Alkaline Diet Wonders
Cells and tissues are building blocks of our body. These are made of 16 chemical elements. Balance between these chemical elements in body is essential for achieving a good health. Acid-alkali balance in body helps in keeping body chemistry balanced. The acid-alkaline balance in the body is 20:80.
For a normal healthy individual, blood reaction is alkaline in nature which is important for physical and mental health. The blood is alkaline due to the fact that main products of digestion of carbohydrates and fats are carbon dioxide, gas and water. Normally carbohydrates and fats constitute approx. 90% of body fuel. Of remaining 10%, 5% is also converted into carbon dioxide, water and gas. Therefore, blood gets a large amount of acid to be transported to points of discharge of body such as lungs. Since blood is alkaline it is able to transport this acid from tissue to lungs etc.
Acidosis or Hypo-alkalinity of blood: Ability of blood to carry carbon dioxide gets reduced when blood alkalinity goes down even slightly. As a result acid gets accumulated in tissues resulting in a condition called Acidosis or Hypo-alkalinity of blood.
Symptoms of of acidosis or Hypo-alkalinity of blood: Burning sensation, hunger, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, pharynx. Acidosis is root to most other diseases. Rheumatism, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, various degenerative diseases, Nephritis or Bright's disease could develop on Acidosis. Hypo-alkalinity of blood interferes with normal functioning of various organs and glands thus increases chances of attaining diseases.
Causes of Acidosis or Hypo-alkalinity: Primary cause of Acidosis or Hypo-alkalinity is inappropriate diet containing several acid-forming foods. As discussed earlier, body generates several acids in process of metabolism. Acids consumed in diet add to these acids substantially increasing acids in the body.When these acids do not get properly ejected out of body through lungs, kidney and bowels, blood alkalinity goes down and results in Acidosis.
Other causes of Acidosis include decline in alkalinity caused by diseases such as cholera, dysentery, diarrhea etc. Accumulation of acetone bodies in the system due to diabetes, vomiting, starvation etc also result in acidosis.
Naturopathy for Acidosis: One must strive to maintain a balance between acid-alkaline foods consumed. Food items that leave alkaline ash help in increasing blood alkalinity. Non-vegetarian food items (flesh-based diets) leave acidic ash and lower the alkaline nature of blood. Eggs also lower alkalinity of blood but to a lesser extent than flesh based diet. Cereals, breads do the same but to a much less extent. Foods which increase alkalinity of blood include fresh fruits such as plum, prunes and green & root vegetables.
One must design daily diet in such a way as to consume 80% alkaline-making food items such as fresh fruits, legumes, root vegetables and 20% acid-forming foods such as fish, meat, cereals, bread. Establishing a good pH balance will help one maintain a good health. In condition of acedosis, one must consume more alkaline-forming food items for faster recovery.
The easiest way to alkalinize diet is to drink fruit juices and eat citrus fruits. Citrus fruits contain a good proportion alkaline salts such as potash.
Alkaline-forming Food Items: Melons, Milk, Onions, Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Raisins, Almonds, Apples, Ripe Bananas, Beets Cabbage, Coconuts, Cottage Cheese, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Lemons, Lettuce, Apricots, Turnips, Tomatoes, Soyabeans, Spinach, Parsley.
Acid-forming food items: Meats, Eggs, Grains, Nuts except almonds, bread, Cereals, Unripe Bananas, Barley, Beans, Cakes, Chicken, Corn, Chocolate, Oatmeal, Coffee, Sea Foods, Sugar, Rice, Peas, Tea.
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