[.ca] Biobalance: The Acid/Alkaline Solution to the ... (ISBN 0943685052)

Unbalanced Book:
It wasn't until page 133 out of 198 internal pages did I finally get useful information on how the plan works. Prior to page 133 it was filled with repetitive comments on how Dr. Wiley funded his own research and has no more money. It also contained detailed drawbacks to other programs such as Fit for Life, Pritikin, and many more. His message was harsh and not well written. I am well-read and have been told by those with a master's degree in nutrition that I understand the chemical process of nutrition better than they do. I say this to help the reader of this review understand that I was expecting a detailed book on 'The Acid/Alkaline solution to the Food-Mood-Health Puzzle" not a book on how bad other programs are and that more research isn't possible because the Dr. ran out of money. This is the first negative review I've ever written as well. I will continue looking to find a book that addresses the acid/alkaline issue.

A must read. Although incomplete, it's really worthy:
First, sorry for my bad English. I'm vegetarian since more than 20 years and my wife and children are. I'm sure we don't have all the same necessities as the book explains. The criteria for determining acidifying and alcalinysing foods makes very much sense and it makes me think I'm in the category of people who feels good eating meet and fat. I won't never do it in spite of the book advises because I'm a professional danser who looks at least 12 years younger than most of the people of my age, so I cannot be that wrong. But I eat spontaneously a vegetarian variation with lots of avocados, nuts and soforth and what is good for me is not good for my wife and we know it. My family and I choose to be vegan (no dairy, eggs or meat) for human, economical and environmental reasons. Also all these animal products are expensive to consume and are plenty of hormones, pesticides, antibiotiques, vaccines etc.. We didn't stop meat, eggs and dairy products because of health problems. But we feel even better. I'm sure that using the same acid/alcaline criteria described in this book there can be found enough foods and suplements that are not from animal origin. I bet that this new knowledge will improve also our health in spite of been vegan. I understand better why the very different needs in my family. By the way, my family and I eat just raw food and I'm sure that makes also a difference. Each of us has an improved instinct for his particular needs after our tastes were acostumed to "living fods". As I said. This discovery of the venous PH exposed here is one of the most important discoveries that I have read about and that's why I recomend it. I just say that Wiley's research is not deep enough to be totaly usefull. I read it just yesterday and I'll make my own research about it and I suggest "acidics" to look for alternatives to eating meat at every meal. If it's about protein or aminoacids I'm sure there is another way. Maybe "miso" or "tempeh", which are usualy thought to be alcalising and are very high in proteins would be good enough, or the contrary, or coconuts, which have much saturated fats, or sprouted lentils etc. but they are not in his too short list of foods so we have to test them. When we eat raw, we need much less proteins which are very much used to synthesize enzimes. Then the rules aplying to rawfoodists can't be the same. The absorbtion of nutrients is increased tens of times after a while. There is a rawfoodist I know that makes hours of exercise with just an orange as meal. I'm also sure the diet with plenty of animal products is very poor in enzimes and other nutrients. For exemple, he doesn't tell the difference between eating raw and cooked tomatoes and I'm sure there is. Especially in a midium term. It doesn't make the difference between cheap salt and raw sea salt etc. For me, just not to feel sick is not enough. Age normaly is not enough either. This book doesn't describe the non-plus-ultra of nutrition. It's too incomplete but I haven't found it's valuable complementary information elsewhere so BUY IT!!. Also buy books about raw food such as the Boutenko family's books.

Speaks for itself:
If only Western medicine could catch up with this truly fasinating, scientific approach to health! I use this book as my bible to food intake. The approach to each type(acidic,alkaline, or mixed) is simple although a bit tougher for females (due to menstruation). I had a feeling that I was acidic just based on the food that I prefer and from a test used from another acid/alkaline book, "The Acid Alkaline Balnce Diet" by Felicia Kliment(using niacin on an empty stomach). Since commencing this approach (11/02) I have not been sick and have maintained a lean muscle mass throughout. I supplement this with consumption of alkaline water, take chlorella/spirulina with each meal, and have MSM and coral calcium twice a day (do your own research). Living this way isn't exactly cheap but the benefits outweigh the cost. I've never trusted the American approach to healthcare so this book opened my eyes. I truly feel for Dr. Wiley and his frustration with the establishment and hope my epiphany will be shared by others in the near future.

Reasons why this book never caught on...:
While well intentioned, this book is a mess. As another reviewer mentioned, his main point, that what works for one person could be very harmful for someone else, is what everyone should remember. It applies to this book as well. Clearly, it has helped some. Nevertheless, a reviewer asked "Why hasn't the press made BioBalance a household word?" Perhaps because it's so poorly written, organized and confusing. The INDEX alone is a disaster: A couple of readers mention a caffeine test, or how you can determine your profile by your tolerance to caffeine. Caffeine isn't even listed in the index, and coffee, even though the word can be found on at least a dozen pages, is listed as being on page 124. Look on 124, and it is nowhere to be found. "Krebs Cycle" is listed as being found on page 113. It is not there. "Dogs", yes DOGS is listed in the index, as being discussed (why?) on page 135. Again, not there. These errors are INEXCUSABLE, and the reason why this book did not catch on. As others have mentioned, he spends way too much time with verbose, complicated case histories, spends 75 pages trashing other's books, when he should be succinctly explaining the details of his program. The author claims you can quickly and easily determine your metabolic profile. Again, not from checking the index. And his list of foods to lower ones acidity includes hot dogs, french fries, heavy cream, fried chicken. Do those sound like alkaline foods to anyone? I was going to resell my copy, but I thought that would be cruel and unusual punishment for the buyer. There has to be better books on the subject.

Epilepsy and Biobalance !!!:
My daughter had Epilepsy. Five years I searched for answers, where-ever and however there seemed to be a connection, I searched. It was heartbreaking to see my daughter's mind deteriorate with conventional drug therapy. There must be a better way, somehow ! There seemed to be an pH imbalance, digestive problems, allergies,etc.etc. I looked at the ketogenic diet and decided it was to dangerous and unhealthy. Using the principles of Biobalance from this book for Alcaline types, and a few supplements I cured my child. Dr Wiley I can not thank you enough for this wonderful book. It did something conventional doctors could not. My daughter went from a special needs child, to an honor roll student! Thank you, thank you, thank you!