In the average American diet, many consume
foods which are too acidic to effectively promote
and maintain a healthy body.
Some examples of these acidic sources
we consume are refined sugars, dairy products,
and meat, such as, beef and pork.
There are different side effects that result
from a high-acid diet, such as, a diminished
immune system and lethargy.
Alkalizing the body is not difficult, but, in order to understand the benefits of doing so,
one must first understand the definition of alkaline foods, how they work with the body,
and which foods in particular will counteract the effects of their acidic counterparts.
What Is Alkaline?
Alkaline is defined as that which has a pH greater than 7. Because the body functions
best at a pH level of about 7.4, it is important to consume foods which will bring
those levels up
to an appropriate level.
This is especially crucial when consuming foods which are acidic, and, which,
will bring those levels lower than they should be.
Pure, distilled water sits at almost exactly 7 on the pH scale.
Foods with a higher number are alkaline, while anything that is lower than 7 is considered acidic.
Benefits Of An Alkaline Diet
As a general rule, foods can be classified as either acid-forming or alkaline forming.
The human body‘s pH is 7.35, or slightly alkaline. The body is always seeking a state of
balance, so it works hard to maintain the healthy neutral alkaline zone.
Keep in mind that foods in in of themselves cannot change this zone in the body, but,
the body does have to work extra hard to compensate for the intake of acid-forming foods
that are ingested in excess.
This happens because when your diet is highly acidic the body has to leech calcium from the bones, as calcium is an alkalizing mineral. Over time this can lead to bone mineral loss, which,
can result in osteoporosis.
Additionally, as a stress-or it can lead to inflammation along with increased cortisol levels,
and this can impact overall health in the long term.
Conversely, those foods that are alkaline forming are typically plant based and highly
nutrient dense, and also loaded with antioxidants.
Including a variety of alkaline-forming foods in your diet allows the slowing of leech of
calcium from the bones, and this results in improved bone health.
These foods also support healthy cell regeneration and fights the effects of
free-radicals on the body.
Since it is the pH level of blood which concerns us, putting additional acidic foods
into our diets actually works against the human system.
When more strain is put on the body to fight
sickness and disease, it is no wonder a highly acidic diet might make one feel tired and lethargic.
There is more goods news and that is the major benefits that alkalizing foods have
for the human body during exercise in general.
A diet high in acid forming foods results in reduction of muscle efficiency, so
more energy expenditure is needed for each and every muscle contraction.
Since alkaline-forming foods greatly reduce inflammation, the muscles work at more
functional levels, and they also require less force to move.
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