"Acidosis is a tendency of the body to be too acidic. Most of our population suffers from this condition due to improper food choices. Other causes of acidosis include: kidney, liver and adrenal disorders, malnutrition, obesity, anger, stress, toxic load, fever and aspirin.
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Symptoms of acidosis include gastric ulcers, insomnia, water retention, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, abnormally low blood pressure, dry hard stools, alternating constipation and diarrhea. The human body must maintain a pH of 6.3 to 7.0 for optimal health. If a person eats a diet of fast, commercially processed or restaurant food, foods in jars, packages, tins and frozen dinners, they will have an acidic pH of less than 6.3. Other acidic foods include meat, dairy, sugar, coffee, alcohol, vinegar, bread and pasta. Cooking food makes it acidic also. Tobacco, drugs including aspirin and stress are also acidic. Water can be acidic and will therefore affect the body’s pH. The problem is that when the blood pH becomes acidic, the body scrambles to alkalinize itself by pulling minerals out of the bones and tissues and depositing them into the blood. If this is an ongoing problem, the bones become osteoporotic putting a person at serious risk for bone fracture. To test to see whether your body is healthy and therefore that your pH is within normal range, purchase nitrazine paper online or in a drug store and test your first urine of the day. The paper will change colour to indicate your pH level according to a guide chart.
You can adjust your diet according to your results by increasing the alkaline foods if your pH is acidic or increasing the healthy acidic foods if your pH is too alkaline. Alkaline forming foods include: fruits, apricots, avocados, corn, dates, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, melons, millet, maple syrup, molasses, oranges, raisins and most vegetables.
Acid forming foods include: asparagus, beans, Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, eggs, fish, organic meat, legumes, lentils and sauerkraut. An alkalinizing water filter will ensure your drinking and cooking water is healthy. |
Supplements that help to alkalinize include: Tissue salts, Celtic sea salt, kelp, potassium, vitamin A, B complex and buffered vitamin C. Herbs that help include: elder bark, hops and willow. In terms of diet, eat at least 50 per cent raw foods. The phosphorus and sulfur raw foods can act as a buffer to maintain a balanced pH. Potatobroth taken daily will also help. Everything we put into our mouths has an impact oevery cell in the body. We are genetically programmed to eat what our original ancestors ate which is a diet of mostly vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, some fruits, whole grains suchasrice,quinoa, millet, oats and legumes. We are not meant to eat chemically saturated, genetically modified, or steroid injected food grown thousands of miles away, picked green and dyed the proper colour. If everyone grew at least some of their own food, I am certain the general health of the population would greatly improve. Please keep track of your pH and which foods you are consuming on a daily basis. Adjust your diet as needed in order to achieve optimal health. If you suspect any food allergies or sensitivities, please see a naturopathic doctor or other practitioners who offer food allergy testing. Written by by Dr. Terrie Van Alstyne |
