HEALTH
Acidic? Is Your
By Dr. Alwyn Wong
Metabolism D
o you or your clients have dif- ficulty losing stubborn weight? Have you been successful at
losing weight, but not so successful at keeping it off? Let me put it another way – does the thought of being in your birthday suit make you want to do any- thing but have a party? Well, you’re not alone. Did you know that due to daily stressors, lifestyle choices, and
food choices, our bodies are in a constant state of over-acidity? This over-acidity, also known as chronic or latent metabolic acidosis, is subtle and worsens over time. As you’ll see, being too acidic will thwart your weight-loss efforts and will make you fat! The relationship between acids and alkaline substances, (also
referred to as bases) must be in perfect harmony to ensure that metabolism works. All of life’s processes require a particular equi- librium between acids and bases in order to run smoothly. A change in the actual acid concentration may inhibit or stimulate the activity of virtually all biochemical processes in our bodies. Thus, a stable metabolism cannot tolerate a change in acid levels. Due to the agricultural revolution, our diets have been trans-
formed. Wild animals and uncultivated plants, characteristic of our hunter-gatherer diets, have been largely replaced by saturated fats, simple sugars, and table salt. Similarly, the amounts of fibre, magnesium, and potassium have decreased. Diseases of civilization, a term commonly used to describe the constellation of atheroscle- rosis, type II diabetes, osteoporosis, and some forms of cancer are all attributable to this dietary transformation. One of the major consequences of this dietary shift is the increase
in acid producing foods, along with the decrease in alkaline forming foods. The resulting low-grade acidosis, and subsequent response of the body’s regulatory mechanisms has resulted in detrimental effects on the body, including bone destruction, muscle wasting, and kidney stone formation. Our body’s digestive and metabolic machinery is adapted for an alkali rich diet. Our bodies are alkaline by design, but acidic
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Consuming fruits and vegetables can help prevent metabolic acidosis.
by function. Therefore, modern man not only has to deal with the negative effects of acidosis, but the absence of the alkaline milieu that our bodies are accustomed to.
What are Acids? Technically speaking, an acid is a substance that will release a hy- drogen molecule when placed in water. Bases, on the other hand, have the ability to soak up extra hydrogen molecules. It is these hydrogen molecules that are dangerous and must be neutralized by substances known as buffers.
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