how to alkalize your body
There are a variety of ways to alkalize your body. The method used to alkalize the body that will be discussed in this health article is changing the pH of the body by dietary means through eating a high alkaline foods diet. Followers of the alkaline acid diet know that by eating more alkaline foods they can improve the body's pH balance.
Eating a high alkaline foods diet can reduce the potential renal acid load of your body. This can have a variety of beneficial health effects. The alkaline acid diet food recommendations suggest eating alkaline acid foods in a ratio of 80/20 alkaline to acid forming foods. It is argued that this will produce a beneficial pH balancing effect. Typically foods to alkalize your body are vegetables and fruits. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption means it is possible to alkalise your body by simply changing the foods you eat. Fruit and vegetables are beneficial to health not just for their alkalizing effects. They also have an abundance of minerals and nutrients.
Following an alkaline acid diet can improve energy levels, increase concentration, give a greater feeling of overall well being, make you more alert, improve health in general and ward off illness. Everyone knows the saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Perhaps the person who coined this saying followed the alkaline acid diet themselves! How much fruit and vegetables you have to consume to alkalize your body depends upon your current dietary regimen. If you eat a typical Western acidic diet, comprising of high quantities of meat and processed foods, then you will require more alkaline foods than someone who is a vegan. The alkaline acid diet is not about becoming a vegetarian although doing so certainly would have an alkalizing effect upon the body. Rather, by simply increasing your alkaline food consumption and reducing the low nutrition acid foods in your diet it is easy to alkalise your body.
how do you alkalize your body?
Alkalizing the body is not particularly difficult. All you have to do is start eating more fruit and vegetables. Perhaps this is easier said than done. One of the best ways to make it easy for yourself to alkalize the body is to make your own fruit and vegetable juice. Not long ago I bought myself a Magimix le duo fruit and vegetable juicer. Using a juicer means it is possible to have about five servings of fruit and vegetables in around a pint of juice. Depending upon the ingredients you use of course. Some produce more fluid than others. This doesn't necessarily mean that more fluid makes it easier to alkalise your body though. It comes down to the fruit and vegetables you use.
Having one or two fresh juices a day helps alkalize your system and balance pH levels. Even if you changed nothing else in your diet but simply added juices to help alkalize the body this by itself would help reduce the acid load on your body. If you are trying to lose weight however, this might not be a good idea as even though juices are healthy, it would increase your total calories for the day. The alkaline acid diet can certainly be used for weight loss. If this was your aim you would want to increase your alkaline food consumption and use these to displace some acid foods in your diet that are of poor nutritional quality.
Just because a food is classified as an acid food however doesn't mean that it is bad for you. This can often be a confusing aspect for anyone researching the alkaline diet. It is not a case of acid foods being bad and alkaline foods being good. This is too absolute a view point. For example, egg yolks are very acidic foods. They are also full of nutrients. So even though they have an acidifying effect upon the body, this doesn't mean that eating acidic foods is necessarily bad. This is a very good reason not to be dogmatic in applying the alkaline acid diet to all your dietary decisions.
Ideally you want to alkalise your body with fruit and vegetables. Simply trying to eat or drink more servings of fruit and veg than you currently do is the best place to start. If you don't eat much at present you could perhaps do what the saying says and eat "an apple a day". Taking things a step further, having an alkaline breakfast of grapefruit or grated carrots is an excellent way to alkalize your body at the start of the day. How do you alkalise your body?
how I alkalize my body
Personally I feel that taking baby steps whenever you want to make dietary changes is the best way. This is how I am going about alkalizing my diet. Just gently increasing the vegetables I consume on a daily basis. My breakfast is always alkalizing as I use my juicer every morning. Then even if I don't eat masses of vegetables throughout the day I know that by the time it comes to my evening juice I will be reaching double figures for the amount of fruit and vegetables I consume in a day. It is not difficult to alkanize your body, you just have to take the steps necessary to allow you to eat the desired amount of alkaline foods. Fruits that alkalize your body are an excellent way to go.
Other ways that make it possible to alkalise the body include eating a vegetarian meal once a week, or more often if desired. This doesn't mean french fries and donuts for dinner. This kind of vegetarianism is definitely not a good way to attempt to alkalize your body. Simply because it won't work. As stated above, it is not that meat is necessarily bad for you. All that is required to alkalize your body effectively is to eat adequate quantities of nutritious vegetables.
I have found alkalizing my body beneficial mainly for the general boost to my feeling of well being throughout the day. I now sleep a little less than before I changed my diet perhaps because I have more motivation and am involved with more activities. People looking to loose weight can also prosper on an alkaline diet. This way of eating itself may not be enough to loose weight but it certainly can help with how we feel about ourselves. Used in conjunction with an appetite suppressant such as hoodia diet pills it may be a good way to feel better and reduce body weight.
To conclude, alkalizing your body is simply about getting healthier. Eating more nutritious meals whether alkaline or acid foods is going to have health benefits. Including the alkalizing aspect of the alkaline acid diet puts the focus firmly on eating adequate fruit and vegetables while limiting foods with poor nutritional values, overly fatty foods, highly processed foods, foods with additives for example. Even if you don't concern yourself with the alkaline diet, taking steps to alkalize your body will likely have positive health outcomes.
Showing posts with label acid foods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acid foods. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
acid diet
The alkaline acid diet proposes that we increase the quantity of alkaline foods in our diet and limit the acid foods that we eat. This is to help us maintain the healthiest pH balance.
Depending on where we start determines how much we will want to change the food we eat. When I started on the alkaline diet I was eating less than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. This was definitely an acid diet.
A simple way to think about how acidic your diet is to your body is to count the servings of fresh fruit and vegetables you eat in one day on your fingers. If you run out of fingers, you may well be on your way to alkalinity. Conversely, if you don't make it off your first hand, this indicates an acid diet.
Want Health then Alkalise
Eating an acid diet is not the healthiest way to live. Here are some of the areas alkalizing your diet may help with:
How to alkalize
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to start of on the alkaline acid diet is to make changes to one of your meals. This gradual approach will be less of a shock to the system and may be easier to stick with as it doesn't involve massive change all at one time.
Personally I started with the first meal of the day and thought about how I could begin eating alkaline acid diet breakfast foods. I looked at what I was eating for breakfast, typically toast and eggs. Then decided how I could replace these acidic foods to get a more alkalizing effect in the morning.
I have tried things like eating grated carrots as well as eating a grapefruit breakfast. These are good options to reduce the acidity of the diet. An even better way though simply because it is possible to increase the quantity consumed is to make fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
The official alkaline diet is not a no acid diet. Instead it is more of a high alkaline foods diet. Processed low in nutrition foods are not good for the body. This is something most people know about. People who are interested in the alkaline acid diet often consume alkaline green drinks. These can be make fresh, from powder or even taken in capsule form. It depends whether you would rather have fresh green vegetables or a manufactured product. Powdered green alkaline drinks, even though they are not fresh use a greater variety of raw ingredients compared to a fresh green juice. The advantage of fresh juice is simply that it is made from raw green leafy vegetables. The simple message seems to be, if you want health then alkalise. Not going as far as a no acid diet. This may be as harmful for the body as a high acid diet. If you want to alkalize your body, the simple message from alkaline acid diet food chart lists suggests that we should eat alkaline and acid foods in a ratio of 80/20.
A no acid diet would mean that the pH balance of your body we become unbalanced. This can result in a condition know as alkalosis. It appears that an acid diet alone is unlikely to result in this medical condition. Hyperventilation can cause alkalosis. Eating a high alkaline foods diet can help with acid diet osteoporosis. Vegetables and foods that leave a higher than neutral pH mean that the rate of bone breakdown is reduced. As we get older this can certainly be beneficial.
Alkaline acid diet foods for children are fine. Most parents are keen for their children to eat their greens. Whether we are aware of alkaline green vegetables or simply know that eating vegetables is good for health doesn't really matter. The fact that alkaline acid diet food helps us regardless of our age is the important point. I am always keen for my son to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables for a whole variety of reasons, nutritional content, water content and other alkaline acid diet issues.
Depending on where we start determines how much we will want to change the food we eat. When I started on the alkaline diet I was eating less than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. This was definitely an acid diet.
A simple way to think about how acidic your diet is to your body is to count the servings of fresh fruit and vegetables you eat in one day on your fingers. If you run out of fingers, you may well be on your way to alkalinity. Conversely, if you don't make it off your first hand, this indicates an acid diet.
Want Health then Alkalise
Eating an acid diet is not the healthiest way to live. Here are some of the areas alkalizing your diet may help with:
- greater energy levels
- reduces aches and pains
- aids digestion
- weight loss
- increased mental clarity
- boost to vitality
- overall well being
How to alkalize
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to start of on the alkaline acid diet is to make changes to one of your meals. This gradual approach will be less of a shock to the system and may be easier to stick with as it doesn't involve massive change all at one time.
Personally I started with the first meal of the day and thought about how I could begin eating alkaline acid diet breakfast foods. I looked at what I was eating for breakfast, typically toast and eggs. Then decided how I could replace these acidic foods to get a more alkalizing effect in the morning.
I have tried things like eating grated carrots as well as eating a grapefruit breakfast. These are good options to reduce the acidity of the diet. An even better way though simply because it is possible to increase the quantity consumed is to make fresh fruit and vegetable juice.
The official alkaline diet is not a no acid diet. Instead it is more of a high alkaline foods diet. Processed low in nutrition foods are not good for the body. This is something most people know about. People who are interested in the alkaline acid diet often consume alkaline green drinks. These can be make fresh, from powder or even taken in capsule form. It depends whether you would rather have fresh green vegetables or a manufactured product. Powdered green alkaline drinks, even though they are not fresh use a greater variety of raw ingredients compared to a fresh green juice. The advantage of fresh juice is simply that it is made from raw green leafy vegetables. The simple message seems to be, if you want health then alkalise. Not going as far as a no acid diet. This may be as harmful for the body as a high acid diet. If you want to alkalize your body, the simple message from alkaline acid diet food chart lists suggests that we should eat alkaline and acid foods in a ratio of 80/20.
A no acid diet would mean that the pH balance of your body we become unbalanced. This can result in a condition know as alkalosis. It appears that an acid diet alone is unlikely to result in this medical condition. Hyperventilation can cause alkalosis. Eating a high alkaline foods diet can help with acid diet osteoporosis. Vegetables and foods that leave a higher than neutral pH mean that the rate of bone breakdown is reduced. As we get older this can certainly be beneficial.
Alkaline acid diet foods for children are fine. Most parents are keen for their children to eat their greens. Whether we are aware of alkaline green vegetables or simply know that eating vegetables is good for health doesn't really matter. The fact that alkaline acid diet food helps us regardless of our age is the important point. I am always keen for my son to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables for a whole variety of reasons, nutritional content, water content and other alkaline acid diet issues.
Friday, May 29, 2009
alkaline acid diet challenges | coffee
As an alkaline acid dietary challenge for the month of May I tried giving up coffee to evaluate whether it is a good or bad thing for me. I have been trying to eat a high alkaline foods diet for pH balance since March. In a paper published in 1995 researching the acidifying and alkalizing effects of various foods upon the body, the authors classify it as an alkaline food. So is it a case of alkaline coffee or acidic coffee? Originally when I decided to quit I was under the impression that its classification fell under acid foods. Now I believe that this is not the case. Many charts list coffee as acidic.
Unfortunately I failed on my alkaline acid diet challenge as I only lasted 20 days before a sweet old lady gave me a cup of coffee and I felt it would have been too rude to decline. However even with the shorter time frame I gained valuable insight into its effects on my body as well as how it impacts my diet.
Regardless of whether coffee is acid or alkaline, I have decided that drinking it is okay for me so long as I do it in moderation. Too much and there is always a crash afterwards. Of possibly more concern is that drinking too much displaces other drinks from my diet, e.g. water and Japanese green tea. The alkaline diet and healthy diets in general stress the importance of consuming adequate amounts of water throughout the day. There are also notable health benefits attributed to green tea.
What I dis-like about the acid alkaline diet information available online is that the majority of it suggests that we should simply use the acid/alkaline food classifications as guidelines to help us make decisions on what to eat. In an attempt to alkalize the body we must not forget the importance of nutrition. By their very nature, alkaline foods are nutritious. However many acidic foods also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals and give other health benefits.
So is coffee alkaline or coffee acid? According to many of the alkaline acid diet food chart lists, coffee is acidic. However using the PRAL calculation, the acid/alkaline ash comes out as alkaline coffee rather than coffee = acid. The thing to remember with the acid alkaline diet is that making food choices to eat a high alkaline foods diet based solely on the ash pH may not be the only factor to take into consideration. Certainly if all you are worried about is the pH balance of your body, eating alkaline foods will alkalize your body. However nutritional values as well as pH balance is important too.
What seems to affect my body more than drinking coffee is consuming decent quantities of alkaline foods, namely fruit and vegetables each day. When I am eating over ten servings per day, the adverse effects of "bad foods" is diminished. I have always known that eating fruit and vegetables is a good thing. The acid alkaline diet literature has simply reminded me of that fact and made me excited to be doing so. Anyone trying to eat a high alkaline foods diet need not worry about acidifying effects of coffee.
For my next alkaline acid dietary challenge I am planning on completely giving up alcohol for the month of June. Drinking mildly alkaline coffee is something I will do on an occasional basis.
References: Remer T, Manz F. Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. J Am Diet Assoc 1995;95:791
Unfortunately I failed on my alkaline acid diet challenge as I only lasted 20 days before a sweet old lady gave me a cup of coffee and I felt it would have been too rude to decline. However even with the shorter time frame I gained valuable insight into its effects on my body as well as how it impacts my diet.
Regardless of whether coffee is acid or alkaline, I have decided that drinking it is okay for me so long as I do it in moderation. Too much and there is always a crash afterwards. Of possibly more concern is that drinking too much displaces other drinks from my diet, e.g. water and Japanese green tea. The alkaline diet and healthy diets in general stress the importance of consuming adequate amounts of water throughout the day. There are also notable health benefits attributed to green tea.
What I dis-like about the acid alkaline diet information available online is that the majority of it suggests that we should simply use the acid/alkaline food classifications as guidelines to help us make decisions on what to eat. In an attempt to alkalize the body we must not forget the importance of nutrition. By their very nature, alkaline foods are nutritious. However many acidic foods also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals and give other health benefits.
So is coffee alkaline or coffee acid? According to many of the alkaline acid diet food chart lists, coffee is acidic. However using the PRAL calculation, the acid/alkaline ash comes out as alkaline coffee rather than coffee = acid. The thing to remember with the acid alkaline diet is that making food choices to eat a high alkaline foods diet based solely on the ash pH may not be the only factor to take into consideration. Certainly if all you are worried about is the pH balance of your body, eating alkaline foods will alkalize your body. However nutritional values as well as pH balance is important too.
What seems to affect my body more than drinking coffee is consuming decent quantities of alkaline foods, namely fruit and vegetables each day. When I am eating over ten servings per day, the adverse effects of "bad foods" is diminished. I have always known that eating fruit and vegetables is a good thing. The acid alkaline diet literature has simply reminded me of that fact and made me excited to be doing so. Anyone trying to eat a high alkaline foods diet need not worry about acidifying effects of coffee.
For my next alkaline acid dietary challenge I am planning on completely giving up alcohol for the month of June. Drinking mildly alkaline coffee is something I will do on an occasional basis.
References: Remer T, Manz F. Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. J Am Diet Assoc 1995;95:791
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
alkaline acid diet diary
Today I decided to keep a complete record of the foods I ate as part of my alkaline acid diet. Plenty of what I eat could certainly be considered acid foods. However my diet is much better than at the start of the year as the amount of alkaline foods made up of fruit and vegetables that I eat has greatly increased. A large part of this increase comes from all the juices I make with my magimix le duo juicer.
breakfast: carrot (2), orange (3) and ginger (slice) juice; white rice; natto
between breakfast and lunch: 5 cups of green tea
lunch: chirashi-zushi; soba noodles; prawn tempura; fruit salad + yogurt; green tea; iced coffee
afternoon: 3 cups of coffee + piece of cake
late afternoon snack: banana
post gym: almonds (5); cashews (5); banana/soy/protein shake
dinner: white rice; tinned fish (saury); kimchi; boiled cabbage
evening juice: apple (2), spinach (1 serving) and ginger (slice) juice
Alkaline foods: 2 carrots, 3 oranges, 2 bananas, 1 portion of boiled cabbage; 2 apples; 1 portion of spinach, small serving of fruit salad
Even though thinking only in terms of alkaline and acid food my diet appears to still be made up of too high a proportion of acid foods, I am feeling much better about myself because of the amounts of fruit and vegetables I am now eating. My current goal is to ensure I eat over 10 servings of alkaline foods each day. In effect, this translates to over 10 pieces of fruit and vegetables. The majority of this comes from juicing. Something else I would like to increase is the amount of solid alkaline foods that consume. Eating more potatoes instead of rice is one simple option I can pursue.
Starting the day with an alkaline breakfast sets me up well and consuming 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables means it is easy to push on during the rest of the day to reach 10 or more servings of foods that alkalize.
Alkaline foods are really just healthy foods so the alkaline acid diet has a lot in common with a simple common sense balanced diet.
Reference: Remer T, Manz F. Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. J Am Diet Assoc 1995;95:791
breakfast: carrot (2), orange (3) and ginger (slice) juice; white rice; natto
between breakfast and lunch: 5 cups of green tea
lunch: chirashi-zushi; soba noodles; prawn tempura; fruit salad + yogurt; green tea; iced coffee
afternoon: 3 cups of coffee + piece of cake
late afternoon snack: banana
post gym: almonds (5); cashews (5); banana/soy/protein shake
dinner: white rice; tinned fish (saury); kimchi; boiled cabbage
evening juice: apple (2), spinach (1 serving) and ginger (slice) juice
Alkaline foods: 2 carrots, 3 oranges, 2 bananas, 1 portion of boiled cabbage; 2 apples; 1 portion of spinach, small serving of fruit salad
Even though thinking only in terms of alkaline and acid food my diet appears to still be made up of too high a proportion of acid foods, I am feeling much better about myself because of the amounts of fruit and vegetables I am now eating. My current goal is to ensure I eat over 10 servings of alkaline foods each day. In effect, this translates to over 10 pieces of fruit and vegetables. The majority of this comes from juicing. Something else I would like to increase is the amount of solid alkaline foods that consume. Eating more potatoes instead of rice is one simple option I can pursue.
Starting the day with an alkaline breakfast sets me up well and consuming 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables means it is easy to push on during the rest of the day to reach 10 or more servings of foods that alkalize.
Alkaline foods are really just healthy foods so the alkaline acid diet has a lot in common with a simple common sense balanced diet.
Reference: Remer T, Manz F. Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH. J Am Diet Assoc 1995;95:791
Saturday, May 2, 2009
acid alkaline foods
To be able to follow the alkaline acid diet we have to be aware of the acidity in food. Which food groups are acid foods and which are alkaline foods? Broadly speaking, fruit and vegetables are alkaline foods while processed foods, dairy and meats are acidic foods. However do we really need an alkaline acid diet to tell us that eating more fruits and vegetables is good for us? Also does it seem strange that citrus fruits like oranges and lemons would be classed as alkaline foods? What about the conflicting information on various food charts? For example, coffee can't really be "mildly alkaline" and "highly acidic" at the same time, can it?
Firstly, we all know that eating a higher percentage of fruit and vegetables in our diets is a good thing. It ensures we get sufficient vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies healthy. The acid alkaline diet attempts to show that there is a further nutritional benefit from fruit and vegetables, predominately alkaline foods, which is the alkalizing effect they have upon us. The alkaline acid diet proposes that it is the acidity in food which causes our body to function sub-optimally.
Benefits of eating a healthier diet, like the acid alkaline diet include, potentially reducing the risk or severity of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal disease and acne.
Typical Western diets include too much of what are termed acid foods, in too high quantities. Consuming this kind of dietary acid load may lead to a disruption in delicate alkaline acid balance in our bodies and eventually may even lead to chronic diseases through continuous borrowing of the body's alkaline reserves in an effort to rid ourselves of excess acidity. I have previously discussed negative health impacts of eating an acid rich diet.
alkaline foods
As already stated, fruit and vegetables are alkaline foods. This may seem strange when you consider that lemons have a pH of between 2 and 3. But according to the science, lemons are alkaline foods. It is not the acidity of the food itself that is important. Rather it is the protein and mineral composition which determines what sort of pH effect it will have on us.
The notion of acid and alkaline comes not from the actual acidity or alkalinity of foods in their natural state. Instead it refers to the ash the food leaves after it has been burnt, or metabolized by the body. So even though lemons are without question acidic in their natural state, after our bodies metabolize citrus fruits, they leave an alkaline ash.
A study that influences many acid alkaline food charts comes from 1995 and was conducted by Remer and Manz. The research paper, Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH, lists many foods and provides values that signify how acidic or alkaline their ash is. Some highly alkaline fruit and vegetables include, spinach, raisins and dried figs.
acid foods
Eating so called acid foods is not a bad thing in itself. Rather it is eating a diet that contains too high a percentage of acidic foods that could become a problem. The acidity of foods themselves is not necessarily the problem either. Fish, meat, bread and rice all appear to be acidic. However eating a diet that neglects to incorporate a high percentage of alkaline foods along with foods from the acidic side of the scale may lead to health problems already mentioned.
There are plenty of acid foods that are good for us in many respects. Particularly acidic foods include brown rice and egg yolks. Unless you were being dogmatic about the alkaline acid diet, many people would still want to include these in their diets. So the important point to bear in mind is that eating acid foods is fine, even to be encouraged as by virtue of their acidity doesn't make them un-nutritious foods. If you are keen on keeping your body in a healthy state of alkaline acid balance however, you must ensure that you consume plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Not only does this provide you with high levels of nutrients and minerals, they help your body neutralize the acidic effects of the acid foodstuffs that you consume.
References: Uriel S. Barzel and Linda K. Massey Excess Dietary Protein Can Adversely Affect Bone The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 6 June 1998, pp. 1051-1053 http://jn.nutrition.org/
Firstly, we all know that eating a higher percentage of fruit and vegetables in our diets is a good thing. It ensures we get sufficient vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies healthy. The acid alkaline diet attempts to show that there is a further nutritional benefit from fruit and vegetables, predominately alkaline foods, which is the alkalizing effect they have upon us. The alkaline acid diet proposes that it is the acidity in food which causes our body to function sub-optimally.
Benefits of eating a healthier diet, like the acid alkaline diet include, potentially reducing the risk or severity of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal disease and acne.
Typical Western diets include too much of what are termed acid foods, in too high quantities. Consuming this kind of dietary acid load may lead to a disruption in delicate alkaline acid balance in our bodies and eventually may even lead to chronic diseases through continuous borrowing of the body's alkaline reserves in an effort to rid ourselves of excess acidity. I have previously discussed negative health impacts of eating an acid rich diet.
alkaline foods
As already stated, fruit and vegetables are alkaline foods. This may seem strange when you consider that lemons have a pH of between 2 and 3. But according to the science, lemons are alkaline foods. It is not the acidity of the food itself that is important. Rather it is the protein and mineral composition which determines what sort of pH effect it will have on us.
The notion of acid and alkaline comes not from the actual acidity or alkalinity of foods in their natural state. Instead it refers to the ash the food leaves after it has been burnt, or metabolized by the body. So even though lemons are without question acidic in their natural state, after our bodies metabolize citrus fruits, they leave an alkaline ash.
A study that influences many acid alkaline food charts comes from 1995 and was conducted by Remer and Manz. The research paper, Potential renal acid load of foods and its influence on urine pH, lists many foods and provides values that signify how acidic or alkaline their ash is. Some highly alkaline fruit and vegetables include, spinach, raisins and dried figs.
acid foods
Eating so called acid foods is not a bad thing in itself. Rather it is eating a diet that contains too high a percentage of acidic foods that could become a problem. The acidity of foods themselves is not necessarily the problem either. Fish, meat, bread and rice all appear to be acidic. However eating a diet that neglects to incorporate a high percentage of alkaline foods along with foods from the acidic side of the scale may lead to health problems already mentioned.
There are plenty of acid foods that are good for us in many respects. Particularly acidic foods include brown rice and egg yolks. Unless you were being dogmatic about the alkaline acid diet, many people would still want to include these in their diets. So the important point to bear in mind is that eating acid foods is fine, even to be encouraged as by virtue of their acidity doesn't make them un-nutritious foods. If you are keen on keeping your body in a healthy state of alkaline acid balance however, you must ensure that you consume plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Not only does this provide you with high levels of nutrients and minerals, they help your body neutralize the acidic effects of the acid foodstuffs that you consume.
References: Uriel S. Barzel and Linda K. Massey Excess Dietary Protein Can Adversely Affect Bone The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 6 June 1998, pp. 1051-1053 http://jn.nutrition.org/
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Acid alkaline diet for healthy bones
Following on from a recent post about the science of the acid alkaline diet, I have found more research on dietary acid and alkalinity intake. These papers conclude that it appears beneficial for the health of our bones to eat more alkaline foods.
The acid alkaline diet advocates a diet high in alkali foods and low in acid foods. Typically in a ratio of 80:20 or 75:25. Foods rich in both potassium, bicarbonate are considered alkali foods. Looking at an alkaline acid diet food chart helps determine what we want to eat more and less of in our diet.
However in our Western diets there are few foods that are good sources of both potassium and bicarbonate. The scientific literature suggests that eating alkali foods promotes healthy bones and can play a positive role proactively combating osteoporosis. There are a variety of other claims made for the alkaline acid diet from re-energizing your body to preventing migraine headaches.
10 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis in the U.S. today. A further 34 million are estimated to have low bone mass placing them at increased risk. The costs associated with the disease are estimated to have exceeded $20 billion.
An acid alkaline diet is possibly a way to protect people from bone resorption, the process by which bone is broken down. Not only would there be the beneficial effects to personal health but also there could potentially be a massive reduction in health care costs associated with osteoporosis - simply by following an acid alkaline diet.
It is widely believed that our modern western diet is very different from that which early humans once consumed. Sodium and potassium intake in pre-agricultural days was 600 mg/day and 7000 mg/day respectively. Those figures are vastly different these days, 4000 mg/day and 2500 mg/day respectively. Without even thinking about it, our ancestors followed an acid alkaline diet. Perhaps not having green alkaline drinks but just through their regular diet long ago.
What most people would consider healthy eating comes close to what the acid alkaline diet proposes. Whereas consuming a diet high in meat, dairy, breads, sugar, preservatives could be considered an acid diet. The typical westerner now-a-days consumes an acid diet.
Increasing dietary vegetable intake, following an acid alkaline diet, to about ten servings per day has been proven to have positive effects on health. Even without scientific proof of the acid alkaline diet, most people would likely agree that eating more vegetables would have a beneficial effect upon our health.
Reasons to follow an alkaline acid diet
Evidence suggests that a typical western diet has an overall acidifying effect upon the body. Following the acid alkaline diet is one way we can attempt to reduce and neutralize the effects of an acid diet. This means we can get our body back into balance and gain wide ranging health benefits. Discussed above are the beneficial effects the acid alkaline diet has upon our bone health.
The scientific literature supports eating more healthily. The dietary advice promotes similar food types to that of alkaline diet supporters.
Evidence supporting the alkaline acid diet
Eating a typical Western diet which is low in fruit and vegetables while being high in protein has an acidifying effect upon our bodies. This has been proven in various scientific studies, cited below. The effect of this kind of acid diet has is detrimenal to our bones.
In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, following a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and low in sweets and snacks, similar to an acid alkaline diet, it was shown that the amount of urinary calcium excretion decreased by about 25%. One theory is that the acid alkaline diet allows more calcium to be conserved for bone retention.
When we digest our food and drink, it is broken down and leaves either an acid or an alkaline "ash". Diets high in protein but low in fresh fruit and vegetables generally produce an acid ash. Our bodies have to remain in an slightly alkaline pH balance. So something needs to be done about the acidity of our bodies.
Getting rid of excess dietary acid through going to the toilet seems as obvious as it does logical. However even though this is what happens, there is a catch. Our kidneys cannot deal with any pH below 5. So if our acidic ash is lower than this the body has to dilute it, in other words, make it less acidic.
Alkaline compounds are required to reduce the pH of acidic ash in our bodies. Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of alkaline ash themselves. Not eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables means our bodies may turn to our bones in an effort to dilute the body's acidic ash. Supplementing diets with chemical salts is another way to counteract the negative effect an acid ash has on our bones.
A seperate study shows that by increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in the diet, the amount of calcium excreted via urine is reduced by about 30%. This tells us that fighting an acid diet by increasing the amount of fresh produce we eat is an effective way to counteract the breaking down of our own bones.
Advice regarding alkaline acid diets
Some studies suggest it is not 100% clear whether the beneficial effects upon bone retention are due specifically to the alkali properties of fruit and vegetables consumed. Others are clear in their support for increasing the alkalinity of our diets. This is easily accomplished by consuming fruit alkaline drinks.
The beneficial effects could perhaps be due to other nutrients present. What is interesting to me is that it doesn't overly concern me if the acid alkaline diet is good because of the alkaline content of fruit and vegetables or due to their other nutritional values. The foods championed by the acid alkaline diet have been proven to have positive effects on our health in a variety of areas. That is why I am continuing to move away from an acid diet and follow the acid alkaline diet.
References:
Susan A. Lanham-New - The Balance of Bone Health: Tipping the Scales in Favor of Potassium-Rich, Bicarbonate-Rich Foods - American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 138:172S-177S, January 2008
Lawrence J. Appel et al. A Clinical Trial of the Effects of Dietary Patterns on Blood Pressure - The New England Journal of Medicine Volume 336:1117-1124 April 17, 1997 Number 16
Uriel S. Barzel and Linda K. Massey Excess Dietary Protein Can Adversely Affect Bone - The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 6 June 1998, pp. 1051-1053
The acid alkaline diet advocates a diet high in alkali foods and low in acid foods. Typically in a ratio of 80:20 or 75:25. Foods rich in both potassium, bicarbonate are considered alkali foods. Looking at an alkaline acid diet food chart helps determine what we want to eat more and less of in our diet.
However in our Western diets there are few foods that are good sources of both potassium and bicarbonate. The scientific literature suggests that eating alkali foods promotes healthy bones and can play a positive role proactively combating osteoporosis. There are a variety of other claims made for the alkaline acid diet from re-energizing your body to preventing migraine headaches.
10 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis in the U.S. today. A further 34 million are estimated to have low bone mass placing them at increased risk. The costs associated with the disease are estimated to have exceeded $20 billion.
An acid alkaline diet is possibly a way to protect people from bone resorption, the process by which bone is broken down. Not only would there be the beneficial effects to personal health but also there could potentially be a massive reduction in health care costs associated with osteoporosis - simply by following an acid alkaline diet.
It is widely believed that our modern western diet is very different from that which early humans once consumed. Sodium and potassium intake in pre-agricultural days was 600 mg/day and 7000 mg/day respectively. Those figures are vastly different these days, 4000 mg/day and 2500 mg/day respectively. Without even thinking about it, our ancestors followed an acid alkaline diet. Perhaps not having green alkaline drinks but just through their regular diet long ago.
What most people would consider healthy eating comes close to what the acid alkaline diet proposes. Whereas consuming a diet high in meat, dairy, breads, sugar, preservatives could be considered an acid diet. The typical westerner now-a-days consumes an acid diet.
Increasing dietary vegetable intake, following an acid alkaline diet, to about ten servings per day has been proven to have positive effects on health. Even without scientific proof of the acid alkaline diet, most people would likely agree that eating more vegetables would have a beneficial effect upon our health.
Reasons to follow an alkaline acid diet
Evidence suggests that a typical western diet has an overall acidifying effect upon the body. Following the acid alkaline diet is one way we can attempt to reduce and neutralize the effects of an acid diet. This means we can get our body back into balance and gain wide ranging health benefits. Discussed above are the beneficial effects the acid alkaline diet has upon our bone health.
The scientific literature supports eating more healthily. The dietary advice promotes similar food types to that of alkaline diet supporters.
Evidence supporting the alkaline acid diet
Eating a typical Western diet which is low in fruit and vegetables while being high in protein has an acidifying effect upon our bodies. This has been proven in various scientific studies, cited below. The effect of this kind of acid diet has is detrimenal to our bones.
In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, following a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and low in sweets and snacks, similar to an acid alkaline diet, it was shown that the amount of urinary calcium excretion decreased by about 25%. One theory is that the acid alkaline diet allows more calcium to be conserved for bone retention.
When we digest our food and drink, it is broken down and leaves either an acid or an alkaline "ash". Diets high in protein but low in fresh fruit and vegetables generally produce an acid ash. Our bodies have to remain in an slightly alkaline pH balance. So something needs to be done about the acidity of our bodies.
Getting rid of excess dietary acid through going to the toilet seems as obvious as it does logical. However even though this is what happens, there is a catch. Our kidneys cannot deal with any pH below 5. So if our acidic ash is lower than this the body has to dilute it, in other words, make it less acidic.
Alkaline compounds are required to reduce the pH of acidic ash in our bodies. Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of alkaline ash themselves. Not eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables means our bodies may turn to our bones in an effort to dilute the body's acidic ash. Supplementing diets with chemical salts is another way to counteract the negative effect an acid ash has on our bones.
A seperate study shows that by increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in the diet, the amount of calcium excreted via urine is reduced by about 30%. This tells us that fighting an acid diet by increasing the amount of fresh produce we eat is an effective way to counteract the breaking down of our own bones.
Advice regarding alkaline acid diets
Some studies suggest it is not 100% clear whether the beneficial effects upon bone retention are due specifically to the alkali properties of fruit and vegetables consumed. Others are clear in their support for increasing the alkalinity of our diets. This is easily accomplished by consuming fruit alkaline drinks.
The beneficial effects could perhaps be due to other nutrients present. What is interesting to me is that it doesn't overly concern me if the acid alkaline diet is good because of the alkaline content of fruit and vegetables or due to their other nutritional values. The foods championed by the acid alkaline diet have been proven to have positive effects on our health in a variety of areas. That is why I am continuing to move away from an acid diet and follow the acid alkaline diet.
References:
Susan A. Lanham-New - The Balance of Bone Health: Tipping the Scales in Favor of Potassium-Rich, Bicarbonate-Rich Foods - American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 138:172S-177S, January 2008
Lawrence J. Appel et al. A Clinical Trial of the Effects of Dietary Patterns on Blood Pressure - The New England Journal of Medicine Volume 336:1117-1124 April 17, 1997 Number 16
Uriel S. Barzel and Linda K. Massey Excess Dietary Protein Can Adversely Affect Bone - The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 128 No. 6 June 1998, pp. 1051-1053
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Alkaline acid diet science
In the U.K., medical advice suggests we should eat five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. The alkaline acid diet simply takes this advice a stage further.
The alkaline acid diet involves basing your diet around vegetables, citrus fruit, nuts, tubers, and legumes (alkaline foods) and steering clear of grains, dairy products, meat, excess salt, caffeine and alcohol (acid foods). Regardless of the term alkaline acid diet, most of you would likely agree that reducing the amount of so called acid foods while at the same time increasing consumption of alkaline foods is a good thing.
After scouring the internet I am beginning to discover some actual science upon which the alkaline acid diet is based. The science suggests that increasing the alkali content of the diet may attenuate bone loss in healthy older adults.
Eating more alkaline foods, or simply healthy foods, like vegetables as we all know is considered better than an acid diet of processed foods which often have high sugar and salt content.
The clinical experiment, quoted above, while not explicitly comparing an alkaline diet to an acid diet does suggest that the same benefits derived from dietary alkaline supplementation could also be observed by moving from the acid diet end of the spectrum to the alkaline diet side.
This study found that doses of bicarbonate reduced the amount of calcium excreted and had a positive effect on bone resorption - the process by which bones are broken down and calcium transferred to the blood stream.
Scientific information that backs up some of the claims made about the alkaline acid diet is reassuring. If a less acidic diet can play a part in reducing the breakdown of bone tissue it could be argued that the alkaline acid diet even promotes longevity. The study that this article about the alkaline diet is based on does not discuss how to lose weight fast. It's focus was more about the overall condition of the body.
Not only that but from my own experiences moving away from an acid diet and now eating and drinking much more vegetables, I feel I am becoming much healthier. Put simply, I just feel better physically and mentally!
So there is scientific evidence supporting the alkaline acid diet. Undoubtedly there will be more available which just makes me more determined to find it as I proceed with my own alkaline acid diet.
Reference:
Bess Dawson-Hughes et al. Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & metabolism
The alkaline acid diet involves basing your diet around vegetables, citrus fruit, nuts, tubers, and legumes (alkaline foods) and steering clear of grains, dairy products, meat, excess salt, caffeine and alcohol (acid foods). Regardless of the term alkaline acid diet, most of you would likely agree that reducing the amount of so called acid foods while at the same time increasing consumption of alkaline foods is a good thing.
After scouring the internet I am beginning to discover some actual science upon which the alkaline acid diet is based. The science suggests that increasing the alkali content of the diet may attenuate bone loss in healthy older adults.
Eating more alkaline foods, or simply healthy foods, like vegetables as we all know is considered better than an acid diet of processed foods which often have high sugar and salt content.
The clinical experiment, quoted above, while not explicitly comparing an alkaline diet to an acid diet does suggest that the same benefits derived from dietary alkaline supplementation could also be observed by moving from the acid diet end of the spectrum to the alkaline diet side.
This study found that doses of bicarbonate reduced the amount of calcium excreted and had a positive effect on bone resorption - the process by which bones are broken down and calcium transferred to the blood stream.
Scientific information that backs up some of the claims made about the alkaline acid diet is reassuring. If a less acidic diet can play a part in reducing the breakdown of bone tissue it could be argued that the alkaline acid diet even promotes longevity. The study that this article about the alkaline diet is based on does not discuss how to lose weight fast. It's focus was more about the overall condition of the body.
Not only that but from my own experiences moving away from an acid diet and now eating and drinking much more vegetables, I feel I am becoming much healthier. Put simply, I just feel better physically and mentally!
So there is scientific evidence supporting the alkaline acid diet. Undoubtedly there will be more available which just makes me more determined to find it as I proceed with my own alkaline acid diet.
Reference:
Bess Dawson-Hughes et al. Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & metabolism
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Acid diet confusion
As I read more about the acid alkaline diet I am becoming more confused as to what foods I want to be eating to actually move from an acid diet towards an alkaline diet.
In particular, although finding food charts of acid foods and alkaline foods is easy on the internet, I am left wondering how much authority these various charts have. So far I have been unable to locate an acid alkaline food chart attributed to an actual scientist. This worries me somewhat as I view finding an authority resource on the alkaline acid diet as essential to being able to implement it successfully.
While I search for scientifically proven information, there are certain trends in the available information regarding acid foods and alkaline foods.
For example, on the acid side are things like alcohol, coffee, fatty meats and most things we typically consider unhealthy. I am still looking for confirmation of how much acid, eating these so called acid foods actually produces in the body.
However just looking at the above brief list, these acid foods have been proven to have a variety of adverse effects on health, e.g. excess consumption of fatty foods being linked with cardiovascular disease.
So forgetting about the acid food label, it makes sense to want to reduce one's fatty meat consumption anyway.
For the time being, this is how I am implementing my alkaline acid diet. Reducing consumption of so called acid foods and replacing them with better alkaline foods. Really all I am doing is substituting high fat meats for all kinds of vegetables and at the same time looking to reduce my alcohol and coffee intake.
I'm still eating fish and chicken, rice and bread even though on many of the acid alkaline food charts you can see that these foodstuffs often fall on the acid side.
While I work on improving my diet in general, I will continue to research the alkaline acid diet in an effort to find scientific proof of the benefits it claims.
So far I am really enjoying making juice and eating and drinking substantial quantities of vegetables each day as I continue my journey on the alkaline acid diet.
In particular, although finding food charts of acid foods and alkaline foods is easy on the internet, I am left wondering how much authority these various charts have. So far I have been unable to locate an acid alkaline food chart attributed to an actual scientist. This worries me somewhat as I view finding an authority resource on the alkaline acid diet as essential to being able to implement it successfully.
While I search for scientifically proven information, there are certain trends in the available information regarding acid foods and alkaline foods.
For example, on the acid side are things like alcohol, coffee, fatty meats and most things we typically consider unhealthy. I am still looking for confirmation of how much acid, eating these so called acid foods actually produces in the body.
However just looking at the above brief list, these acid foods have been proven to have a variety of adverse effects on health, e.g. excess consumption of fatty foods being linked with cardiovascular disease.
So forgetting about the acid food label, it makes sense to want to reduce one's fatty meat consumption anyway.
For the time being, this is how I am implementing my alkaline acid diet. Reducing consumption of so called acid foods and replacing them with better alkaline foods. Really all I am doing is substituting high fat meats for all kinds of vegetables and at the same time looking to reduce my alcohol and coffee intake.
I'm still eating fish and chicken, rice and bread even though on many of the acid alkaline food charts you can see that these foodstuffs often fall on the acid side.
While I work on improving my diet in general, I will continue to research the alkaline acid diet in an effort to find scientific proof of the benefits it claims.
So far I am really enjoying making juice and eating and drinking substantial quantities of vegetables each day as I continue my journey on the alkaline acid diet.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Acid diet or alkaline acid diet?
The alkaline acid diet has many different names which all refer to the same type of diet, namely one that is high in alkaline foods and low in acid foods. Typically the proposed ratio in is 80:20 - alkaline foods : acid foods. The diet is often referred to as an alkaline diet, acid alkaline diet or even alkaline ash diet.
Why might you consider the alkaline acid diet?
The acid alkaline diet is worth considering if you often feel run down; lethargic; tired; are prone to colds or just generally un-healthy. Research also indicates that a diet rich in acid foods may also be a factor in increased bone loss in otherwise healthy individuals. It could certainly also be used as a part of a weight loss program.
The typical western diet could certainly be termed an acid diet. An acid diet is high in meat, grain, processed foods with high sugar and salt content.
It is widely accepted that eating much more fruit and vegetables is a gateway to health and well-being although it is a route so many of us often avoid. Why is this? Possibly just because the typical Western diet is easier than preparing fresh fruit and salads. But this needn't be the case.
The premise of the alkaline acid diet is that we should eat foods that reflect the natural pH level of our own blood which is slightly alkaline.
Foods of the acid alkaline diet: vegetables, fresh low sugar fruit, roots and tubers, nuts and legumes.
Foods to avoid: grains, dairy, meat and too much salt and alcohol.
Looking at the foods to eat and foods to avoid of the acid alkaline diet, it looks pretty similar to simply eating healthily. But everything needs a name...
There are some so called acidic foods that it's hard to believe are that bad for you. Is bread really un-healthy? At least the alkaline acid diet doesn't propose cutting it out completely.
Living the alkaline acid diet?
Rather than completely changing the way you eat in an instant it is easy to move gradually to a healthier diet. This is definitely one of the attractions of the acid alkaline diet. Rather than the focus being on what not to eat it is more concerned with raising the amount of alkaline foods you consume. Particularly if you are more interested in health than weight loss, simply consuming more alkaline foods will likely make you feel more energetic throughout the day.
One way to start would be to begin to eat more of an alkaline breakfast. This is a great introduction to pH balance. An alkaline breakfast not only tastes great but also gives you energy to start the day, keeps hunger at bay and is a great motivator to get you more interested in the alkaline acid diet itself.
It is easy to alkalize your body. Why not give it a try? The alkaline acid diet is very similar to common sense healthy eating that we all know but don't necessarily do.
Why might you consider the alkaline acid diet?
The acid alkaline diet is worth considering if you often feel run down; lethargic; tired; are prone to colds or just generally un-healthy. Research also indicates that a diet rich in acid foods may also be a factor in increased bone loss in otherwise healthy individuals. It could certainly also be used as a part of a weight loss program.
The typical western diet could certainly be termed an acid diet. An acid diet is high in meat, grain, processed foods with high sugar and salt content.
It is widely accepted that eating much more fruit and vegetables is a gateway to health and well-being although it is a route so many of us often avoid. Why is this? Possibly just because the typical Western diet is easier than preparing fresh fruit and salads. But this needn't be the case.
The premise of the alkaline acid diet is that we should eat foods that reflect the natural pH level of our own blood which is slightly alkaline.
Foods of the acid alkaline diet: vegetables, fresh low sugar fruit, roots and tubers, nuts and legumes.
Foods to avoid: grains, dairy, meat and too much salt and alcohol.
Looking at the foods to eat and foods to avoid of the acid alkaline diet, it looks pretty similar to simply eating healthily. But everything needs a name...
There are some so called acidic foods that it's hard to believe are that bad for you. Is bread really un-healthy? At least the alkaline acid diet doesn't propose cutting it out completely.
Living the alkaline acid diet?
Rather than completely changing the way you eat in an instant it is easy to move gradually to a healthier diet. This is definitely one of the attractions of the acid alkaline diet. Rather than the focus being on what not to eat it is more concerned with raising the amount of alkaline foods you consume. Particularly if you are more interested in health than weight loss, simply consuming more alkaline foods will likely make you feel more energetic throughout the day.
One way to start would be to begin to eat more of an alkaline breakfast. This is a great introduction to pH balance. An alkaline breakfast not only tastes great but also gives you energy to start the day, keeps hunger at bay and is a great motivator to get you more interested in the alkaline acid diet itself.
It is easy to alkalize your body. Why not give it a try? The alkaline acid diet is very similar to common sense healthy eating that we all know but don't necessarily do.
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