If you eat for and watch your bodies PH

[hsmom23]

Please tell me what this looks like for you?? I think i have spent most of my life ith an acid ph and I think its part of my fatigue and other health problems. I know drinking water is a huge part of it, and I am working on that one, but what does it look like for those of you who watch what they eat to balance your pH?? And is it something you do for your whole family? I think at least one of my girls has the same issue, so I am looking to make some major changes in how we eat as a family. So let me know what you think some of these changes should look like??? :confused:

[Sandra in FL]

Eat a lot of watermelon, and squeeze as much lemon as you can tolerate in all your drinking water. Those are the easiest things to do. If you want to go further, make brown rice your staple instead of wheat.

[FloridaLisa]

I thought watermelon was actually caused a body's ph more acidic. Fresh citrus is actually the easiest and best way. Not the oj you find already squeezed in the produce section or frozen, but fresh citrus. Also, cut down/out white flour and sugar and increase vegies.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Sandra in FL]

I thought watermelon was actually caused a body's ph more acidic. Fresh citrus is actually the easiest and best way. Not the oj you find already squeezed in the produce section or frozen, but fresh citrus. Also, cut down/out white flour and sugar and increase vegies.

 

HTH,

Lisa

 

I think watermelon and lemons are highest alkaline - at least that's what I've seen on most lists. And of course, more veggies are always good.

[Sandra in FL]

Here's a list with relative "numeric values." You can double-check against other lists.

 

http://www.greatestherbsonearth.com/articles/acid_alkaline.htm

[Negin]

I have lots and lots and lots of info on this and this topic really interests me. I have two books on it also. One of them I really and truly love. The other one is okay. I can give you all the info if you're interested. Thanks for starting this thread, since I really need to get my act together and eat more healthy. Since returning from a long vacation (as well as during vacation), I've been very neglectful.

Here's just some of the info I have. I can post more later if you or anyone else here is interested.

 

The absolute single most important measurement of health is the body’s pH.

Our blood pH needs a pH just above 7.0. We call this range alkaline. An overly acidic body is the underlying cause for pretty much all health problems.

When our systems are acidic, we feel out-of-sorts and may experience any of the following symptoms:

• Aches and Pains – joint pains and achy muscles

• Digestive Problems – slow digestion and elimination

• Low energy and fatigue

• Weakened Immunity – more frequent colds, flu, viruses, and all infections – viruses, fungi, and bacteria love acid and can only survive in acid environments

• Excess Weight

• Foggy Thinking

Obviously, over the long-term, an acidic system becomes far more problematic:

• Premature Aging

• Bladder and kidney conditions - including kidney stones

• Cancer – cancer thrives in an acidic environment

• Osteoporosis

• Yeast and Fungal Overgrowth

 

Illness and disease – anything ranging from acne, the common cold or flu, all the way to cancer – thrives in an environment that is acidic.

Most disease, including cancer, cannot survive in an alkaline pH.

 

VERY BASICS

This is from Peela (here on these boards):

As a general rule, and in a very basic nutshell, one can consider all fruits and vegetables alkaline, and all meat, dairy (especially cow’s milk), and most grains to be acid-forming.

The more fresh and raw foods we eat, the better.

 

WHY ARE MOST OF US ACIDIC?

Too much:

Artificial Sweeteners

Caffeine

Dairy – especially cow’s milk and cheese

Most Grains

Meat

Medications and Drugs

Processed Foods

Soft Drinks

Sugar

Stress

White Flour

 

FRUITS

It may seem odd, but citrus fruits are alkaline. One needs to consider the effect of the fruit on the body, not its actual pH – what your body does with the food and how it reacts in your system. Lemons are extremely alkalizing.

 

NUTS

Almonds are very alkaline and the most important of all the nuts. Edgar Cayce, who wrote various health-related books, and whom I plan to read up on more, said that 4 or 5 almonds a day will prevent cancer.

 

GREEN JUICES AND OTHER ALKALIZING DRINKS

I use fresh green juices to alkalize. Other options are Green Magma or Capra Mineral Whey. Fresh green juices or Green Magma are wonderful energizers and extremely alkaline. We have both. I love Mineral Whey. You can get both from vitacost or amazon.

[Sandra in FL]

There are also the PH strips that you use to test your urine first thing in the morning. Just google.

 

There are so many different diets/foci (?) - alkaline/acidic, anti/pro-inflammatory, etc. My thoughts on overall health are: a good multi-vitamin, fish oil, probiotics (since the stomach is so important), try to eat as healthy as possible and exercise. I don't kill myself on the altar of healthy food - I love Chinese/Jamaican food so I indulge.

 

Beyond that, I try to focus on genetics - the problem areas in my family and dh's family (high blood pressure/cholesterol). I discovered that dh carries a MTHFR gene that's passed on to the kids so I target that - lots of methylfolate, B6 and B12 keeps the homocysteine (which I think is a better measuring stick than cholesterol) level down. Mostly everything's not bad except dh's blood pressure which despite dietary changes/exercise cannot be controlled except by prescription drugs.

 

Sorry, more than you ever wanted to know :lol:

[laundrycrisis]

I don't watch mine with tests...I watch it by some health indicators. I keep my pH where it needs to be by limiting coffee, refined carbs, and sugar; and by eating a certain amount of raw green vegetables.

[hsmom23]

Thanks for the information. My husband and I drink a cup of coffee a day with creamer. Thats the one thing I would have a hard time giving up, that and chocolate : ) But I wanna cut way down on the junk food, not that we eat a ton anyway but enough. I have a lot of issues as described in your post Negin. I would love more information. I struggle with fatigue and other issues regularly and I am trying to revamp how my family eats to see if that helps me. Any practical recipes or tips that you use on a regular basis to make this possible, especially to help make it cheaper, would help. We eat a lot of the staples like potatoes, brown rice and wheat pasta, so how do I replace these things some of the time at least in my meals????:bigear:

Thanks again for the info!

Tara

[Sandra in FL]

Thanks for the information. My husband and I drink a cup of coffee a day with creamer. Thats the one thing I would have a hard time giving up, that and chocolate : ) But I wanna cut way down on the junk food, not that we eat a ton anyway but enough. I have a lot of issues as described in your post Negin. I would love more information. I struggle with fatigue and other issues regularly and I am trying to revamp how my family eats to see if that helps me. Any practical recipes or tips that you use on a regular basis to make this possible, especially to help make it cheaper, would help. We eat a lot of the staples like potatoes, brown rice and wheat pasta, so how do I replace these things some of the time at least in my meals????:bigear:

Thanks again for the info!

Tara

 

Dark chocolate is good - if you make smoothies with frozen banana, cocoa, etc. I can do without the starch/carbs - I'm trying protein/meat, nuts/seeds, fruits and veggies. I think if you try that, you'll see a big boost in energy. Or if you can't do away with the carbs, make sure it's whole (whole grain or potato with the skin/extra fiber or fats that meal). Or with your cup of coffee, eat almonds w/skin.

 

My one horrible thing is soda (yes, I know it's probably the most acidic thing there is) - grew up drinking it in Jamaica. It's so hot here in S. Florida - every afternoon I crave a soda to "pick me up."

Edited August 3, 2011 by Sandra in FL

[Jodi-FL]

was to do a baseline test with the ph strips (easily found in a drugstore) and then do a "shot" of raw apple cider vinegar (organic, with the mother in it) mixed with a little hot tea every morning (or you could do it with every meal) and within 24 hours my ph was balanced.

 

braggs has a good book on it, and i use theirs because my grocery store carries it (see here: http://bragg.com/products/acv.html )

[SorrelZG]

I'm appreciating this thread. I'm eager to find a way to not feel like junk continually. I use to do the lemon water and the apple cider vinegar but wasn't feeling any different so quit. I've started drinking them again along with more changes to my diet. I'd never heard of ph issues before this thread and when I googled it, one of the pages I ended up reading had an ebook for under $5 of 30 alkalizing meals. I'm probably going to try that. I'd give the link but I'm on my phone right now and it's bookmarked on the computer. Thank-you, ladies, for sharing this stuff.

[Rosie_0801]

I'm appreciating this thread. I'm eager to find a way to not feel like junk continually.

 

What kind of junk? If it is sweets, try taking extra calcium and magnesium.

 

Rosie

[SorrelZG]

What kind of junk? If it is sweets, try taking extra calcium and magnesium.

 

Rosie

 

That's helpful to know but that's not what I meant. :D I was referring to the way it feels to live inside my body.

 

I only WISH I felt sweet. :lol:

[Rosie_0801]

That's helpful to know but that's not what I meant. :D I was referring to the way it feels to live inside my body.

 

I only WISH I felt sweet. :lol:

 

Oh, I see. I'm not sweet either. "Tetchy" is a more accurate descriptor.

 

:lol:

Rosie

[Negin]

There are also the PH strips that you use to test your urine first thing in the morning. Just google.

There are so many different diets/foci (?) - alkaline/acidic, anti/pro-inflammatory, etc. My thoughts on overall health are: a good multi-vitamin, fish oil, probiotics (since the stomach is so important), try to eat as healthy as possible and exercise. I don't kill myself on the altar of healthy food - I love Chinese/Jamaican food so I indulge.

Beyond that, I try to focus on genetics - the problem areas in my family and dh's family (high blood pressure/cholesterol). I discovered that dh carries a MTHFR gene that's passed on to the kids so I target that - lots of methylfolate, B6 and B12 keeps the homocysteine (which I think is a better measuring stick than cholesterol) level down.

Very well said. All of it makes so much sense to me and I fully agree. :)

 

Thanks for the information. My husband and I drink a cup of coffee a day with creamer. Thats the one thing I would have a hard time giving up, that and chocolate But I wanna cut way down on the junk food, not that we eat a ton anyway but enough. I have a lot of issues as described in your post Negin. I would love more information.

Tara, I would not stress about small things like coffee, creamer, chocolate. Not unless my health was REALLY bad. I always believe that in most cases if 80% of the time you eat healthy, you can afford to be more relaxed for the other 20%.

I have lots of info specifically on fatigue - dry body brushing, rebounding (bouncing on a trampoline), basically fatigue has a lot to do with the lymphatic system, and is not just pH. Although pH is very important.

Will post the rest of pH stuff very soon after I'm done reading all the great replies here. :D

 

was to do a baseline test with the ph strips (easily found in a drugstore) and then do a "shot" of raw apple cider vinegar (organic, with the mother in it) mixed with a little hot tea every morning (or you could do it with every meal) and within 24 hours my ph was balanced.

braggs has a good book on it, and i use theirs because my grocery store carries it (see here: http://bragg.com/products/acv.html )

Very interesting. I'd never heard of ACV being used for that.

[Negin]

I have two books on pH and http://www.amazon.com/Alkalize-Die-Superior-Through-Alkaline-Acid/dp/0961959533/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312620240&sr=8-1 is my favorite.

 

 

Nice catchy title ... ;) :tongue_smilie:

[Negin]

EAT MORE

Eating leafy green vegetables, drinking fresh green juices, and eating more raw and steamed veggies are the most effective ways to fight excess acidity and to restore your body’s slightly alkaline pH. If you don’t have time for making a veggie juice, powdered green drinks are good also. Green Magma and Capra Mineral Whey are fabulous alkalizing drinks.

Include more healthy nuts and oils.

Try to consume plenty of raw foods.

Lots of clean, pure water (some add pH drops to their water) – distilled or ionized water

Coconut Water

Lemon Water (pure water and fresh lemon or lime)

Herbal Tea

Vegetable broth

Non-sweetened Soy Milk (non-genetically modified)

Almond Milk

Millet and buckwheat are alkaline

Sprouted seeds and grains become more alkaline in the process of sprouting

Almonds

Pumpkinseeds

Sunflower Seeds

Sesame Seeds

Buckwheat

Spelt

Lentils

Cumin Seeds

Olive Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Hemp Oil

Avocado Oil

Borage Oil

Coconut Oil

Oil Blends (such as Udo's Choice)

Bragg Liquid Aminos (Soy Sauce Alternative)

Tofu (non-genetically modified)

Hummus

Tahini

Cayenne Pepper is said to be a miracle food. It heals the body and is particularly good for stomach ulcers. It also stimulates the endocrine system. Supplements can be taken – 1 to 2 capsules, 3 times a day.

Garlic makes acid foods more alkaline.

 

EAT LESS

Alcohol

Cheese

Chocolates

Dairy

Fatty meats

Most grains are acid-forming

Microwave Meals

Packaged foods

Sweets

[Negin]

PH TESTING

pH strips are available on amazon and in most good health stores.

Testing urine is far more reliable than testing saliva.

The best time to test is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal. Some discourage from testing first thing in the morning.

Allow some urine to flow before testing as this will give a more average reading.

Only a few drops of urine are required. You should not put the pH test strip in the stream of urine. Doing so may give a less accurate reading, since the active chemical strips may be washed off.

Over the course of a day, if you wish, you can test the pH of your urine with the strips each time you go to the bathroom. Calculate an average at the end of each day. Urine’s optimal pH is around 7. A slightly more acid measure is normal – 6.5 to 6.7 – and common if you’ve just consumed an acidic food. But if it’s lower than 6.5 day after day, you should make changes.

Most recommend testing pH at least one day a week. I know of someone whose breast cancer is in remission who tests her pH daily. This way, she knows right away if her body is off-balance.

 

CORRECTING PH

If your pH is very acidic, you should aim to eat as many alkaline foods as possible – some say up to 80-90% of the diet.

Once your pH is normal again, you can maintain it by eating 60-80% alkaline foods.

• Vegetables are the most alkalizing of all foods. More vegetable juices, Aloe Vera Juice, Green Magma, Capra Mineral Whey, and coconut water.

• Eat fruit in moderation. Fruit is nutritious but highly acid-forming for most people.

• Try to eat no more than 2 daily servings of carbohydrates like bread, cereal, and pasta.

• Limit the worst offenders: alcohol, table salt, white sugar, artificial sweeteners, coffee, cow’s milk, refined and processed foods, trans fats, and white flour.

I believe that the healthiest diet for most individuals is a plant/vegetable-based one. This does not mean that I’m always good and that I don’t struggle, cheat, or get tempted. This is just what I know to be right.

[Negin]

ALKALINE FOODS:

Almonds

Aloe Vera

Amaranth

Apples

Artichokes

Asparagus

Avocados

Banana

Beets

Black beans

Blueberries

Brazil Nuts

Broccoli

Buckwheat

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Carob

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery

Cherries

Chestnuts

Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

Coconut Water

Corn (Fresh)

Cucumbers

Dates

Figs

Flaxseed Oil

Garlic

Ginger Tea

Goat Cheese

Goat Milk

Grapes

Grapefruit

Green Beans

Green Tea

Hazelnuts

Honey (raw)

Kiwi

Leafy Greens

Lemons

Lentils

Lettuce

Limes

Mangoes

Maple Syrup

Melons

Millet

Mushrooms

Nectarines

Okra

Olives

Olive Oil

Onions

Oranges

Papayas

Parsley

Peaches

Pears

Peas

Pineapple

Plums

Potato Skins

Pumpkinseeds

Quinoa

Raisins

Rice Syrup

Soybeans (non-GMO)

Soy Cheese (non-GMO)

Soy Milk (non-GMO)

Spinach – Raw

Squash

Stevia

Sugar (Raw only)

Sunflower Seeds

Sweet Potato

Tofu (non-GMO)

Tomatoes

Vegetable Juices

Walnuts

Watermelon

Whey

Wild Rice

Zucchini

[Negin]

ACIDIC FOODS

Alcohol

Beef

Beer

Buckwheat

Blackberries

Caffeine

Cashews

Cheese

Chicken

Chocolate

Coffee

Corn

Cranberries

Dairy – particularly cow’s milk

Eggs

Ice Cream

Lamb

Lima Beans

Milk – especially homogenized milk – all cow’s milk is acidic

Most other fruit not mentioned already

Mayonnaise

Navy Beans

Oats

Pasta

Pastries

Peanuts

Pecans

Pinto Beans

Pork

Potatoes without skins

Processed Foods

Prunes

Refined vegetable oils

Rhubarb

Rye

Saturated Fat

Shellfish

Soft Drinks

Sour Cherries

Soy Sauce

Sweeteners (all artificial sweeteners)

Sugar

Turkey

Walnuts

Wheat

White Flour

White Rice

[Negin]

Many lifestyle and environment factors also influence acid-alkaline balance.

Diet has THE biggest impact on pH.

 

Stress creates a lot of acidity in the body.

Chronically hectic schedules, poor sleep, and rushed meals can all exacerbate the problem.

Control stress. Take time to relax. Let things go, forgive and pray.

 

Relaxation helps the body become more alkaline. Remember, “Joy, temperance, and repose – slam the door in the doctor’s nose.†~ H. W. Longfellow

 

Practice deep breathing. Oxygen is alkalizing to the body. When we’re not inhaling and exhaling fully, we tend to become overly acidic.

 

Exercise also will tend to make the body more alkaline, but excessive and overly intense workouts will lead to acidity. Moderation is key and remember to not go to extremes.

 

Chew food 20-50 times per mouthful. I don't even come close!. An alkaline-forming enzyme called ptyalin is present in our saliva. The more you chew any food, the easier it digests and the more alkaline-forming it becomes. For instance, brown rice (acid-forming) if chewed thoroughly becomes alkaline-forming. This does not mean that all acid-forming foods can be made alkaline-forming by increased chewing, however, but this will help to move those toward the alkaline side.

Let your food mix with saliva, Do not wash it down with liquids. Drink your water between meals.

Do not eat when tired, anxious, angry, or emotionally upset.

 

Emotions, thoughts, and feelings are all felt in our physical bodies. Negative thoughts create acid reactions. By itself, intense emotion is fine. However, holding on to hostility, negativity, and bitter feelings over the long-term creates more acidity and contributes to ill-health. The greater the degree of emotion, the more acidity in the body. Prayer, positive thinking, and constant vigilance against negative thoughts all help to alkalize the body.

 

How we react to certain kinds of music also affects our pH balance. If the music makes you happy and positive, it helps the body’s alkalinity.

 

Remember: The more imbalanced we allow our bodies to become, mentally, emotionally, and physically, the more susceptible we are to viral infections and all sorts of health problems.

[Negin]

SUPPLEMENTS

Green Magma

Capra Mineral Whey

Bee Pollen is a complete highly alkaline food. Local beekeepers usually have the best. Start with 1/4 teaspoon 2-3 times a day.

Royal Jelly is highly alkaline – take at least 1 teaspoon a day

Bio-Strath is a wild yeast product of excellent quality and is very alkaline. It’s especially good for children.

Km Matol is high in potassium

All Chlorophyll Products – chlorophyll builds the blood and powerfully alkalizes the system:

Green Magma

Barley Green

Kyo-Green

Light Force Spirulina

Barley Essence

Super Blue-Green Algae

Klamath

Sun Chlorella

Shaklee Alfalfa Tablets

Alka-Trace is an alkaline-forming product. It’s a liquid drop form and provides a very good alkaline shift in water.

 

ALKALIZING MULTI VITAMINS AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

http://www.auntiegs.com/index.php

12 Systems Synergistic Multiple – one tablet per meal

 

Vita Lea (Shaklee) – one tablet with each meal

 

Bio Strath – One teaspoon with each meal or tablet as indicated

 

SYSTEMIC SUPPORT

Concentrated Trace Minerals

Without proper mineralization, the body rapidly deteriorates. Alka Trace Drops are very good and highly alkaline forming. Take 10 drops in distilled water or juice, 3 times a day.

 

ALTERNATIVE HEALING

Every single method of alternative healing helps the body to become more alkaline. These include:

Acupuncture

Acupressure

Ayurvedic Medicine

Chiropractic

Color and Music Therapy

Supplementation – good and high-quality supplements

Homeopathy

Massage Therapy

Reflexology

Shiatsu

Yoga

[Peela]

The only time I could consistently get my body to be in the healthy alkaline range was when I was having a huge green juice every morning- as in, juicing a lemon, lots of greens, some carrots and beets, and a little apple. That and a lot of water in the mornings (and I think I was taking lemon water first thing and the green juice after an hour or 2, and no food till mid morning) did it for me.

 

I couldnt maintain it - I go through phases of juicing - but I did feel fantastic on it- and that was even before I gave up gluten, and I was still eating some meat. Mmmmm, maybe its time time to do it again.

 

There is a lot of difference of opinion about the acid/alkaline foods. The charts vary a lot. I went to a workshop and in it and the woman said just to eat fruit and vegetables as the bulk of the diet, and lots of vegie juices and greens...although many fruits are just in the acid range, its far more towards alkaline than pizza, and fruits are cleansing- and motivating if you like fruit.

 

There was a woman there who son had literally cured his type 1 diabetes through a raw food diet. If he stays on the diet he doesn't have blood sugar issues.