Ph Balance And Energy Levels

[Teh El Macho]

I recently found an article in Valerie Waugaman's blog regarding dietetic ph balance and body alkalinity. The basic promise is that the body is slightly alkaline, yet there are foods that can raise acidity levels. And as I'm searching for foods that could do so, surprise, surprise, protein, meat can do that (along with other foods, which I happen to eat a lot such as blueberries and oats.)

Now, according to her blog, as well as other online articles I've found, elevated acidity levels can cause several symptoms, fatigue being one of them.

This is a quote of what Waugaman's says in her blog (http://fuel4life.com/ph-balance-and-your-energy-levels/)

As an athlete on a high protein diet, one of the side effects for me was that I started to experience difficulty sleeping. This was creating huge problems for me managing my energy levels. After some research, I learned that the high protein diet was highly acidic and I needed to add alkaline foods to balance my pH levels. The Acid Alkaline Diet proved to be an excellent resource. It gave me the information to understand what pH levels were all about and gave me great recipes that are now part of my every day life. I can honestly say that it changed my life. Highly recommended!

Anyways, take this with a grain of salt. I've never heard, or read about this; Most modern doctors do not believe in it, and it's more in the realm of holistic nutritionists.

I, for one, am gonna give it a try... in the sense that I'll eat more brocolli, nix rye and eat a bit less oatmeal. :tongue3:

These are lists of foods that can raise both acidity or alkalinity:

http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_...line_foods.php

http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/acidalkfoods.html

And these are some recipes to bring alkalinity levels back to normal:

http://acidalkalinediet.com/recipes.php?gid=&mid=&yid=

[SunTzu]

Randy Couture uses this, or at least a very similar program. They used to sell a greens supplement at Team Quest, not sure if that's still the case.

[A.D.D]

http://www.mikemahler.com/articles/berardi1.html

Berardi article on the subject.

[Teh El Macho]

One of the funny things I've found is that lemon juice and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar are actually alkaline when ingested (even though we think of them as acids). Apparently, when they reach the stomach, they break down, leaving behind alkaline salts.

[Bry]

That goes in line with the philosphy of the Paleo Diet with the exception of a few items that I could see.
They list wheat and some legumes as being as alkaline foods and paleo lists them as acids.
Paleo also goes with the all fruits and veggies are alkaline based. http://www.thepaleodiet.com/nutritio...ols/acid.shtml
Looks like Benardi list wheat as a acid food also.

I follow paleo about 75% so I agree with the premise of acid and base foods.



Bry

[fedeykin]

when you are on a pure protein diet, your body will become more acidic. this is because the metabolic cycle involved in metabolizing protein creates citric acid.
usualy your body counteracts this citric acid, by using it to metabolize the carbohydrates you eat. however if you do not eat a proportional amount of carbohydrates your body cant do that.

if you keep this up for a while, like many profesional body builders who want to keep their body fat % as low as possible, you can eventualy take kidney damage and start pissing blood amongst other health problems.

excercise also raises the acidity level in your blood. and this is why it is a good thing to drink a beer after heavy training. the beer lowers the PH value of your blood ;)

[Cullion]

One of the funny things I've found is that lemon juice and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar are actually alkaline when ingested (even though we think of them as acids). Apparently, when they reach the stomach, they break down, leaving behind alkaline salts.

How do they leave behind alkaline salts in an acidic environment ? surely the gastric acid in the stomach would react with them leaving behind some kind of neutral sulphate ?

[death pig]

Anyways, take this with a grain of salt.

More like a mountain.

Health advice from a fitness model? What's next, weight loss articles by Michael Moore?

There is really very little reason to worry about the pH level of your foods if you are following a diet that is even moderately balanced.

[Teh El Macho]

More like a mountain.

Health advice from a fitness model? What's next, weight loss articles by Michael Moore?

There is really very little reason to worry about the pH level of your foods if you are following a diet that is even moderately balanced.

And what's wrong with a fitness model giving advice on health for those on a high-protein diet?

And what constitutes a balanced diet, in particular, a balanced diet appropriate for athletes?

--- EDIT ---

BTW, many doctors and nutritionists don't buy into the Ph diet, which is why I said "take it with a grain of salt". This doesn't neglect, however, the annectodal evidence that there is something in it that it's beneficitial, in particular for those in a high-protein diet.

The problem with your post here is that you are not explaining why a fitness model cannot give advice on dieting or exercising. So be kind to explain, point by point why not.

Also, if you are going to make blanket statements about "balanced diet", at least do us the favor to explain what that is.

--- EDIT ---

BTW, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I'm trying to ask pple to elaborate more on their posts (unless those posts are jokes which I don't mind.)

Thanks.

[Equipoise]

Your body balances your PH for you. A very slight change in your body's PH can/will kill you. This nonsense about modifying your PH levels for training is crap.

Waugaman's sleep problems can be attributed to a wide variety of problems; ranging from psychological to chemological reasons. She sounds like she bit on to the first anecdotal reference that she could find about improving her sleep and went with it.

Chances are if it's a nutritional issue, it has to do with the fact her diet is lacking the needed fats and carbohydrates for a correct balance. Protein is an inefficient energy source, this is why the body needs correct amounts of F & C. Otherwise the nutritional limiting factor is slammed in to and people wonder why they feel an array of different maladies.

In essence, the fitness model and bodybuilder diet sucks and is unhealthy.

Show us scientific studies on the PH issue if you want it to be taken seriously.