Today there is an abundance of information on:
• Acid vs. Alkaline food
• Acid and Alkaline forming food
• Acidic and Alkaline ash
All 3 mean different things and have created enough confusion to start an eye rolling contests between naturopaths and allopaths when the topic is raised.
Many doctors will tell you that there is no such thing as acid and alkaline forming food. They might inform you that your body keeps a close watch on the pH of your blood with very intelligent systems in place. This is usually where the discussion with your physician will end.
Then you go to your naturopath, who might tell you something like: “Your diet is very acidic, and is contributing to your condition”.
Now you are confused, as your doctor just told you that that’s a lot of nonsense!
Who is right? They both are!
Blood pH
The blood pH is kept at a close watch at a range of 7.35-7.45, making it slightly alkaline. The body controls the pH of the blood thorough3 key systems;
• Respiratory
• Renal
• Intracellular buffer system
When you breathe, you inhale oxygen (O2) and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 is used for making carbonic acid, for regulation of the pH via the respiratory system.
If your blood becomes too acidic as for example during an intense exercise due to build up of lactic acid in the muscles, your body will start to hyperventilate to remove as much CO2 from the blood as possible in the shortest space of time. Breathing can change the blood pH within minutes!
On the other hand the renal system which filters the extra cellular fluid and excretes the excess of acidic or alkaline minerals via urine will take days to adjust the pH. The renal system can only correct the excess of:
• Acidic minerals (acidosis) or
• Alkaline minerals (alkalosis)
by filtering them out of the body.
Intracellular buffer system works by either binding a:
• Protein or
• Phosphate mineral
With the acidic mineral to make it neutral. The most common protein in question is hemoglobin, the main component of the blood.
pH of food
Acid alkaline confusion starts with the taste of the food. The pH scale ranges from:
• 0 – 14• 0 – most acidic
• 14 – most alkaline
• Mid point is neutral at 7
Food that we eat ranges from acidic to neutral to alkaline. Lemons and limes have an acidic pH, meat has a neutral pH as does water, tea and tofu are alkaline. These are the pH readings you’d get if you were to use the pH strip on the actual food itself. The readings would also be confirmed by how the food tasted in your mouth, namely if you taste a lemon you’ll notice that it’s acidic.
Acid vs. Alkaline forming foods
Food is formed from organic salts i.e.:
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Calcium and
• Magnesium
Which are all alkaline, and:
• Chloride
• Phosphorus and
• Sulphur
Which are all acidic. Some of these salts are used to make acids in the body such as:
• Chloride to produce hydrochloric acid in your stomach
• Phosphorus, sulphur produce phosphoric and sulfuric acids
These acidic minerals are what we refer to as Acid forming foods, i.e.:
• Foods which are predominantly composed of acidic minerals.
Alkaline forming foods are:
• Foods which are predominantly made of alkalizing minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.
• Body uses the alkalizing minerals for formation of teeth, bones and healthy functioning of the muscles.
Ash
If a food was to burn, and we analyzed the contents of the remaining ash, we’d either find an abundance of acidic or alkaline minerals. So even if a lemon tastes acidic and has an acidic pH, its ashes would be predominantly made of alkaline minerals. If we were to burn meat down to ashes we’d find that its ashes would predominantly be composed of acidic minerals, even though its pH was neutral!
Digestion can be likened to burning, but there are no ashes remaining. Digestion’s job is to take a food apart down to its building blocks i.e.:
• Amino acids
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Glucose
• Enzymes
• Fatty acids etc…
Which are then ready for transport around the body to the cells where they are used to either feed the cell or produce a new substance such as a hormone.
80/20 Rule
To keep your body happy and healthy you should aim at eating:
• 80% of alkaline mineral forming foods and
• 20% of acidic mineral forming foods
As a general rule most of the fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming while meats, coffee, alcohol, and carbonated drinks are acid forming. Drinking plenty of alkaline water:
• Mineral water with high content of alkaline minerals
Throughout the day will not only help flush out the toxins but will also provide an abundance of alkaline minerals to neutralize excess of acidic minerals.
What’s the hype about acid forming food anyway?
When the systems in charge of keeping the pH under control are overloaded – We have a problem, literally!
The overload is usually due to excessive exposure to acid forming minerals from:
• Food
• Drinks
• Pharmaceutical and recreational drugs
• Cigarettes
• Exhaust fumes
• Pesticides
• Herbicides
• Non organic cosmetics and personal hygiene products
• Negative feelings and emotions
• Disease and
• Undernutrition of alkaline forming minerals due to poor dietary choices.
Excess acid forming minerals will be stored in:
• Joints• Skin and
• Extra cellular fluid
As far away as possible from the key organs. So we end up with a runny nose, a skin breakout or eczema, signs of the body trying to rid itself of the excessive toxic waste.
Acidic environment does not sustain life and leads to cell death. Decaying cells attract:
• Bacteria• Viruses
• Yeasts and• Moulds
These feed of the decaying debris and produce their wastes, which are acidic and add to the problem.
There is a balance of good and bad bacteria in our digestive tract. When we are healthy and eat healthy food the good gut flora is happy and helps fight the bad gut flora, but when the environment is polluted than the bad gut flora dominate and can lead to a diseased state.
Degenerative chronic diseases such as:
• Arthritis• Diabetes
• Gout
• Autoimmune conditions
• Asthma
• Eczema and
• Cancer
Start with excess body toxicity. These conditions respond well to predominantly vegetarian organic diet which is inherently alkaline.
Mind over Matter
That negative emotions are toxic can be demonstrated as follows:
Recall the last time you got scared or went into a state of panic. Maybe it was when you were sitting on the plane and just remembered that you left the stove on or forgot to lock the garage, or when you realized that you lost the keys to your car standing in a dark deserted street…..I’m sure you get the picture. What’s the first thing that happens when you get a fright like that? Your heart starts pounding; you can feel it in your head and neck. The faster the heart beats the faster your breathing gets. You are hyperventilating to get rid of the excess acid build up, from tightened muscles and super fast beating heart!
Solution
- Stick to the 80/20 rule
- Eat plenty of organic alkaline forming food such as:
o Fruits
o Vegetables
o Nuts
o Seeds
o Legumes
- Drink plenty of:
- Alkaline water
- Herbal teas
- Freshly squeezed vegetable juices
- Exercise regularly in clean fresh air and sunshine
- Adopt an organic lifestyle by using organic non-toxic:
- Cosmetics
- Personal hygiene products
- Cleaning products and
- As of recently clothes!
- Surround yourself with a positive environment made of inspirational:
- Music
- Books
- People and
Find a way to serve and give to cause dear to your heart to help you have a sense of purpose as that is the key to keeping all the negative self talk away!
