are malnourished with weight loss or are recovering from cancer treatments.

Vitamins
Vitamins, especially vitamin C and the B vitimins, which tend to be lacking in the elderly are found most easily in steamed vegetables, fruit, black fungus, soy and milk products.

Fibre
Fibre will help with digestion and benefit the bowels. It also keeps the digestive tract free of toxic materials that may lead to cancer.
Foods that are high in fibre include: oats, corn, steamed vegetables and fruit.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is important for the functioning and wellbeing of the body. Too much however, can accumulated in the body narrowing and blocking channels and pathways. This can lead to obesity (putting strain on the heart and other organs) and eventually stroke, and heart attack.
Avoid over eating: organ meat, bone marrow, egg yolks, fish eggs, squid or cuttlefish.
Eat more: lean pork, low fat milk, egg whites, soy milk, tofu.

Fat
Avoid eating too much fatty meat and deep fried food. This is especially important of you have a tendency towards Gall Stones, Gall Bladder or pancreatic infections or diarrhoea.

Sugar
Too much of any one thing can injure the body. The diabetic must be especially careful of sugar as it will cause attacks of high blood sugar and will transform to fat in the body.

Salt
An overly Salty dies has direct relation to hypertension, wind-stroke and other cardiac disorders.

Harmonizing: The 5 Flavours
According to Neijing, the spleen and stomach tend to be deficient in elderly people (due to declining yang). Thus, they are very sensitive to disharmony of the five flavours. Beneficial food should include a lot of variety. Good food for the elderly is easy to digest and subtle or bland in nature (Qing Dan). Too much fatty, sweet, oily/greasy food will cause artery hardness and liver enlargement as well as excess body fat. If the food is too strong in flavour (especially salty) it can cause many illnesses. Bland food or a partially vegetarian diet helps to resolve toxicity and bring balance in the body. Avoid eating excessive amounts of meat. More soybean products, vegetable oils, or bean oils and fruits and vegetables will clean out the intestines and allow easy and unhindered bowel movements. The whole body then will feel light and healthy and can more quickly recover from illness.

Food should be served warm (not overly hot or cold) and have a good look or appealing appearance. This allows digestion to occur more easily. Food should also be well cooked and soft. Cold and hard food may injure the spleen and stomach. Soft food is best for the elderly. Ideally congee (rice porridge) should become a staple meal for the elderly. Make these herbal additions: sesame seeds, walnuts, lian ze, soy beans, gou qi zi, he shou wu, shan yao.

Gou qi zi (fructus Lycii) is a gently cooling herb that nourishes yin and will promote longevity if eaten regularly in herbal congee.

He shou wu (radix polygoni multiflori) replentishes essence and nourishes the blood, eliminates toxins and nsistens the intestines and bowels.

Bai shao yao (radix paeonaie alba) nourishes blood and preserves yin.

If the elderly suffer from the common wind-cold, have diarrhoea or are recovering from surgery the diet should be suitable and easily digested. Foods such as noodles, buns, soft rice, congee, cakes, mashed vegatables, tofu, fish, soy milk or milk will promote gentle digestion and a more rapid recovery. Make sure the food is not too hot or cold. Cold food is especially not good for the spleen and stomach, cold-damp or yang deficient conditions.

During the Meal
A meal should be taken when one is in a good mood to promote digestion. Eat with attention to the meal and do not read, watch television, talk excessively or do business. One should definitely not eat while angry as it may cause internal harm and worsen stagnation. Gentle music during the meal will promote digestion by satisfying the spleen.

After Meals
After eating, don't lay down or sleep as this may cause food stagnation or retention. It is said by the classic texts that spleen stagnation leads to the 100 illnesses. Take a short walk but do not walk too fast or perform strong physical activity. Too much activity will bring the blood to the four extremities and away from the digestive system. Walking slowly allows qi and blood to flow easily and will promote longevity. This must be done regularly to have a good effect.

 

  

Website links: Future watch at Scientific American

 August 28, 2007

The Dark Horse in the Race to Power Hybrid Cars

Are ultracapacitors the key to making hybrids king of the auto market?

By Larry Greenemeier

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	Image: Courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
	MEAN GREEN MACHINE:  An ultracapacitor-equipped Toyota Supra HV-R coupe was the only hybrid to win the 24-hour endurance race held at Japan's Tokachi International Speedway.

Many motorists chuckle smugly after giving their cars a little extra gas to leave a Toyota Prius or some other eco-friendly automobile in the dust. But Toyota and its Earth-loving ilk may yet have the last laugh as they cultivate encouraging new advances in ultracapacitor technology that promise to one day put hybrids in the driver's seat.

The greatest victory so far for the cars, fueled by a combo of electricity and gas, came just weeks ago when an ultracapacitor-equipped Toyota Supra HV-R coupe became the first hybrid to win the 24-hour endurance car race held at Japan's Tokachi International Speedway. The hybrid Supra finished 616 laps of the 5.1-kilometer (roughly threemile) course—19 more laps than the second-place nonhybrid Nissan Fairlady Z. "The Toyota that won was able to deliver energy more quickly, accelerate faster, and use braking generation more efficiently," says Kevin Mak, an analyst with research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics and author of a recent study that explores the potential for ultracapacitors to complement and possibly even replace batteries in hybrid vehicles. "The days of the large hybrid vehicle battery pack may be numbered," he adds.

 

The reason, he says: capacitor technology that stores energy in the electric field between a pair of closely spaced conductors. An ultracapacitor, also called a supercapacitor, is an electrochemical capacitor with a higher energy density than normal capacitors, which potentially makes them a better fit for hybrid vehicles.

Ultracapacitors store electricity by physically separating positive and negative charges. Batteries store energy using toxic chemicals and their effectiveness fades over time. In addition, recycling the heavy metals in batteries is a difficult task. Capacitors, on the other hand, are constructed of much smaller fine carbon nanotubes, Mak says.

A major advantage of ultracapacitors is their ability to efficiently capture electricity from regenerative braking systems and provide that electricity to power a car's acceleration. Ultracapacitors not only charge more quickly than batteries, they also release energy more quickly, Mak says.

A drawback to their use is the technology's inability to store as much energy as a battery. But the Tokachi race proved that ultracapacitors could be more widely used in conjunction with smaller batteries to power hybrid cars. "Without the need for chemicals, capacitors can be lighter, thereby enabling the hybrid car maker to improve fuel economy further and reduce costs," Mak says. "The low weight would then make hybrid power trains more readily available to compact car segments as [has been] seen on Honda and Mazda concept cars since 1997."

Most car companies, however, are more interested in advances in lithium ion batteries than in ultracapacitor evolution. Earlier this month General Motors Corp. signed an agreement with A123Systems to develop its nanophosphate lithium ion battery technology for automobiles. A123Systems' batteries today are used primarily in cordless power tools. Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Ford Escape use nickel-metal hydride batteries that are larger than lithium ion systems, the latter of which can pack more electric power into a smaller space. The first A123 car batteries are expected to be ready for GM to test by October, and the company plans to have its next generation of electrically powered vehicles on the market by the end of 2010.

Capacitors haven't been competitive with batteries in the past, because they have not offered a higher energy density, says Olgierd Palusinski, a University of Arizona professor of electrical and computer engineering. Palusinski argues that energy density is an even better measure than storage capacity of how effective a power source can be. "You could have a very high storage of charge but at a very low voltage," he notes. 

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Website links: Lithium ion polymer battery - the future to invest in. .

Lithium ion polymer battery

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A prototype Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery at NASA Glenn Research Center.

Battery specifications Energy/weight 130-200 Wh/kg Energy/size 300 Wh/L Power/weight up to 2800 W/kg [1] Charge/discharge efficiency 99.8%[2] Energy/consumer-price (___?)Wh/US$ Self-discharge rate 5%/month[2] Time durability many months Cycle durability >1000 cycles Nominal Cell Voltage 3.7 V Charge temperature interval

Lithium-ion polymer batteries, or more commonly lithium polymer batteries (abbreviated Li-poly or LiPo) are rechargeable batteries which have technologically evolved from lithium-ion batteries. Ultimately, the lithium-salt electrolyte is not held in an organic solvent as in the lithium-ion design, but in a solid polymer composite such as polyacrylonitrile. The advantages of LiPo over the lithium-ion design include lower cost manufacturing and being more robust to physical damage. Lithium-ion polymer batteries started appearing in consumer electronics around 1996.

Contents [hide] 1 Overview 2 Applications 3 Technology 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Overview

Cells sold today as polymer batteries have a different design from the older lithium-ion cells. Unlike lithium-ion cylindrical, or prismatic cells, which have a rigid metal case, polymer cells have a flexible, foil-type (polymer laminate) case, but they still contain organic solvent. The main difference between commercial polymer and lithium-ion cells is that in the latter the rigid case presses the electrodes and the separator onto each other, whereas in polymer cells this external pressure is not required because the electrode sheets and the separator sheets are laminated onto each other.

Since no metal battery cell casing is needed, the battery can be lighter and it can be specifically shaped to fit the device it will power. Because of the denser packaging without intercell spacing between cylindrical cells and the lack of metal casing, the energy density of Li-poly batteries is over 20% higher than that of a classical Li-ion battery and approximately three times better than NiCd and NiMH batteries.

The voltage of a Li-poly cell varies from about 2.7 V (discharged) to about 4.23 V (fully charged), and Li-poly cells have to be protected from overcharge by limiting the applied voltage to no more than 4.235 V per cell used in a series combination. Overcharging a Li-poly battery will likely result in explosion and/or fire. During discharge on load, the load has to be removed as soon as the voltage drops below approximately 3.0 V per cell (used in a series combination), or else the battery will subsequently no longer accept a full charge and may experience problems holding voltage under load.

Early in its development, lithium polymer technology had problems with internal resistance. Other challenges include longer charge times and slower maximum discharge rates compared to more mature technologies. Li-Po batteries typically require more than an hour for a full charge. Recent design improvements have increased maximum discharge currents from two times to 15 or even 30 times the cell capacity (discharge rate in amps, cell capacity in amp-hours). In March 2005 Toshiba announced a new design offering a much faster (about 1-3 minutes) rate of charge. These cells have yet to reach the market but should have a dramatic effect on the power tool and electric vehicle industries, and a major effect on consumer electronics.

When compared to the lithium-ion battery, Li-poly has a greater life cycle degradation rate. However, in recent years, manufacturers have been declaring upwards of 500 charge-discharge cycles before the capacity drops to 80% (see Sanyo). Another variant of Li-poly cells, the "thin film rechargeable lithium battery", has been shown to provide more than 10,000 cycles.

[edit] Applications

A rechargeable lithium polymer Nokia mobile phone battery.

A compelling advantage of Li-poly cells is that manufacturers can shape the battery almost however they please, which can be important to mobile phone manufacturers constantly working on smaller, thinner, and lighter phones. Another advantage of lithium polymer cells over nickel cadmium and nickel metal hydride cells is that the rate of self-discharge is much lower.

Li-poly batteries are also gaining favor in the world of radio-controlled aircraft, where the advantages of both lower weight and greatly increased run times can be sufficient justification for the price. However, lithium polymer-specific chargers are required to avoid fire and explosion. Explosions can also occur if the battery is short-circuited, as tremendous current passes through the cell in an instant. Radio-control enthusiasts take special precautions to ensure their battery leads are properly connected and insulated. Specially designed electronic motor speed controls are used to prevent excessive discharge and subsequent battery damage. This is achieved using a low voltage cutoff (LVC) setting that is adjusted to maintain cell voltage at (typically) 3 V per cell.

Li-poly batteries are also gaining ground in PDAs (including iPhone) and laptop computers, such as Apple's MacBook and Lenovo's Thinkpad (Ultrabay Batteries), Dell (D-bay Batteries) and small digital music devices such as iPods and other MP3 players, as well as portable gaming devices like the Sony PSP or Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP, where small form factors and energy density outweigh cost considerations.

These batteries may also power the next generation of battery electric vehicles. The cost of an electric car of this type is prohibitive, but proponents argue that with increased production, the cost of Li-poly batteries will go down.

Canadian company BionX supplied electric bicycle conversion kits that used brushless motors and nickel metal Hydride batteries for some years, but in 2006, they introduced batteries that used lithium-ion technology. During 2007 Urban Mover and PowaCycle, both in the UK, introduced the first commercially available Li-poly powered electric bikes, as opposed to just supplying conversion kits.

[edit] Technology

There are currently two commercialized technologies, both lithium-ion-polymer (where "polymer" stands for "polymer electrolyte/separator") cells. These are collectively referred to as "polymer electrolyte batteries".

The idea is to use an ion-conducting polymer instead of the traditional combination of a microporous separator and a liquid electrolyte. This promises not only better safety, as polymer electrolytes do not ignite as easily, but also the possibility of making battery cells very thin, as they don't require pressure to "sandwich" cathode and anode together. Polymer electrolytes seal both electrodes together like a glue.

The design is: anode (Li or carbon-Li intercalation compound)/conducting polymer electrolyte-separator/cathode (LiCoO₂ or LiMnO₄)

Typical reaction:

• Anode: carbon-Li(x) - xLi+ - xe⁻
• Separator: Li+ conduction
• Cathode: Li(1-x)CoO₂ + xLi+ + xe⁻

Polymer electrolytes/separators can be solid polymers (e.g., polyethyleneoxide, PEO) plus LiPF₆, or other conducting salts plus SiO₂, or other fillers for better mechanical properties (such systems are not available commercially yet). Some manufacturers are planning to use metallic Li as the anode, whereas others wish to go with the proven safe carbon intercalation anode.

Both currently commercialized technologies use PVdF (a polymer) gelled with conventional solvents and salts, like EC/DMC/DEC. The difference between the two technologies is that one (Bellcore/Telcordia technology) uses LiMnO₄ as the cathode, and the other the more conventional LiCoO₂.

Other, more exotic (although not yet commercially available) Li-polymer batteries use a polymer cathode. For example, Moltech is developing a battery with a plastic conducting carbon-sulfur cathode. However, as of 2005 this technology seems to have had problems with self-discharge and manufacturing cost.

Yet another proposal is to use organic sulfur-containing compounds for the cathode in combination with an electrically conducting polymer such as polyaniline. This approach promises high power capability (i.e., low internal resistance) and high discharge capacity, but has problems with cycleability and cost.

[edit] References

1. ^ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium-Polymer-Akkumulator
2. ^ ^{a b} http://www.dn-power.com/v2/Battery/PLIB-intro.asp

[edit] External links

• BatteryUniversity.com
• World's First Electric Powered Paraglider - running on Lipo.
• A sailplane with auxilary electric power, running on lipos.
• 2004.4.20 - [1] Altair Nanotechnologies Announces Initial Shipment of Lithium Titanate Spinel Electrode Nanomaterials

• 2005.11.02 - A123Systems Launches New Higher-Power, Faster Recharging Li-Ion Battery Systems [2]

  2006.05.19 - Hybrid vehicle application note

 

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Website links: Electromagnetic pollution, twin article on mobile phone - cancer risk & Wi Fi radiation dangers

Mobile phone use and cancer linked (Science correspondent at Telegraph.co.uk)

By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent

Last Updated: 2:55am BST 31/08/2007

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Fresh fears over the health hazards linked to using mobile phones have been raised after scientists found that handset radiation could trigger cell division. Have your say: Are you worried about the safety of mobiles?                                                                   Mobile phone radiation could trigger cell division A study found that exposure to mobile phone signals for just five minutes stimulated human cells to split in two - a process that occurs naturally when tissue grows or rejuvenates, but that is also central to the development of cancer. Previous research on the safety of mobile use has led to conflicting conclusions, with some suggesting links with tumours in the nervous system and others finding no risks. The six-year Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme, which provided £8.4 million of Government and industry funding for 25 studies, is expected to present its final report next month. Official guidance that mobile phones were safe was based on the mainstream scientific assumption that electromagnetic radiation from such devices could damage cells and tissue only by heating them. advertisement But the new research, reported in this week's New Scientist, supports the position of those researchers who argue that handsets can trigger potentially harmful changes to cells irrespective of temperature changes. Prof Rony Seger, a cancer researcher at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and colleagues exposed rat and human cells to electromagnetic radiation at a similar frequency to that emitted by mobiles but at only about one tenth of the power. After just five minutes the researchers identified the production of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) - natural chemicals that stimulate cell division and growth. Cancers develop when the body is unable to prevent excessive growth and division of cells in the wrong place. Prof Seger said yesterday: "The real significance of our findings is that cells are not inert to non-thermal mobile phone radiation. "We used radiation power levels that were around one tenth of those produced by a normal mobile. The changes we observed were clearly not caused by heating." The UK has adopted international safety standards for electromagnetic radiation. These state that the amount of energy absorbed from an electric field or radio wave cannot exceed two watts per kilogram (W/kg) when averaged over 10 grams of tissue. Almost all mobile phones emit less that than one W/kg. Graham Philips, of Powerwatch, a lobby group that campaigns on mobile phones, masts and powerlines, said: "Current safety guidelines assume health effects from mobiles can occur only when significant heating of body tissue occurs. "This study shows biological changes in response to low-level mobile phone radiation - something that could have implications for health. Further research is required. However, guidance based purely on thermal effects is clearly out of date." Other scientists pointed out that cell division occurred naturally as tissue grew or rejuvenated within the body, and that the preliminary study did not prove any health effects. Simon Cook, a biochemist at the Babraham Institute near Cambridge, said: "The reason people are intrigued is that this pathway is frequently activated in cancer. "The research is certainly interesting. However, they saw a very transient activation of this pathway, which we know is not sufficient to promote cell division. "In cancer you see a much stronger, persistent and sustained activation and even this is just one of many changes required for cancer development." Simon Arthur, from the University of Dundee, said: "The ERK1/2 pathway can be turned on by a huge variety of different things such as natural compounds produced by the body that regulate cell growth, and various forms of environmental and chemical stress. "The research shows the effect on cells in culture in tightly-controlled laboratory conditions. In a living person there are lots of different processes occurring at the same time, so we do not know whether the signal from radio waves would produce a similar measureable effect." The health debate • May 2000: Parents left confused after an official report, chaired by Sir William Stewart, then chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB), concluded that there were no proven health risks associated with mobile phones but that children should minimise their use as a precaution. • Feb 2001: The Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR) set up to encourage further research into potential health hazards of handsets and masts. • May 2001: Research in America suggested children's brains absorbed 50-70 per cent more radiation from handsets than adults because their skulls were smaller. • Oct 2004: Swedish research concluded that those who used mobiles for 10 years were almost twice as likely to develop an acoustic neuroma - a tumour on a nerve connecting the ear to the brain. • Jan 2005: Chairman of the Health Protection Agency advised parents not to allow children under nine to use mobiles because of potential but unproven risks. • Dec 2006: A Danish study of people with brain tumours concluded there were no increased risks for heavy users. • Jan 2007: A study in Finland of people with nervous system tumours called gliomas found no link with mobile use until it separated out long-term, regular users. It was concluded that they were 39 per cent more likely to get a glioma on the side of their head where they held their handset. • Sept 2007: MTHR expected to present final report, including results of several unpublished studies. Prof Lawrie Challis, the chairman, expected to say there are no proven risks from short-term use, but to announce large-scale monitoring of health of handset users over 10 years.

Wi-Fi: a warning signal

Wi Fi systems are now in 70 per cent of secondary schools Britain is in the grip of a Wi-Fi revolution with offices, homes and classrooms going wireless - but there is concern the technology could carry health risks.

 Click on this link for the full BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/6674675.stm

KK's comments: Wife and Bluetooth has frequencies more than double that of our mobile phone. Greedy and irresponsible corporate materialists will argue that the amount of electrical power emitted is very small, and at the back of their mind, they just want to make profits. My argument is this, however small the power maybe, the danger is in the frequency (check resonance theory), which all scientists know, the higher it is, the more dangerous it will be to our DNAs. How much power do you think is necessary to cause damage to our fragile and nanoscopic genes??

9:05 AM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Health and wellness

September 13

Website links: Probiotics - Employing angel bacterias to prevent diseases and enhance our health

Adapted from US National Diary Council's website

 

Probiotics: Considerations for Human Health

Over the past decade, there has been considerable progress in identifying potentially beneficial roles for probiotics in human health. Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts that confer a health effect on the host”. Interest in the role of probiotics for human health dates back to the beginning of the 20th century (1908) when the Nobel Prize winning Russian scientist, Elie Metchnikoff, linked the long, healthy life of Bulgarian peasants to their high intake of fermented milk products containing lactic acid producing microorganisms. He theorized that the lactic acid bacteria in fermented milk displace undesirable bacteria normally present in the intestine, resulting in a healthier life. In recent years, there has been a plethora of published scientific studies examining the health attributes of probiotics, especially those related to gastrointestinal health and immune system modulation.

Although interest in probiotics (health-promoting bacteria) dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, only in recent years has considerable progress been made in identifying their potentially beneficial roles in human health.

The human gastrointestinal tract contains an extremely complex and diverse microbial population of more than 400 different species of bacteria. While the majority of these bacteria are non-pathogenic, some may potentially cause disease. In healthy individuals, there is a balance of bacteria. Disrupting this balance in the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., by stress, infection, antibiotic therapy) can lead to proliferation of undesirable or pathogenic microbes and increased risk of clinical disorders such as inflammatory diseases, infectious illnesses, and others. Increasing scientific evidence indicates that consumption of probiotics can help maintain a healthy microbial population, resulting in several therapeutic benefits.

For a microorganism to achieve probiotic status, it must have a demonstrable benefit for the host, be alive when administered, and be non-pathogenic. The majority of probiotics are strains of different species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In the U.S., food products containing probiotic bacteria are almost exclusively dairy products, such as yogurt, Sweet Acidophilus ® milk, kefir, and some cottage cheeses. Yogurt is the most popular dairy product containing probiotics. In addition to the yogurt starter bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus , probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria, are frequently added to yogurt to confer unique characteristics. Dairy foods containing probiotics are a major and growing segment of the world’s market for functional foods (i.e., foods fortified with ingredients capable of producing health benefits).

Probiotics should not be confused with prebiotics or synbiotics. Prebiotics are non-living, non-digestible food ingredients such as oligosaccharides (e.g., inulin) that stimulate the growth or activity of health-promoting lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. A synbiotic is a combination of prebiotics and probiotics. This combination can have an additive or synergistically beneficial effect on the host by improving the survival and/or persistance of the probiotic in the intestinal tract.

 

 

 

Potential Health Benefits of Probiotics

 

Research indicates that probiotics confer a variety of health benefits. However, when drawing conclusions regarding this research, it is important to recognize that different strains, species, and genera of bacteria may have unique effects. In vitro , experimental animal, and human studies of probiotics have used different bacterial strains and combinations of strains at different doses. Because human health issues are very difficult to study directly, different end points (e.g., blood cholesterol as an indicator of heart disease risk) are employed. Also, the mechanisms by which probiotics exert their effects are largely unknown. For the above reasons, generalizations about the health effects of probiotics can be misleading. Nevertheless, some promising health benefits (e.g., alleviation of lactose intolerance symptoms, anti-diarrheal effects, and immune stimulation) are attributed to specific strains of probiotics consumed at adequate levels.

 

Alleviation of Lactose Intolerance Symptoms. Individuals with low levels of the intestinal enzyme lactase (i.e., lactose maldigesters) have a limited ability to digest lactose (milk sugar), which can result in gastrointestinal symptoms or lactose intolerance. Studies demonstrate that intake of yogurt and some probiotics can improve lactose digestion and alleviate symptoms of intolerance.

Lactose maldigesters generally tolerate lactose from yogurt with live, active cultures better than from milk mainly due to the digestion of lactose in the gut lumen by lactase contained in yogurt starter cultures and released in the small bowel where these bacteria are lysed by bile acids. This benefit is substantially reduced if yogurt is heated after inoculation, which inactivates bacteria and its lactase enzyme. Compared to milk, yogurt delays gastric emptying and slows intestinal transit which prolongs the action of lactase in the small intestine and decreases the osmotic load of the lactose. Yogurt and probiotics may also improve tolerance to lactose by their positive effects on intestinal function and colonic microflora and/or by reducing individuals’ sensitivity to symptoms.

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Consuming yogurt, particularly with live, active cultures, allows many lactose maldigesters to comfortably include dairy products and their accompanying nutrients in their diet.

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A variety of probiotic bacteria such as L. acidophilus and bifidobacteria improve digestion of lactose in lactose maldigesters, although the effects are less consistent than those achieved for yogurt with live, active cultures. The finding that some fermented dairy products formulated exclusively with probiotic bacteria, such as Sweet Acidophilus® milk, are ineffective in improving tolerance to lactose may be explained by the low level of probiotics in the product.

Anti-diarrheal Effects. An extensive body of research supports a beneficial role for probiotics in the prevention and treatment of a variety of diarrheal illnesses, such as acute diarrhea caused by rotavirus infections, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and travelers’ diarrhea. Specific strains of lactobacilli, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and a combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus 190702 and Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 12246, as well as fermented dairy foods such as yogurt, have been shown to reduce the severity and duration of acute diarrhea caused by rotavirus infections in infants and young children. According to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies, therapy using lactobacilli offers a safe and effective means to treat acute infectious diarrheal diseases in children.

A common side-effect of antibiotic therapy is diarrhea, usually caused by the growth of pathogenic bacteria, specifically Clostridium difficile. Several placebo-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated that L. rhamnosus GG, L. acidophilus LA1, and Saccharomyces boulardi , as well as yogurt, reduce the incidence of or lessen the severity of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Two meta-analyses of placebo-controlled clinical trials support a strong benefit of probiotics in reducing the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Probiotics such as L. rhamnosus GG or specific mixtures of probiotics (e.g., L. acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, B. bifidum, and S. thermophilus ) have been used to reduce the incidence of travelers’ diarrhea among adults. However, the role of probiotics in the prevention of travelers’ diarrhea varies with the probiotic strain used and the travel destination.

Protection Against Infections. Probiotics may help prevent or treat infections such as postoperative infections, respiratory infections, and the growth of Helicobacter pylori , a bacterial pathogen responsible for type B gastritis, peptic ulcers, and perhaps stomach cancer. A 7-month randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study of more than 570 healthy children aged 1 to 6 years in day care centers found that intake of a probiotic milk containing L. rhamnosus GG reduced the number and severity of respiratory infections and the need for antibiotics. Regular intake of probiotics (i.e., a fermented milk drink containing a mixture of L. rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium, L. acidophilus, and S. thermophilus ) has been demonstrated to reduce potentially pathogenic bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of humans.

Some in vitro , experimental animal, and limited human studies indicate that probiotics, especially lactic acid bacteria, may inhibit the growth of H. pylori. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota , bifidobacteria, and Lactobacillus salivarius have been shown to inhibit the growth and/or colonization of H. pylori in in vitro and experimental animal studies. According to an in vitro study, yogurt containing Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 reduced the growth of H. pylori , whereas L. acidophilus La5 did not. When 59 adults with H. pylori infection consumed a mixture of these two probiotics in yogurt twice daily after a meal for 6 weeks, H. pylori was suppressed, but only when the probiotic yogurt was consumed regularly, whereas H. pylori continued to increase in the subjects consuming a placebo. Other human studies show that intake of fermented milks containing Lactobacillus johnsonii with or without antibiotics suppresses H. pylori infection or diminishes the severity and activity of gastric inflammation caused by H. pylori . Although these preliminary findings in humans indicate that some specific probiotic strains may help control H. pylori infection, there is no evidence that they can kill this pathogen in vivo.

Reduced Risk of Colon Cancer. Some evidence, primarily from in vitro and experimental animal studies, indicates that probiotics may have the potential to reduce colon cancer risk. In experimental animals, intake of yogurt and specific probiotic cultures has been shown to reduce the development of precancerous lesions (aberrant crypts) and chemically-induced tumors, although the findings appear to be both species- and strain-dependent . Epidemiological studies in humans link intake of yogurt or other fermented milk products to decreased cancer risk, however, the findings are inconsistent. Although human intervention studies demonstrate the ability of specific probiotics to inhibit biomarkers of colon cancer risk, such as bacterial enzyme activities, there is no direct evidence that probiotics reduce colon cancer incidence in humans. Based on a recent review of the evidence, researchers conclude that the protective role of milks fermented with probiotic cultures in colon cancer risk reduction is promising, but as yet inconclusive.

Immune Enhancement. Findings from experimental animal and mostly short term human studies indicate that yogurt and probiotics such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria stimulate certain cellular and antibody functions of the immune system, which in turn may increase resistance to immune-related diseases (e.g., infections, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, allergies). Secretory immunoglobulin A, which helps to protect against microbial antigens at the intestinal mucosal surface, has been shown to be increased in mice fed L. acidophilus, L. casei or yogurt, and in humans consuming fermented milk containing L. acidophilus. In mice fed fermented milk with L. casei, L. acidophilus , or both, macrophages (i.e., one of the first lines of nonspecific defense against bacterial invasion) increased. Consumption of yogurt or lactic acid bacteria (e.g., L. casei, L. rhamnosus GG, and other strains) also modulates the production of several cytokines, which have diverse roles in regulating immune functions.

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Emerging scientific evidence indicates that specific probiotics may reduce the risk of certain diarrheal diseases, infections, and colon cancer; enhance immune function; and alleviate symptoms of inflammatory disorders, among other benefits.

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Studies in older adults have shown that consumption of milk supplemented with a relatively low dose of the probiotic B. lactis HNO19 for 3 or 6 weeks enhances some aspects of cellular immunity, including total, helper, and activated T-cells, leukocyte phagocytosis, and tumor-killing cells. The greatest improvements in B. lactis -mediated immunoenhancement occurred in individuals with poorly functioning immune systems.

Many probiotic effects are mediated by balancing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. According to a recent study in 10 healthy adults, cellular immune response to intestinal microorganisms was enhanced following intake of L. rhamnosus GG for 5 weeks. This probiotic increased the response of peripheral T-lymphocytes to intestinal bacteria and enhanced an anti-inflammatory response by increasing the secretion of suppressive cytokines and decreasing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Genetically engineering probiotic bacteria with desired functions such as the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines is an active area of research.

Anti-inflammatory Effects. Because probiotics can influence the intestinal flora, they may have beneficial effects for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and pouchitis. Several animal studies and a few clinical trials in humans suggest that specific probiotic bacteria may alleviate or reduce symptoms of IBD . Intake of fermented milk for one year helped patients with ulcerative colitis maintain remission and had possible preventive effects, according to a randomized clinical trial in Japan. Other studies indicate that a combined probiotic preparation reduces relapses in patients with IBD. Intake of a combination of eight probiotic strains was effective in maintaining remission in patients with pouchitis.

Reduced Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Probiotics may reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . A randomized controlled clinical trial in 25 patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS showed that intake of a probiotic formula twice daily for 8 weeks reduced abdominal bloating.

Prevention of Allergic Reactions. Probiotics may help prevent allergic reactions in individuals at high risk of allergies, such as food allergies. Results of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study demonstrated that administration of L. rhamnosus GG to pregnant mothers 2 to 4 weeks prior to delivery and to their newborn babies through 6 months of age led to a 50% decrease in the infants’ incidence of recurring atopic eczema (i.e., an indicator of food allergy later in childhood). A follow-up study found that this preventive effect of L. rhamnosus GG extended until 4 years of age.

Other Potential Health Benefits. Some experimental animal and human investigations suggest that probiotics may reduce the risk of heart disease by their beneficial effects on blood lipid levels and blood pressure. Different strains of lactobacilli and fermented milk products containing probiotic bacteria may help prevent and treat urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast vaginitis in women. Probiotics may also help relieve constipation, reduce colic in infants, alleviate kidney stones, decrease inflammation associated with arthritis, and protect against dental caries.

 

 

11:47 PM | Add a comment | Permalink | Blog it | Health and wellness