A More Alkaline (Less Acidic) Diet Can Improve Longevity
Did you know that the alkaline diet is proven to reduce your risk for serious diseases? Or that it may even help to increase lifespan, by protecting against health problems which are associated with higher death rates in old-age? A Canadian Public Health specialist from the University of Alberta has recently published a paper reviewing the scientific evidence behind the popular claims that an alkaline diet is a crucial way to improve health.1 Alkaline diets use the consumption of more basic, less acidic foods and liquids to make the body’s pH more alkaline, which can have a range of positive and protective effects on human health. After reviewing the range of health benefits of an alkaline diet, such as improved bone health and increased muscle mass, the public health specialist concludes, “It would be prudent to consider an alkaline diet to reduce morbidity and mortality of chronic disease that are plaguing our aging population.”
Alkaline Diets Preserve Muscle Mass During the Aging Process
One of the major contributing factors to death in older people is significant decrease in muscle mass, which results in a range of health problems and a less active lifestyle. Studies show that the more physically active people in old age are, the longer they may be expected to live, as a well-demonstrated general rule. The public health specialist explained in his paper, “As we age, there is a loss of muscle mass, which may predispose to falls and fractures. A three-year study looking at diet rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as a reduced acid load, resulted in preservation of muscle mass in older men and women.” This preservation of muscle mass from a more alkaline diet enables a more active lifestyle that promotes longevity.
Eating Alkaline Foods Can Improve Bone Health and Memory/Cognition, Too
Those with acidosis, or excessively acidic body pH, benefited greatly with alkaline mineral supplements due to improved levels of growth hormone. This means a more alkaline diet can mimic the following benefits, since more alkaline body pH provided these benefits. The public health researcher stated, “Correction of the acidosis with bicarbonate or potassium citrate increases growth hormone significantly and improved growth. The use of enough potassium bicarbonate in the diet to neutralize the daily net acid load in postmenopausal women resulted in a significant increase in growth hormone and resultant osteocalcin. Improving growth hormone levels may improve quality of life, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, improve body composition, and even improve memory and cognition.” Specifically, older people have lower levels of growth hormone and this contributes to a general decline in bodily and mental health/wellness. Since a more alkaline diet can help increase growth hormone levels, people in older age who switch to a more alkaline diet could have decreased rates of health problems which are a serious risk of causing death. Better memory and cognition and improved bone health are crucial to having a long lifespan.
- Schwalfenberg, G. (2012). The alkaline diet: Is there evidence that an alkaline pH diet benefits health? Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/727630
