When you’re born, you’re a model of perfect metabolic health. Your body is pH balanced… and might even stay a little on the alkaline side. However, your body is busy creating new cells to replace dying cells, and to do this, nutrients are used as fuel. What’s left is an acid waste product that builds up inside your body over the years. And unless you can get rid of this acid waste, your body’s pH balance begins to change from alkaline to acidic.

This pH, or “potential of hydrogen” is a scale that measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, and in this case it measures the pH balance of your cells and tissues. A pH of 7 is a perfectly neutral pH, from 0 to 7 indicates acidity and 7 to 14 indicates alkalinity.

When your pH levels are out of balance and you become acidic, your vital organs such as your lungs, liver and pancreas are exposed to premature aging… the lining of your arteries deteriorates… vital cartilage in your joints is damaged… your skin prematurely wrinkles… your muscle mass wears down… your immune system is weakened… and your calcium levels become depleted. And if your body becomes too acidic, the result can be deadly.

To maintain the proper chemical balance, you should consume 80 percent alkaline-forming foods and only 20 percent acid-forming foods. Some nutritious alkaline-forming foods include…

• Vegetables—Alfalfa, artichokes, asparagus, beans, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, celery, chives, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, leafy greens, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, ripe olives, onions, pumpkins, spinach and squash.
• Fruits—Apples, avocados, berries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, peaches, pineapples, tomatoes, watermelon and citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges.
• Grains and Legumes—Buckwheat, millet, spelt, lentils, lima beans, soybeans and white beans.
• Nuts and Seeds—Almonds, chestnuts, fennel seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, soy nuts and sunflower seeds.
• Protein—Chicken breast, cottage cheese, eggs, fermented tofu and yogurt.
• Spices and Seasonings—Herbs, chili pepper, cinnamon, curry, ginger, mustard and sea salt.
• Beverages—Pure, fresh water, banchi tea, dandelion tea, fresh fruit juice, ginseng tea, green tea, herbal tea and vegetable juices.

Avoid acid-forming foods such as beef, poultry, pork, shellfish, dressings, cereals, pasta, oils, dairy products and sugar-laden desserts that can negatively impact your health and overload your organs of elimination—such as your lungs, kidneys and skin.

Plus, by adding a quality alkaline-balancing supplement to your wholesome diet regimen, you’ll ensure that your body’s excess acid is converted or eliminated. And you may avoid illness, allergies, viruses and diseases that manifest themselves when your body is overworked trying to restore its sensitive pH level.