Eat Your Veggies!!

Bodybuilding is a way of life, eating a high protein/high fat rich in sodium chloride without vegetables can cause a chronic state of mild acidosis.  I am not condoning a vegetarian diet, but based on the new research eating vegetables with your high protein meals can neutralize the acidity and result in a more alkaline state. The blood is supposed to be slightly alkaline, yet modern western diets promotes acidosis which causes muscle protein loss, both by enhancing protein degradation and by inhibiting protein synthesis. This evidence suggests that maintenance of normal pH will help to preserve muscle mass and thereby improves health.  Modifying the effect of dietary sodium chloride and potassium-base can prevent the age-related decline in muscle mass, kidney stones, and perhaps age related decline in renal function. Re-exchanging the NaCl in our present diet for the potassium-base that our ancestral species ate in abundance can be shown to correct diet-induced low-grade metabolic acidosis, and the consequent biochemical evidences of decreased growth hormone secretion, and increased protein catabolism. Beyond that, the supplementation of the diet with potassium-base can override the effects of NaCl loading on blood pressure and urinary calcium excretion. Thus, increasing dietary potassium-base to levels approaching those of our stone-age forebears, either with fruits and non-grain plant foods, or with supplemental potassium-base, would seem to hold particular promise for preventing or delaying expression of these age- and diet-related diseases and their consequences.

•Ø      The best way to get adequate potassium in the diet is not through supplements or vitamins. Eating a wide variety of healthy foods that contain potassium is usually the best. Consuming too much potassium may lead to heart problems and or death.

•Ø      Adding avocados and almonds which are alkaline will decrease the acid load of a meal.

•Ø      Add Supplemental Glutamine - glutamine supplementation has been shown to neutralize acids. Interestingly, during metabolic acidosis intestinal glutamine uptake is increased, which shows the body is trying to increase its glutamine content in order to correct its acid imbalance.

•Ø      Add Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) To Your Workout Shake - sodium bicarbonate is a great buffering agent and may also increase Athletic Performance.

Key Points:

• A high protein/high fat diet without vegetables can result in a mild chronic acidosis.
• Sodium Chloride consumption is associated with increased acidosis.
• Acidosis has been shown to increase muscle tissue breakdown.
• Supplementation with potassium/sodium bicarbonate/glutamine will neutralize blood pH.

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