How important is Alkaline Diet?

Chronic Fatigue is nowadays, becoming a part of everyday routine for people living in westernized society. We usually blame it to things that we need to perform on a daily basis which often gives us stress. But have we ever considered the food we eat to contribute to the increasing case of Chronic Fatigue today?

Acidity and Alkalinity, their effect in our the body

To understand the distinction between acidity and alkalinity one must first understand what an alkali is. Alkali is a soluble salt with base properties. It is a water solution containing more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions. This salt quickly liquefies in water and has a pH of greater than 7.0. Acidity on the other hand, comes from acid; a chemical mixture which has a pH of less than 7.0 and, when it’s dissolved in water, it produces a compound with a high hydrogen ion activity.

Take into account that what we metabolize produces either of the two (alkaline or acidic) bases in our body, and the fact that if the body gets pH level between 7.33 and 7.4 its up for the optimum performance. Therefore, it makes sense that a diet based on alkaline foods is the best choice if we’re looking to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Another thing is that our body is composed of more or less 75% water.

Alkaline bases dissolve easily in, and are easily absorbed by water, unlike acidic bases which, while they break down in water, leave what is known as an acidic residue which can build up and eventually cause bodily functions to slow down (hence that tired feeling) and sometimes even to malfunction or shut down altogether. Another thing is that, when the pH level goes below 7.0(acidic) the body will automatically find ways to counter it. The human body will likely borrow from internal alkalinity sources such as the bones, where it can derive minerals such as calcium, magnesium or potassium. When this happens, this can cause osteoporosis due to lose of calcium supply in the body. Another problem that you can get from eating acidic food is Plaque. Plaque can take the form of plaque in the teeth and arteries, which is one of the contributors to heart disease.

But even without the major concerns like osteoporosis or heart disease, high acid levels have been shown to encourage the growth of bacterial, viral or even fungal infections, all things that we could easily keep under control if we were to maintain the optimum pH balance. Considering all this, an alkaline diet may sound absolutely practical; the only problem is that studies show that an average diet of western society produces high levels of acid. It is a diet that we are all familiar with over the last 100 years and which takes some willpower to amend, but once we got adopted has proven to yield phenomenal improvements to our health.

What Constitutes an Alkaline Diet?

Eating lesser acidic foods and the regular consumption of more alkaline-rich foods are 2 ways to improve the body’s pH balance. To maintain the optimum pH balance, the key is to apply both of these ways. But ahead of everything, we need to know our current pH balance. A person can measure the pH balance by buying urine or saliva test strips from most drug stores. You need to keep in mind, the goal which is to have a pH balance between 7.33 and 7.4. High alkaline foods include things like most all vegetables and fruits (though it is recommended that fruits be eaten in moderation), non-dairy and non-meat proteins (with the exception of cottage cheese, chicken breasts and eggs) and drinks such as koumbacha, herbal or green tea. Unfortunately, high acidic based foods include things like all meats, almost all grains, sugars and sweeteners, butter, cheeses and all alcoholic drinks.

Due to the different additives that are mixed in water to make it safer to drink, even tap water is not safe from becoming highly acidic. Using water ionizers such as the ones made by Chanson water can improve the water’s pH or alkaline level.

The good news is that while we may have subjected our bodies to years of acid abuse; abuse that is coming to light as increased infections and chronic fatigue; we can undo the damage by bringing the body’s pH balance back into alignment. Optimum health is a delicate balancing act, but with practice, all of us can learn to walk the wire.


To know the Top Seven Reasons to go Alkaline & Avoid Acids, please visit Acid Alkaline Diet