The Advantages of Alkaline Nutrition for Our Bodies

The acid-base balance in the blood ranges from 0 (strongly acidic) to 14 (strongly alkaline). A pH value of 7.0 (middle) is neutral. The average pH value of a healthy person is around 7.4. With the help of breathing and the kidneys, the body can keep the acid-base balance in balance. In addition, buffer systems in the blood support short-term fluctuations.

If the value falls below 7.35, doctors speak of hyperacidity ( acidosis ). A disturbed acid-base balance can narrow the blood vessels and cause heart problems. Other symptoms include headaches, impure skin, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal complaints, muscle cramps or heartburn.

From a naturopathic perspective, hyperacidity leads to chronic suffering and signs of aging. An alkaline diet prevents the body from becoming acidic and generally ensures greater well-being and a healthy body weight.

People with diabetes, impaired kidney function or lung function are particularly at risk of hyperacidity. All animal foods as well as protein-rich foods and some types of grain are highly acidic. But the general lifestyle also has an impact on our acid-base balance. Acidification particularly benefits:

• stress
• not enough water
• ready meals
• regular alcohol consumption and smoking
• An unbalanced diet
• constipation
• Medication
• Too little exercise or extreme sports

Nutrition plays a major role in balancing the pH value. Vegetables and salads are important sources of base. Most fruits, potatoes and herbs are also healthy and alkaline. Not all foods that contain acid are acidic. For example, citrus fruits are considered alkaline foods.

Alkaline foods have many alkaline minerals and trace elements. They are low in acid-forming amino acids and do not leave behind any waste products when metabolized. They stimulate the body's own alkaline formation and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Alkaline foods promote intestinal health, have a high water content and contain valuable plant substances.

Neutral foods include all high-quality, cold-pressed fats and oils such as coconut oil, linseed oil, walnut oil or olive oil. So they are not alkaline, but also not acid-forming.

In most cases, the alkaline diet is used as a temporary treatment. It is often used as a companion for purification cures, detoxification, intestinal cleansing, heavy metal removal or weight loss. The duration of a treatment varies. From 10 to 14 days it can also be extended up to 4 weeks. Once the organism has been cleansed again, you switch to a diet with excess alkaline content. This means that the diet now consists of approximately 75% alkaline and 25% healthy acid-forming foods - measured by the volume of food on the plate.

The base-excess diet is suitable as a permanent nutritional style. This is because foods that are high in nutrients and micronutrients , but are not considered to be acid-forming, are also used. These include foods such as nuts, legumes or whole grains.

Acid-forming foods are rich in acid-forming minerals and acid-forming amino acids. They lead to slag formation and cannot stimulate the body's own alkaline formation. They also contain a low water content, prevent the body's own deacidification processes and promote the development of inflammation. Acid-forming foods can worsen gut health.

The alkaline excess diet consists of alkaline-forming and good acid-forming foods. Good acidifiers have only a small acid-forming effect and also contain important nutrients for our body . That's why they are an optimal addition to our diet and important for balancing the acid-base balance.

Good acidifiers:

• Whole grain cereals
• Products made from whole grains such as pasta and bread
• nuts
• legumes
• Animal products from organic farming in manageable quantities

Bad acid generators:

• Animal products from conventional farming
• alcohol
• finished products
• Coffee
• White flour
• Sugar

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