Can Alkaline Diet Reduce Chronic Inflammation?

Why Alkaline Diet helps reduce Chronic Inflammation

The alkaline diet is suggested to help reduce and prevent Inflammation by turning the blood pH alkaline.

This is because, according to the alkaline diet theory, Inflammation can only exist and develop in an acidic blood pH environment.

Research also shows that chronic acidity in the blood  contributes to inflammation. As the blood acidity rises, so does Inflammation and pro-inflammatory markers in the blood. This can lead to several health complications.

This blood shift from acidic pH to an alkaline one can be done through eating proper foods and following a healthy and “alkaline lifestyle”, including how we live and think.

Normally, the blood pH is maintained through a buffering system in the body that uses several mechanisms to achieve this balance.  

However, this system can fail sometimes because of the food we consume and our lifestyle, as it may become overburdened, and can’t compensate because of several reasons (check our section "what causes blood to become acidic"). 

When this happens, the blood pH drops down from its optimum level and becomes more acidic, hence creating and promoting Inflammation in the body.

How Alkaline Diet works for Inflammation

The alkaline diet works to restore blood pH to alkalinity through consuming specific alkaline metabolite producing foods and alkalinizing elements.

In addition, the alkaline diet promotes an “alkaline lifestyle” that requires changing the way we live and think. Thus, eliminating all negativity including stress and anxiety. 

The food types included in the alkaline diet have an alkalinizing effect and consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables, some nuts and seeds among others, which can normalize the blood’s pH levels.  

Accordingly, the alkaline diet is able to reset the blood pH into a normal range between 7.35 and 7.45, hence the blood’s pH will move from its acidity and becomes more alkaline. A pH of 7 being neutral, a pH of zero is considered completely acidic, while a pH of 14 would be completely alkaline. 

Maintaining this alkaline blood pH through focusing on alkaline metabolite producing foods, will shift the blood pH from its acidity to make it become more alkaline. As such, it is suggested to help treat and prevent inflammation.

Alkaline Diet program for Inflammation:

The alkaline diet suggests consuming 80% of the food we eat from alkaline forming food, and 20% from acidic forming food.

When the pH balance of the blood begins to improve and you reach the targeted level, the consumption of the alkaline forming food can be lowered to 65%, and the acidic forming food can be raised to 35%.

There is no specific time frame in which the alkaline diet should be followed. However, it is recommended to maintain the blood pH in a long lasting state of alkalinity, which involves constant commitment to the alkaline diet. 

This long term dedication to the alkaline diet poses a challenge for the followers of the diet, and might decrease the rate of commitment over time. However, it is important to be aware that extreme pH levels, greater than 7.45, might drive the body into “alkalosis” which poses several dangerous side effects to one’s health.

The focus in the alkaline diet is on the quality of the food eaten, meaning that highly acid producing foods should be avoided, while alkaline promoting foods should be abundantly consumed.
It should be noted that some foods that are naturally known as acidic, don’t necessarily translate into acidic wastes or metabolites. For example, lemon juice is naturally acidic with a pH of 2, but once it is subjected to digestion and metabolism, its pH rises above 7 in the body.

Dr. Sebi’s diet plan

Dr. Sebi, a native Honduran who refers to himself as an intracellular therapist and herbalist, claims that an organic, vegan, largely raw diet will cleanse your cells of toxins and cure diseases.

He founded the USHA Healing Village in Honduras to help teach his ideas about dietary and herbal therapy. 

Alkaline diet basic guidelines

Sebi divides all foods into six categories: live, raw, dead, hybrid, genetically modified or drugs. His diet emphasizes live and raw foods, which he terms "electric foods."

According to Sebi, these foods are alkaline and can help heal the body of the effects of "dead," or supposedly acidic foods, which include all meat, poultry, seafood, and products containing a leavening agent like yeast, synthetic or processed items, alcohol, sugar, iodized salt or anything fried. 

By following this diet plan, you'll avoid all seedless fruits, insect- or weather-resistant crops like corn or certain tomatoes, and anything with added vitamins or minerals. Instead, you'll eat plain ripe fruit; non-starchy vegetables, especially leafy greens; raw nuts and nut butters; and grains like quinoa, rye or kamut.

Alkaline Diet food for Chronic Inflammation

It is important to understand that the food impact on blood acidity or alkalinity is not related to the food type itself but it is related to the metabolic wastes or ashes that the food produces.

Therefore, if the food produces acidic metabolic wastes or ashes, it will influence the blood’s pH to become more acidic. The same mechanism happens with foods that are more alkaline ash or metabolic waste producing. 

In this regards, it’s important to read our section about the diet misconception, because people might confuse “acidic food” with “acid forming food”. A common example is lemon which is actually an acidic food, however it has an alkalinizing effect on the body.

Alkaline food types for Chronic Inflammation

The various food types incorporated in the alkaline diet include alkaline forming foods such as fruits, vegetables and some nuts, legumes, seeds, and spices among others. Below we cover the various types of foods that are incorporated in the alkaline diet:

- Fruits: consuming a variety of fruits in the diet is highly suggested. These fruits include apples, cherries, berries, bananas and oranges among others.

- Vegetables: consuming a variety of vegetables in the diet is highly suggested. These vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers among others.

- Some nuts and seeds: consume nuts such as cashews, pine nuts, almonds, chestnuts, and seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, and flaxseeds as well.

- Spices: adding a variety of spices to your food is encouraged such as cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, curry powder, and black pepper.

- Lentils: eat lentils as they are mainly the only legumes considered in the alkaline forming group

- Green drinks: green drinks made from green vegetables are encouraged. 

- Alkaline water: alkaline water is suggested because it has a pH range of 9 to 11 and boosts alkalinity.

List of alkalizing foods

The following is a list of some alkaline foods including Zucchini, Wheatgrass, Watercress, Tomato, Tofu , Thyme, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potato, Sunflower Seeds, Squash, Sprouts, Spinach, Soybeans, Sesame Seeds, Rhubarb, Red Beans, Radish, Quinoa, Pumpkin & Pumpkin Seeds, Pomegranate, Peppers, Peas, Parsley, Onion, Olive Oil, Okra, New Potatoes, Navy Beans, Mustard Greens, Mung Beans, Mint, Millet, Lime, Lima Beans, Lettuce, Lentils, Lemon, Leeks, Khorasan Wheat, Kelp, Kale, Herbal Teas, Green Beans, Grapefruit, Goat’s Milk, Gluten Free Breads, Ginger, Garlic, Flax Oil & Flax Seeds, Endive, Eggplant, Dandelion, Cumin, Cucumber, Collard Greens, Coconut, Cilantro, Chives, Chia, Celery, Cauliflower, Carrot, Cabbage, Buckwheat, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Beetroot, Basil, Avocado & Avocado Oil, Asparagus, Arugula, Artichokes, Amaranth, Almonds & Almond Milk, Apple, Banana, Berries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Orange, Peach, Pear, Watermelon, Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Mustard, Sea Salt.

Alkaline Diet for Inflammation: recommendations to Follow

- Consume organic foods: focus on organic foods that are naturally grown, and free from pesticides and other chemicals. This is recommended because these chemicals can influence the blood pH and make it more acidic, even if you are consuming vegetables.

- Differentiate between “acid food” and “acid forming food”: it’s important to understand the difference between acidic foods and acid forming foods. For instance, while lemons are acidic foods, however when they are consumed, they promote alkalinity in the body.

Alkaline Diet for Inflammation: what you should avoid

The alkaline diet suggests limiting the consumption of acid forming foods such as:

- Fresh and processed meat: limit all meat and chicken products.

- Fish: limit fish products such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel among others.

- Dairy and eggs: limit all dairy products including cheeses, butter, yogurt, ice cream, as well as eggs.

- Avoid GMOs: GMOs are suggested to cause acidity in the body, and other negative health effects.

- Legumes: limit most legumes such as peas, beans, chickpeas, and soybeans.

- Sugar: limit sugar consumption and any products containing high amounts of sugar such as syrup.

- Coffee: avoid coffee and other caffeine products.

- Alcohol: avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

- Avoid grains:  whole grains are an important part of the American diet, however they should be avoided because they are acid-forming foods. Limit grains such as whole wheat bread, rye brad, white flour, bagels, white rice and pasta among others.

- Processed foods: avoid processed foods, they are high in sugar and salt.

- Some nuts: limit nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts.

- Sodas and sweet beverages: limit all processed and sugary drinks such as sodas and juices.

Alkaline Diet for Inflammation: precautions

The alkaline diet is of limited side effects because it is mainly focused on fruits and vegetables.

However, people who suffer from digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or diarrhea should be aware that this type of diet is high in fiber and can contribute to worsening the symptoms. If no symptoms are observed, the diet can be followed.

Furthermore, the alkaline diet recommends removing major healthy sources of proteins that are considered acidic such as eggs, meat, fish and walnuts. These foods are major sources of omega 3 and omega 6 which should be a part of a healthy and balanced diet.

It is important to be aware that the decrease in consumption of these food types lower satiety and contributes to more hunger, brain fogginess associated with forgetfulness, mood changes, and risk of depression.

Therefore, it’s also important to be aware of nutritional deficiencies. The alkaline diet does not include all food groups and this poses a risk of malnutrition for individuals following this type of diet. Always make sure to follow up with a health professional.

In addition, it’s important to note that the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables may increase the exposure to pesticides that can lead to some medical issues or health complications.

Another important factor to be aware of is extreme pH levels. Increased alkalinity in bodily fluids drive the body into “alkalosis”, defined as a pH greater than 7.45, which poses several dangerous side effects to one’s health.

Alkaline Diet for Inflammation: side effects

The alkaline diet is of limited side effects because it is mainly focused on fruits and vegetables.

However, due to the high concentration of fibers, which contributes to more bulk and a decrease in transit time through the digestive tract, it might be best if avoided in cases of diarrhea, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), acid reflux, and in some periods of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).