Counselor Notes
21
April 7,
2014
Acid – Alkaline Balance
& Attention Issues
The
food we eat affects the ph level of the body. Some foods are acidic and some
are alkaline. The typical western diet has strayed to be a more acidic diet
than mankind has had over the course of history. Does a more acidic diet factor
into health and attention issues? (Some celebrities also claim it helps them
lose weight.) Is any of this true? I don’t know for sure and there isn’t an
extensive amount of research available. Still, it may be something for parents
to look into.
In
Counselor Notes 14, it was noted how the lack of zinc in the body may be
connected to ADHD. Well, http://www.shapefit.com/acidity-alkalinity-facts.html
claims that: “One of the foremost trace minerals driven from the body in an
excessively acidic environment is Zinc.”
The
web site http://www.holistic-healing-for-adhd.com/ADHD-diet-acids.html
(retreived 3-17-14) would seem to agree, claiming:
“The
primary reason to monitor the acid-alkaline balance in your ADHD diet is to
prevent or restore mineral depletion. Low-level acidosis, a condition caused by
too many acids in the body, is very common these days. Acidosis is caused by a
stressful lifestyle and a diet high in refined carbohydrates, vegetable oils,
sugars and animal foods - and low in fruits and vegetables. Physical problems
related to low-grade acidosis are fatigue, decreased immunity, inflammation* (at
all levels of the body), osteoporosis and premature aging to name a few….”
“…mineral
depletion has long been associated with ADHD symptoms. An ADHD diet high in acid
forming foods can seriously affect overall mental and physical
health.”
*
See Counselor Notes #18 for more on the connection between inflammation and
ADHD.
One
on the systems of the human body that adults often know little of is the
lymphatic system. The body’s lymph system is an important though one as it
functions “as the body’s drainage system.”
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/lymphatic/lymph-system.htm
Caregivers need to consider how this system plays a role in ADHD.
In
his book An Undetected Acid-Alkaline Imbalance, author John Ossipinsky
writes:
“If
you are overly acidic, your lymphatic system is slowed…. If an undiagnosed
tissue acidosis is slowing your lymphatic system, it can create a backup of
cerebrospinal fluid, acidic wastes and proteins in the brain. This backup of
debris causes congestion and may play an important role in migraines,
depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, autism, Alzheimer’s, and other
diseases of the brain.” (p. 81)
Mr.
Ossipinsky further states on his web site http://lymphman.com/Blog/tabid/197/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12/Help-for-Parents-of-Children-with-Learning-Disabilities-ADHD-and-Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx
:
“You
can assist your child in attaining better cognitive function and emotional
growth by learning how to activate their lymphatic system for just a few minutes
each day. Research shows that 48% of cerebrospinal fluid is reabsorbed by the
lymphatic system. Increasing lymph flow improves circulation and detoxification
of the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain. In my office I saw some children
progress and then regress a little after treatment. They improve because
activating their lymphatic system opens the lymph/brain connection improving
function. Then they go home to an acidic diet and no lymphatic maintenance and
the lymphatic system becomes congested again limiting circulation and function.
Remember most diseases occur due to lack of circulation.”
The
web page http://www.nostudentleftbehind.org/Diet.html
(retreived 3-19-14) breaks down foods into acid forming and alkaline this way:
ACID
AND ALKALINE FORMING FOODS
We need to have the correct balance between
alkaline and acid in our systems to be healthy. This chart is valuable as it
lists foods which
have an alkaline or acid reaction in the system.
Nutritionists agree that when the system is balanced, a diet of 80% alkaline and
20% acid
forming foods will keep the balance, and a healthier system. We
highly recommend a good enzyme, especially if you eat cooked
foods;
1. Vegetable (Alkaline)
Artichokes - Asparagus -
Avocados - Bamboo Shoots - Beans (String) Beans - (wax) Beans - Lima (Dried
or fresh)
Beets - Bread, Soy Bean - Cabbage (Red) - Carrots - celery - Chard
- Chives - Corn - Cucumbers - Endive - Garlic - Herbs (All)
Horse-Radish -
Kale - Kohlrabi - Leeks - Lettuce (Leaf) - Okra - Onions (Some) - Oyster Plant -
Parsley - Parsnips
Peas (Fresh) - Peppers (Sweet) - Pimento - Potatoes (Red)
- Potatoes (Sweet) - Pumpkin - Rutabagas - Sauerkraut
Soy Bean - Spinach
(Raw) - Sprouts (All) - Squash (All kinds summer) - Tomatoes (Yellow) -
Watercress - Yams
2. Vegetable (Acids)
Brussels
Sprouts Broccoli Cauliflower Cabbage Egg. Plant Lettuce (Head) Mushroom (Fungus)
Potatoes (Not Red) Radishes Spinach (Cooked)
Tomatoes
Turnips
3. Nuts Raw (Alkaline)
Cashew - Macadamia -
Pecan
4. Nuts Raw (Acid)
Almonds - Hickory - Pine -
Pistachio - Walnuts (Black & English)
5. Fruits
(Alkaline)
Apples (Yellow Delicious) - Apricots - Berries (All dark)
- Cherries (Bing) - Grapefruit (Pink) - Grapes (Flame & Concord) - Lemons
(Tree
Ripened) - Kumquats - Mango - Kiwi - Logan Berries - Loquats - Lemon
(Ripe) - Melons (All kinds) - Papaya Passion Fruit - Peaches - Pears
(Bosc
-Japanese)
6. Fruits (Acid)
Apple (Red & Green) -
Bananas Berries - Cherries (Light) - Coconut - Currants - Cranberries - Dates -
Figs - Grapefruit (White) Grapes
(Thompson) - Limes - Lemons (Picked Green)
- Nectarines - Olives - Oranges - Peaches - (Most) Pears (Bartlett) Persimmons -
Pineapple -
Plums - Pomegranate - Prunes - Raisins - Raspberries - Rhubarb -
Quince Strawberries - Tangerines
7. Starches & Sugar
(Alkaline)
Beans (Pinto) - Carob - Corn Bread (Yellow) - Corn Meal
(Yellow) - Corn Meal Cereal - Cornstarch - Crackers (Alkaline!
Whole grain)
Hominy - Soybeans (Bread/dried) - Spaghetti (Egg Noodle) - Popcorn (Yellow) -
Maple Syrup (100% Pure) - Pancake (Alkaline
Flour) Pastries (Alkaline
Flour) - Peas (Dried Green ) - Rice-Brown (Organic - Short grain) Vegetable
Pasta
8. Starches & sugar (Acid)
Banana Squash -
Barley - Bran - Bread (Graham) - Bread (Rye) - Bread (White) - Bread (Whole
Wheat) - Cereals (All kinds packaged) -
Cornmeal (White) - Crackers (White)
- Doughnuts - Dressings - Dry Beans (Most) - Dry Peas (Yellow) - Dumplings
(White) Flour (List) - Gravies
(Most kinds) - Hubbard Squash - Jelly (All
kinds) - Jerusalem Artichokes - Molasses - Pancakes (White) - Pastries (White) -
Peanuts -Peas
(Dried white) - Potatoes (Brown skin) - Preserves (White
sugar) - Puddings - Pumpkin Rice (White/Wild Lg. Grain Brown Rice) - Rye
-Soups
(Thick) - Spaghetti (White) - Sugar (All kinds) - Syrups (White
sugar) Tapioca - Waffles (White) - Wheat
9. Flour List
(Alkaline)
Artichoke - Chick Pea - Duram Flour - Masa Harina - Millet
- Oat - Rye - Semolina - Soy
10. Flour List. (Acid)
Brown Rice - Buckwheat
- Barley -Gluten Potato - Wheat (Whole)
11. Proteins
(Alkaline)
Avocados (Ripe) - Beans (Pinto) - Buttermilk - Catfish
(Farm) - Clams - Cheese (White) - Cornish Hen - Duck - Fish (White)
Goat Milk
(Raw) - Lamb - Nuts - Rabbit - Raw Milk - Seeds (Sprouted all) - Turtle - Yogurt
Plain
12. Proteins (Acid)
Avocados (Hard) - Cashews -
Catfish -Cheese (Yellow) - Cottage Cheese - Crabs - Buck (Wild) - Eggs - Hazel
Nuts - Hickory Nuts Lentils -
Lobster - Meats ( Beef, Pork, Veal) - Mutton -
Olives (Green) - Oysters -Peanut (Legume) - Peanut Butter - Pine Nuts Pistachio
Nuts - Poultry
(Chicken) - Turkey (Dark meat) - Shrimp - Scallops - Squab -
Venison - Milk (Low protein)
13. Misc. (Alkaline)
Butter
(Sweet) - Carob - Chocolate Bitter - Chlorophyll (NSP) - Herbal Beverage (NSP) -
Herb Teas (NSP) - Olive Oil (Bertolli)
Proper
food combining - Meat & Potatoes are bad
Proteins & Starches are a
POOR combination.
Proteins & Green Leafy Vegetables are a GOOD
combination.
Starches & Fruit are a POOR combination.
Starches
& Green Leafy Vegetables are a GOOD combination.
Proteins & Fruit
are a POOR combination.
Green Leafy Vegetables & Fruit are a POOR
combination.
Acid Fruits & Sweet Fruit (Banana, Dates, Figs, Prunes,
Raisins, etc) are a POOR combination.
Acid Fruits, Sub Acid Fruits
(Apples, Apricot, Grapes, Cherries, Mangoes, Papayas, Pears, etc) & Sweet
Fruits are Fair.
There
are a lot of web sites and books that promote a more alkaline diet. The amount
of hope it offers for children dealing with attention issues is undetermined at
this point, but I would still encourage parents to at least look into
it.
Doug
Muha Ed.S.
School Counselor
Waverly Elementary School