Some people may not be aware that our blood contains a specific amount of alkaline, and it is important to maintain a pH balance of alkaline and acid. Your body must always hold a steady alkaline to acid ratio, and if your blood does not remain at a pH balance of 7.365 it will go to extreme lengths causing strain on your tissues, organs and overall system, especially the lungs, kidneys and adrenal glands to achieve its appropriate levels.
The Alkaline diet is based on the scientific evidence that when we are finished consuming food, and it has gone through the process of digesting, absorbing and metabolizing, there is either an acid or alkaline residue base that enters into our bloodstream. The residue consists of iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium and copper, too much acid will cause a significant loss of these nutrients.
Alkaline Diet Foods
When people have too much acid in their system, they can become fatigued, become prone to constant headaches, cold and flu symptoms or acne. It is always been said that too much acid can cause depression, ulcers and obesity. To help maintain a balanced pH, you should be ingesting foods that contain more alkaline than acid. The alkaline diet suggests your diet should consist of 75% alkaline foods and 25% acidic food.
Foods that are high in alkaline are unprocessed whole foods, raw fruits and green vegetables. Apples, oranges, raisins, broccoli, celery, cabbage and mushrooms are a few of the foods that contain alkaline. Foods that are high in acid are meats, cheeses, corn, asparagus, plums and so forth. Sugar, caffeine and alcohol are also to be avoided. It is important that you do not remove all acidic foods from your diet as raising your alkaline levels too high could be dangerous, and you can possibly deprive your body of nutrients that are needed for survival.
Vegetables, especially the green ones, are very necessary in any alkaline diet. Most vegetables and fruits contain elements which help the body. They help in promoting a more alkaline environment in your body. For instance, barley, commercial corn, legumes and soybeans are acid-forming. In oriental vegetables, daikon, maitake, dandelion root, kombu, shitake, nori, wakame, reishi and umeboshi are all alkaline in nature.
Another advantage of the vegetables is that they have a very good taste. For proper functioning of the body and growth, the minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium are very useful, as they create the alkaline environment needed by the body. You need to watch what you eat. Many people love beverages, but those are things that increase the level of acidity in the body. Restaurant menus and shopping malls are dominated by acid-causing foods, including dairy products, poultry and meat, and processed foods made of white flour, sugar, and many other artificial ingredients.
The alkaline diet should be adopted as a lifestyle, not a crash diet, but it does not have to be an extreme change. You can easily maintain your body’s alkaline to acid ratio by changing just a few things such as; adding lemon or lime to your water, choosing lamb or fish over beef and chicken, replacing vegetable oils with extra virgin olive oil and avoiding processed foods, baked goods and fast food. Remember, that you should always consult a physician before making any changes to your diet.
