Today’s post is all about why an alkaline diet is that important to keep your body healthy and fend off life-threatening diseases and overweight.


What Is The Acid-Base Balance (ABB)?


The ABB is of vital importance and necessary for overall health. Acid-base imbalances can lead to diseases such as cancer, kidney failure, and heart diseases. Today, mainly due to poor dietary habits, many people suffer from such imbalances.

The human body is a complex bio-energetic system, always striving to keep itself in balance. We call this process homeostasis. It is needed to maintain a stable, relatively constant condition of properties such as your temperature or pH.

The ABB is one of your body’s homeostatic mechanisms. It regulates the balance between acids and bases (alkalines) formed within your body and keeps your pH slightly alkaline (7.35 to 7.45) and corrects imbalances that may occur.

Acidosis is a condition where the pH of your blood falls below 7,35. This can lead to central nervous depression, coma, and even death.

Alkalosis, on the other hand, is when the pH of your blood rises above 7,45; resulting in over-excited nerves, muscle spasm, nervousness, and convulsions which may lead to death.


Typical Western Diet Is full Of Acid-forming Foods


Acidosis is by far the most common imbalance seen in our modern society. Alkalosis is relatively rare because our typical western or Standard American Diet is loaded with acid producing products and far too low in alkaline-producing foods to neutralize those acids and keep your pH within tight borders.

Acidic pH can occur from an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload or immune reactions. Your body has to put a lot of effort and energy in the neutralizing process to prevent acidification When your diet is not balanced, your body will steal alkaline material, such as calcium, out of your bones and teeth to neutralize the acids. Increasing the risk of weak bones and osteoporosis.

Acidosis is also closely related to overweight and obesity as your body creates fat cells to carry acids away from your blood and vital organs. So fat is actually saving your life, as it is a response to alarming acid levels.

Acidification forms the base of many ailments such as osteoporosis, obesity, cancer, gout, migraine, premature aging, and several physical and emotional illnesses. By adjusting your diet, you can fend off those ailments and do your body a big favor.


Alkaline Diet Helps To Balance pH levels


An alkaline diet provides the body with neutralizing compounds, so it doesn’t have to steal material from your body to maintain the same, slightly alkaline level. This doesn’t mean you have to throw out all acid forming foods, as you need them as well to avoid alkalosis. Balance is key here.

A good rule of thumb is to eat 60-80% of alkaline forming and 20-40% of acid forming foods.

Although it may seem that citrus fruits would have an acidic effect on your body, the citric acid they contain has an alkalizing effect. To set things clear, the food’s ability to form acids or alkalines within your body has nothing to do with the actual pH or sour taste of the food itself.

As an example: lemons are very sour, however, after digestion, the end product is very alkaline. Meat, on the other hand, will test alkaline before digestion, but leaves acidic residues in your body and is known to be acidic forming, just like nearly all animal products.

ALSO READ: Alkaline Eating Tips and Tricks To Improve Weight and Overall Health


Scroll down to learn more about alkaline and acid-forming foods. 


What Are Acid Forming Foods


All food sources that contain high levels of protein and sugar are acid forming. Likewise, processed foods, soft drinks, coffee, artificial chemical sweeteners, and medication.

  • Most nuts and seeds
  • Grains or cereals
  • Cheese
  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish
  • Seafood

Only 20 to 40% of what you eat should come out of the acid-forming list. Eat more and your body will have a hard time to neutralize all the acids within your body.


What Are Alkaline Forming Foods?


  • Fruits
  • Green vegetables
  • Root and tuber vegetables
  • Bulbous plants
  • Yogurt
  • Herbs and spices

60-80% of what you eat should come out of the alkaline forming list.


If you want to learn how to eat an alkaline diet and fend off disease and overweight, click here and discover how easy it is to start changing your lifestyle.


Amy Goodrich

Amy Goodrich


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