Miracles of Alkalizing Diet
The human body is composed of various organs and
parts, which are made up of tissues and cells. These tissues and cells are
composed of 16 chemical elements. The balance or equilibrium of these chemical
elements in the body is an essential factor in the maintenance of health and
healing of disease. The acid-alkaline balance plays a vital role in this balanced
body chemistry. All foods, after digestion and absorption leave either an acid
or alkaline ash in the body depending on their mineral composition. The normal
body chemistry is approximately 20 % acid and 80 % alkaline. This is the
acid-alkaline balance. In normal health, the reaction of the blood is alkaline
and that is essential for our physical and mental well-being. The preponderence
of alkalis in the blood is due to the fact that the products of the vital
combustions taking place in the body are mostly acid in character.
Carbohydrates and fats form about nine-tenths of the normal fuel of the body.
In normal health, this great mass of material is converted into carbon dioxide
gas and water. Half of the remaining one-tenth fuel is also converted into the
same gas and water. This huge amount of acid is transported by the blood to the
various points of discharge, mainly the lungs. By virtue of alkalinity, the
blood is able to transport the acid from the tissues to the discharge points.
Acidosis
Whenever the alkalinity of the blood is reduced, even
slightly, its ability to transport the carbon dioxide gets reduced. This
results in the accumulation of acid in the tissues. This condition is known as
acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood. Its symptoms are hunger, indigestion,
burning sensation and pain in the pharynx, nausea, vomiting, headache, various
nervous disorders and drowsiness. Acidosis is the breeding ground for most
diseases. Nepthritis or Bright’s disease, rheumatism, premature old age,
arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, skin disorders and various degenerative
diseases are traceable to this condition. It seriously interferes with the
functions of the glands and organs of the body. It also lowers the vitality of
the system, thereby increasing the danger of infectious diseases. The main
cause of acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood is faulty diet, in which too
many acid forming foods have been consumed. In the normal process of metabolism
or converting the food into energy by the body, various acids are formed in the
system and in addition, other acids are introduced in food. Whenever there is
substantial increase in the formation of acids in the system and these acids
are not properly eliminated through the lungs, the kidneys and the bowels, the
alkalinity of the blood is reduced, resulting in acidosis. Other causes of
acidosis are depletion of alkali reserve due to diarrhea, dysentery, cholera
etc. accumulation of carbon dioxide in asphyxia and anoxia as in circulatory
and pulmonary diseases and accumulation of acetone bodies resulting from
starvation, vomiting and diabetes millitus. Acidosis can be prevented by
maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in the diet. Certain
foods leave alkaline ash and help in maintaining the alkalinity of the food,
while others leave highly acid ash and lower the alkali reserve of the blood
and tissue fluids to a very large extent. Eggs do the same but less strongly
than meats. Cereals of all kinds, including all sorts of breads are also
acid-forming foods , though much less than meats. All fruits, with exceptions
like plums and prunes and all green and root vegetables are highly alkaline
foods and help to alkalinize the blood and other tissue fluids. Thus, our daily
diet should consist of four-fifth of alkaline-forming foods such as juicy
fruits, tubers, legumes, ripe fruits, leafy and root vegetables and one fifty
of acid-forming foods containing concentrated proteins and starches such as
meat, fish, bread and cereals. Eating
sensibly in this manner will ensure the necessary
alkalinity of the food which will keep the body in perfect health. Whenever a
person has acidosis, the higher the ratio of alkaline forming foods in his
diet, the quicker will be the recovery. Acids are neutralised by alkalies. It
is, therefore, imperative that persons suffering from various ailments are
given adequate alkaline ash foods to offset the effects of acid-forming foods
and leave a safe margin of alkalinity. The most agreeable and convenient means
of alkalizing the blood are citrus fruits and fruit juices. The alkalizing
value of citrus fruits is due to large percentage of alkaline salts, mainly potash,
which they contain. Each pint of orange juice contains 12 grains of potassium,
one of the most potent of alkalis. Lemon juice contains nine grains of the
alkali to the pint and grape seven grains.
Diet in Disease
In the diet during disease, breakfast may consist of
fresh fruits, lunch may comprise raw vegetables with acid and sub-acid fruits,
and for dinner raw and cooked vegetables, or light starchy vegetables like
beet, carrot, cauliflower, egg-plant and squashes may be taken. Sweet fruits
may be added to this diet after seven days. Foods are classified as acid-producing
or alkaline-producing depending on their reaction on the urine. Calcium,
magnesium, sodium and potassium present in foods contribute to the alkaline effect,
while sulfur, phosphorous and chlorine contribute to the acidic effect.
Depending on the pre-dominating constituents in a particular food, it is
classified as acid-forming or alkaline-forming. The effect of food stuffs upon the
alkalinity of the blood depends upon their residue which they leave behind
after undergoing oxidation in the body. It is an error to presume that because
a food tastes acid, it has an acidic reaction in the blood. For instance,
fruits and vegetables have organic acids in combination with soda and potash in
the form of acid salts. When the acids are burnt or utilised in the body, the alkaline soda or
potash is left behind. Hence the effect of the natural fruit acids is to
increase the alkalinity of the blood rather than reduce it. Based on the above
observations, the following charts show the common foods with acid and alkaline
ash:
A - Foods Leaving
An Acid Ash
(One-Fifth Class)
Barley
Eggs
Bananas (unripe)
Grain Foods
Beans
Lentils
Meats
Cereals
Nuts except almonds
Cakes
Bread
Oatmeal
Chicken
Peas
Confections
Rice
Corn
Sugar
Sea Foods
Coffee
Tea
B - Foods Leaving
An Alkaline Ash
( Four-fifths
class )
Almonds
Melons
Apples
Milk
Apricots
Onions
Banana (ripe)
Beets
Parsley
Cabbage
Peaches
Carrots
Pears
Cauliflower
Pineapple
Celery
Potatoes
Coconuts
Pumpkins
Cottage
Cheese
Radishes
Cucumbers
Raisins
Dates
Spinach
Figs (Fresh and Dry)
Soyabeans
Grapes
Tomatoes
Lemons
Turnips
Lettuce
Source: www.healthlibrary.com through
www.scribd.com
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