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