Acid Alkaline Diets

The acid-alkaline balance within your body can be disrupted by your diet, producing acidic internal fluids which cause unwanted health problems. This can be rectified by adopting an alkaline (or alkalizing) diet, which is reflected in low acid levels in the body.

Acidity-Alkalinity measure

The acidity of a solution (any liquid substance) is measured on the pH scale - termed the ‘power of hydrogen’. The pH scale shows the activity of hydrogen ions present in the sample. The scale is a reverse logarithmic one - high acidity is represented by a low value, and low acidity (that is, alkaline or base substances) by a high value, with acidity level at each ascending step being one tenth that of the previous step.

For example, compared to lemon juice at pH 2.4, orange juice at pH 3.5 is less than one tenth as acidic, and beer at pH 4.5 is less than one hundredth as acidic. The pH of most substances falls between 0 and 14. Gastric acid has a pH of 1.5 to 2 (very acid), pure water 7 (considered to be neutral, neither acid nor alkaline), and household bleach 12.5 (extremely alkaline).

pH levels in the body

The pH level of the body’s internal fluids affects every cell, and if out-of-balance this will be detrimental to the normal functioning of cells, tissues and organs. The western diet is typically based around meat and dairy products, sugars, alcohol, saturated fats and caffeine, all of which creates an acidic cellular environment. Such an unbalanced pH level can result in health issues like cancer, heart disease, obesity, weight problems, allergies, fatigue and premature aging as well as problems with the nervous system, cardiovascular system and muscles.

The ‘alkalarian’ approach to diet reverses over-acidification in the body, first de-toxifying and then creating and maintaining a more alkaline environment in which the body can heal itself.

An alkaline diet is one which produces an alkaline effect on the body, based upon the residue that remains after our foods are consumed or metabolized. Some foods leave an acid residue, others an alkaline residue. Testing of bodily pH levels can determine whether a balanced range is generally present (6.75 to 7.25 depending on type of testing - salivary or urinary).

Alkalizing Diet

We need to adopt and adhere to an acid reducing lifestyle to achieve the correct balance. This is done by consuming alkalizing foods and drinks, while eliminating acidifying foods and drinks from the diet. In general, if an alkaline diet is recommended, use these guidelines for an alkalarian lifestyle based on a mainly vegetable diet:

Sample alkaline foods to comprise most (75-80%) of your diet. Eat salads, fresh vegetables, healthy nuts and oils, and plenty of raw foods. Drink at least 2-3 liters of clean, pure water daily.
Vegetables Asparagus Beetroot Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Courgette Cucumber Garlic Grasses (eg wheat, barley) Green Beans Lettuce Onion Peas Radish	Fruits Avocado Grapefruit Lemon Lime Rhubarb Tomato Watermelon (neutral) Fats & Oils Avocado Borage Evening Primrose Flax Hemp Olive & Oil Blends	Seeds, Nuts, Grains Almonds Buckwheat Groats Cumin Flax Lentils Pumpkin Sesame Spelt Sprouts/sprouted seeds fresh & as pastes: soy, alfalfa, mung bean, wheat, little radish, chickpea, broccoli, hummus, tahini Sunflower	Drinks ‘Green Drinks’ Fresh vegetable juice Pure water (distilled, reverse osmosis, ionized) Lemon water (pure water + fresh lemon or lime). Herbal Tea Vegetable broth Non-sweetened Soy Milk Almond Milk

Sample acid-forming foods to comprise the remainder (20-25%) of your diet. Avoid fatty meats, dairy, cheese, sweets & candy, chocolates, alcohol and tobacco. Beware of hidden content of packaged foods and microwaved meals. Don’t overcook meals - this removes all of the nutrition!
Meats Beef Chicken Crustaceans & other seafood (apart from occasional oily fish such as salmon) Lamb Pork Turkey Fruits All fruits not listed in the alkaline table.	Dairy Products Cheese Cream Ice Cream Milk Yoghurt Fats & Oils Corn Oil Hydrogenated Oils Margarine Saturated Fats Vegetable Oil Sunflower Oil	Drinks Beers Carbonated Drinks Coffee Dairy Smoothies Fruit Juice Milk Spirits Tea Convenience Foods Candy/Sweets Canned/Tinned Foods Chocolate Fast Food Instant Meals Microwave Meals Powdered Soups	Seeds & Nuts Cashew Nuts Peanuts Pistachio Nuts Others Artificial Sweeteners Biscuits Condiments (tomato sauce, mayonnaise etc.) Eggs Honey Soy Sauce Tamari Vinegar White Bread White Pasta Wholemeal Bread