A cure for acidity

Give fried foods a miss and alkalising foods a shot to live a healthier life.

Have you wondered why fatigue, frequent colds, indigestion, headaches and other illnesses have become so common now? Air pollution, cigarette smoke, alcohol consumption, pollution and faulty diets are to blame. Gone are the days of simple, home-cooked meals, when eating out was a rare indulgence.

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Today, fast food dominates our diet. Untimely food habits, combining alkaline and acidic foods such as milk and meat, fizzy drinks and junk food weaken the digestive system, causing hyperacidity.

Acid based balance
Distilled water has a pH of 7. Anything below this indicates acidity and higher levels indicate alkalinity. Alkaline foods contain higher amount of minerals, like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Acidic foods contain phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine and iodine. It is said that people with a predominantly alkaline body are less prone to diseases and tend to heal faster.Foods like eggs, meat, chicken, tea, coffee, bread, oily, fried and spicy foods are considered acidic. Fruits, vegetables, almonds, coconuts and leafy vegetables are considered alkaline.

Green is the way to go
Alkaline fruits and vegetables should constitute about 80 per cent of our food intake, while acidic foods should make up the remaining 20 per cent.Alkaline vegetables help maintain the pH balance of the body at 7.3. They should become a regular part of your diet and should replace most of the acidic foods. A good rule of thumb to follow is that the greener the vegetable, the more alkaline it is.