With your body in an acidic state, you may experience pain, weight gain and you may also be at risk of developing any number of diseases.
That’s because a low oxygen (acidic) environment in the body allows for viruses, bacteria, fungus and mold to breed and grow and do all sorts of damage.
On top of that, environmental toxins also lead to acidity within the body. Stress makes you acidic and so do stimulants like coffee, tobacco and alcohol. Given the SAD (Standard American Diet) today, the high amounts of pesticides and chemicals in our daily environment, and the amount of stress most people are under, and it’s easy to see why modern man faces a significant challenge in keeping the body alkaline, neutralizing those surplus acids.
Some common signs that your body might be overly acidic:
- You frequently feel cold
- You lack energy
- You get sick a lot
- You suffer from headaches
- You feel agitated often
- You no longer feel that zest for life
- Your eyes tear more than usual
- Your gums are sensitive
- There are cracks at the corners of your mouth
- You experience heartburn
- You have cracked teeth
- You have frequent throat infections
- You have thin nails that split easily
- Your hair has grown dull
- Your skin is dry
- You experience leg cramps
Your body needs healthy levels of calcium and oxygen to remain in an alkaline state. We get oxygen and calcium from organic leafy green vegetables and other plants.
(You might be surprised by the fact that calcium should be coming from plants, because most of us believe milk to be the best source of this essential mineral. However, plant-based calcium is the form of calcium that’s most easily used by the body.)
The human body is much more intelligent than most of us can fathom. Without working on making the body more alkaline, your body puts up mechanisms to stop the acid from getting into your organs. To do this, your body makes fat cells to use for storage of that acid, to protect your vital organs.
Your body will also steal calcium and other alkaline minerals from your teeth, bones and other body tissues to try and keep things more neutral.
The following are some easy ways to neutralize the acid in your body:
- Snack on natural, unsalted almonds. Almonds are full of calcium and magnesium which can balance acidity in the body while balancing blood sugar.
- Drink lemon water. Freshly squeezed lemon in water can create an alkaline environment in the body. Lemons seem to be acidic but they actually metabolize acids in the body, having a neutralizing effect on body acids.
- Eat lots of green salads tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. The alkaline benefits of the greens and the lemon pack an extra neutralizing punch within the body.
- Take a walk. Exercising helps to move acidic waste around in your body to help you better eliminate excess acids.
- Skip the sugar. Sugar is one of the leading causes of acidity in the body.
- Eat lots of sprouts which are very alkalizing and energy boosting.
- Go meat-free for a day or two. Metabolizing meat leads to acidic residue being left behind in the body.
When you take steps towards neutralizing the acid in your body, you will be doing yourself a huge favor! And you will likely notice some of those unpleasant symptoms of having an overly acidic body start to disappear!
Dinner Diva column by Leanne Ely. More online at SavingDinner.com.