What is pH? Potential hydrogen (pH) is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. The pH scale measures the amount of hydrogen molecules in a solution. The hydrogen molecule is so reactive that it has profound effects on biological systems even at very low concentrations. Since our bodies are comprised of 50 to 60 percent water, the


pH level has profound effects on the body’s internal chemistry, ef- fecting health and metabolism. All regulatory mechanisms (breath- ing, circulation, digestion, hormonal production) essentially serve the purpose of maintaining normal pH levels, usually by removing excess acids.


Acidity and Fat Loss When it comes to weight loss, we usually follow one plan of action. We reduce the amount of calories we consume in order to put ourselves into a caloric deficit. We then couple with this, copious amounts of strenuous exercise, hoping to burn off any extra calories that may be drifting around our midriff. In the quest to burn body fat, the body produces substances


known as ketones. We are all aware that dieting can also result in the lost of muscle mass. The ketones produced from fat and muscle breakdown are acidic, and must be neutralized if we want to be healthy. Furthermore, this breakdown not only results in less lean tissue, it causes the release of the stress hormone cortisol. In summary, while vital organs, such as your brain, use these


ketones as an energy source, they are also very acidic and potentially harmful. Acidity makes you fat for two reasons. First, your body has to


buffer these acids to prevent damage and to allow your metabolism to function properly. In so doing, your two most metabolically active tissues, bone and muscle, are broken down to release the calcium and other chemicals that perform this buffering. The other reason that acidity makes you fat is its negative affect


on your hormones. To make matters worse, the hormones most af- fected by acidity are those responsible for fat loss.


Nutrition and Acidity Diets appear to be the major factor in maintaining appropriate pH levels throughout the body. All foods, based on their bioavailabil- ity, vitamin and mineral content, as well as their protein content, and certain other factors, will lead to fluctuations in the pH levels of the body. Proteins, by their very nature, are acid forming. In the absence


of sufficient fruit and vegetables, increased dietary protein has been shown to increase calcium loss from bone and at the kidneys. Cereal grains, which are net acid-producing, account for 38


percent of the acid load in the present day diet. The consumption of fruits and vegetables is paramount when alkalizing one’s diet. This is due to their high concentration of alkalizing minerals: calcium, po- tassium, sodium, and magnesium. Not only do fruits and vegetables prevent metabolic acidosis, but they’re also known to combat and prevent many of the degenerative diseases we see today.


Bones Burn Body Fat Even though our skeleton only accounts for about 15 percent of our total body weight, it is very metabolically active. Bone stores the body’s minerals, the main one being calcium. Calcium, stored as calcium carbonate and calcium apatite, is released from the bone to buffer the excess acids. The mineral loss from the skeleton results in weakened, fragile bone, characteristic of osteoporosis.


Muscle Wasting In order for the calcium stored in muscle to be released, muscle tissue must be broken down. Increased acidity directly contributes to muscle loss by increasing the metabolism and breakdown of specific amino acids.


Growth Hormone Metabolic acidosis has been shown to reduce the effects of growth hormone by lowering the body’s responsiveness to the hormone and altering the secretion patterns of GH itself. This reduced GH secretion resulted in reduced body mass and food efficiency.


Insulin To summarize, insulin is your body’s main storage hormone. Not only does it directly increase the storage of fat into cells, it acts to make you fat through other mechanisms. Insulin resistance not only causes increased acidity, but insulin itself is also affected by metabolic acidosis.


Thyroid Hormone Even the thyroid gland is not safe from the effects of chronic meta- bolic acidosis. In normal adults, acidosis causes reduced levels of thyroid hormones, resulting in a slow, sluggish metabolism.


Nutritional Grading Nutritionally speaking, our body’s acid-base acid status is a reflec- tion of the amounts of alkaline minerals in our diet such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, as well as the acid generating elements, phosphate, chloride, and sulphur. Once digestion has occurred, every food will present to the


kidneys as either an acid-forming or alkaline-forming food, Various methods of assessing acid-base status of a food are ash analysis, NAE (net acid excretion), and the PRAL (potential renal acid load). To most accurately predict the acid or base potential of a given


food, researchers, Remer and Manz, developed the food-rating values referred to as PRAL. The PRAL most accurately predicts the acid or base potential of a particular food. It accounts for the bioavailability of micronutrients and macronutrients, and sulphur content.


The Kick Acid Diet The Kick Acid Diet is not only focused on reducing the overall acid- ity of your diet, but it gives you a blueprint for a healthier lifestyle, evident in the recipe section and easy-to-follow workout program. Nutrition is your best way of maintaining a healthy, lean body,


free of unwanted fat! Exercise is important, but consuming the right foods, at the right times, and in the right amounts and proportions will make profound changes in your body composition...in a short amount of time! The great thing about eating right is you don't need to starve


yourself, nor do you have to consume foods you don't like. Armed with the right information, you can enjoy eating healthily. Further- more, if you understand the methods outlined in the book, you can enjoy dining out at your favourite restaurants. The Kick Acid Diet will provide you with a step-by-step plan to control acidity, lose fat, and improve the quality of your life. For more information on The Kick Acid Diet ® and how you can


download the corresponding mobile app for your iPhone, Black- bberry or Android phone, visit www.thekickaciddiet.com.


Dr. Alwyn Wong, author of The Kick Acid Diet®, has been in the health and fitness industry for over fifteen years. He uses an integrated treatment approach, combining various modalities to treat his patients and consults with many of whom have included professional and elite athletes. He is a sought after lecturer and guest speaker, and has traveled throughout North America shar- ing his knowledge. For more information on The Kick Acid Diet®, visit Dr. Wong at www.thekickaciddiet.com.


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