Black people were not made to eat a heavily acidic diet as their body does not respond well to having excessive acids added to its chemistry. Not adhering to a more alkaline diet is the key to many diseases people suffer from, according to herbalist Dr. Sebi (who was born Alfredo Bowman). He says many illnesses that people suffer from, like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol can be eliminated if people ate foods that aren't heavily processed, or made in laboratories. He says people should aim to eat foods that are closer to what their ancestors in Africa did long before man knew about science and depended on it to feed them. If they did, he said they could find their health can dramatically improve. The message of a more alkaline-based diet was the message Sebi shared with Bahamians on his recent fourth visit to The Bahamas.
Although his dietary approach is relatively new to The Bahamas, throngs of people are already buying into Sebi's concept of the alkaline diet.
Annemarie Hepburn was introduced to Dr. Sebi's products seven months ago, and reports having seen remarkable results.
"My nephew would always tell me I should stop feeding my 92-year-old mother the natural foods I thought were good for her -- but once I tried the food and products from Dr. Sebi I was impressed. I had a skin problem but since doing a cleanse and using the Sea Moss I not only have clearer skin but also I'm losing weight naturally. My mother is even so impressed that she doesn't even like eating other foods she used to love like crabs and cassava," said Hepburn.
Sebi, 79, a health and food researcher originally from Honduras, has been sharing his knowledge for over 40 years and said he was led by God to do the research on taking care of the body and finding the truth about better nutrition. Despite disbelief of his concepts he is encouraged to spread the word about having more balanced and acid-free diets from his own life experience and seeing results everyday from people living on his prescribed alkaline diet.
"The mistake many people make about their health is that medicine and science are the answer to everything. But if you start from a good foundation in the first place there is no need or room for medicine to have to heal you. In fact most illnesses are caused by inflammation, and inflammation is caused by irritants or things your body does not need and constantly fights against," he said. "And the greatest of these problems is the presence of acids constantly being ingested in our bodies -- be it from fruit, starches, processed foods and preservatives to drinks and other things people eat without thinking about from day-to-day."

The problem
Sebi, who established a healing village in LaCieba, Honduras and the Dr. Sebi's Research Institute in Los Angeles, which focuses on gathering natural foods and researching what makes some foods healthier than others and what benefits they have for the body, said the problem all starts with the mucus membranes in the body that protects the body from acids and irritants. He said that due to being bombarded with these things, the mucus begins to grow in excess and there is chronic inflammation. Whether the inflammation becomes a cold or causes a chain reaction that results in other illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure or even cancer is all determined by how the body reacts to trying to regain its proper balance.
"The best way to describe how badly we are hurting ourselves is to look at a car. When you have a car you know already that you are to put gasoline in it or diesel for it to run properly and for as long as it should. The same goes for the body. We are to put in the right kind of fuel so we run well and don't have hiccups or breakdowns along the way," he said.
The herbalist said the natural foods man should eat have long been lost over time, but that there are still many natural foods that are alkaline-based that people can be eating like sea moss, wild rices, agave sugars and fish.
"While this is what many of us should be eating today you have to know what's good for your body. For instance, although most birds fly all of them aren't made to eat the same things," said Sebi. "An eagle knows he must eat meat. He asks no one if it's healthy or if he needs more vegetables and starch. Other birds know they must eat fruit and seeds. They will never eat meat. So the same for humans. We are all wired a certain way to eat certain things so we can benefit the most from the foods we consume rather than be harmed."
According to the herbalist, disease and illness only exist in acidic environments, which is why Sebi encourages people to know how their body functions and to intake more alkaline products.
"This is not just to say to eat more natural foods, but to know where your natural foods are coming from. Many of the acids we are exposed to are from food we assume are harmless like cane sugar and starches. Cane sugar is not good because not only is it processed, but many of the strains of cane used today are made in laboratories and therefore are acidic in nature."

Return to eating natural foods
Sebi believes returning to eating natural foods untouched by science will promote more healthy cell growth, eliminate unhealthy ones and diminish disease and premature cellular deterioration in the body. He and his natural cell food research teams have been able to gather and readily provide the foods he talks about
for health conscious consumers.
Douglas Storr who was already health conscious said he was enticed into giving Sebi's products a try because he's always looking to do even better things for his body.
An avid fan of exercise, Storr would suffer with muscle pains and other aches normally, but he said once he found more natural products through Dr. Sebi's products he was able to fulfill his need to eat more healthily and reduce his aches.
"I was really impressed with the products like sea moss because it has done so much good for me. I had experienced a really bad tumble a few weeks ago and I really couldn't walk on it (foot). It was bruised, it hurt and I knew I had to go to a doctor, but before I did that I tried the sea moss which is supposed to help cell rejuvenation and healing first. I was amazed that as bad as my sprain was I was feeling better within three days," he said. "I never experienced something like that. I also used the sea moss to treat my dandruff and that too went away within a few uses. I really have more energy now than I have had before because of being more careful with my diet I feel."
Dr. Sebi who was born in the Spanish Honduras, never attended school -- not even kindergarten, according to his official biography. Instead, he took cues on being obedient to the procession of life from his grandmother. His early days of play and observation by the river and in the forest, coupled with guidance from his grandmother, afforded Sebi the foundation to be obedient to what he terms is the "truth" in his later life.
He went to the United States as a self-educated man who was diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, impotency and obesity. After unsuccessful treatments with conventional doctors, Sebi was led to an herbalist in Mexico where he found healing success from all of his ailments. He began creating natural vegetation cell food compounds geared for inter-cellular cleansing and the revitalization of all the cells that make up the human body.
Inspired by the personal healing experience and knowledge he gained, he began sharing the compounds with others, which gave birth to the USHA Research Institute and the Usha Healing Village.
Dr. Sebi's products can be found locally at New Life Natural Cell Foods on East Street south.

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