At any given moment, your body conducts countless chemical processes that enable you to be healthy and carry out your day-to-day activities. Each of these reactions has precise requirements regarding acid or alkaline levels, most of which occur at a slightly alkaline pH. Your diet contributes significantly to your body's pH level and, by influencing your acid/alkaline balance, may contribute to or prevent certain health conditions.
Aches and Pains
A slightly alkaline pH discourages diseases from developing, decreases aches and pains and improves energy and mood, according to Rod Rotondi, author of the book "Raw Food for Real People: Living Vegan Food Made Simple." Testing your pH is a simple, at-home procedure that can tell you instantly how acidic or alkaline your body is. Purchase pH test strips at your local pharmacy and place one on the inside of your mouth, or use a drop of urine on the test strip when you wake up each morning. After practicing with the test strips for a while and seeing the effects of your dietary choices on you acid/alkaline balance, you will be able to predict how your body responds to certain foods.
Degenerative Diseases
Promoting an alkaline pH helps prevent degenerative diseases, says Felicia Drury Kliment, author of the book "The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet: An Innovative Program That Detoxifies Your Body's Acidic Waste to Prevent Disease and Restore Overall Health." One of the best ways to create an alkaline environment is to ensure you are getting enough digestive enzymes, either through food or supplementation. Undigested food particles can become toxic and acid-forming. Enzymes break food down efficiently, leaving no undigested particles. Your natural levels of enzymes determine the diet you are most suited for. If you have high enzyme levels, you may be better able to digest a meat-based diet. If your enzyme levels are lower, a vegetable-based diet may agree with you more. You can also take enzyme supplements to achieve optimal digestion and a well-balanced pH.
Aging
A slightly alkaline environment helps ward off the effects of aging and prevent indigestion and other intestinal disorders. Fewer infections, better endurance and stronger muscles are other benefits that go along with healthy pH balance, according to Susan Lark, M.D., author of the book "Eat Papayas Naked: The pH-Balanced Diet for Super Health & Glowing Beauty." As you age, your body's ability to buffer the effects of poor food choices, lack of sleep and other stressors diminishes, resulting in greater susceptibility to infection and degenerative diseases, such as fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and chronic fatigue syndrome. Attention to an alkalizing diet, high in fresh fruits and vegetables and lower in meats, dairy and sugar can help tip the pH scales in your favor and allow you to age more slowly.
Cancer
Maintaining an alkaline pH may help prevent cancer, according to T. R. Aletheia, author of the book "Cancer: An American Conspiracy." Most pathogenic bacteria and fungi prefer an acid environment and are able to become established and thrive more easily if your system tends toward the acid side of the pH scale. By contrast, in an alkaline environment, your immune system functions more efficiently and is able to fend off many degenerative diseases, including some forms of cancer, says Aletheia.
References
- "Raw Food for Real People: Living Vegan Food Made Simple"; Rod Rotondi; 2010
- "The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet: An Innovative Program That Detoxifies Your Body's Acidic Waste to Prevent Disease and Restore Overall Health"; Felicia Drury Kliment; 2010
- "Eat Papayas Naked: The pH-Balanced Diet for Super Health & Glowing Beauty"; Susan M. Lark, MD; 2006
- "Cancer: An American Conspiracy"; T.R. Aletheia; 2010
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