Many scientists believe that helping your body balance its pH levels is very important to fighting disease. What can you do to help your body pH remain at healthy levels? Body pH levels and diet appear to be closely linked. In addition, your kidneys are probably the hardest working organs when it comes to body pH balance, so giving your kidneys the minerals they need to maintain body pH, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, is a good start.

How Diet Affects Body pH

The various foods and beverages you consume release either alkaline or acidic residues into your body when your body digests them. As these residues are released into your body, your body attempts to filter the residues out and maintain proper body pH balance. So if, for example, you eat a lot of acid producing foods like meat, cheese, and sweets, your kidneys would pull minerals from your body like potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium to counteract the acid and keep your body pH in check.

By being careful about food pH and consuming foods that are more in-line with your slightly alkaline body pH, you can ease the strain on your kidneys and lessen the need for your body to surrender important minerals in the name of maintaining body pH. Examples of alkaline-producing foods are fresh vegetables, some fruits, nuts, and legumes.

If you are a patient of mine, you probably know that I am a VERY BIG proponent of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids. Not only because research has shown its effectiveness in treating neurological disorders, but also because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties that aid in pain relief, tissue healing, and overall improved health!

In the April 2006 issue of Surgical Neurology [Volume 65: 326-331], researchers found that supplementing with Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids reduced neck and back pain. "The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is a well-established effective therapy for both acute and chronic nonspecific neck and back pain," write Joseph Charles Maroon, MD, and Jeffrey W. Bost, PAC, from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania. "Extreme complications, including gastric ulcers, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and even deaths, are associated with their use. An alternative treatment with fewer side effects that also reduces the inflammatory response and thereby reduces pain is believed to be omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in fish oil."

LOOK AT THESE STATISTICS FROM THE STUDY!!!
59% of patients discontinued their daily intake of prescription NSAIDs,
60% reported improvement in overall pain,
60% reported improvement in joint pain, and
80% were satisfied with their level of improvement during the research study. There were no significant adverse effects reported, and
88% stated they would continue to take the fish oil supplements after the completion of the research study!!!