Acidic or Alkaline Body?

[Jax]

Or maybe you're in perfect balance ;)

But how can you tell what your body is up to :confused: Well I've read a few books with pointers in them, so I'll include those in this post, but also you can buy pH sticks that test your saliva and urine for you at home - pH sticks are available from The Fresh Network* (http://www.rawaffiliate.com/cgi-bin/clickme.cgi?exec=Jax&site=site1) for £7.99 for 80 sticks.

So why do we need to know about this?
Well according to Natalia Rose (http://www.rawinuk.com/showthread.php?t=41) "unfit foods that are acid forming carry a positive charge" which has a negative affect on the body, and "sets the stage for the development of highly acidic, putrefactive waste matter". This then creates congestion which in turn prevents oxygen flowing freely, which then results in our systems becoming weaker. Natalie offers a list of foods here;

Highly Alkaline
Sunlight/Fresh mountain air
Fresh green vegetable juice
Other raw vegetable and fruit juices
Raw vegetables
Sprouts of all kinds

Neutral
All cooked vegetables
Cooked roots and starch vegetables
Highest quality grains e.g millet, quinoa, spelt, kamut and amaranth

Low Acid
Sprouted grain breads and other whole unrefined grains
Raw milk products

High Acid
Artificial foods
Food additives
Nicotine/smoke
Drugs
Sodas (fizzy drinks)

David Wolfe (http://www.rawinuk.com/showthread.php?t=110) suggests that acidity is "the underlying cause of all ailments that mar beauty" and that it creates "inflammation, puffiness, asymmetry and contraction of the tissues". To achieve the balance the body requires he states that one should eat the correct ratio of alkaline foods to acidic foods and drink high quality spring water. David presents his foods on a sliding scale;

Alkaline
Green Leaves
Milk Products
Bone
Stems
Alkaline fruits and flowers
Neutral fruits and flowers
Slightly acidic fruits and flowers
Nuts and Seeds
Eggs
Meat
Acid

He also suggests that when eating something acidic, you should eat eat something alkaline.

This site (http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php) has a more comprehensive list of foods.

[Jax]

I have to say that I have posted this in this section of the site due to my own personal experience. I kept having wheat come up as a problem to me for many years, until I had a blood intolerance test with a nutritionist, where she told me that I wasn't intolerant to it, my body was too acidic to be able to tolerate it at the moment.

So I thought it may help others with intolerances if I posted this information here, it maybe a cheaper alternative to buy the pH sticks and test your akalinity of your body than go for intolerance testing if you can't afford it right now.

Since eating more raw foods (see raw board above for more info) I have found that I have been able to tolerate wheat products a lot better. Whereas before I felt I had no choice in what I could eat, it's now my choice not to eat as much wheat.

If anybody has anything else to add to the alkaline/acid topic, please do, I'm not suggesting that the info above is definitive.

[Raw Rob]

I like this acid-alkaline table (http://www.saeure-basen-forum.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=39). It is very comprehensive and gives each food a number to show how acid or alkaline (also called base) a food is, with negative numbers being alkaline and positive being acid and zero being neutral. It is worth noting that most acid-alkaline tables do not agree with each other, especially with regard to fruit, some saying fruit is alkaline and some acid.

Rob

[Jax]

Ah thanks for that Rob, that looks really good. I have to say a lot of things are quite confusing and conflicting when it comes to nutrition, it's such a minefield to wade through sometimes.

[karen @rawchocolateheaven]

After downing a good glass of excellent battery acid...I mean....sea buckthorn juice...what an amazing drink really am craving it right now...see join me...and I think you will get why!
we dipped PH sticks into the juice, no surprises it was off the scale on Acid...then I tested my mouth that was just as far over in the alkaline as the drink was acid.....that was straight after drinking it....
do we need any more proof that these are meant to be our primary food....raw, wild...fresh....
if you PH test cooked anything its acid and so is the body!!!! the body can not make it self alkaline with out...you guessed it....raw...wild...fresh

[haverawcake]

Thanks for that Rob.
It is interesting that the tables vary so much. I thought almond were alkaline forming and coffee was acidic but this seem to suggest otherwise. Any thoughts?

[ani]

i have a little double sided acid/alkaline list i take shopping with me.
i dont remember where i got it from online
as it was about 5 or so years ago.
i just shrunk it, cut in half and laminated
it has been such a great little fashion addition to the handbag :)
if i can find the site i will post it
Ani

[Jax]

if i can find the site i will post it
Ani
Failing that can you type it out here :D or let me borrow it and I'll type it out :p

[ani]

it is in my bag ready to show you tomoz Jax
tatty little article that it now is :p

[ani]

http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm

i have just found this site that looks really cool
dont be fooled by the words raw food though
it doesn't mention cacao, goji, lucuma etc :):):):)

[ani]

that last one was from a google
there are quite a few if you google 'acid alkaline charts'
i will show you what i have done though
as it has worked really well for me
and was probably as much a life saver as raw

[sharonjones]

i went alkaline before i knew what raw was, it was a real turning point for me. 'diabetes' has never been the same since!

[ani]

i started around about the same time
but if i include raw dairy, coconut and honey
raw came 1st but when i say how long
i have been doing the raw thing
i never add that on because i dont really remember
it was probably about 2 or 3 years before.
i am terrible with dates and years.
i did a lot of years with no grains or dairy
and quite a few vegan which was a big mistake
as soya was just hitting the health shops.

then i did the blood type and ayurvedic for a few years
which sorted a lot of stuff for me.
and i still try to stay with them as much as possible.

and then pH and raw came along and
although i carry my little pH card
i dont often check it these days
which is silly because i find it really easy to slip when i am shopping :pout:.

i really need to be in a land of no temptations
and i would live to 500 with no fat or wrinkles :pigfly: x

[Jax]

i have a little double sided acid/alkaline list i take shopping with me.
i dont remember where i got it from online
as it was about 5 or so years ago.
i just shrunk it, cut in half and laminated
it has been such a great little fashion addition to the handbag :)
if i can find the site i will post it
Ani
And many thanks to ani for sharing it, I've scanned it and here it is;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/ShaunRydersBrainCell/Raw%20in%20UK/acidic.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/ShaunRydersBrainCell/Raw%20in%20UK/alkaline.jpg

If you want a copy you could right click and save as to save on your pc, then print out.

[Jax]

Actually thinking about it ani, that looks like it came from an American source with the Canola oil, Stevia, lima beans and liquor.

[ani]

cheers Jax i may just print & laminate that again
so much easier than typing you are a star.

yes probably american i see the word zucchini there
although i do remember doing some alterations
maybe i took off things i hated and knew i would never eat
especially as i dont see the words
cucumber or aubergine on there
whhooopppss sorry everyone.

oh and we all realise this was the days BRC :):):)