The human body is meant to have a healthy balance of pH, meaning it should neither be too acidic nor too alkaline.

If the blood’s pH level is too imbalanced, you may be at higher risk for certain medical conditions. Gout is one of those conditions that indicate an imbalance of pH in your body. When you have gout, your body’s natural pH level is under attack due to too much uric acid in the blood.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to bring your body’s pH balance back to a normal level; one of them is following an alkaline diet. By doing this, you may lessen your gout symptoms and enjoy an overall healthy life.

This is because alkaline foods tend to have less sodium and more potassium which effectively may help minimize the build up of uric acid. It also helps with kidney function, which as a gout sufferer, is very important for excreting uric acid.

Several studies already prove the beneficial effects of alkalizing the urine on uric acid levels. In Hiroshima, Japan, they observed two groups of students who maintained two types of diet, one acidic (high protein, low vegetable and fruit) and the other alkaline (low protein, high vegetable and fruit). They were lodged in a dormitory so as to prevent any outside intervention to their diet.

For five consecutive days, the students’ urines were collected every 24 hours for pH measurement. Those who had an alkaline diet were able to get their pH level to alkaline levels faster than those in the acidic diet. At the end of the study, they concluded that students who followed an alkalizing diet had effectively removed uric acid from the body due to the alkalization of urine. Students who were on the high acid diet had higher uric acid levels in their blood.

This is just of the many scientific records that support the idea of alkalization as beneficial for health and longevity. So how does one achieve an alkaline state? Here are some tips to help your body become alkaline when you have gout.

  1. Follow the gout diet

The ideal gout diet consists of 80% clean carbohydrates, 10% fat, and 10% protein. This makes the diet alkaline-friendly because of its high requirement of fruit and vegetable intake. It also forces you to eat less meat which may be acid-forming. If you’re already following the gout diet, you’re already doing a great job at alkalizing your body.

  1. Eat high-alkaline foods

If your current diet is not enough to raise your pH levels, consider adding high-alkaline foods in your diet. Here is a complete list of foods that are high in alkaline:

  • Kale
  • Celery
  • Cherries
  • Green leaf lettuce
  • Cauliflower
  • Green cabbage
  • Horseradish
  • Avocados
  • Tomatoes
  • Hot peppers
  • Spring greens
  • Turnips
  • Watercress
  • White cabbage
  • Coconut
  • Coconut
  • Lemons
  • Blackberries
  • Nectarines
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Tangerines
  • Papaya
  • Limes
  • Pineapple
  • Cantaloupe
  • Honeydew
  • Persimmon
  • Watermelon
  • Asparagus
  • Winter squash
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Yams
  • Mustard greens
  • Collard greens
  • Onions
  • Yams
  • Celery
  • Kohlrabi
  • Parsnips
  • Endive
  • Parsley
  • Chestnuts
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Ginger root
  • Seasalt
  • Umeboshi vinegar
  • Mineral water
  • Ginger tea
  • Flaxseed oil
  • Quinoa
  • Thyme
  • Chia seeds
  • Bee pollen
  • Herbal tea
  • Basil
  • Garlic
  • Oregano
  • Sorrel
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Ginseng

If you are really serious about keeping your body alkaline, you’ll also want to limit your consumption of highly acidic foods which are the following:

    • Alcohol
    • Beef
    • Cocoa
    • Coffee
    • Sweetened fruit juices
    • Black tea
    • Artificial sweets
    • Candy
    • Canned fruit
    • Chocolate
    • Dried fruit
    • Jams and jellies
    • Syrup
    • Deli meats
    • Eggs
    • Farmed fish
    • Pork
    • Sardines
    • Shellfish
    • Tuna
    • Veal
    • Deep fried foods
    • Miso
    • Mushrooms
    • Pickled vegetables
    • Vinegar
    • Yeast

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  1. Get a water ionizer

Drinking adequate amounts of water is an important habit for gout sufferers to follow. But you can take this a step further by getting a water ionizer. Simply attach the water ionizer to your water supply and it will do its job of separating the water into two streams, one is acidic water and the other alkaline. The acidic part of the water can be used for cleaning and gardening, while the remaining alkaline water can be used for your consumption.

For the best results, you’ll want to time drinking your alkaline water while you’re on the alkaline diet. When eating a meal, it’s recommended that you drink only plain water to allow the acid in your stomach to break down the food.

Wait for an hour before drinking alkaline water. When you’re eating a high fruit and vegetable diet, you may be at risk for consuming pesticide residues. Alkaline water may help reduce the toxic load by neutralizing its acidic effect on the body. It may also prevent kidney stones and may dissolve ones that have already formed.

You can also make your own alkaline water by squeezing lemon or lime juice in a glass of water. Alternatively, you can also add pH drops or baking soda.

  1. Wash produce with alkaline water

Another way to make good use of alkaline water is by soaking your fruits and vegetables with it. This may help neutralize the pesticides in it. You’ll notice a brown residue surfacing when you do this to your produce.

  1. Monitor your pH levels

The best way to know whether your body has already reached an alkaline state is by testing your urine. Get some urine pH test strips and make it a point to monitor your urine pH levels regularly, preferably in the morning. Readings on the lower end tell that you’re acidic while the higher end will mean you’re alkaline.

If you’re older, reaching an alkaline state is going to take some time. This is because the body gets progressively acidic as you age. After 40, your natural pH buffer decreases causing problems with internal organs. By monitoring your pH, you can get an idea of your progress so you can make additional changes to your diet.

  1. Take alkaline hydra packs

There are products specifically designed to help the body reach an alkaline state. Just like ionized water, you should be consuming hydra packs an hour after a meal. Again, this is to allow the stomach acid to do its work. If you drink it during a meal, you’re wasting your money as that water will turn acidic once it reaches the stomach. Don’t forget that it also helps absorb the nutrients from the dietary supplements you take daily like NutriGout or Tart Cherry Extract.

Can the body be too alkaline?

You’re probably wondering whether one can be too alkaline. Yes, you can be and it’s a condition called alkalosis. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, involuntary muscle spasms,, hand tremors, confusion, tingling, skin irritation, gastrointestinal issues.

Being too alkaline may also disrupt the stomach’s natural acidity. This acid is important for preventing bacteria and pathogens from entering your bloodstream.

It may also decrease the free calcium in the body and impacts bone health. As a gout sufferer, you should be paying special attention since you’re already at risk for bone damage. The last thing you want is fragile bones.

However, being too alkaline is not due to a high alkaline diet or from drinking too much alkaline water. It’s impossible. You would need to consume a ridiculous amount of alkaline foods before you reach this state. The most common cause for alkalosis is an underactive parathyroid gland. It’s when the body cannot produce enough parathyroid hormones which regulate calcium levels in the body.

 

In Conclusion

When trying to achieve an alkalized state, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite acidic foods. You can still eat them, however, you need to limit your consumption of them. We recommend that 80% of your diet consists of alkaline-forming foods.

It can seem hard to achieve but there are plenty of ways to sneak in alkaline foods into your diet. You can drink beverages high in alkaline like tea, broth, green smoothies, and juices. You can also add high-alkaline veggies and spices to your soups.

However, if that is not achievable for you, start with 60% and then slowly build up from there. The drastic impact on your health will be enough reward for you to want to do a complete switch to an alkaline diet. This is because most alkaline foods are high in antioxidants.

In addition, you can take advantage of alkaline water and water packs to help you reach an alkaline state faster.

Have you any experience trying to alkalize your body? If not, which of these tips are you going to try first? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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