Alkaline Diets - Is Your Body Too Acidic?

Anyone who has taken basic biology knows that cells need very narrow parameters to function optimally. The temperature and pH must be precisely engineered to support a simple life. The human body, though seemingly strong and above this natural law, is no different! Humans can work in a variety of environments, but we need basic conditions to achieve optimal performance.

In its purest form, the fluid of the human body and tissue exists in a relatively alkaline (non-acidic) state. Because the human body uses the food we eat as raw material to rebuild tissue, our pH balance can quickly become imbalanced if our diet consists of "absorbing" foods. These acidic foods quickly cause our blood and body tissues to dissolve in acidic solutions. This will not kill you immediately, but if left untreated, this acid condition leads to diseases such as heart disease, high cholesterol and even obesity.

Why does the acidic environment in your body lead to illness? It all comes back to how your body detoxifies itself. In an acidic environment, the body cannot efficiently detoxify. The concentration of toxins prevents the body from effectively supplementing its important substances and antioxidants. The body starves, stresses, and slows down its metabolism to overcome its own nutrient deficiency. Stress leads to disease, and slower metabolism leads to weight gain, diet, and detoxification.

The most commonly used acidic foods are butter, cheese, animal protein (except salmon), oil, corn syrup, alcohol, corn, berries, and flour. Most of these foods should be consumed in moderation and very low. The best diet to gradually adapt is one of the rich alkali foods, which balances body tissue and blood back to alkaline state. A good rule of thumb is that anything dark green tends to be alkalizing. These include broccoli, dark lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, avocado, mustard and beet greens. More alkaline foods include many fruits, such as apples, oranges, cantaloupe, lemons, oranges, strawberries, and watermelons.

Now you may think that alkaline foods are impossible to eat without being miserable. There are many easy ways to incorporate alkaline foods into your diet without sacrificing great taste! For example, instead of using animal protein (such as beef), try using strict tofu in your meat-eating diet. Instead of using harmful oils, you can use vegetable juices to cook your food. Instead of drinking dairy milk, drink organic soy milk. Certain spices are also very alkaline: pepper, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, curry and tamari.

Another way to help your body maintain its most alkaline natural state is to drink at least 2 liters of alkaline water daily. This removes acidic toxins that already accumulate in your bloodstream and further promotes detoxification in your body's lipid storage. Supplements are provided for calculating water, usually in the form of drops and powders. Other recommended supplements that help your body alkaline are potassium, calcium, cesium and magnesium.

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