More alkaline, less acidic, diets are popular in health-food circles. As explained by Columbia University's Health Services, some nutrition and health experts believe that the typical Western diet -- high in sugar, white flour and processed foods -- leads to excessively acidic blood, which leaches calcium from your bones and contributes to ill health. The theory is that a healthier diet, one rich in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and refined grains, corrects the pH balance in your body and promotes strong bones and good health. Fortunately, improving your body's pH balance is simple and healthy in many respects.
Step 1
Cut down on high-sugar foods. Refined sugar seems to raise the acidity level of your blood, reducing its ability to carry oxygen and potentially leading to fatigue, weight gain, aches and pains and even serious health issues like cancer and heart disease, according to Columbia University Health Services. Since many processed foods in the typical U.S. diet are high in added sugars, many people are ingesting far more sugar than they think. To restore a healthier pH balance in your body, decrease your consumption of baked goods, candy, desserts and other high-sugar processed foods.
Step 2
Cut down on refined, white-flour foods. Much like sugar, refined flour is an ingredient in many packaged foods, and contributes to highly acidic blood. To alkalize your body, work on eating less white bread, buns and rolls, white-flour tortillas, packaged crackers and chips, and commercially-prepared baked goods.
Step 3
Eat more produce, especially dark green vegetables. Dark leafy veggies, such as kale, collard greens and Swiss chard, and fresh fruits like watermelon, avocado and coconuts are among the most alkalizing foods you can eat. Adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet can help reduce the acid in your blood and contribute to better overall health.
Step 4
Consider drinking alkaline water. Alkaline water is a commercially-available water that has a higher pH level than ordinary tap water and is theorized to help neutralize the body's acidity level. According to MayoClinic.com, while more studies are needed to fully determine the benefits of alkaline water, some research suggests that alkaline water may help decrease bone loss.
References
- Columbia University Health Services; Alkaline Water -- Is It Better For Your Body?; February 2010
- Columbia University Health Services; Ooh, Baby, I Like It Raw (Or, Is a Raw Diet Healthy?); December 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Alkaline Water: Better Than Plain Water?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; March 2010
Member Comments