Acidosis: What Body Acidity Is and What Causes It
Dr. Boris Wydoff
I view acidosis as a condition in which, according to the naturopathic approach, acidic waste products accumulate in the body faster than it can eliminate them. This is most often associated with excess sugar, white flour, meat, and processed foods. That is why I begin the discussion of acidity with nutrition and daily habits.
It is important to distinguish the everyday concept of acidity from medical acidosis. In this article, I am talking about nutrition and lifestyle from a naturopathic perspective. True disturbances of acid-base balance require medical assessment.
Where does body acidity come from?
I believe the first question should always be about what a person eats every day. In my system, I pay close attention to foods that create an unnecessary burden on the body. These include sugar, white flour, meat, and processed foods.
According to the naturopathic approach, the metabolism of these foods produces acidic compounds. As long as their amount remains moderate, the body tries to neutralize and eliminate them. But when the burden becomes constant, the body spends more effort maintaining balance.
Overeating is especially important. Even ordinary food can overload digestion when eaten in excess. That is why I do not start by looking for complicated solutions, but with a simple examination of the plate.
The first step in my method is to remove what constantly creates an unnecessary burden. This means reducing sweets, white flour, large amounts of meat dishes, and processed foods. This approach helps reveal the connection between the diet and how you feel.
Why does fatigue appear that does not go away with rest?
There is a kind of fatigue in which a person gets enough sleep but still feels exhausted in the morning. In the naturopathic approach, this situation is often associated with the accumulation of acidic waste, whose elimination requires the body to expend energy.
When the body is busy neutralizing an excessive acid burden, it has to distribute its resources among different tasks. That is why I always pay attention to a person's diet.
At the same time, I do not think it is right to look for one cause of every complaint. Fatigue can have many causes. If it persists for a long time, it is important to consider your overall health.
The body works better when it does not have to constantly deal with an unnecessary dietary burden. That is why changing the diet becomes one of the first steps in observing yourself.
What happens to mineral reserves?
In the naturopathic system, it is believed that the body uses alkaline mineral substances to neutralize acidic waste. Particular attention is given to calcium and other mineral reserves.
The logic of this approach is simple: when the acid burden becomes large, the body needs substances to restore balance. That is why I recommend not only removing foods that overload the diet, but also adding more vegetables.
Raw and stewed vegetables have an important place in this type of diet. They provide alkaline mineral substances and help make the diet more natural.
Books on natural nutrition also emphasize the role of sodium, potassium, and magnesium as alkaline mineral elements. They are associated with the neutralization and removal of acids formed during the digestion of starches and proteins. So I look not only at what a person eliminates, but also at the mineral completeness of their diet.
If joint discomfort, heaviness in the body, or reduced activity are also present, I consider nutrition together with movement and circulation. I discuss the connection between movement and the condition of the capillaries in the article Capillaries: Why Warmth and Movement Matter.
A reasonable approach is important here. Any pain or prolonged discomfort requires attention to overall health.
Which foods can make the diet more alkaline?
I consider vegetables and greens to be the foundation. They can be eaten raw or stewed. Such a diet helps add alkaline mineral substances to your food.
Lemon has a special place. Many people are surprised because it tastes acidic. But in the naturopathic approach, it is believed to have an alkaline effect in metabolism. So the taste of a food and its effect within a dietary system are not always the same thing.
My system also uses fresh vegetable juices. They are considered a way to obtain plant substances without placing a heavy burden on digestion. But juice should not become an excuse to continue a diet high in sugar and processed foods.
One well-known combination is carrot and beet juice. This mixture contains phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, and alkaline salts. It also contains a lot of vitamin A.
In my system, carrot juice is used for general tone, the skin, and the eyes. Celery is added to reduce acid burden and support the joints. Beet and cucumber are included in combinations associated with support for the blood, liver, and gallbladder.
When intestinal function is weak, spinach is highlighted in the recommendations. Raw cabbage juice is used for the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. Parsley is added cautiously in mixtures when the kidneys, blood vessels, and eyes are concerned.
There are important rules as well. Juices should not be consumed together with meat, sugar, or starchy dishes.
Why is it important to combine foods correctly?
I pay attention not only to individual foods, but also to their combinations. In the natural approach, food combining is given considerable importance.
Protein foods require an acidic environment in the stomach. Carbohydrate foods begin to be digested in the mouth in an alkaline environment. When proteins and carbohydrates are combined in one meal, these processes can create an additional burden on digestion.
The body has to produce more digestive juices and expend additional energy. That is why food combining is viewed as a way of organizing ordinary meals, not as a refusal to eat.
I also recommend paying attention to combining fruit with other foods. Acidic and semi-sweet fruits are better eaten separately if they cause discomfort. With bread and grain products, this approach more often combines sweet alkaline fruits or vegetables.
Natural nutrition reference books explain this in greater detail. Carbohydrates are digested much faster than proteins, so when they are mixed with protein foods, some proteins may not be digested at the same time as the carbohydrates. This is where the idea of separating these foods into different meals comes from.
For me, the important thing here is not fanaticism, but observation. If a particular combination repeatedly causes digestive discomfort, you can change it and observe the body's response.
There is no need to turn nutrition into a complicated system of prohibitions. You can start with simple changes. If you are interested in the topic of daily nutrition, it is also useful to read the article Salt: What to Use Instead of Ordinary Table Salt.
How does acid-base balance work in different organs?
I always emphasize that the body cannot be viewed as one container with the same reaction everywhere. In the natural nutrition system, different parts of the digestive tract are understood to require different conditions. Therefore, acid itself is not an enemy of the body.
Books describe the environment in the mouth as mildly alkaline and the stomach as acidic. In the duodenum and small intestine, the environment becomes alkaline, while the large intestine is normally considered mildly acidic. Blood is described as having a mildly alkaline reaction, while the skin is mildly acidic.
That is why I do not recommend understanding the word “alkalization” literally as an attempt to make the entire body alkaline. The issue is balance, not one reaction for every organ. Stomach acid, for example, is needed for normal digestion of protein foods.
The books also pay separate attention to the stomach lining. Its protection is linked not only to the acidity of gastric juice, but also to good circulation in the capillaries of the mucous membrane. According to the system described, alkaline blood in these capillaries helps neutralize the effect of acid.
That is why I consider nutrition and circulation not as two completely separate subjects. They are connected by the common idea of maintaining normal conditions for tissues to function. At the same time, pronounced stomach symptoms cannot be explained by nutrition alone.
How should you choose foods for your daily diet?
When planning a diet, I suggest asking yourself two simple questions: what is available to me and what does my body need? This approach is better than constantly chasing fashionable foods or complicated schemes.
Books pay particular attention to breakfast. Foods containing plenty of bulk material, especially fiber, are recommended for it. This group includes porridge, vegetables, fruit, and bran breads.
The idea is for food to pass through the entire gastrointestinal tract and give the large intestine something to work with. So as a daily habit, I would pay more attention to simple whole foods than to numerous ready-made products.
This approach reveals another side of nutrition. It is not only the amount of acidic or alkaline components that matters, but also how natural the diet itself is. The less unnecessary processing and random combinations it contains, the easier it is to observe your own response.
How are breathing and water connected with the elimination of acidic waste?
I view the elimination of acidic waste as the work of several body systems. The kidneys participate in removing metabolic waste, while the lungs eliminate carbon dioxide. That is why breathing also matters.
A complete exhalation helps remove carbon dioxide through the lungs. Fresh air is needed for normal metabolic processes. I recommend regularly airing out the room where a person spends a long time.
The principle with water is just as simple. I do not recommend forcing yourself to drink large amounts without a need. It is better to regulate the amount of water according to thirst.
Too much fluid is not a universal solution. It is important to avoid extremes. If you want to change the taste of water, some approaches use unsweetened juices of acidic fruits, such as lemon.
The main thing is not to add sugar if the goal is to reduce foods that create an unnecessary burden.
Can you understand how nutrition affects your condition?
I suggest starting with observation. One simple option is to remove sugar, white flour, and processed foods for three weeks. At the same time, add vegetables and maintain a natural drinking routine.
This period can help you notice your own response to dietary changes. I recommend looking beyond weight alone. It is important to pay attention to your general well-being, the condition of your skin, how light you feel after eating, and sensations in your body.
Some people notice less desire for sweets. Others report feeling lighter after changing their diet. But such observations cannot be considered a diagnosis.
In the naturopathic approach, excess weight and cravings for sweets are also associated with an overloaded internal environment and slowed metabolism. Therefore, changing the diet is viewed not as a battle of willpower, but as an attempt to remove a constant dietary burden. Still, I would not draw a medical conclusion about the specific cause of excess weight from such observations.
If pronounced symptoms, changes in urination, significant swelling, or persistent complaints appear, diet alone is not enough. I discuss signs associated with the excretory system in the article Kidneys: Early Signs of Hidden Disorders.
Nutrition can be part of self-care, but it does not replace medical assessment.
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?
There is a difference between discussing nutrition and the medical condition called acidosis. True disturbances of acid-base balance require medical attention.
This is especially important for people with diabetes and kidney disease. In such cases, you should not try to solve the problem only by changing your diet. Do not stop prescribed treatment on your own.
It is also important to consult a specialist if persistent weakness, significant pain, or other symptoms do not go away. In my system, I start with simple steps: remove constant dietary overloads, add vegetables, pay attention to food combinations, and observe the body's response.
For me, acid-base balance is not a reason to fear food. It is a reason to pay closer attention to everyday choices. The simpler and more natural the diet becomes, the easier it is to understand what suits your own body.
Frequently asked questions
What is acidosis in simple terms?
Within the naturopathic approach, it is a condition in which there are too many acidic metabolic products and the body does not eliminate them quickly enough.
Which foods are most often associated with acidity?
First of all, these include sugar, white flour, meat, and processed foods.
What should you add to your diet to support the alkaline side of nutrition?
Vegetables and greens can form the foundation. Lemon and fresh vegetable juices are also used in this dietary system.
Why is lemon considered an alkaline food?
Despite its acidic taste, the naturopathic approach considers lemon to have an alkaline effect in metabolism.
Can you drink vegetable juices with meals?
Juices are not recommended together with meat, sugar, or starchy dishes.
How can you check your body's response to dietary changes?
You can remove sugar, white flour, and processed foods for three weeks, add vegetables, and observe how you feel.
Can nutrition affect how your joints feel?
In the naturopathic approach, nutrition is considered one factor in overall well-being, but persistent pain requires medical attention.
Do you need to drink more water when you have acidity?
Water should be drunk according to thirst. There is no need to deliberately increase the amount without a reason.
Go deeper with Dr. Wydoff's materials
Azbuka zdorovya / The ABC of Health (e-book, Russian) →Full Body Reset — Personal 3-Month Program →
Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →