Acidity, Toxins and Diet Contribute to Disease

There are many things one can do on a daily basis to turn the corner on disease. While one might not be sick, the simple daily habits of living life can contribute to the quality of life and the enjoyment of living. Many think that a sweet dessert is "really living" and then they reach for an over the counter pain pill to feel better or a sleeping aid to stop the tossing and turning that keeps them from a restful night's sleep.

Acidity is a factor in the quality of life one has. The more acid one's body is, the more strain is put on our kidneys. Their job is to remove liquid toxins from the bloodstream and reduce the acidity as well. If the cells and tissues are too acid, the kidneys can only do so much and the remaining acids must be buffered somehow. Typically, this is done by robbing calcium from our bones and possibly teeth; and then storing these in places like tissues or joints. When this gets bad enough, one's doctor might say, "You have arthritis!"

Maybe there is arthritis, but is it preventable with a lifestyle change? Or would one prefer to take an arthritis pill, to reduce inflammation. The chemical components of the medication can also contribute to the acidity of the body. This becomes a vicious cycle.

One's second challenge is toxins from the exposure one gets in daily living. While modern science and technology gives us phenomenal advances, there are secondary aspects that can be harmful. One only needs to look at the plastics industry to see the damage one incurs by the use of Bisphenol A (BPAs) for storing water and food. The main concern about BPA is that it exhibits hormone-like properties that raise concern about its suitability in consumer products and food containers.

One must remember that just because the toxins go in through our food and water, land on our skin or are breathed into our lungs, doesn't mean they are successfully eliminated. There are numerous methods by which one deals with toxins that aren’t easily expelled. One stores toxins in fat, dilutes it with water in the form of edema (and appears puffy), might have excessive candida (yeast), or makes lots of mucus to slick away the toxins when expelling the mucus.

The third aspect of contributing to disease that one has tremendous control over is how and what one eats. Grabbing a quick bite to eat might be a necessity occasionally, however it shouldn't be the routine. Refined foods, fast foods and foods of poor nutritional quality are undermining ones health.

Taking the time to select quality food and prepare it with mindfulness contributes to wellness. Perhaps the one change that can have the biggest effect is drinking small quantities (4 – 8 ounces several times a day) of mixed vegetable juice. This increases the alkalinity of ones food and reduces the inflammation associated with acidity. Mixing those vegetables to include flavorful ones that add a little zing to the mix can make it much more delicious.

Portions can also be important when thinking of our meals. If one were to divide their plate into quarters, it becomes easy to visualize a successful meal. One quarter is for protein, animal or vegetable. One quarter is for starch, such as a slice of bread or serving of potatoes or rice. The other two quarters are for complex carbohydrates, such as steamed or raw vegetables; however include in this about one or two teaspoonfuls of high quality oil. These essential fatty acids, from olive oil, sesame oil, and safflower and avocado oil (as well as many other kinds) go a long way in decreasing inflammation caused from both acidity and toxins.

Whatever one does, being mindful and aware can turn the direction of our choices. So, here's to your health.