Is there such thing a common cause to all human ailments and diseases?  Some doctors and nutritionists think so and they are all blaming it on the acid and alkaline imbalance in the body.  According to some health experts, this imbalance can result to a weak immune system, which makes the body susceptible to diseases and other health problems.  The solution?  The Acid-Alkaline Diet.

What is the acid-alkaline diet?
The acid-alkaline diet (also referred to as the alkaline diet) is designed to reduce the acidifying effect of certain foods in the body.  Although this diet concept only became popular recently, the idea has been around for about 70 years.  The idea of maintaining the balance of acid and alkaline in the body was first presented by Dr. William Howard Hay of New York, who wrote a book called ‘A New Health Era’.  In this book, he blamed acid accumulation as the cause of the toxins that invade and affect the body.

How does the acid-alkaline diet work?
The body’s pH level (also known as the potential of hydrogen level) indicates acidity and alkalinity.  This level can range from 0.0 to 14.0 – the lower the figure, the more acidic the solution and the higher the figure, the more alkaline it is.  The neutral level is 7.  In a healthy body, the balance between acidity and alkalinity is efficiently maintained.  With a bad diet, an imbalance can result.

If you are acidic, your body will try to sustain the balance by borrowing minerals from your bones and other vital organs.  If these minerals are not replenished immediately, prolonged deficiency can lead to health problems such as weight gain, diabetes, slow digestion, yeast infections, immune deficiencies, kidney stones, cardiovascular damage and chronic fatigue.

What foods cause acidity or a pH imbalance?
Eating too much of foods rich in sugar, caffeine and protein can disrupt the pH balance of the body.  Foods that have undergone processing can also contribute.

Becoming alkaline
The goal of an acid-alkaline diet is to maintain the pH balance of the body, ideally between 7.35 and 7.45.  This is done by maintaining a diet comprised of at least 75% alkaline foods and 25% acidic foods. 

Foods that are alkaline include:
- Vegetables such as broccoli, cucumber, parsley, wheat grass, bell peppers, avocado, cabbage, celery, garlic, turnip, leeks, zucchini, peas, green beans, lettuce, spinach, onion, okra and mustard greens.
- Fruits such as lemon, lime, grapefruit and coconuts
- Nuts, oils and grains such as pumpkin seeds, almond, sesame seeds, fish oil, cod liver oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, spelt, quinoa and buckwheat.
- Beans and bean by-products such as soy beans, lentils, lima beans, white beans and tofu.

Foods that are acidic include:
- Vegetables such as potatoes and mushrooms.
- Fruits and dried fruits such as apples, bananas, watermelon, tangerine, apricot, mango, orange, papaya, peach and grapes.
- Meats such as beef, chicken, lobster, pork, pheasant, turkey, veal and venison.
- Grains and beans such as millet, oats, rice, wheat, rye, barley, corn, chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans.
- Nuts and oils such as hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower oil, corn oil, margarine and butter.

Who should use the acid-alkaline diet?
The acid-alkaline diet is not for everyone but for people who don’t feel healthy or eat too much fat and little carbohydrates, the diet can help.  People with unhealthy eating habits and those who experience stress on a daily basis can also benefit from the acid-alkaline diet.

Yes, alkaline diet can restore your health by creating a balance in your body, so you can have more energy and lose weight fast. For FREE Alkaline Diet Guide and Recipes click here.

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This entry was posted on Monday, June 16th, 2008 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Diet Plans at a Glance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.