There is no scientific literature establishing benefit of an alkaline diet for the prevention of cancer at this time. The human body has an amazing ability to maintain a steady pH in the blood with the main compensatory mechanisms being renal and respiratory. While many of the membranes in our body that requires an acidic pH to protect us and help digest food. http://www.phmiracleliving.com/ http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/young3.html
Life on earth depends on appropriate pH levels in and around living organisms and cells. Human life requires a tightly controlled pH level in the serum of about 7.4 (a slightly alkaline range of 7.35 to 7.45) to survive. When it comes to pH levels and net acid load in the diet, there has been considerable change from the hunter gather civilization to present day and the industrialized (last 200 years) revolution.
In those years there has been a decrease in potassium (K) compared to sodium (Na) and an increase in chloride compared to bicarbonate found in the diet. The ratio of potassium to sodium has reversed, K/Na previously it was 10 to 1, whereas, the modern diet has ratios of 1 to 3. It is generally accepted humans today have a diet low in magnesium, potassium, as well as selenium and fiber.
While being rich in saturated fat, meat protein, simple sugars, sodium and chloride as compared to back in time. This results in a diet that may induce metabolic acidosis. Which is mismatched to genetically determined nutritionally deficiencies, and with aging, there is a gradual loss of renal acid – base regulatory functions. As a resultant increased in diet induced metabolic acidosis in the modern diet.
A low carbohydrate ( fruit & vegetable) high protein diet of meat has increased acid loads resulting in a very high pH acid load. While producing many changes in urinary chemistry: urinary magnesium levels, urinary citrate levels with also decreased pH levels and increased urinary calcium, undissociated uric acid and phosphate levels.
The pH levels in your body may vary immensely and considerable from one area to another with the highest acidity being in the stomach (with pH levels of 1.35 to 3.5) to aid in digestion and protect against opportunistic microbial organisms. However, even in the stomach, the layer just outside the epithelium is quite basic to prevent muscosal injury.
It has been suggested: that decreased gastric lining secretion of bicarbonates and a decreases in the alkaline/acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients may play a significant role in duodenal ulcers. The skin, however, is quite acidic (pH 4 – 6.5) provides an acidic mantle place or as a protective barrier to the environment against microbial over growth.
Another disproportionate level in the modern diet is the excess of sodium. Excess dietary sodium has been shown to result in hypertension and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, as well as, dietary potassium which is lacking in the modern diet will exasperate these conditions. With adequate protein also being necessary for prevention of osteoporosis and sarcopenia in middle age people.
As we age, there is a loss of muscle mass, as well as weakening in the bones. Therefore, making many predispose to falls and fractures with a three year study looking at a diet – rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables reducing acid loads. While avoiding the nightshades of vege’s that contains solaine an alkaloid that causes inflammation and can also worsen the preservation of muscle mass in women in men.
Therefore, with these corrections in the acidosis of the human body. As a whole we may see ourselves preserving muscle mass and related muscle wasting the may occur in many common conditions (diabetic ketosis, trauma, chronic obstructive lung disease, and renal failure). Conditions such as chronic renal failure that results in chronic acidosis may result in accelerated breakdown in skeletal muscle and also quite possibly protein synthesis and a perfect set up for cancer?