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Alkalising

Why should I balance my Acid - Alkaline - pH levels?

Nick Dunn “ITU World champion Triathlete” recently asked me what benefits he could gain from alkalising.

Our body’s pH is measured on a scale of 0 – 14.

• Below pH7 is an acidic state, where our body does not function as designed.
• Above pH7 is Alkaline the state in which our body thrives.

In the same way that our body has to maintain temperature within a certain range (around 37.0°centigrade) our body will do whatever it takes to maintain its pH balance of 7.365 in our blood and other cells. This is necessary to run the entire body's biochemical pathways for detoxification, cell building, and general maintenance.

An acidic state within the body is produced from:

1)       A lack of oxygen

2)       Eating an imbalance of acid producing foods. The composition influences the body's pH levels, not the food's taste.

3)       Cellular degradation and the production of metabolic waste.

Contained in our bodies are a small amount of alkaline buffers that are able to neutralise the acids we consume. However as the modern Western diet is often limited, these buffers may be very quickly exhausted. The body then has to draw alkaline minerals (magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium) from wherever it can (usually from our skelital or muscle mass) to keep our pH at 7.365. 

I recommend a diet of 70% alkaline and neutral balanced foods, otherwise, the body system becomes acidic, congested and mucousy. This is bad news for the body as it creates extra pressure to remove the unwanted residues using the colon, kidneys, and then even the skin and sinuses.

Generally, to achieve the correct pH balance, your diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, sprouts, fewer animal derived products and refined foods kept to a minimum.

Here's an overview of acid-alkaline foods:

Alkaline = all vegetables, most fruits, millet, buckwheat, sprouted beans, sprouted seeds, olive oil, water-soaked almonds

Balanced = brown rice, corn, soybeans, lima beans, almonds, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, honey, most dried beans and peas, tofu, non-fat milk, vegetable oils

Acid = wheat, oats, white rice, pomegranates, strawberries, cranberries, breads, refined flour, refined sugar, cashews, pecans, peanuts, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, meats, fish and poultry. 

Dr. Robert Young author of “The pH Miracle” suggests that over-acidification leads to fat retention. Dr Young suggests that the body creates fat cells to carry acids away from our vital organs, and that when we remove acid toxins from your bodies we will:

• Reduce your fat levels quickly.
• Gain Lean Muscle Mass.
• Improve skin glow.
• Enjoy increased energy all day, everyday.

Here’s how to rid your body of that over-acidic state:

1 Drink lots of Water. I recommend a minimum of 3 litres of water per day with a pH over 7.5. A simple way to alkalize your water is with a dash of Sodium Bicarbonate. There are also alkalizing agents you can purchase to alkalize your water. Avoid coffee, black tea and fizzy sodas as they are highly acidic and do not count towards your daily water intake.

2 Eat Celery. as it is one of the most alkaline foods. Celery (pH 13) quickly neutralizes acids.

3 Eat Green Salads with every meal and dress with a cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice.

4 Reduce cow’s milk, substitute with almond, coconut or soy milk.  Cow’s milk can produce an abundance of mucous in the human body.

5 Avoid artificial sweeteners, these are acidic (typically -26.5pH) and may cause other highly detrimental effects on the nervous system. Use fructose sugar its -9.5pH and LOW GI (19) so is the best sugar option by far. Granulated white sugar “sucrose” is (-17.6pH) and High GI (64).

6 Eat grapefruit and lemons as they are alkalizing when ingested.

7 Reduce eating red meat, pork and lamb. Substitute with chicken, turkey or fresh fish.

8 Reduce your stress levels by exercising, yoga, tai chi, meditation, and proper breathing. When the body is stressed the digestive system shuts down and toxins cease to be eliminated. Our body stores toxins (acids) away in fat cells.

9 Use a top quality super green supplement. (LINK) They provide the body with easily absorbed vitamins, minerals, amino acids chlorophyll, enzymes, phytonutrients and alkaline salts that help neutralize acids in the blood and tissues.

10 Avoid processed and refined foods and anything made with white flour, white sugar or food colouring. These are acidic.

To maintain optimal pH levels of 7.365 our body must do one of three things:

1) Eliminate the acids through the lungs, saliva and urine (if you are de-hydrated this is very hard to do).

2) Neutralize the acids by pulling alkaline buffers such as calcium from our bones and iron from our blood.

3) Store the acids in fat cells, making us fat.
 

Below is a list of acid producing foods that need to be decreased from your diet.

Replace the acid producing foods with Alkaline Foods.

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