When Should I Consider the Alkaline Diet?

So as we finish up this series this week, I wanted to revisit two key ideas. First, alkaline diet studies are scarce. But, I still recommend them for certain conditions and I have observed positive results. Second, the alkaline diet can be difficult to maintain, but with a significant illness, the reward may well be worth the trouble.  Here is a good illustration of food rankings within the alkaline diet.

So, what are alkaline diet benefits?:

• Protects Bone Density and Muscle Mass:  Your mineral intake plays an important role in bone structure development and maintenance. Research shows that the more alkalizing fruits and vegetables someone eats, the better protection that person might have from experiencing decreased bone strength and muscle wasting as they age. An alkaline diet can help balance ratios of minerals that are important for building bones and maintaining lean muscle mass, including calcium, magnesium and phosphate. Alkaline diets also help improve production of growth hormones and vitamin D absorption, which further protects bones in addition to mitigating many other chronic diseases.
• Lowers Risk for Hypertension and Stroke: This diet decreases inflammation and causes an increase in growth hormone production. This has been shown to improve cardiovascular health and offer protection against common problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, kidney stones, stroke and memory loss.
• Lowers Chronic Pain and Inflammation: Studies show a connection between an alkaline diet and reduced chronic pain levels. Chronic acidosis has been found to contribute to chronic back pain, headaches, muscle spasms, menstrual symptoms, inflammation and joint pain. One study found that when patients with chronic back pain were given an alkaline supplement daily for four weeks, 76 of 82 patients reported significant decrease in pain.
•  Boosts Vitamin Absorption and Prevents Magnesium Deficiency: An increase in magnesium is required for hundreds of enzyme systems and bodily processes. Many people are deficient in magnesium and as a result experience heart complications, muscle pains, headaches, sleep troubles and anxiety. Available magnesium is also required to activate vitamin D and prevent vitamin D deficiency, which is important for overall immune and endocrine functioning.
• Helps Improve Immune Function and Cancer Protection: When cells lack enough minerals to properly dispose of waste or oxygenate the body fully, the whole body suffers. Vitamin absorption is compromised by mineral loss, while toxins and pathogens accumulate in the body and weaken the immune system. Published research demonstrated that cancerous cell death was more likely to occur in an alkaline body. Cancer prevention is believed to be associated with an alkaline shift in pH due to an alteration in electric charges and the release of basic components of proteins. Alkalinity can help decrease inflammation and the risk for diseases like cancer.
• Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight: Limiting acid-forming foods can protect you from obesity by decreasing leptin levels and inflammation, which affects your hunger and fat-burning abilities. Since alkaline-forming foods are anti-inflammatory foods, consuming an alkaline diet gives your body a chance to achieve normal leptin levels and feel satisfied from eating the amount of calories you really need.

As always, please feel free to leave comments, questions, or additional topics of interest!  Next week, I am taking on depression. “See” you next week!