Kristina Carlton wrote:

[snip]
> I have several health problems I would like to resolve with diet and
> supplements. One, I still have a parasite called blastocystis hominis. I
> just learned that my morning PH is supposed to be at least 6.5 consistently
> before I can even address the parasites with herbs. Supposedly when the ph
> is in this range it means that oxygen is in the tissues and it drives the
> parasites into the GI tract which is where you want to kill them. Whether
> this is true or not I have no idea.
[snip]

I agree with the pH concepts.  It's been recommended to me by NDs and
empirically it works wonders in my body to eat lots of alkaline-forming
foods (especially to balance out the red meat I eat).  But lamb, for
example, is less acid-forming than beef as an example of making
adjustments.  In my view the alkaline environment in the body makes life
difficult for some symbionts and other opportunistic microscopic life.

I got a list of foods in a matrix of acid to alkaline from a local
Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic.  It's a fairly accurate list (IMHO)
and will generally have the desired effects (how the food reacts inside
the body).  I'll try to post the photo of the list here.  If that
doesn't go through please e-mail me back and I'll send it directly to
you.  The matrix is not, of course, entirely paleo.  The matrix
recommends 70% of foods from the alkaline side of the list and 30% from
the acid side - which makes some sort of sense to me though it isn't
very accurate.

One way that I've boosted my own alkalinity is to drink green tea every
day (not paleo I suspect but has a very good effect so far) and to have
plenty of greens (I juice mine) and fruits.  My instinct drives me to
snack on radishes, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, limes,
etc., which are all on the alkaline side.

Alkaline forming foods that are "most" alkaline:
lime, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, watermelon, tangerine; lentil,
yam, onion, daikon, taro root, sea vegetables, burdock; pumpkin seeds.

Alkaline forming foods that are "more" alkaline:
grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, dewberry, loganberry; kohlrabi,
parsnip, garlic, kale, parsley, endive, mustard greens, ginger root,
broccoli, sweet potato; poppy seeds.

alkaline forming foods that are "Low" alkaline:
herbs, lemon, pear, apple, avocado, blackberry, cherry, peach, papaya,
potato, bell pepper, mushroom, cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin, collard
greens, primrose oil, sesame oil, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, quail
eggs, green tea, rice syrup, apple cider.

Now the acid side:

"Most" acid: jam/jelly, soybean, carob, hazelnut, walnut, brazil nut
(full of selenium too), barley, pheasant, beef, lobster, processed
cheese, ice cream, beer, sugar, cocoa, white vinegar.

"More" acid: nutmeg, cranberry, pomegranate, green pea, peanut, snow
pea, legumes (other than those on the "low" list), carrots, chickpea,
pistachio, pecan, corn, rye, oat bran, chicken, pork, veal,
mussels/squid, casein, fresh cheese, coffee, saccharin.

"Low" acid: vanilla, plum, prune, tomato, tofu, pinto beans, white
beans, navy beans, aduki beans, lima beans, chard, almond oil, sesame
oil, safflower oil, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, semolina, goose, turkey,
lamb, elk, shellfish, cow/goat milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, black tea,
balsamic vinegar.

-=mark=-