Alkaline/Acid

m_kipp
m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys. I need to do a low acid high alkaline diet but I am seeing lots of charts that have contradicting information regarding certain foods. Is there a complete awesome chart somewhere that has things listed? Anyone else do this diet? It is mostly to control acid reflux but overall promotes better health. I need to do it as I am a singer and acid has really been messing with my voice!
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Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I've had trouble finding a decent list too. The list below is ok, but it's older and not enough detail. For example according to a book titled Dropping Acid the lowest acid apples are Fuji & Gala (not on the list below).

    I don't really do the diet....but I am working on eliminating trigger foods.

    PH in foods (high # = better)

    http://www.foodscience.caes.uga.edu/extension/documents/FDAapproximatepHoffoodslacf-phs.pdf
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    This is so the sort of thing a dietitian would be able to help you with. 30-60 minutes and you'll get a plan that includes foods you like and eliminates ones you don't. You'll get lists and probably booklets and all kinds of fantastic advice.

    It'll be the single best hour you spend on your diet. :)
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    out of curiosity have you been tested for h. pylori?
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    I had GERD. Once I lost my weight I no longer do and that's eating sugar and grains.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.
  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    out of curiosity have you been tested for h. pylori?

    No I haven't what is that

  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.

    I was talking about acid/base nature of food types put into the body put into the body. While a lemon is acid it can help make the body more alkaline so yes the actual pH of cells is controlled by a very complex system or else we would die.

  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.

    I was talking about acid/base nature of food types put into the body put into the body. While a lemon is acid it can help make the body more alkaline so yes the actual pH of cells is controlled by a very complex system or else we would die.

    Nope. The pH of cells is controlled only by the kidneys and the lungs. Food has no influence on it. If the pH balance of the body shifts lower than pCO2 of 7.35 or higher than 7.45 (acid), the person can have serious health problems. That's a tight range. If it were affected by something as simple as a lemon, it would be fluctuating all over the place, especially as crazy as people can be with diet. Nothing affects it other than breathing and kidney function.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.

    I was talking about acid/base nature of food types put into the body put into the body. While a lemon is acid it can help make the body more alkaline so yes the actual pH of cells is controlled by a very complex system or else we would die.

    Nope. The pH of cells is controlled only by the kidneys and the lungs. Food has no influence on it. If the pH balance of the body shifts lower than pCO2 of 7.35 or higher than 7.45 (acid), the person can have serious health problems. That's a tight range. If it were affected by something as simple as a lemon, it would be fluctuating all over the place, especially as crazy as people can be with diet. Nothing affects it other than breathing and kidney function.
    This. When your pH gets the tiniest bit out of the normal range, your breathing immediately changes to get it back where it belongs. Food has zero effect on your body's pH
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.
    Do you think it's possible that any other part of the body might be involved in some way?

  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,324 Member
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    What worked for me after my acid reflux was no longer being controlled with antacids, was eating very bland for a bit (white rice, toast, saltines, oatmeal, etc) and then transitioning back to a more flavorful and varied diet by cutting my calorie intake.

    I think my acid reflux was caused from simply eating too much, too often, given the fact that it went away immediately once I did what I outlined above. And had it not been for me needing to manage it, I wouldn't have been prompted to reduce my calorie intake and lose over 100 lbs.

    For specific foods, bland starchy/carby foods were the only food 'types' I found helpful. And only if eaten in the context of an overall bland starchy diet. But who can live eating like that forever? Not me.

    And for reflux, I think the problem is stomach acid rising up, not acidity itself.

    If your diet is on point, go to a doctor and get checked to see if you have a hernia or something else causing it.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.
    Do you think it's possible that any other part of the body might be involved in some way?

    No, it's not. I studied Respiratory Science, got my degree in it and worked in the field for 9 years.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    No, I don't think so - I was just making the point that thinking that a person is changing the body's acid/base balance through diet is incorrect. The acid in the stomach is a separate system from the pH balance of the body.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.
    Do you think it's possible that any other part of the body might be involved in some way?

    No, it's not. I studied Respiratory Science, got my degree in it and worked in the field for 9 years.

    A-ha. Thank you for the education.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    When I cut out sugar and grains I was able to flip from acid to more alkaline. Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) seems to help with acid reflux some report so you may want to Google those two terms together. One hit was:
    livestrong.com/article/496757-does-a-carb-free-diet-help-with-acid-reflux/

    You can't 'flip' from acid to alkaline. Your body's pH is a very controlled balance of acid/base and is managed ONLY by the lungs and kidneys. Nothing you do with your diet has anything to do with that.
    Do you think it's possible that any other part of the body might be involved in some way?

    No, it's not. I studied Respiratory Science, got my degree in it and worked in the field for 9 years.

    A-ha. Thank you for the education.

    You're welcome.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,091 Member
    pH diets are scams. As "logical" as it sounds on paper, the body is VERY efficient at keeping pH balance on it's own. People who peddle this "diet" should be ashamed of the deception they preach.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    pH diets are scams. As "logical" as it sounds on paper, the body is VERY efficient at keeping pH balance on it's own. People who peddle this "diet" should be ashamed of the deception they preach.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Not to mention that some people have gotten sick by trying to eat baking soda and other things.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    Great point. Reflux is often related to what and how much we eat.

  • m_kipp
    m_kipp Posts: 86 Member
    Awesome information, thanks everyone. Just fyi, I was never aware of my acid reflux....I mean I never have heartburn. It just happens at night (and I do have everything elevated) so I wake up vocally fried for no reason.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    No, I don't think so - I was just making the point that thinking that a person is changing the body's acid/base balance through diet is incorrect. The acid in the stomach is a separate system from the pH balance of the body.

    We have multiple pHs - blood, stomach, urine, saliva, etc - so these notions seem crazy to me. Especially when I am told that a lemon, which is obviously very acidic, is an "alkaline food".
  • V_Keto_V
    V_Keto_V Posts: 342 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    No, I don't think so - I was just making the point that thinking that a person is changing the body's acid/base balance through diet is incorrect. The acid in the stomach is a separate system from the pH balance of the body.

    This, compartmentalization...good old pharmacokinetics. Lungs and Kidneys control respiratory and metabolic states of acidosis/normal/alkalosis.
  • Sean_TheITGuy
    Sean_TheITGuy Posts: 67 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    No, I don't think so - I was just making the point that thinking that a person is changing the body's acid/base balance through diet is incorrect. The acid in the stomach is a separate system from the pH balance of the body.

    We have multiple pHs - blood, stomach, urine, saliva, etc - so these notions seem crazy to me. Especially when I am told that a lemon, which is obviously very acidic, is an "alkaline food".

    I have gout, which is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood (which would make my blood more acidic?). I'd love someone to provide cited corrections, but from the literature I've read, lemon juice can reduce the acidity of the gut because the high acidity they bring is over compensated for by the gut's alkalizing system, reducing the overall acidity more than the original state before ingestion of lemons.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I have gout, which is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood (which would make my blood more acidic?). I'd love someone to provide cited corrections, but from the literature I've read, lemon juice can reduce the acidity of the gut because the high acidity they bring is over compensated for by the gut's alkalizing system, reducing the overall acidity more than the original state before ingestion of lemons.

    your blood pH is highly likely to be in a very narrow range of 7.4 +/- 0.05 gout or not.

    Apparently "Gout is a type of arthritis where crystals of sodium urate form inside and around joints." so the uric bit gets supersaturated and drops out of solution with the nearest cation.

    The answer to the lemon nonsense is that lemon juice has a high natural alkalinity aka sodium / potassium content, these bases pass to urine tending to increase its pH. The citric (acid) part disappears in digestion, presumably.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    m_kipp wrote: »
    out of curiosity have you been tested for h. pylori?

    No I haven't what is that

    Helicobacter Pylori is a bacteria in a lot of people's guts. My sister, who is a doctor recommended this test for me too. She said it was a very common cause. Unfortunately, I didn't have them, so the antibiotics wouldn't have helped me.

    I did have great relief from gas pills. Believe it or not, I was on prescription antacids and proton pump inhibitors for years before I discovered that if I just take one gas pill before bed, I'm fine. Amazing! Apparently the gas was pushing the sphincter at the top of the stomach open and allowing the acids to bubble up. No gas, no acid problems.

    You may want to speak to your doctor further about your reflux. It can be quite serious if not under control especially with your profession tied into it. As stated h. pylori is a bacteria that can cause reflux. You can also have other complications including esophageal regurgitation which can only be determined via medical procedures. You may also need an appropriate acid blocker or proton pump inhibitor. Of course in combination w/ lifestyle interventions like not laying down after eating, avoiding smoking, excessive alcohol, reduction of abdominal obesity, high fat diet, peppermint, and even chocolate which reduce the lower esophageal pressure. Talk to your doctor, and here is hoping for relief.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    In OP's case, would blood or cellular pH be relevant? It sounds like reflux is his issue; wouldn't that be more influenced by the contents of his stomach?

    No, I don't think so - I was just making the point that thinking that a person is changing the body's acid/base balance through diet is incorrect. The acid in the stomach is a separate system from the pH balance of the body.

    We have multiple pHs - blood, stomach, urine, saliva, etc - so these notions seem crazy to me. Especially when I am told that a lemon, which is obviously very acidic, is an "alkaline food".

    I have gout, which is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood (which would make my blood more acidic?). I'd love someone to provide cited corrections, but from the literature I've read, lemon juice can reduce the acidity of the gut because the high acidity they bring is over compensated for by the gut's alkalizing system, reducing the overall acidity more than the original state before ingestion of lemons.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/gout-diet/art-20048524
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    It is usual for doctors to tell you to avoid tomatoes and citrus if you have acid reflux. Those are acidic. Also, caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol are said to be triggers. Not sure how this conversation got focused on "flipping" the pH balance of the body, which is a silly idea, and has nothing to do with acid reflux.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    It is usual for doctors to tell you to avoid tomatoes and citrus if you have acid reflux. Those are acidic. Also, caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol are said to be triggers. Not sure how this conversation got focused on "flipping" the pH balance of the body, which is a silly idea, and has nothing to do with acid reflux.

    yup, what she said.

    barbeque, peppers-I love but they do not love me.
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