There are all sorts of diets-some good, others less good-but probably the best of these, which sustains longevity and protect against disease, is the alkaline diet. And studies confirm it.
An analysis made in 2012 and published in the Journal of Environmental Health has found that balancing the pH of an alkaline diet through can help reduce morbidity caused by diseases and chronic diseases-diabetes, hypertension, like arthritis, deficiency of low vitamin D and bone density, to mention just some of them.
How alkaline diet works? Research shows that diets that contain strong alkaline foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits and unprocessed vegetable protein-raise the alkaline pH of the urine, helping to maintain cellular health and equilibrium of essential minerals in the body.
Alkaline diets have proven that prevent the formation of plaque on blood vessels, prevents the accumulation of calcium in the urine, prevent the formation of kidney stones, strengthen bones, reduce the loss of muscle mass or cramps and many others.
What is alkaline diet?
An alkaline diet is a diet that balances the pH of the body fluids, including blood and urine. The pH level is influenced in large part by the mineral density of foods consumed. All living organisms and forms of life on earth depend on maintaining the pH level and often they say that no disease or condition may not appear in a field that has a pH neutral or slightly alkaline.
Although not all specialists agree with this statement, the majority of them are of the opinion that it is important for the quality of life as blood pH to maintain around 7.365-7.4. The human body makes huge efforts to maintain the pH level to safe values.
The range can vary the pH level is between 7.35 and 7.45, depending on the time of day, and eating the last meal, last exit to the bathroom. In the case of electrolyte and frequent consumption of acidic foods, changes in pH foster a State of ‘ acidosis ‘ pronounced.
What does it mean, actually, ‘ pH level? PH stands for potential hydrogen ‘. It is an indicator of acidity or alcalinitatii liquids and tissues of the body Are measured on a scale from 0 to 14. The solution is more acidic, pH is low. As it is more alkaline, the higher it’s value. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, but considering that the human body is approximately 7.4 level, is considered as the most healthy pH is the slightly more alkaline and pH level in the body is different, being the most stomach acid.
Even a minor change in the pH level can cause major problems to many life forms. For example, due to environmental factors, such as a deposit greater than CO2, the pH level in the ocean has decreased from 8.2 to 8.1 and many life forms in the ocean have suffered.
The pH level is crucial and for plants and can affect the content of vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. Minerals from the ocean, soil and human body are used as shock absorbers to maintain optimal pH level, therefore, when acidity increases subtract minerals.
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How does alkaline diet work?
Here is a brief history about the acidity/alkalinity from the human diet and some general information about the benefits of alkaline diet: researchers believe that in terms of the level of acidity from human nutrition, “there have been many changes in civilizations of hunters until now.” Following the agricultural revolution and then with the large-scale industrialization of the food supply in the past 200 years, what we eat has a lot less potassium, magnesium, and chlorine but more sodium, compared with alimentation in the past. Normally the kidneys maintain the level of electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium). When we are exposed to highly acidic substances, these electrolytes are used to combat the acidity. According to the analysis from the Journal of Environmental Health mentioned above, the proportion of potassium and salt in most people’s diet has changed dramatically. Potassium was present in a proportion of 10:1 girl, but now the ratio has decreased to 1:3.
People who consume so-called “standard diet” consumed an average of now three times more sodium than potassium! Many children and adults today consume foods with high sodium content and not only very low in magnesium and potassium, but also in antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins. In addition, nutrition of this type may contain fat, refined simple sugars, sodium, and chloride.
All of these changes in human nutrition have resulted in more and more cases of “metabolic acidosis.” In other words, the pH level in the body of many people is no longer much at an optimal level. In addition, many suffer due to low supply of nutrients and deficiencies in potassium and magnesium.
This results in speeding up the aging process, progressive loss of function of tissues and organs to the degradation and bone mass. Increased acidity level forces your body to procure the necessary minerals from reserves located in bones, cells, organs, and tissues.
Alkaline diet benefits
- Protects the bone density and muscle mass intake of vitamins and minerals play an important role in the development and maintenance of the bone structure. Studies show that higher consumption of fruits and vegetables offers better protection for those who suffer from a decrease in grit and muscle loss of bone with age, a condition called sarcopenia.
An alkaline diet can balance the proportions of vitamins and minerals important for strengthening bones and maintaining muscle mass, respectively, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate. Alkaline diets improve growth hormone production and absorption of vitamin D, which protects the bones and improve many other chronic diseases.
- Lowers the risk of hypertension and stroke one of the anti-aging effects of the alkaline diet is reducing inflammation and increase the production of growth hormones.
This has proven that it improves cardiovascular health and offers protection against problems like increased cholesterol, hypertension, kidney stones, cerebrovascular accident, and even memory loss.
- Reduce chronic pain and inflammation. In a series of studies, it has been found a link between alkaline diet and low levels of chronic pain. Chronic acidosis has proved that it can cause chronic back pain and muscle spasms, headache, menstrual symptoms, inflammation, and joint pain.
A study conducted by the society for minerals and oligo-elements in Germany discovered that when patients with chronic back pain also received a daily supplement alkaline for four weeks, 76 of the 82 participants in the study reported a decrease in significant pain measured in “ladder for lumbar pain Arhus.”
- Increase the capacity of absorption of vitamins and magnesium deficiency prevents an increase in the level of magnesium is required for the operation of over hundreds of enzymes involved in the processes and systems of the body. Many people have carente magnesium and, through Cardiac complications result, manifesting, muscle pain, headaches, sleep difficulties and anxiety.
Magnesium is necessary and in the activation of vitamin D and prevention of its career, the importance for the functioning of the endocrine and immune.
- Increases immunity and protects from cancer. When cells don’t have enough minerals to remove residues or to properly oxygenate the body, the whole body suffers. The absorption of vitamins is compromised by the loss of vitamins and minerals, while toxins and pathogens causing accumulates in the body and weakens the immune system. Studies published in the British Journal of Radiology showed that cancer cell death (apoptosis) occurs faster in an alkaline body.
Prevention of cancer is believed to be associated with a change in the pH toward the alkaline due to the change of electric charge and release components of proteins. Alkalinity reduces inflammation and risk of diseases as cancer e-plus, the alkaline diet is beneficial for some from agents and chemotherapy which require a higher pH in order to function properly.
- Contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. The limitation of the consumption of foods that promote an acid medium in the body and increase the consumption of foods that encourage an alkaline environment may prevent the occurrence of obesity by reducing the level of leptin and inflammation, which affects hunger and fat burning abilities. Considering alkalizing foods are anti-inflammatory, an alkaline diet helps the body to reach a normal level of leptin and get the sensation of fullness after eating a necessary calorie amount.
What should I do to have an alkaline diet?
Here are some basic rules for an alkaline diet: whenever possible, buy alkaline organic products. Experts believe that the one thing essential to those who follow an alkaline diet is to keep in mind the soil in which they are reared products consumed because fruits and vegetables grown in soils rich in minerals and organic matter are more alkaline. Studies show that soil can influence the content of vitamins and minerals, which means that not all ‘ alkaline foods ‘ have the same nutritional quality.
The ideal level of soil pH for absorption of essential nutrients for the ideal plant is between 6 and 7. Acidic soils with pH below 6 may have less calcium and magnesium, while soils with a pH over 7 may have too much iron, zinc, copper, and Astrid to be assimilated by the body rotation, cultivated Soils fertilized organically and are left wild ae to pare the healthiest.
The pH level can be tested at home, using special strips that you can buy from the pharmacy. PH is measured in the urine or saliva.
Second-Morning urine gives the best results. Should be checked against the colors in the color chart included in the test kit. Along the day, the best time for testing is 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after eating. The saliva test, the ideal is between 6.8 and 7.2.
The best alkaline foods:
Herbs, fresh fruits, and vegetables are best to create an alkaline environment.
Among the best are:
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Kale and sprouts, mushrooms, citrus fruits, curable, spinach, grapefruit, tomatoes, avocados, black radish, alfalfa grass, barley grass, cucumber, turnips, wheatgrass, broccoli, oregano, garlic, ginger, green beans, chicory, cabbage, celery, beetroot, melon, ripe bananas and figs, arugula, parsley.
All Raw Foods: the Ideal is to eat as many foods in their natural state. Raw fruits and vegetables are considered to be biogenic or “life-giving.” By cooking food lose from minerals with alkaline.
Consume more raw products, juices or cook them to steam. Vegetable proteins: almonds, black beans, lima beans and generally any type of beans. Alkaline water: alkaline water has a pH between 9 and 11. Distilled water is also safe to drink. Filtered water with reverse osmosis filter is slightly more acidic, but it is better than tap water or water from Commerce.
The alkalinity of the water can be increased by adding a few splashes of lemon or lime, sodium bicarbonate or drops of pH green Drinks: the drinks made from vegetables and jezz are rich in chlorophyll and increase alkalinity. Chlorophyll has a structure similar to that of the blood and has the ability to alkaline blood.
Food and dietary patterns anti-alkali:
Foods that contribute the most to the increase of acidity in the body are: Foods with a high sodium content of processed foods contain large amounts of sodium chloride-table salt-which narrows blood vessels and creates the acidity.
Deli meats, cereals processed (such as corn flakes) eggs, drinks with caffeine and alcohol, barley and products made of whole-wheat cereals, bread: whether or not the acidity in the body.
Milk: calcium-rich dairy products produce most cases of osteoporosis. And this is because they create a high level of acidity in the body! When the blood becomes too acidic, it will remove calcium (an alkaline substance) from the bones to maintain pH balance.
The best method of preventing osteoporosis is through increased consumption of leafy green vegetables! Peanuts and nuts, pasta, rice, bread and bakery products and other habits can increase great acidity in the body? Among the main perpetrators are: alcohol and drinking excessively.
Among the main perpetrators include:
- Alcohol and drug consumption
- Excessive caffeine use
- Antibiotic use
- Sweeteners
- Excessive chronic stress
- Artificial nutrients from foods,
- Lack of exercise but also too much movement
- Hormone intake in food,
- Cosmetics and plastics chemicals and radiation exposure from household cleaning products, construction materials, computer,
- Cellular and microwave ovens and food colorings Pesticides and weedkillers
- Pollution m
- Chewing food insufficiently and other unhealthy habits.
Alkaline Diet vs.Diet Paleo
Paleo diet alkaline and have much in common and a few similar benefits, such as reduced risk of nutritional deficiencies, inflammation and a better digestion, weight loss management and more others. Among the things they have in common the two diets are giving up, sugars added, reducing the intake of fatty acids, pro-inflammatory omega-6, eliminating grain and processed carbohydrates, reducing or eliminating the consumption of milk and dairy products and increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. There are, however, some things that need to be taken into consideration if you want to follow the Paleo diet. Paleo diet eliminates all dairy products.
At the same time, the Paleo diet includes foods of animal origin, whose consumption involves certain drawbacks. The consumption of animal protein can actually contribute to the increase of acidity, not to alcalinitatii. Beef, chicken, sausage, pig, and seafood go from sulphuric acid accumulation in the blood due to the breakdown of amino acids. Precautions in alkaline diet certain foods on the list of “strong acid” might surprise you, like nuts and some seeds.
They contribute to the growth of acidity in the body, but this should not prevent you to eat. All these products contain health benefits, such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, due to which remain in food.
Finally, it is important to maintain a healthy balance. Regarding pH, there is also the possibility that a body to become too alkaline and, therefore, the consumption of certain foods that promote the acidity is desirable and even healthy.
The problem is that I do not eat enough foods that promote alkalinity, not that we have a too high intake of acidic foods, whole and healthy. It is important to eat a wide variety of natural foods, whole (mostly veggies, fruits, and vegetables) and to limit consumption of processed products and we are on track.
Conclusion
An alkaline diet is one that includes whole foods and has a positive effect on the pH levels in the blood and urine. The benefits of an alkaline diet include better heart health, stronger bones, less pain, and some nutritional balancing center. The predominant food in such a diet is vegetables and fruits, raw food, green juices, beans, and oil. Foods that are highly acidic and must be limited in an alkaline diet include products with high content of sodium, processed cereals, proteins, and products of animal origin, added sugar and milk from Commerce.
Updated: 15 April 2019
