Maintaining a healthy balance between acid and alkaline levels in the body is essential for vitality, energy, and overall health. Acid-alkaline balance is possibly one of the most misunderstood and underestimated issues in our physiology, yet it is fundamental to every aspect of human health. When your body is overly acidic, you may experience symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and other health issues.
Causes of Excess Acid in the Body
An imbalanced diet is the most common cause of Chronic Metabolic Acidosis (CMA), which results in excess acid in the body. A diet high in processed foods, fast foods, meat, and dairy products increases acidity in the body. Furthermore, a lack of fresh fruits and vegetables contributes to an excess of acids in the body, as does stress and a busy lifestyle. Stress, a busy lifestyle, and a typical Western diet can all increase systemic acidity, ultimately driving disease.
The Effects of Diet on pH
All foods have an overall acidifying or alkalising effect on the body, and the balance between the acid-forming components and the base-forming components of a food determines its overall effect. Foods such as meat, eggs, dairy products, grains, salt, and soft drinks all have a high Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) score and an overall acidifying effect on the body. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables have a low PRAL score and are alkalising for the body.
Following an Alkaline Diet
To ensure that your body has a healthy balance of acid and alkaline, a greater portion of your total diet should be alkalising vegetables and fruits. A good guide is that your plate should be made up of 2/3 alkalising foods to 1/3 acidifying foods.
Here are some tips to follow an alkaline diet:
- Enjoy a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, including 1-2 servings of fruit and 2 or more servings of vegetables at every meal.
- Moderate amounts of eggs and dairy products are okay
- Limit red meat consumption to less than 2 servings per week
- Limit poultry consumption to less than 2 servings per week
- Limit salt intake
- Avoid refined grains, processed meats, and soft drinks
Alkalising Minerals Neutralise Excess Acid
A diet rich in alkalising fruits and vegetables can help reduce the burden of excess acid in the body. Additionally, minerals such as potassium citrate and magnesium citrate can be taken in powdered form to help neutralise excess acids and restore acid-base balance.
If you want to learn more about how you can alkalise your body, contact our clinic today. We can provide personalised guidance and support to help you achieve optimal health and wellness.
