Skip to main content

pHarmony for Your Body

Your body is like a barber-shop quartet.  When you are feeling at your peak, everything works in  harmony with everything else.  Sounds great, looks great, feels great.  Diet plays a major part in the orchestration of those harmonies, and when you hear those sour notes prick your ears with more frequency, you may want to check to see if you have a pH-armony problem.  I apologize up front:  This is a rather complex issue and I am giving it  a basic blog overview.  For more details, consult a registered dietician (RD) or a doctor.

For most non-space alien people, the body operates with an average blood pH of 7.35-7.45, which is slightly “alkaline.”  In this range, the body maintains stores of minerals, nutrients and raw materials to maintain its peak performance.  To keep the body in this range, an alkaline diet is helpful.

In today's world, however, many of us thrive on or fall prey to pre-packaged foods, meats, white bread, sugared drinks, alcohol, chips and candy.  All of those are acidic, and it's like replacing members of your barber-shop quartet with all baritones.  Your body won't be able to hit the high notes.  As a result, it pulls from the stores of calcium, potassium and sodium, sending the body's pH spiraling toward Acidopolis – Sin City.

This is a condition known as acidosis.  I call it the slug-ification of America.  To avoid acidosis, increase your intake of the items listed at the end of this article, because acidosis can be checked with proper diet.  But when left to run rampant for long periods of time, it may cause these conditions:

Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
Cardiovascular damage.
Bladder conditions.
Kidney stones.
Immune deficiency.
Acceleration of free radical damage.
Hormonal problems.
Premature aging.
Osteoporosis and joint pain.
Aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
Low energy and chronic fatigue.    
Slow digestion and elimination.
Yeast/fungal overgrowth.
Lack of energy and fatigue.
Low body temperature.
Tendency to get infections.
Loss of drive, joy, and enthusiasm.
Depression.
High stress and quick temper.
Pale complexion.
Headaches.
Inflammation of the corneas and eyelids.    
Loose and painful teeth.
Inflamed, sensitive gums.
Mouth ulcers.
Stomach ulcers.
Cracks at the corners of the lips.
Excess stomach acid.
Gastritis.
Nails are thin and split easily.
Hair changes: dulling, split ends, and falling out.
Dry skin.
Skin irritation.
Leg cramps and spasms.

Embellish your diet with these items to leave Sin City and return to a natural, alkaline state:

ALKALIZING VEGETABLES
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Beet Greens
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens

ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Kombu
Maitake
Nori
Reishi
Shitake
Umeboshi
Wakame

ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder

ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia

ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Herbs (all)
Miso
Mustard
Sea Salt
Tamari

ALKALIZING OTHER
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules
Mineral Water
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Veggie Juices

ALKALIZING MINERALS
Calcium: pH 12
Cesium: pH 14
Magnesium: pH 9
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14


Note that a food's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself.  Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalizing effect in the system.  For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

The Atomic Kitchen Table
Thanks for your comments and idea-sharing!

Popular posts from this blog

Going Curdless: Tips to Avoid Curdling

A good rule of thumb for cooking with dairy products, including cream, milk, eggs, butter, cheese and mayonnaise, is:  patience! Sauces made with milk,  cream and cheese may curdle for several reasons: not enough fat content.  Skim milk will curdle more than heavy cream, and low-fat creams and cheeses are more likely to curdle than their whole-fat compadres. too high heat.  Cream sauces must be cooked at low temps. Use a thermometer to ensure temperatures stay lower than 175 degrees F. too much acid.  Cream should be added last (with exceptions like lemon juice). Wine can be very acidic, and should be reduced.  any ingredients should be of medium temperature before cream is introduced, as it will separate at boiling. How curdling occurs: Dairy fats combine to form a rubbery mesh, which squeezes out water. One possibility to prevent curdling is Carrageenan.  There are three kinds, and Lambda Carrageenan is best for sauces because it is water solub...
9 comments
Read more

What Happens In Your Freezer (Pt.1)

The freezer has changed food in America and around the world. I’m fascinated with the story of Clarence Birdseye, who discovered that flash-freezing fish was a practical way to ship seafood to distant inland locations. His name became a brand synonymous with many frozen vegetables and cooking staples. Alas, not everything freezes as well as freshly harvested seafood and vegetables. Here’s a description of foods that freeze badly and what happens. ( Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation ) Cabbage, cucumbers --   These become limp, waterlogged and quickly develop an oxidized color, flavor and aroma. These can be effectively frozen as marinated products. However, “freezer slaw” and “freezer pickles” won’t maintain the same flavor or texture as regular slaw or pickles that were not frozen. Celery, Cress, Lettuce, Parsley, Endive, Radishes – Limp, waterlogged and these also change color, flavor and aroma. Potatoes, baked or boiled – These become soft, crumb...
Post a Comment
Read more

Avoiding Green Eggs

I do not like green eggs and ham...  well, I'll live with the ham, but there's no need to have green eggs.  If Sam-I-Am knew the secret of cooking perfect eggs, they would not turn green. Even without Seussificaton, egg yolks do turn green.  Here is why: Yolks contain iron.  Egg whites contain hydrogen sulfide, and where the yolks and whites meet, those two chemicals react.  Given sufficient heat, as in overcooking, the yolks will develop a green-colored film.  Even though they are less appetizing, the chemical reaction does not change the flavor of the eggs. There's another way for eggs to turn green.  Cooking or storing eggs in an iron skillet or a metal pan will turn them green as the iron ions from the pan react with the sulfides in the eggs. Kevin Murray, president of Tasteful Events Catering in Rochester, N.Y., offers a few tips to prevent green eggs.  “I am usually cooking in volume, but it definitely depends on t...
2 comments
Read more