NATURE
CURE
Miracles
of 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 pre-ponderence 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 converted 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.
Eggs do the same but less strongly than meats. Cereals of all
kinds, including all sorts of breads are also acid-forming foods , though much less than meats. 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, fish, bread 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 :
A - Foods Leaving
An Acid Ash
(One-Fifth Class)
Barley Eggs
Bananas
(unripe) Grain Foods
Beans
Lentils
Bread Meats
Cereals Nuts
except almonds
Cakes
Oatmeal
Chicken Peas
Confections Rice
Corn Sugar
Chorolate
Sea Foods
Coffee
Tea
B - Foods
Leaving An
Alkaline Ash
( Four-fifths class
) Almonds Melons Apples Milk
Apricots Onions
Banana (ripe)
Oranges
Beets Parsley Cabbage
Peaches Carrots Pears Cauliflower Pineapple
Celery Potatoes Coconuts Pumpkins
Cottage Cheese Radishes
Cucumbers Raisins
Dates
Spinach
Figs ( Fresh
and
Dry) Soyabeans
Grapes Tomatoes
Lemons Turnips
LettuceDr John Chibaya Mbuya