Fact or Fiction
As you can imagine this is a keen area of discussion in the Hence bubble. Remembering, for us this is always a focus on the performance and health combined impact.
here’s a quick refresher: your body has a pH level that establishes whether something is acidic (0-6.9 on a pH scale), neutral (7), or basic (7.1-14, AKA more alkaline).
There’s a growing belief, Western diets, which is admittedly heavy in acidic foods, is ruining the pH of your blood, making you more acidic, and causing diseases like cancer. Meats, Fish, Grains etc. are all acid where as fruit, vegetables etc are more basic (alkaline).
Let’s say straight away so as not to cause any confusion, Diet cannot change pH.
Don’t just take our word for it. According to the American Institute of Cancer Research, "Altering the cell environment of the human body to create a less-acidic environment is virtually impossible."
What’s more, there is no evidence to suggest a healthy individual can negatively alter blood pH through diet. Any change in dietary pH is quickly regulated by the kidneys. There cannot alter blood pH.
pH Has a key role to play in digestion, the acidic stomach and basic intestine, but this is the case regardless of consumption. The roles of the pH range are to create optimal digestion and breakdown of foods at the correct stages to suit the body. In brief, almost irrelevant in this discussion, but often misunderstood.
So why try the diet?
Studies suggest our ancestors were very much mixed in this area, some acidic, some basic. So, this cannot not the justification. What’s more, basing a diet off pre-agriculture is not particularly relevant or advisable.
The Acidic western diets have been tied to muscle loss, cancer development, and other major diseases, but crucially here note from the earlier paragraph – no evidence in Healthy individual. Lots of studies carry across from illness/disease focused medical science into the performance/health world and this an example.
Working with a large study good of healthy individuals, athletes or trained subjects is the area we are interested in. A patient with an existing condition, like cancer, or kidney disease, is a complete change in subject and should not be held applicable when reviewing a healthy individual.
So, if you’re considering an Alkaline diet because of something you read on the internet, consider this something you read on the internet – DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!
Let’s go on to say…
Adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet in not a bad idea, but with a balanced attitude, not to cause a major pH re balancing.
The benefits of plants with a higher alkaline content, for the healthy person, is the wide scope of nutrients, macro and micro.
Specifically picking the top natural sources for specific tasks is a great idea! Basing you diet around one key theme is not.
Anti-inflammatory? Add it in!
Antioxidants? Great!
Even cognitive focused, testosterone boosting, sleep assisting…super ingredients? We are all focused on getting more from life!
But these do not become the base of a diet! They are supplementing (Hence, the name).
1 scoop. 100’s of benefits.
250g - One Months Supply