Alkaline Diet - Do you need one?

"Someone advised me to follow an alkaline diet because my body is too acidic." I can't tell you how many times I have heard this statement.

Solutions range from drinking alkaline water, adopting a liquid diet, fasting, taking supplements, changing the water in the house, and purchasing bottled water. I have heard them all. 

So what is an alkaline diet, and should you be on one? 

The pH of your blood, a measure of your acidity or alkalinity, has a very narrow range. At the risk of repetition, this ranges between 7.36-7.42. 

Your stomach has a lower pH, but most people are referring to their blood alkalinity. 

At either extreme of your pH, you would die. Quickly. So you really do not want to be messing around with your acidity or alkalinity without knowing what you are doing. 

So, I suppose we should thank heavens that the esoteric initiatives are unlikely to make any difference to their alkalinity. In any case, the body would kick in and create strong symptoms, hopefully enough to make you stop. 

So then, what is an alkaline diet? 

Foods produce different reactions in the body. Fruits and vegetables, for example, are generally considered alkaline. So if you ate a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you would positively impact your alkalinity. 

Non-vegetarian food, and I am generalising, is considered acidic. So are coffee and tea. 

However, what matters is how much you eat and how well you digest and absorb. Also, how well are your liver and kidneys functioning.

If your baseline is poor, no amount of alkaline water is going to do anything for you. It's like throwing good money after lost. 

So, if you really do want an alkaline body, clean up your food. Eat clean food, free of seed oils, rancid oils that has been poorly cooked or is poor quality. 

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