9 Alkaline Foods which cleanse toxic acids from your body

The 8th chapter of Ashtanga Hrudayam Sutrasthana of Ayurveda includes right quantity of food intake, right time to take food, types of indigestion and their treatment, right method of food intake etc.

What are Acidic foods?

• The foods that contain ingredients in not in their natural form i.e. they are highly processed foods which have no health benefits. Our body cannot accept these kinds of food like substances without side effects. Acidic food increases mucous production. Excess mucous in the digestive tract can impede food from being absorbed properly thus formation of toxic substance or "Ama" takes place.
• Due to the intake of acidic foods like—fast foods in the diet, Doshas get increased together and associate with the undigested and vitiated food- Ama that produce diseases. It causes "Alaska" disease by blocking the movement of food inside alimentary tract, which is the main reason for the laziness in the body and "Visuchika" is caused by expelling out the undigested food in both downward and upward directions simultaneously.
• This is seen in persons who are not self -controlled and those who cannot control their craze for eating. Thus, Ama is the undigested food stagnating inside the GI tract which should be removed quickly.

According to Ayurveda

• According to Ayurveda, stress, anger, wrong eating habits lead to the increase of Pitta dosha in the body which then manifests in the body as heartburn, acid reflux, chronic digestion etc. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14 with 7 considered to be neutral. The ideal pH range for human blood is- 7.30 to 7.45. Any number below this range means the body is acidic.

According to Ayurveda, foods that can be consumed habitually (Alkaline in nature)

• Rice maturing in 60 days.
• Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
• Haritaki
• Amla (Indian gooseberry)
• Patola (Pointed gourd)
• Honey
• Dadima (Punica granatum)
• Clarified butter (Cow's ghee)
• Milk

Signs of toxic acids in the body

• A highly- coated tongue in the morning is a way to see if there is excess mucous in the gut or bad breath without any reason.
• Bad breath
• Chronic fatigue
• Headache
• Burning sensations in various parts of the body.
• Hot flashes
• Dryness
• Inflammation
• Allergies
• PMS in females
• Chronic yeast/fungal infections
• Problems related to abdomen like—IBS, ulcerative colitis, gastritis etc.
• Heaviness of the body
• Excessive salivation

Importance of Alkaline diet

• Alkaline diet forms the fuel for the digestive fire.
• They promote Satva—positive mental health, enthusiasm and positive energy.
• They nourish dhatu—body tissues, improve strength and immunity, skin complexion and also soothen sense organs.

Alkaline substances as discussed in Ayurveda

Properties of various substances in order to bring to light their useful effects on the body.

9 Alkaline foods which cleanse toxic acids from the body

• Coconut water—Coconut is used in Ayurveda since ages. Tender coconut water is a natural coolant, relieves gastritis, cleanses bladder thus helps in cleansing of toxic acids from the body. Coconut water undergoes digestion very easily. It balances Pitta dosha in the body. Being an excellent diuretic, it also ensures that the toxins are flushed out of body.
• Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)- It is bitter in taste and undergoes pungent taste in digestion. It reduces the poisonous effect. The decoction of the fruit and the leaves is given 20-25 ml to treat infections and skin diseases due to blood impurity. Leaves of bottle gourd are useful in Pitta imbalance such as—in gastritis, burning sensation, etc. It also cleanses the urinary bladder. It is a climber which is described in Ayurveda for the treatment of jaundice, localised swelling, diabetes and skin diseases. Due to its ability to remove toxins from the body, it is also used to induce purgation and emesis in Panchkarma treatment.
• Ash Gourd (Benincasa cerifera)—It is one of the best medicine as well as medicine. In Indian system of medicine, it is hailed as the best among all the fruit yielding creeper plants. It is sweet in taste, light to digest, undergoes sweet taste conversion after digestion and balances Pitta and Vata doshas. The unripe winter melon is coolant and helps to balance Pitta. Ash Gourd helps in easy passing of urine, useful in dysuria, cleanses bladder thus aids in removing toxins from the body.
• Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula) – It is mentioned in Ayurveda for splenomegaly, swelling, treatment of skin diseases and for inducing purgation and emesis as part of shodhana therapy in Panchkarma. It has bitter taste and considered as light for digestion and undergoes to pungent taste after digestion. It pacifies Kapha and Pitta doshas. The juice of the fruit is given in a dose of 10 ml to treat conditions of intestinal worm infestation. The non-bitter variety of Ridge gourd is used as a vegetable. It cleanses large intestine, stomach and small intestines. It is a mild laxative and also improves digestion strength. The sweet variety of ridge gourd balances all the three doshas.
• Papaya (Carica papaya)—The leaves, seeds and fruits of Papaya are used in the treatment of constipation, poisonous bites of insects and skin diseases. It is bitter and pungent in taste, light to digest, undergoes to pungent taste conversion after digestion and pacifies Kapha and Vata doshas. The ripened fruit of papaya is consumed to relieve constipation and the cold infusion prepared from the leaves of papaya is given in a dose of 20-30 ml to treat difficulty in micturition. It is also used in toxic conditions.
• Oil Pulling—Oil pulling is a technique originated in India but it is widely used in western countries. It is an ideal way to remove toxins from the body. Oil pulling can be done with sesame oil/ herbs which have bitter, astringent or sweet tastes. The liquid is filled to the capacity of mouth and it is held inside mouth for specific amount of time.
• Turmeric (Curcuma longa) – Turmeric is considered among the group of herbs that are useful to remove toxins from the body. It balances all the three doshas.
• Cow's ghee (Clarified butter) – It balances Pitta dosha but it increases digestion strength. Ghee is quite similar to milk in qualities, but unlike milk, cow's ghee improves digestion (Bhava Prakasha)
• Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia)—It means Amrita in Sanskrit meaning nectar. It balances all the three doshas in the body and eliminates toxic acids from the body.