More from a page I found about the acid/alkaline issue

[Guest guest]

sorry to repost, seems to not have propogated fully,

Jonah

The Acid - Alkaline Balance

By : Pamela Barinoff, BA, NC, NC

Our addiction to acidifying foods is killing us! Acid is great for running

batteries but not for bodies. The pH (level of acidity or

alkalinity) of our bodies determines our level of overall health. Unfortunately

our present day diet produces far more acid in our

bodies than is healthy.

Why Are Acidifying Foods So Bad For Us?

Whenever anything dies, the cells of the deceased body become very acid.

That acid state is the signal to the microbes,

viruses, bacteria and fungi, that it is time to decompose the dead tissue.

Therefore, if we begin to resemble this acid state we

will come under attack from microbes. Many diseases, whether it is arterial

lesions of the heart, irritable bowel syndrome, or

arthritis, are the result of an internal acidic environment that invites

microbes to begin the decomposition process.

When we eat foods, they are metabolized and leave a waste, or ash, in our

bodies. This ash is either acidic in nature or alkaline, depending upon

the

food intake. If it is alkaline, then it can be quickly extracted from our

bodies with little energy. However, if these waste products are acid, they

are very

difficult for the blood and lymph system to eliminate and they are stored

in our organs and tissues as acid by-products or pollutants.

What happens when your body is too acid?

Many things: you age faster!

Acidity causes free radicals which damage and destroy tissue. Vitamin and

minerals from foods and supplements are not absorbed. The friendly

bacteria in the small intestine die and the immune system is impaired.

This leads to systemic yeast overgrowth, allergies, and irritable bowel

syndrome. Connective tissue becomes weakened, causing skin and hair to

lose tone and texture. People who have acidic tissue, will have disturbed

sleep patterns. An acid system is a stressed -out system due to toxic build

-up hence you will have more colds, infections and headaches.

Osteoporosis occurs as your body pulls precious minerals from your bones

to buffer the acidic blood. Your physical and mental energy will be

depleted, affecting your moods and reducing athletic performance.

The good news is that it is easy to change our inner-body environment from

one that is too acid to an alkaline higher- energy- state, by improving

our

nutrition. Every meal should be 75% alkalizing food and 25% acid, by volume.

That means 3 handfuls of alkaline food to 1 handful of acid food.

All overcooked or processed foods leave large amounts of acids wastes in

our bodies. The acidifying foods are: all animal protein, dairy, milk and

hard

cheeses, grains, nuts and butters, pasta, beans, legumes, sweets and sweeteners.

Coffee and alcohol will also cause the blood to go acidic. As you

can see, over 90% of the food in the grocery store will have an acidifying

effect on the body!

So what are the alkalizing foods?

All vegetables, fruits, herbs, herbal teas, spices and oriental vegetables

will buffer the effects of acid. The best quick- fix for alkalizing the

body are the

quality green drinks such as spirulina, wheat grass, barley greens and

mineral supplements.

Surprisingly, some foods that taste acid are actually have an alkalizing

effect once they are inside the body. That's why spiking your water with

apple

cider vinegar or lemon juice, will not only give you more energy but also

reduce arthritis and yeast overgrowth.

The few proteins that are alkalizing are: whey protein powder, free range

eggs, fat free cottage cheese, organic yogurt, and almonds. The only grain

that

makes the alkaline list is millet.

Is it any surprise that our biggest consumers of acid foods are our youth?

The soda pop and chips diet has been linked to over-irritability, hyperactivity,

mood swings, violent temper, learning disabilities, and allergies. In contrast,

alkalizing diets are calming. Children's IQ have actually gone up just

by

adding more alkaline food to their diet.

To put it simply, acid foods are proteins and grains, and the alkaline

foods are fruits and vegetables. Special pH strips can easily test the

acid/alkaline

balance of your saliva and urine. There is no reason to suffer from fatigue

and the debilitating effects of an acid/alkaline imbalance. The simple

act of

eating more alkalizing food may be the best medicine for all of us in the

new millennium.

About the Author

Pamela Barinoff, BA, NC, NC. is a Certified Nutritional Consultant practicing

in the Vancouver area, B.C., Canada.