Akzidose/Übersäuerung Anhang
[Dr. Verena Müller-Wieprecht]
The human body needs energy.
The body’s own cells are able to extract
energy from food. This energy is necessary for us to be able to walk, speak, think,
grow, regenerate, digest, excrete… etc. Ultimately, all organs and muscles have
to be supplied with energy for them to work in the right way. Energy is
generated in cellular metabolic processes from the food we eat. Fats,
carbohydrates and proteins play a particular role. The oxygen we breathe is of
vital importance for the production of energy.
If sufficient oxygen is present, then 18x more
energy can be generated from the same amount of food.
But so-called metabolic end products are also
produced besides energy. These are substances which can no longer be used by
the body and therefore have to be excreted via the intestine,
the kidneys, the skin or the lungs. One can
consider them as metabolic waste. Many of these waste products are acidic and
have to be neutralised on their way to the excreting organ.
If cells try to produce energy with too little
oxygen, for example, particularly high levels of acidic waste products arise.
This is most noticeable with muscle cramps, for example. In this case, a muscle
had to do work and needed to produce energy for this purpose, but did not have
enough oxygen available. This is why training exercises in sport studios are
recommended under aerobic conditions (aerobic means cells receive enough
oxygen).
The hyperacidity described here does not occur
suddenly.
This is a slow process – sometimes taking
years. From the simplified sequence shown in the box on page 8, it is apparent
that the system contains a number of “adjustment screws”.
Dietary habits in the developed nations which
include more than 25% acid-forming foodstuffs (meat/fish/cheese/sausage etc.)
are very common. This promotes both hyperacidity as well as a lack of minerals
in the body.
Meat consumption is too high. Put in another
way, this means: Fruit and vegetable consumption is too low (fruit/vegetables
belong to the alkaline-forming foodstuffs.) Only a few people follow the
recommendations of the German Nutritional Society to eat fruit +/o. vegetables
5x daily. This is how a vicious circle can start: Acids which are produced have
to be neutralised by alkaline mineral salts. Because mineral salts are lacking,
the body becomes too acidic.
If the body produces more acidic metabolic
waste products than can be neutralised and excreted, this will result in the
long term in hyperacidity of the body. The acid-base balance loses its
equilibrium and optimal functioning of the body will be lost. The body now
resorts to mechanisms to counteract this imbalance.
For example, the body stores excess acid first
of all in the connective tissue, so that this can later be released and
excreted as soon as sufficient alkaline mineral salts are available again in
the blood. In the case of a persisting deficiency of alkaline mineral salts
and, at the same time, continuing hyperacidity, the body resorts to using its
own mineral deposits, e. g. calcium from the bones, which over time can then
result in osteoporosis.
When looking for the cause of hyperacidity,
not only diet but also respiration as well as excretion have to be considered.
Lack of exercise in the fresh air impairs an optimal supply with oxygen.
Insufficient fluid intake prevents optimal excretion via the kidneys as well as
through the skin (sweating). Disturbances of intestinal function or the
intestinal flora also affect the acid-base balance. Putrefaction products can
also have an acidic effect on the body.
Individuals who as a result of serious
illnesses have problems with food uptake in the gastro-intestinal tract,
cellular metabolism, respiration or excretion are advised to always consult a
therapist with regard to hyperacidity. In disturbances of intestinal function
or the intestinal flora, a therapist should be consulted to discuss the best
course of action in detail.
Regeneration of the intestinal flora, as well as
compensating for any disorders, should go hand in hand with achieving the right
acid-base balance.
Stress, inflammatory processes and medicines
also have a negative influence on the acid-base balance, if the latter are
converted into acids prior to excretion.
Hyperacidity
lack of exercise/sedentary
lifestyle/medications/too little alkaline-forming foods (fruit, vegetable,
potatoes)
Too much stress/nicotine/alcohol/excessive
exercise
How can it be determined?
The easiest way to determine your personal acid-base
status is to measure the pH-value of the urine. Suitable test strips can be
obtained from your therapist or pharmacy. Make sure the pH testing range
covered is between 5.0 and 8.0.
You should measure the pH-value to start with
each time you go to the toilet over a period of several days, noting the time
and the pH-value. Also, keep a record of what you eat and drink. Then enter the
values in a chart.
Ideally, the pH-values should vary over the
course of the day and there should be some pH-values above 7 (pH 7 is the
neutral pH-value).
Not all the pH-values recorded throughout the
day have to be above pH 7, as this can also be an indication of a regulatory
disorder. If your personal daily pH profile deviates strongly several times
daily from the indicated “ideal curve” shown in the illustration, or if your
results are significantly outside the optimal range of values between 5.0 and
8.0, you should feel encouraged to make a change.
You will see - it is easier than you might
think right now! Your personal daily chart will assist you to monitor the
process of ‘neutralisation’.
However, it is also a solid basis for
discussion with a therapist.
With regard to dietary hyperacidity, there are
a number of things you can do. The mainstay is a change of diet and a food
supplement using pH-balance PASCOE®. This product can positively influence your
mineral and acid-base balance.
Change of diet
Rearrange your diet so that alkaline-forming
foodstuffs make up approx. 75%, = the major part, of your nutrition. Vegetarian
foods belong to the group of alakaline-forming foodstuffs
[fruit/vegetables/potatoes/cabbage/lettuce/herbs (herbal teas)]. Acidifying
foodstuffs: meat, poultry, fish, sausage, (cottage) cheese, yoghurt, cereal
products and sweets.
The dietary table reflects only the primary
effects on the acid-base balance. Coffee, for example, belongs to the
alkaline-donors due to its high potassium content. However, too much coffee
leads to a stress reaction which, on the other
hand, can lead to hyperacidity. Similarly, the data for sugar, marmalade and
honey appear to be contradictory.
Primarily, these foodstuffs do not lead to
hyperacidity. Too many sweet things can negatively affect the intestinal flora,
which can contribute to hyperacidity as a secondary effect. Under no
circumstances should you completely avoid foodstuffs from the acidifying group.
They provide valuable vitamins, minerals and
proteins, which are necessary for the body. As is often the case, it is the
balance which matters.
Drink a lot
Make sure you drink enough. However, a word of
advice: so-called neutral fluids such as water or herbal teas are preferable
(not coffee, black tea or alcohol).
Exercise: Take regular exercise. A walk
through the forest or a short bicycle ride rather than using the car not only
optimises the oxygen uptake, and promotes the expiration of carbonic acid
in the form of carbondioxide.
Avoid stress
Avoid stress as far as possible. Try not to
get upset so often (avoid being ‘sour’!). Instead, think positive and smile more
frequently.
Stimulate the excretion of acid
Encourage the excretion of acid via the skin,
e.g. by regular visits to a sauna.
Also, avoid producing stress in this case (not
too hot and not too long).
Buffer systems Fluctuations in the acid-base
balance cannot be avoided and arise constantly in all humans. However, in order
to maintain a consistent pH-value despite this, the body uses different buffers
(e.g. proteins, phosphates, bicarbonate, haemoglobin) which absorb (buffer)
excess acids or bases. The bicarbonate buffer is used to 53% in the blood and
plays a central role in maintaining the acid-base balance. If the buffer
systems should become ‘overtaxed’, this can lead to acidosis or alkalosis. The
liver and kidneys are involved in the regeneration of the buffers.
Carbonates Salts of carbonic acid
(carbonates).
Carbonic acid = a weak acid only occurring in
aqueous solution, which is produced by passing carbon dioxide into water.
Carbon dioxide = a colourless and odourless gas
which is easily soluble in water, arising, amongst other things, as a product
of animal and human respiration and by the combustion of
carbon-containing substances.
Carbohydrates Substances belonging to the
staple foods, which consist of C + H + H and occur predominantly in vegetable
foods. They include, amongst other things, all types of
sugar and starch, and almost all fibres.
Ideally, carbohydrates should account for 50 – 60% of daily energy intake.
Cell (somatic cell) Basic module of the human
body, the smallest independently living functional unit within a superordinate
structure. In their general layout, all cells are alike;
however, each cell variant is designed to
carry out a specific task within the organism.
Cell metabolism: Every endogenous cell has a
metabolism with which absorbed substances are converted into compounds needed
by the cell (for energy production or cell development).
Resulting end products are released to the
surrounding environment.
Connective tissue: Principally serves as interstitial
tissue in the body by filling the space between organs; it encloses the organs
as a covering substance and permeates these as structural tissue.
Its gel-like matrix is also very important for
the exchange of substances between the cells and the blood.
Denaturated: This refers to changes occurring
to food by chemical or mechanical procedures during its processing. Denatured
foods generally lead to an increase in acidity of the human body.
Digestive system: This refers to all organs
responsible for digestion, e. g. mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small and large
intestine, rectum and anus.
Other organs involved in digestion include the
liver, pancreas and gallbladder.
Dysbalance This means a disturbed balance, a
disturbance of equilibrium.
Fats = natural substance compounds. Fat in
foods consists mainly of triglycerides, which are composed of one glycerine
molecule and three fatty acids, and is needed by all cells of the
body, amongst other things, for the structure
of the cell wall; it is also the main source of energy. The recommended daily
intake is between 80 to 100 grams; however, this is often very much
higher in the western developed nations, which
increases the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease, for example.
Heartburn = burning pain caused by the reflux
of gastric acid into the oesophagus.
Hydrochloric acid Constituent of the gastric
juice which ensures a low pH-value (1–2), initiates the breakdown of
nutritional proteins, converts the pro-enzyme pepsinogen secreted by the
stomach’s parietal cells into pepsin (for protein cleavage) and kills bacteria.
Indicator A substance or liquid which
indicates a certain chemical reaction by a colour change.
Intestinal flora = micro-organisms, which
include bacteria and fungi, that perform important health functions, e.g.
defence against pathogens or the decomposition of indigestible dietary fibre.
Various factors can significantly affect the
intestinal flora, such as imbalanced diet, infections or medications. Kidneys
The two human kidneys are located adjacent to the rear wall of
the body to the left and right of the spinal
column. They are shaped like beans and measure approx. 10 x 5 cm. They are the
organs of excretion for urinary substances (e. g. uric acid),
excess electrolytes (e.g. salts, acids,
bases), foreign substances and water.
Lactic acid = substance produced by lactic
bacteria, which occurs in the intestine of the human body, and in fermented
foodstuffs (e.g. curdled milk) and fermented vegetables (e. g. sauerkraut).
Lipids = general term for fats and fatty
substances; they are all waterinsoluble.
Lung Sponge-like respiratory organ situated
behind the ribcage in the thoracic cavity of human beings. Consists of two
lobes and enables gas exchange between the air and blood: Oxygen is
absorbed, carbon dioxide is released.
Minerals = inorganic substances, such as Ca +
P + Mg + K occurring in both plant as well as animal foodstuffs and are needed
for the development of endogenous substances (e.g. bone tissue)
and various regulatory functions by the body.
A lack of minerals can lead to deficiency diseases; an excess can lead to
symptoms of intoxication.
Muscle cells = parts of the muscular system
required for movement and heat balance. Muscle cells resemble other endogenous
cells in their structure; however, they contain complex, highly concentrated
protein structures which contract (draw together) upon nerve stimulation. ATP
is the sole energy source for the contraction of muscles.
Parasympathetic nervous system = part of the
vegetative nervous system – stimulates and controls involuntary organ functions
which cannot be influenced. The parasympathetic nervous
system is located in the brain stem and the
sacral region of the spinal cord; it acts as an antagonist and, hence, an opponent
to the sympathetic nervous system – conserving and building up
energy in phases of rest and relaxation. For
example, it lowers the heart rate and constricts the pupils.
Sympathetic nervous system = part of the
vegetative nervous system, which stimulates and controls involuntary organ
functions. Is located in certain regions of the spinal column and is
dominant in physical or psychological stress
situations. It acts to discharge energy and is responsible for catabolic
processes as an antagonist of the parasympathetic nervous
system. For example, it increases the heart
rate and dilates the pupils.
Uric acid = a chemical compound containing
nitrogen, which arises through the normal decomposition of cells and through
the metabolism of purines, which are absorbed with the diet.
As a rule, is excreted as a waste product in
the urine. However, at a certain concentration it can also crystallize out and
form urinary stones.
Vegetative Part of the nervous system which
controls involuntary bodily function, i.e. those which cannot be influenced and
are performed unconsciously, such as digestion, heart beat,
respiration, metabolism and the function of
glands in the hormone system.
Vitamins Complex organic compounds needed by
the body in small amounts for growth, regeneration and metabolism. They are an
important part of a balanced diet.
Parietal cells = part of the gastric glands in
the gastric mucous membrane, which produce hydrochloric acid and the intrinsic
factor, and also facilitate the uptake of vitamin B12 in the lower
small intestine.
When hydrochloric acid is released inside the
stomach, sodium bicarbonate is formed at the same time and released into the
blood.
pH value (from the Latin Potentia hydrogenii,
concentration of hydrogen ions) Chemical measure for the strength of an acid
(pH value between 0 - 7) or an alkaline (pH value between 7 - 14).
Proteins – collective term for natural
substances made up exclusively or predominantly of amino acids; they belong to
the staple foods. If more than 100 amino acids are linked together,
they are referred to as proteins. Proteins
define the structure, function and metabolism of all living cells and tissues.
About 10 kilograms of an adult’s body weight is made up of proteins.
Putrefaction = a bacterial decomposition of
indigestible dietary protein in the large intestine with the formation of
sometimes foul smelling decomposition products. These often poisonous
substances are detoxified in the liver.
Stress Excessive strain, disturbance to the
normal physical state or bodily functions through external physical influences,
e. g. injury or psychological factors, such as fear. Stress is regarded
as a risk for many different illnesses,
including peptic ulcers or cardiovascular disease.
Sweat glands Glands found in the human
subcutaneous tissue. The secretion of perspiration (consisting of water, urea,
salts, fats etc.) serves to regulate body temperature.
Two types:
the large sweat glands (e.g. under the arms, in
the chest and genital regions) secreting viscous perspiration,
the small sweat glands (e.g. on the forehead,
palms of the hands and soles of the feet) which secrete clear, watery
perspiration. (in the intestine)
Acid/Alkaline food list
Controll your own PH levels and prevent
diseases
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Beets
Beet Greens
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens
ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon
ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder
ALKALIZING SPICES AND SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs
ALKALIZING OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Green Juices
Veggie Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia, honey, palm sugar,
ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES
Corn
Lentils
Olives
Winter Squash
ACIDIFYING FRUITS
Blueberries
Canned or Glazed Fruits
Cranberries
Currants
Plums**
Prunes**
ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, wheat
Bran, oat
Corn
Cornstarch
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Oats (rolled)
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spelt
Wheat
Wheat Germ
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Bread
Crackers, soda
Flour, white
Flour, wheat
ACIDIFYING NUTS and BUTTERS
Cashews
Legumes
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts
ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon
Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shrimp
Scallops
Shellfish
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison
ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine
ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk
ACIDIFYING DAIRY
Butter
Cheese
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk
ACIDIFYING Fats and Oils
Avacado Oil
Butter
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil
ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS
Carob
Sugar
Corn Syrup
ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS
Ketch-up
Cocoa
Coffee
Vinegar
Mustard
Pepper
Soft
Drinks
Vorwort/Suchen. Zeichen/Abkürzungen. Impressum.