Metabolic acidosis is a health problem characterized by excess acid in your body fluids. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that metabolic acidosis may develop if your body generates too much acid or if your kidneys fail to remove the proper amount of acid from your body. Before using diet and nutrition to help resolve your metabolic acidosis, review all of your treatment options with your primary care provider.
Metabolic Acidosis
There are several types of metabolic acidosis, notes Google Health, including diabetic acidosis, hyperchloremic acidosis -- caused by the loss of too much sodium bicarbonate from your body -- and lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis may be caused by numerous factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, liver failure, low blood sugar levels and the use of certain prescription medications. Possible signs and symptoms associated with metabolic acidosis include increased breathing rate, confusion and lethargy.
Helpful Dietary Practices
One of the most helpful dietary practices in maintaining a healthy acid/alkaline balance in your body involves consuming a diet consisting of about 50 percent raw foods, states certified nutritional consultant Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Specific foods that may be helpful in treating your metabolic acidosis include avocados, billberries, blackberries, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, pears, strawberries, pineapples and bananas. Potato broth and citrus fruits may be particularly helpful in treating this health problem.
A Beneficial Food
Grapefruit, a citrus fruit, may be one of the most beneficial foods in treating your metabolic acidosis. Grapefruit may help regulate your acid/base balance and contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, pantothenic acid, potassium, folate and dietary fiber. Grapefruit, notes biologist and nutritionist George Mateljan, author of "The World's Healthiest Foods," has also traditionally been used in supporting your immune system, protecting your cells from free-radical damage and reducing your likelihood of developing atherosclerosis.
Considerations
Severe cases of metabolic acidosis can lead to serious health complications, including death. If you have been diagnosed with this health problem, meet with your primary care provider to review helpful treatment strategies. To get a better sense of the role of diet and nutrition in treating your metabolic acidosis, schedule an appointment with a health-care professional who has advanced training in clinical nutrition. Some foods traditionally used in treating metabolic acidosis may need more research evidence to validate their purported health effects.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Metabolic Acidosis -- Overview
- Google Health: Metabolic Acidosis
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2007
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