An acid-forming diet and lifestyle is like acid rain in our bodies. We are essentially microcosms of the same problems our planet faces. The difference is that most of us are aware that we are polluting the planet, yet few of us realize that we are subjecting our bodies to similar acid waste.
But by making a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle to balance your body’s pH you’ll experience incredible healing results like increased energy, resistance to colds and flu, the reduction or elimination of pain, and powerful potential to restore the health of your body. Many people who balance their body chemistry ward off heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer.
Imagine that acid and alkaline are two teams in a tug-of-war contest, each one holding the end of a long rope and trying to shift the balance to its side, and you’ll have a good sense of what happens every single second in your body. The pH spectrum ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral in the middle. Zero to 6.9 is acidic, while 7.1 to 14 is alkaline. When your pH balance tips toward either the acidic or the alkaline side of the spectrum, you are vulnerable to a variety of health problems.
In North America, because of our current eating habits, it is rare for anyone to become excessively alkaline on an ongoing basis; excessive acidity much more common, even among health conscious eaters. Your blood needs to stay at 7.365 and will deplete alkaline minerals from the bones and muscles, as well as tax the detoxification organs just to keep the balance, which can result in many harmful health effects.
The Impact of Acid
-The rate at which you age is determined by how acidic your body is. Graying hair, wrinkling and sagging skin are all worsened by acid-forming diet and lifestyle.
-Cholesterol levels soar to repair the damage caused by acidic blood, which scours your arterial walls like an S.O.S. pad.
-Research shows that cancer cells require acidity to survive. They thrive in an acid environment but are unable to survive in an alkaline one.
-Most people experience significantly less pain when their pH was balanced, including from: arthritis, migraines, and fibromyalgia.
Acid-forming Foods
One of the worst acidifying offenders is cola. At 2.5 to 2.6, depending on the brand, this so-called “beverage” is extremely acidic. It takes 32 cups of neutral water (most municipal drinking water is acidic) to neutralize a single cup of cola!
Other acid-forming foods include: anything sugary (natural or refined); white or wheat pastas, breads, and pastries; dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.); chicken; eggs; fish; beef; lamb; and even most fruit. Yes, even fruit has an acidifying effect on the body. The myth that fruit becomes alkaline once you eat it has been floating around for decades. Unfortunately, due to its high sugar content, it creates an acidic environment in your body. That doesn’t mean you need to swear off all acid foods.
But, the bulk of your diet should be made up with alkalizing foods. Remember: it doesn’t matter whether a food itself is acidic or alkaline, but how it affects your body. Strive for at least 70% alkaline-forming foods.
Kick Acid Quick Tips
To help you get you started kicking acid:
-Drink water with the juice of half a fresh lemon (alkaline-forming in the body) squeezed into it to start your day.
-Drink “green drinks” throughout the day to help give you a boost of energy and balanced body chemistry. The highly alkalizing green food supplements are helpful in restoring pH levels quickly.
-Eat a large green salad with lunch and/or dinner.