Introduction Today, more than ever, it is obvious to most people that our nation is facing a health crisis that threatens to bankrupt us. Even with the advent of the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," the cost of health care continues to rise, both in terms of treatment costs and insurance premiums. At the same time, more people in the US suffer from chronic, degenerative disease than ever before, while nearly half of our population is dangerously overweight or obese. While our politicians, economists, and health experts argue about how best to address these concerns, few, if any, seem to have any realistic long-term solutions. Perhaps that''s because they are overlooking the obvious. The truth is that the solution they are looking for does exists. It is a solution that isn''t complicated, doesn''t require billions of tax ­dollars, and doesn''t need a giant bureaucratic overseer. What is that answer? Good health.

If fewer people needed pills to lower blood pressure, decrease cholesterol levels, or stimulate their love lives, think about the impact it would have on our health care system. If fewer people suffered from the severe pain of arthritis, rheumatism, and other degenerative diseases, think of how much emptier doctors'' offices would be. And, if the number of people diagnosed with cancer and heart disease started to drop sharply, think of how much less sorrow and grief there would be in our lives. The sad truth is that health is something the majority of people in this country are lacking. The incidence of chronic illness is at an all-time high. Just as alarming, even among people who don''t suffer from any obvious disease symptoms, is that lack of energy seems to be epidemic, as well. Yet, paradoxically, at no time in history has such a wealth of health information been available to us, as evidenced by the abundant supply of books, newsletters, magazines, seminars, and web sites all devoted to providing health information. So why is it that, as a nation, we remain so unhealthy? And, more importantly, what can be done about it? That''s what this book is all about.

We wrote it to answer these questions, and to empower you with the information you need to reclaim and maintain your health and vitality now and for the rest of your life. After years of careful research, study, and observation, we can say with absolute confidence that the solution to our health problems does exist, and it starts with the type of "medicine" that healers throughout history have recommended for more than 2,500 years--healthy food. Your body is designed to be healthy. This is a scientific truth. And it will be healthy if you provide it with the right foods and the abundant supply of life-supporting nutrients they contain to repair and maintain itself. This fact has been known and taught by physicians and healers throughout the ages. In recent decades, however, our understanding of what eating healthy means has changed thanks to the growing body of research focused on pH or acid-alkaline balance and the paramount role it plays in our health. Thanks to this research, we now know that eating healthy foods alone is not enough; we also need to eat them in the right proportions so that our bodies'' pH levels are properly maintained.

You will learn why this is so important in the pages ahead. Moreover, we will provide you with everything you need to know to create health-enhancing, pH-balancing meals quickly and easily. But diet alone, no matter how healthy it may be, is rarely enough to completely provide you with adequate health. Think of your diet as the foundation upon which your health is built. Without such a strong foundation, long-term health simply is not possible. However, once that foundation is put in place, you still need to add the other elements that create the "house of health" in which you want to reside. These other elements are what make up your daily routine. Combined together, we call this living the acid-alkaline lifestyle.

No matter what state of health you may currently be in, if you apply the guidelines we will share with you, we guarantee that you will experience a noticeable difference in how well you feel. A bold claim, to be sure, but we make it with confidence, because we have witnessed how people from all walks of life have already experienced dramatic improvements in their health after implementing the very same principles you will discover in this book. Even if you are already healthy, these principles can help you. In the pages that follow, you will not only learn how your body works, but also how you can begin to move it from a state of degeneration and fatigue into a state of regeneration and vitality. First, you will also learn about the foundational key--proper acid-alkaline balance, including its importance and how you can quickly begin to achieve and maintain it; why it is misunderstood or ignored by most health practitioners; and why unhealthy pH levels--a disruption of proper acid-alkaline balance--are at the root of all disease conditions. Then we will guide you on how to most effectively create the acid-alkaline lifestyle for yourself and your loved ones. Throughout the rest of this book you will learn why this way of life is fundamental. Why the foods you eat are the key to good health.

By knowing what foods to eat, how to prepare these foods, and when to eat them, you can take charge of your health once and for all. The following principles that will be addressed are fundamental to a healthy lifestyle. · Why water may be the missing key to better health and more energy. · The importance of nutritional supplements in today''s ever-increasingly toxic world, and the nutritional supplement program we recommend for taking your health to the next level. · How to improve your health simply by breathing properly, something most people don''t pay attention to or know how to do. · How to easily incorporate daily exercise into your lifestyle without having to spend a lot of time, money, or to use expensive exercise equipment. · How to cope with stress with proven, easy-to-use self-care stress management techniques. · The vital importance of adequate, restful sleep and how to ensure it.

Fortunately, the principles you are about to discover are easy to understand, and even easier to implement. By applying them to your daily life, you will be taking back control of your health and starting down the road to optimal vitality. No matter what health challenge you may presently be facing, you can improve it by adopting the guidelines that follow. This is our message to you: You don''t have to be sick! So, if you are ready to reclaim your health, turn the page and read on.