February 26, 2017 @ 9:49 AM

skeleton imageAn alkaline pH balance in the bloodstream is essential for a healthy diet.  The pH of your blood is naturally alkaline, registering around 7.4 on the pH scale. Blood that has a pH below 7.35 is considered to be critically acidic.  Your body will do whatever is necessary to maintain that delicate balance, even if that means extracting calcium from your bones in order to neutralize the acid.

Bones are the most accessible source of something alkaline that the body can utilize to increase alkalinity in the blood.  When the body leeches calcium from bones in order to neutralize excess acid in the diet it leads to arthritis, osteoporosis and bone loss.

Acid foods and drinks in the diet include soft drinks, sugar, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, coffee and fried or overcooked food. 

There are some healthy foods that register somewhat acidic, but not to the same degree.  It is important to know that a normal diet should consist of about 20% acid foods because an overly alkaline balance is not healthy, either.

So, our philosophy is "do whatever you can to help the body manage a healthy pH in the bloodstream". That usually means a diet containing far more alkaline foods and drinks than acid.

Of course, a list of acid and alkaline foods is a good place to start.  There are hundreds of charts and lists online that separate acid and alkaline foods.  Keep in mind, these values are not based on the pH balance of the food itself, but are based on the type of ash left behind in the bloodstream after the food is burned by the body for fuel.

Most people don't seem to have any problem filling their diet with plenty of acid foods, but alkaline foods are a different story.  Fruits and vegetables qualify as alkaline, along with a few select nuts and grains, but where else can you get foods and drinks to alkalize the body?

Here are 3 Ways to Boost Alkalinity in The Diet:

  1. Choose alkaline drinks instead of acidic beverages like alcohol, sodas, coffee, energy drinks, vitamin waters, or sports drinks.
     
  2. Eat way more alkaline foods than acid foods.  An 80/20 ratio is best but 60/40 is not bad. 

  3. Take whole food calcium supplements, instead of isolated, synthetic calcium that is used in most over the counter multi-vitamin and mineral supplements.