This week The Good Doctors welcome back to the show, Dr Ben Balzer, Sydney GP and paleo nutrition expert,  to discuss acid and alkali homeostasis in the body and the immense health benefits of alkalising your diet. In this episode, we unpack some of the confusion around acidic foods and how the body metabolises them and we outline the optimal diet for you to alkalise your body and optimise your health.

About Dr Ben Balzer

Dr Ben Balzer is a GP (family physician) in Sydney Australia. Dr Balzer has a special interest in general nutrition, paleolithic nutrition, and all aspects of general family practice.

You can book an appointment with Dr Ben Balzer at his practice in Beverly Hills, Sydney by calling (02) 9502 3355.

Show notes:

0.47 - Introduction: acid vs alkali

2.10 - Body chemistry: homeostasis and balancing pH

2.33 - Dr Ben Balzer "Acid and alkali is a nutritional science"

2.51 - The metabolisis of food can lead to the release of acid or alkali

3.14- Changes in our diet have led to a high acid yield

3.23 - Acid must be neutralised in the body in two ways: by  dissolving bone or  by dissolving muscle

3.52 - High dietary acid load has been proven to be a major contributor to osteoporosis

4.15 - Soft drinks and bone density

5.07 - Which foods increase your acid load?

6.34 - Iodine and iodised salt

7.12 - Sodium and potassium - how they work together

7.34 - Potassium rich foods.

7.55 - Imported mineral waters are very high in alkali

8.22 - Calcium tablets and magnesium citrate for the purpose of alkalising the body

8.35 - Salt, osteoporosis and kidney stones

9.07 - The positive and negative effects of dairy products on your bones

10.12 - Grains and meat in equal fourth place as most acidic foods

10.51  - Alkalising foods

14.03 - Biological functions rely on a well balanced pH.

14.44 -  The impact of neolithic diet

16.00 -  Benefits  of heirloom vegetable varieties

17.42 - Homeostasis - creating a balance in each cell that is dependent on pH

18.25 - How the body reacts to imbalance

19.30 - The Good Doctors discuss: so, do we need salt?

20.50 - The difficulties in maintaining a paleo diet in modern western society and culture

22.55 - Studies have shown that cultures that ate the least dairy had better bones

23.20 - How to make dietary decisions through the acid/alkali framework

23.51 - Reducing sugar will have a significant impact on the amount of acid in your body

24.49 - The ideal diet for alkalisation and optimal health

Further Reading

1.50 - TGD 113: Paleo 102 podcast with Dr Balzer: http://thegooddoctors.com.au/health-podcast/paleo-102-dr-ben-balzer-part-1/

Dr Ben Balzar's blog:  http://benbalzer.com/ 

MSD Manual ( both professional and consumer versions available): http://www.msdmanuals.com/en-au/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/acid-base-balance/overview-of-acid-base-balance/

THE BMJ: "Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies" Prof. Karl Michaelssen et al, 2014: http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g6015/

Harvard study  "Teenaged Girls, Carbonated Beverage Consumption, and Bone Fractures":  http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=349673

ABC Health and Wellbeing: Are the bone benefits of milk overstated?: http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2014/12/08/4141366.htm

Nutrition  Australia: Osteoporosis: http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/osteoporosis/

The Alkaline Cookbook: Dr Stephen Domenig, https://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780670078417/alkaline-cookbook/

Dr Ben Reccomends this book: http://www.thepaleodiet.com

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