You likely heard about it in senior high school that the body is forever trying to sustain homeostasis or balance. When the body is out of equilibrium, whether overly acidic or overly alkaline your wellness suffers.

Although nutrients that enter our body through our diet could be highly different in pH; pH is the abbreviation for potential hydrogen, they could be sorted out into two major groups: basic (alkaline) substances and acid substances. When alkaline and acid substances are in balanced quantities in the body, acid-alkaline equilibrium is attained. If there is an acid residue after eating particular foods the body must counteract this acid to keep the blood from becoming acidic.

A diet rich in green vegetables and fruit are highly alkalizing foods (with a few exceptions) that help keep acid alkaline balance. One should try and eat plenty of fresh green foods. Keep in mind that cooking food destroys many nutrients. Many raw vegetables and fruits are more beneficial eaten raw than when cooked.

The strong acid residue produced by the typical American dieting is so strong that it can damage the urinary tract upon voiding. Acute acidosis could lead to kidney or lung troubles, diarrhea, dehydration and diabetes. A specific form of acidosis is ketosis that takes place in diets high in fat and inadequate in carbohydrates, as well as in conditions of diabetes or starvation, when the body combusts fats instead of carbohydrates. The common American diet consists of 20-30% alkaline foods; the diet should consist of at least 70-80% alkaline and 20-30% acid foods.

Alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, are added to the strong acid, pH 5.5, when a person's alkaline mineral reserve are in good supply. The pH range is from 0 to 14, with 7.0 being neutral. A pH of 7.0 is alkaline, anything below 7.0 is considered acidic. Also buffers, substances in the blood stream, such as bicarbonate and hormones give an alkaline solution chemically in order to resist abnormal changes in pH.