Did you know that acid-alkaline balance is critical in preventing and combating the following conditions?

• Immune deficiency
• Joint pain, gout, aching muscles, stiffness, and lactic acid build-up
• Low energy and chronic fatigue
• Osteoporosis, weak brittle bones, hip fractures, and bone spurs
• Weight gain, obesity and diabetes
• Cardiovascular damage
• Free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.
• Premature aging
• Bladder and kidney conditions
• Chronic diseases of the respiratory tract
• Heartburn, flatulence, gastritis, ulcers

Excess acidity in the body is a major contributing factor to poor health. Acidity can lead to the loss of “friendly” bacteria in your intestines, because they can’t survive in an overly acid environment. Additionally pathogenic or “unfriendly” bacteria thrive in acidic conditions, and the absence of friendly bacteria means there is no resistance or competition for bacterial, viral, parasitic and yeast infections. Friendly bacteria also aid in digestion, so without them there can be an increased risk of food allergies or sensitivities.

Acidity can also lead to a rise in the blood of free, ionized calcium, which is drawn from the bones in an attempt to alkalise the blood. This could result in osteoporosis, brittle bone disease and bone re-absorption (bone loss). If the excess free calcium problem isn’t corrected, calcium can be deposited into joints and soft tissue, the pancreas or arteries, potentially leading to arthritis, diabetes and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

How do you know if your pH is too acid?

There is no 100% accurate way of measuring the pH of your body tissues. Dark field microscopy (Hemaview) and iridology can often help us determine if there is over-acidity in the body. Another indicator is testing the pH of your urine. However in some cases this can be misleading as your urine may be alkaline when in fact deeper in your tissues, you are still acidic.

The reason this occurs is because your body will draw alkaline minerals (such as calcium, magnesium and manganese) into the blood to regulate blood pH as keeping the pH of the blood balanced is essential. Any excess of these alkaline minerals is excreted via the urine. When tested your urine will register as alkaline, when in fact deeper in your body you are acidic and may still benefit from alkalizing therapy.

What causes me to be acidic?

The typical western diet is high in acid producing foods like meat, fish, grains, sugar, tea, coffee, alcohol, and legumes, and far too low in alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and spices. With the uptake of acid forming foods, bases are needed to neutralize these acids, so alkaline minerals are drawn from the tissues. With a constant oversupply of acid-forming foods, lots of alkaline minerals are drawn from the tissues leaving them acidic. This often leads to a situation where the blood of chronically ill patients shows an alkalosis yet their tissues are acidic, leading to degeneration and poor health. To maintain a neutral pH it is estimated that 80% of our diet would have to be alkaline forming foods.

Alkalising therapy:

An effective way to alkalise the body is with a combination the following, (products and doses will vary according to your specific needs):

Alkala N – Alkalising salts. Place 1/3 scoop into a 2litre bottle of water. Drink throughout the day.

Ph regulator – Regulates pH of the blood and tissues

Citrokehl – Activates cellular metabolism

Fortakehl- Repairs damaged mucosal lining associated with systemic hyperacidity

An Alkalising diet

When researching an alkalising diet it's very easy to become confused. Generally meats and proteins are considered to be acid forming and therefore a no-no on an alkalising diet. However protein is an essential macronutrient in the diet and is responsible for maintaining muscle mass and providing the building blocks for adequate liver detoxification. Most grains are also acid-forming. The key is balance. You can eat these more acid-forming foods but they must be balanced with sufficient alkaline foods. We are not promoting a total alkaline diet but a balanced diet.

Traditionally our ancestors survived on what is known as a Paleolithic diet or hunter-gatherer style of diet. It consisted of seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruit, and roots and was supplemented with game animals and fish. The problem is we've strayed from the balance our ancestors achieved. Today modern stressed people tend to favor processed meats, processed sugar substitutes for natural foods, grains, processed fast snacks and other acid-forming alternatives to fruits and vegetable.

An alkalising diet should have an emphasis on whole foods, particularly vegetables, root crops and to a lesser degree fruits, nuts, seeds and spices. This should be supplemented by adequate, yet not excessive, amounts of essential fats, meat, fish and eggs. Whole grains and beans such as lentils are great wholesome additions too but should only make up a small portion of your daily food intake. Plenty of water should be included and herbal teas too. Aim for approximately 75-80% alkalising foods, 20-25% acid forming foods. See the following table for more detailed information.