By Peter Shepherd

When the body is too acidic as a result of acid forming foods, high fat, mucus forming foods, and toxic food residues, disease and infections proliferate. This is especially true in cases of arthritis and rheumatic situations. If your body is frequently in an acidic state, you will tend to suffer from fatigue, emotional stress, aches and pains, frequent infections, and have digestive problems and allergies.

An alkalizing diet is one in which 65% of our food intake should come from alkaline-based foods like fruits (except for plums and prunes), green-leafy vegetables and other vegetables, and tubers (root vegetables). These foods help to alkalinize the blood and other tissue fluids in our body. The other 35% of our food intake can come from acid-producing foods like cereals, dairy, eggs and meat, though very acid-forming foods such as refined sugars, soft drinks, caffeine and alcohol are best cut out altogether. And we do well to drink plenty of the neutral water.

The main goal of an alkalizing diet is balanced eating in order to avoid acidosis. When acidosis occurs, our blood reduces its ability to deliver oxygen to the cells and eliminate carbon dioxide from the body. When we reduce the alkalinity of our blood, it creates symptoms like hunger, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, headache and drowsiness. Acidosis is the breeding ground for many disorders, and can interfere with the way our glands and organs function. When blood becomes too acidic, our bodies pull calcium from our bones and teeth to neutralize the acid and this contributes to bone loss or osteoporosis. Also, cancer cells prefer highly acidic environments and do not do well in healthy, alkaline environments.

The correct ratio of acid and alkaline forming foods is difficult to difficult to determine for every individual since the balance is altered by chewing, food preparation, individual lifestyle, genetics, exercise, and mental outlook. However, those prone to infections, viruses, excess mucus problems and other toxic acidic conditions need to increase their alkaline diet.

In general, fruits, vegetables, lentils, seeds, sprouts, roots, and tubers are healthfully alkalinizing, while grains, grasses, fowl, fish, seafood, dairy products, meats, and most beans are acidifying. Click here for information about testing for acidosis and a list of the acid-producing and alkaline-producing foods, to help you plan a balanced and healthy diet...

A surprising number and variety of physical problems and diseases can be caused by the problem of foods that are acid-producing after digestion. Today the vast majority of the populace in industrialized nations suffers from problems caused by the stress of acidosis, because both modern lifestyle and diet promote acidification of the body's internal environment.

The current typical Western diet is largely composed of acid-forming foods (proteins, cereals, sugars). Alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables are eaten in much smaller quantities. Stimulants like tobacco, coffee, tea, and alcohol are also extremely acidifying. Stress, and physical activity (both insufficient or excessive amounts) also cause acidification.

Many foods are alkaline-producing by nature, but manufactured processed foods are mostly acid-producing. It is important to consume at least 60% alkaline-producing foods in our diet, in order to maintain health. We need plenty of fresh fruits and particularly vegetables (alkaline-producing) to balance our necessary protein intake (acid-producing). And we need to avoid processed, sugary or simple-carbohydrate foods, not only because they are acid-producing but also because they raise blood sugar level too quickly; plus they tend to be nutrient-lacking and may be toxic too.

If you have a health problem, most likely you are suffering from acidosis. Research shows that unless the body's pH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself.  So no matter what means you choose to take care of your health, it won't be effective until the pH level is balanced. If your body's pH is not balanced, for example, you cannot effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements. Your body pH affects everything.

Acidosis 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.