Is Your Diet More Acid or Alkaline - and what does that mean anyway?

      Our body is like a swimming pool.  If you've ever worked at one, you know that the pH of the pool has to be checked daily.  The right amount of chlorine mixture must be added to keep the pool from growing algae or, on the other end, to keep it from burning people's eyes.  In the same way, our body pH has to be kept in balance so we don't get too acid or too alkaline. 
       Regular exertion and normal wear and tear cause our body to get more acid.  We can balance that out each day if we consume foods that are alkalizing.  What happens with the typically lousy American diet, however,  is that it makes us even more acid.  In order to keep our blood at the exact pH necessary to stay alive, our body will try to eliminate or neutralize the acids.  If we are habitually eating poorly,  we will get an excess and we will begin to store the toxins in our fat cells and as far away from our organs as possible. An example of this is gout.  Gout is uric acid crystals that usually gather in a person's big toe after they develop a toxic acid overload, usually from consuming rich fatty, high protein foods and/or excessive alcohol. 
      What we want to eat plenty of then, are alkalizing foods - our luscious fruits and vegetables.  What are the acid forming foods?  The worst ones include chemical additives (preservatives, colors, sweeteners, and especially monosodium glutamate - MSG), animal products (dairy, meat, poultry, fish), and junk food (sugar, caffeine, hydrogenated oils); not to mention the obvious drugs and alcohol.
      To keep your body running smoothly and in the proper balance, begin substituting healthier choices such as green tea instead of coffee, ginger ale instead of caffeinated soda, and if you are really inspired, you can quit soda all together and just drink water! 
      Some of the key alkalizing foods include: pineapple, cherries, berries, fresh ginger, avocado, celery, and green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, leaf lettuces, etc).  If you are feeling sluggish and run down, make a real effort to eat these along with a wide variety of fruits and veggies in all the colors of the rainbow and it won't be long until you will, once again, overflow with vibrant health!!