Trippin’ on Acid?

Question: What’s the difference between Phosphoric Acid and “battery” acid?
Answer: Not much!

How many people do you know that drink DIET soda because they think it will help them lose weight?  It’s the healthier choice…right?  While it IS free of calories, it IS NOT free of health side effects.  Some of the side effects of diet soda include:

• Kidney Damage
• Weight Gain (yes, even though it’s “calorie free”…stay tuned and you’ll see why)
• Tooth Enamel Damage
• Bone Loss
• Acid Reflux

If you drink diet soda, you are drinking Phosphoric Acid.  It is an inorganic mineral acid with chemical formula H3PO4(…don’t worry, I won’t get too geeky or technical, I promise).  Although it is HORRIBLE for your body, it is a great “rust converter” by direct application and can be found at your local hardware store…or in a can of Diet Coke, whichever is more convenient.

I find that people generally have a very limited (or NO understanding of the body’s pH, the difference between alkaline forming foods vs. acidic forming foods, and how important it is to keep the body in proper pH balance. To be honest, until recently, neither did I!

Watch this video to get a great overview of your pH and how to control it to optimize your health. Then come back and continue reading…you’ll be glad you did!

If you are serious about improving your health and would like to be alerted of new posts and have access to great fitness and nutrition tips, click here to make me your coach.  It’s absolutely free, and there is no obligation whatsoever…although your comments and questions are greatly appreciated.

Below is a copy of a great article written by Darin Olien, the co-creator of Shakeology.  He’s alot smarter than I am so I’ll let him take over from here!

 

Alkalinazation for Good Health, by Darin Olien

Did You know human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 )? A pH of 7.0 is neutral, whereas a pH below 7.0 is acidic and a pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH, meaning low in oxygen, is caused by processes which deprive the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  Improper diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions may be responsible for higher pH acidity.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  When not enough electrolyte minerals are found, cells become more acidic.  The effects of having an acidic pH can be extreme.  An acidic balance will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it’s ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness, creating an environment favorable to fermentation outside the digestive system, causing many extreme and unwanted processes in the body. This favors the overall production of nitric oxide, which is associated to cancer, inflammation and other pathological disturbances.

In American society, diet is typically the culprit for an acidic pH balance.  To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.  As a general rule, one can assume that most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline-producing, whereas meat, eggs, dairy, artificial sweeteners, and coffee are acid-producing.  It is important to note that the pH of the food and its effect on the body are not necessarily the same.  Some acidic foods, such as lemons, may be acidic before digestion, however they have an alkalinizing affect on the body. This is called pleomorphism. Similarly, meat is alkaline before digestion, but leaves acidic by-products in the body.  Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid in the whole food has an alkalizing effect on the system. For example; lemons are acidic in nature, but when ingested as a whole food, has a very alkalizing effect. This is not the case for isolated vitamin c or ascorbic acid as they are acidic outside as well as inside the body when isolated from the whole food as a supplement.

Adding more alkaline-producing components to a diet and eliminating acid-producing foods is a great idea for those individuals seeking to feel more energized or experience improvement in the strength of their immune system.  Having an understanding of alkalinity and acidity, as well as knowing which foods fall in either category, is one way to start feeling healthier today.  Below is a guideline to help inform your decision to consume or not consume various foods and substances:

Extremely Alkaline

Lemons, watermelon, baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, tangerine, and pineapple.

Alkaline Forming

Cantaloupe, cayenne, celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress.

Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.

Moderately Alkaline

Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).

Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).

Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.

Slightly Alkaline

Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).

Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat’s milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).

Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.

Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods

Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.

Neutral

Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow’s milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).

 

Very Low Acid Forming Foods

Curry, Kona coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.

Slightly Acidic

Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.

Moderately Acidic

Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat’s milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).

Molasses (unsulferd and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).

Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.

Extremely Acidic

Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.

Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).

Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

*Remember that factors other than foods contribute to alkalinity and acidosis.  Drugs and chemicals you may be knowingly or unknowingly exposed to can also influence your pH balance:

Acidifying drugs and chemicals
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco
**Our minds and emotions also affect our pH balance.  Practices like meditation and prayer are considered alkaline, as are practices of peace, kindness and love.  Alternately, anger, fear, jealousy, stress, and being overworked have an acidifying effect on the body.

Keep this list in mind when making choices in the future.  A healthy pH is vital to healthy life!