To Alkaline or Not to Alkaline?

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Does your Body need to be Alkaline?

Recently, this was a topic of discussion during a Facebook Live I was watching.  It inspired me to do some research on this subject, which I thought I'd share with my friends:

 

Proponents of an alkaline diet claim that the diseases of modern civilization, including cancer and osteoporosis, result from eating a diet with too high an acid load. Acidic foods are meats, poultry, dairy, fish, eggs, grains and alcohol. If you eat too much of these foods, according to some claims, your blood and bodily fluids become more acidic too. If you consume alkaline foods, including fresh produce and nuts, your blood becomes more alkaline, which in turn, prevents major health risks — or so say the proponents of the diet.

 

But a steady pH level is not normal for your entire body. Your blood level hovers around 7.4, but other pH levels in your body vary greatly. The Journal of Environmental and Public Health article notes that the stomach has a pH of 1.35 to 3.5 — quite acidic — and the skin has a pH of 4 to 6.5. Your diet won't change these tightly regulated levels that exist for a reason; higher acidity levels protect the skin from infection, for example, and allow the stomach to digest food. Some acidity has a purpose.

 

A paper published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition in May 2017 suggests that, for people who already have kidney disease, an alkaline diet may slow progression of the disease or may improve renal function. Your kidneys filter waste, including excess acidity, to maintain your blood pH level at around 7.4. A low-acid diet that replaces much animal protein with plant-based options may have value because your kidneys don't have to work as hard to excrete the excess acid in meats, poultry, fish and dairy.

 

An alkaline diet is rich in healthy foods and discourages foods such as meats and full-fat dairy that are high in saturated fats. Reducing your intake of saturated fats and replacing them with unsaturated fats, found in avocados, olive oil and nuts, can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improve lipid profiles. Basically, lower saturated fat intake is a plus for heart health.

 

The alkaline diet also boosts your intake of fruits and vegetables, which ups your nutritional intake. The consumption of fruits and vegetables by most Americans is woefully low. A press release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in November 2017 detailed that just 9 percent of adults meet the recommended intake for vegetables, which is 2 to 3 cups per day, and that only 12 percent meet the recommendations for fruit, which is 1.5 to 2 cups per day.  This low intake of produce means the general nutrition profile of American adults is low in potassium and high in sodium. Eating a more plant-based diet can improve this ratio, which may benefit bone health, lessen hypertension and reduce muscle wasting, explains the 2011 Journal of Environmental and Public Health paper.


Increased intake of plant-based foods can also boost your intake of magnesium, which is generally poor for most adults, according to the Journal of Environmental and Public Health article. Magnesium is essential for many enzyme systems, and deficiency can cause weakness and fatigue, frequent cramping and abnormal heart rhythms. Magnesium is plentiful in green, leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains, explains the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary supplements. 

From <https://www.livestrong.com/article/444199-what-are-the-benefits-of-alkaline-in-the-body/>

 

If you're interested in trying to remove acid in your body that may be creating inflammation & pain, please read the blog:  How to naturally create an Alkaline Environment in the body


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Disclaimer: The information contained or presented on this website is for educational purposes only.  Information on this site is NOT intended to serve as a substitute for diagnosis treatment, or advice from a qualified, licensed professional.  The facts presented are offered as information only.  Any diet, health, or nutritional program you undertake should be discussed with your doctor or other licenses medical professional.  Seek the advice of a medical professional for proper application of ANY material on this site to your specific situation. 


 

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