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Date:Sat, 23 Aug 2003 04:09:36 -0000
Subject:[FriendsForHealthNaturally] Miracles of an
Alkalizing Diet
Miracles of an 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 per cent acid and 80
per cent 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 con- verted 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
diarrhoea, 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.
Cereals of all kinds, including all sorts of breads are also
acid-forming foods, though much less so than meat.
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, refined breads 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 are 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 sulphur, 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 :