Acid-base balance, the pillar of Clean Eating?

And yes, it is the basis (no pun intended) of good health. Balancing the acidity and alkalinity levels in the body is essential. Unfortunately, we don't think about it enough. Demonstration with two experts in acid-base balance.

What is acid-base balance?

The acid-base balance comes essentially from the diet, logically, because each food belongs either to the group of acids, or to that of alkalines (the opposite of acid) or even, of neutrals. It is therefore the contents of the plate which gives the basic tendency to the blood and to all the organic tissues.

The pH, Hydrogen potential, which measures acidity is neutral at 7. Below (from 0 to 7), we move into acidosis. Above (from 7 to 14), the pH is basic and the cursor is on alkalosis.

The goal? To be in balance , neutral. This acid-base balance depends on the protein content (and especially the sulfur amino acids they contain), citrates or bicarbonates, the rate of absorption of nutrients and also the nature of the residues generated by cellular metabolism. The more sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, nitrogen a food contains, the more it generates the formation of acids. The more potassium, sodium, iron, calcium it contains, the more basic elements it produces. Eating healthy, organic, unprocessed, adopting a Clean Eating lifestyle, gives you the best chance of naturally achieving this acid-base balance.

Why talk about imbalance?

Acid-base, how does it work?

For Lisa Salis, naturopath, founder of the online Academy of Health, Hygie ( hygieacademie.com and on Instagram @lisasalislife ), everything is explained. "The body, which is constantly seeking its vital balance (whose pH is between 7.32 and 7.43), must constantly regulate the pH of the different fluids in the body (blood, lymph, intra and extracellular fluid, saliva, etc.). It has many levers at its disposal, in particular a buffer system which, thanks to mineral salts, allows the body to neutralize a certain quantity of acids. Concretely, volatile acids are eliminated by the lungs and respiratory tract through exhalation. Non-volatile acids are expelled via urine and sweat through the kidneys and skin." And the naturopath specifies "energy metabolism and digestion also produce acids. Which explains why our body tends to lean towards acidity, especially during the day when cellular activity is running at full speed. "One more reason to help it maintain a neutral pH with a diet without too many acidic or too basic foods.

Too much acid… what’s happening?

"When the body has more acid waste than it can eliminate, the acid-base balance is broken," explains this naturopath. "Doctors use the term "acidosis" when the blood is too acidic and in this case, life is in danger. This is why I would speak more of "tissue" acidosis (and not blood) or acid-base imbalance. In this case, the acids invade our tissues, in particular our muscles, our joints, our intestines and neighboring tissues (psoas, urogenital system, lumbar, etc.) as well as all our cells so that the energy production of these tissues is blocked."

The consequences of acidity

The body, always driven by its instinct for survival and balance, will directly use its own reserves. In order to neutralize an excess of acids, it draws on the alkaline mineral reserves of the plasma, lymph, hair, nails, cartilage and bones. Lisa Salis confirms "the mineral reserves are sacrificed to buffer these excess acids. Which leads to demineralization and all its consequences". We quickly see the effects:

• Chronic fatigue (especially in the morning and after meals)
• Cramps, contractures, aches
• Mood disorders
• Heart problems
• Cartilage disorders
• Dental problems and gingivitis (cavities, loosening, etc.)
• Osteopenia (bone fragility), osteomalacia (bone decalcification) and osteoporosis (decreased bone density)
• Decreased resistance to stress, which itself is very acidifying since it depletes magnesium reserves
• Irritability
• Chronic inflammatory conditions, especially in the joints and mucous membranes (sinusitis, conjunctivitis, angina, rhinitis, etc.)
• Sclerosis (arteriosclerosis, fibrosis, etc.).
• Development of uric acid stones or kidney stones, but also at the level of the salivary glands. We then speak of salivary stones!

There are other less common symptoms such as "muscle wasting, acidic and odorous sweating, sweaty hands, excessive sweating of the feet, oily skin, hair loss, brittle nails, mouth ulcers, cracked corners of the lips, skin disorders, sciatic pain, painful urination, weakened immunity, chronic headaches or migraines, chilliness, depression."
Another insidious consequence that the naturopath recalls is "the storage of acid waste in soft tissues (cartilage, tendons, tissues) which causes tendonitis, joint pain and painful inflammation."

Finally, extreme acid imbalance, cancer. Because "the more the tissues become acidic, the more alkaline the blood, the more the terrain favors the development of cancer" concludes Lisa Salis.

How to find acid-base balance?

Acid imbalance is encouraged by a stressful lifestyle, increasing environmental pollution and especially a diet too rich in meat. "It is then enough to favor alkalizing foods to counter these acid excesses with food rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and especially plants which provide citrates and malates, the best lever available to preserve the acid-base balance" advises Lisa Salis.

The right strategy:

1 – Identify acidic foods

It is not a question of excluding them (except those which do not provide any nutrients and only acidify the body like sodas or processed foods) but of always compensating for them with alkaline foods.

• Animal proteins: “Above all, avoid eggs, fish, shellfish and meat, which are rich in sulphur amino acids, which are more acidifying than the others, by releasing sulphuric, uric, phosphoric and hydrochloric acids which humans eliminate poorly” specifies Lisa Salis.
• Stimulants: cocoa, teas rich in theine, mate, coffee, alcohol, nicotine
• Refined and fermented products, such as hard cheese (Parmesan, one of the most acidifying!) “Dry cheeses, very rich in phosphoproteins, provide very acidifying phosphate ions after digestion,” adds Lisa Salis.
• Ultra-processed or industrial products: the list is long, these are all products stamped with an index of 4 by the NOVA reference measurement unit, used by hospitals. "Avoid them, even yeasts and broths, as well as sodas whose pH is 2.4 on average" insists the naturopath.
• Refined table salt or sodium chloride (NaCl) “And very salty foods such as cheeses, cold meats, prepared meals and industrial breads”.
• Foods rich in purine, a nitrogen molecule: cocoa, sweetbreads, coffee, tea, small fish (herring, anchovies, sardines), trout, carp, beef, chicken and salmon.
• Foods rich in oxalic acids, which are harmful to the body even if it naturally contains small quantities to fix calcium: cocoa powder, tea, pepper, sorrel, dried figs, chocolate .

2 - Alkalize your body

• Wheat and barley grasses (avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding)
• Aromatic herbs
• Plants (horsetail and nettle)
• Vegetables (richer in potassium than fruits)
• Fruits and dried fruits

3 – Play the beneficial associations

For Céline Vaquer, it is necessary to restore the acid-base balance through diet and carefully selected nutritional supplements. The functional nutrition specialist recommends winning combinations : "Combine meat or fish or egg + vegetables, cheese + salad, avoid meat + hard cheeses in the same meal. I also recommend taking food supplements: potassium bicarbonate, calcium and magnesium carbonates, in the event of an unbalanced diet (fast food), in athletes who have difficulty recovering or are subject to recurrent tendino-myalgia and for people who follow diets with significant calorie restrictions or high protein."

4 – Adopt good habits

• In the morning, start with a glass of water and once in a while (not for a long time), take a lemon juice diluted in a little water. Despite its acidity, lemon is alkalizing.
• At the end of the morning, treat yourself to a vitamin-packed juice combining carrot, apple and orange.
• For lunch, combine a chicken breast, a portion of green vegetables and a portion of potatoes.
• A white cheese garnished with nuts and a dash of honey for a snack.
• For dinner, a salad made with tofu, hearts of palm and green salad accompanied by roasted celery or celery velouté.
• On the gourmet side, bananas, figs, dates, strawberries, peaches and apples are among the most alkaline fruits, as is avocado. So one evening, make yourself a guacamole with vegetable chips, accompanied by a mashed banana with dates. Bon appétit!

Stress, the enemy of acid-base balance

Eat mindfully, of course, and never when stressed. For our experts, it is an absolute necessity, because stress greatly disrupts the acid-base balance! "Chronically stressed people, who do not secrete enough or too much hydrochloric acid, cannot produce bicarbonate. Hence the importance of compensating by consuming potassium bicarbonate food supplements. This salt owes its prefix ("bi") to its dual acid-base character (known as amphoteric character): both acid and base, it will behave as a base in the presence of an acid and as an acid in the presence of a base" notes Céline Vaquer. "Beyond breathing , it is mainly the kidneys that regulate the concentration of these bicarbonates by controlling their retention or elimination through urine" specifies the specialist.

While it is important to absorb bicarbonates directly to eliminate excess acids produced throughout the day, a natural and balanced diet remains the best insurance for your acid-base balance and for your health.