The Acid Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health by Christopher Vasey is an informative book on the need to reduce acid pH in the body by eliminating junk food, highly processed foods and eating more leafy green vegetables and beets. Vasey discusses the role of enzyme supplements, probiotic complexes, and antioxidants in neutralizing excess acids.
The author explains that most consumers eat too many highly processed foods that acidify the body. The result is a range of health problems like chronic fatigue, ulcers and greater sensitivity to arthritis and related diseases of the skeleton. Optimum health requires that the body have a proper balance of alkaline and acid substances. The problem is that Vasey doesn't support these statements with authoritative research findings from places like The Lancet. Scientists know inferentially that the body decays and becomes more acidic after death occurs.
Generally, a pH up to 6.9 is acidic. A pH of 7 is amphoteric and beyond 7 is the alkaline state. Vasey defines the acid/alkaline measurement statistics properly with various urine tests to measure the pH. The author needs to relate these measurements to authoritative medical journals, however, either in the USA or overseas.
Much of the book is dedicated to eliminating excess acid through diet, supplements and all natural remedies like reducing the overconsumption of red meat. In addition, a sedentary life style with little exercise is cited as a contributor to excess acidity. The converse or rigorous exercise is associated with alkalinity which contributes to the desired body chemistry balance. Again, research citations would be in order from places like The Lancet. Some menu samples are provided. In contrast, Alternative Medicine-The Definitive Guide by The Burton Goldberg Group has 46 research citations on diet alone.
The Acid Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health by Christopher Vasey presents some good ideas for discussion on acidity and alkalinity in the diet. The reduction in excess acid is a known precept in organic chemistry. The all-important linkages to authoritative research citations would be helpful because patients will be discussing these protocols with their physicians. Ultimately, the book has value in encouraging discussions about excess acidity between patients and their physicians. The overall presentation would have greater value to readers with accompanying research citations from authoritative journals.
Article comments