As our diets have changed in the last few decades of so, there has been an a reduction in the consumption of low acid foods (alkalizing foods) and an increasing consumption of acid-forming food and drinks. This, as well as lifestyle factors, has meant that we are seeing more acidity in people and this has been associated with declining health and various illnesses and diseases.

Jeffrey S. Bland & Deanna M. Minich have reported in a fascinating article that: “Over time, ingestion of a high dietary acid load can progress to a chronic low-grade level of metabolic acidosis. The incidence of low-grade acidosis resulting from our modern diet has been well documented. A chronic acidic load can cause a number of health conditions such as osteoporosis, kidney disease, and muscle wasting.” (1)

Low Acid Foods

Here is a list of some common low acid foods (or alkaline forming foods). If you want more foods and their rating, you can also check out this blog, The Complete Alkaline Shopping List.

You want alkalizing foods to make up about

80% of your diet to help maintain your pH levels.

The lungs and the kidneys are the 2 most important organs that help control the body’s pH levels by excreting acids while internal buffering systems help to keep the pH at optimal levels. This is one of the reasons that your diet is so critical in keeping the buffering system working at optimal levels.

For those of you that are interested, the bicarbonate buffer is a significant reaction that keeps your blood pH at healthy levels.

H+ + HCO3 …….H2CO3……. CO2 ……..H2O

In a nut shell, there are foods that increase the body’s acid levels while other foods have the opposite effect. A diet high in fruits and vegetables are associated with alkalinity while foods like cheese, meat, fish, and grain products contribute to acidity. So meats, fish, milk, diary, eggs can be on the acidic side because they are high in proteins. Now that’s ok as long as your diet is balanced with alkalising foods as well.

Measurement of Your pH

One way we can measure your body’s pH is via the urine but this can never be used in isolation as there are many different fluids throughout the body with different pH levels. However, when used in conjunction with other diagnostic approaches, urine pH can be a good guide. In my clinic I often don’t test for pH because having seen many, many clients over the years, you get a very good idea by taking a close look at diet, lifestyle and symptoms. But of course, testing can be useful in certain situations.

Joint and Bone Health Diminishes

When the buffering system is maxed out for an extended period of time, then the blood pH ever so slightly drops to a lower pH, but still within normal limits. This state is called chronic acidosis and there are two very serious consequences to this as your body tries to balance the pH: loss of elasticity of tissues throughout your body and bone density is reduced.

Causes You Can Address

There are a few causes of chronic acidosis – all of which you have the opportunity to prevent to varying degrees if you act soon enough.

• Kidney function can decrease with age resulting in unhealthy pH levels. Low fluid intake in the elderly contributes to this.
  
• Fasting Results in  ketones causing an acid pH tendency.
• Popular ketogenic diets result in keto-acidosis.
• Stress causes in imbalance to your body’s pH.
• Exercise promotes a healthy acid-base balance  and helps elimination of acids via the lungs and kidneys.
• Certain chronic illnesses (eg diabetes) cause a negative affect on the pH as do some western pharmaceuticals.
• The standard acid Western diet contributes to acidosis.
  

Physiology

Even the smallest of changes in pH levels throughout your body will affect your normal physiological functioning. For example, excellent health requires the optimal functioning of enzymes throughout your body and these enzymes work at peak efficiency at certain pH levels and so when these levels are non-existent, then enzyme function is compromised.

Elasticity and flexibility of your connective tissue (eg: cartilage, ligaments and tendons) tends to diminish as acidity increases. Negatively charges particles called glycosaminoglycans & proteoglycans hold water in the tissue, keeping it supple so when your system is more acidic, then water is not easily held within the tissue resulting in problems with cartilage, ligaments and tendons. This is one of the reasons Remedial Massage can be beneficial for your musculoskeletal system by stimulating blood flow and helping the release of acidity throughout the body which in turn helps the hydration of joints etc.

Joint resilience is greatly influenced by the presence of water in joint tissue such as cartilage. When you stress a joint, water can be released form the joint allowing for some ‘shock absorption’ of the joint. When the stress is over, the water returns to the tissue. This helps prevent injury and maintains the integrity of your joints over a life time. Rheumatoid arthritis is another example of where acidic pH can contribute to this sometimes debilitating condition.

Bone Health

Acidity causes reduction of bone formation as well as the demineralisation of the bone itself. This can become critical as you age and just focusing on weight-bearing exercise and calcium supplements can be short sighted.
Download Here. Use these charts to help you to have a slightly alkalising diet.
You want to have acid:base foods roughly in the ratio of 20:80 to help ensure your pH levels are optimal.

Lots to consider here isn’t there. and the exciting thing is that you can easily make some food modifications and have a alkalizing-based diet and enjoy the health-benifits form that. If you need to additional help, you are most welcome to to have a short appointment with me, otherwise there is a lot you can do yourself.

Your Next Steps

It’s simple. Look at the foods in both categories and just make sure you are having more of the alkalizing foods. That’s it. That is definitely a step in the right direction and please do not dismiss this as too simple.  Of course you can be more specific and fine tune to a high degree, but remember, that it is the small incremental steps that help lead you to better health and healing.

You can also download a really helpful PDF that lists many foods as well as explains things in more detail.

https://inaturally.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-PRAL-Table.pdf

References

(1) Deanna M. Minich and  Jeffrey S. Bland, PhD. http://www.hudsonvalleyfunctionalmedicine.net/sites/default/files/acidbasebalance.pdf