DMBF

Not sure if you and I had discussed this or not (sorry if so) but there's a chart you can get, probably from several sources, but the one I got was from the health food store put out by a company that makes one of the popular greens drinks. You can also access it online by searching "Chart for alkaline/acid forming foods".

If you view this, you will see that unfortunately, many of the things you are eating are acid-forming. They suggest that you try to make your meals 75% alkaline forming and 25% acid forming. So, things that are alkaline are most veggies, most FRESH fruits (except not really ripe fruits, and not dried fruits), most herbs/seasonings (except cocoa, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, mayo, ketchup, MSG, soya sauce, yeast), green tea, rooibos tea, chamomile tea, dry red wine, unsweetened almond milk, black organic coffee, aloe vera juice, whole oats, quinoa, wild rice, millet, spelt, most seeds and nuts (but not pine nuts, cashews, pecans, wlanuts, pistachios), soft goat cheese, fresh goat milk, stevia, pure maple syrup, unpasteurized honey, apple cider vinegar.

So, besides the foods I listed above in the "except" categories, here are other acid-forming foods: corn, lentils, peanuts, peanut butter, canned fuit, jams, soy milk, coffee, alcholic drinks, pop, brown and basmati rice, wheat, pasta, bread, rolled oats, oat bran, white bread, white pasta, white rice, barley, pastries, cakes, cookies, tarts, popcorn, canola oil, fish, turkey, duck, seafood, chicken, beef, lobster (most acid forming are the last two), cow's milk, cream, yoghurt, butter, eggs, ice cream, hard cheese, commercial honey, sugar, artificial sweeteners (highly acidic), rice/balsamic/white vinegar.

I know, what does that leave? It doesn't mean you can't have the acid forming foods, but you should try to counter act the effects of them by eating more alkaline foods AT THAT SAME TIME!

I don't follow this well but I would love to have the will power (and time/money!) to try it completely for a week and see what happens. I know many of my triggers and they are definitely on this chart as being exactly what they say--acid forming.

So, even though your typical day of eating does LOOK very healthy in general, as far as low fat, whole grains, and getting all your food groups, you do still have some things that may be too much acid-forming, like the banana (that really kills me unless it's almost still green-if not, toooo much sugar in those babies!!), sandwich, craisins, and then supper---again, eat what you are eating, but increase the veggies and reduce the meat/potatoes/rice. It's hard to find yummy things in life that are also GOOD FOR YOU. I would also try reducing that coffee in the morning. Even though it's decaf, the process they use to take the caffeine out involves a lot of chemicals, so the end product is still probably an acidic drink. But hey, if you love it, then have your one cup in the am! If it's decaf, then you don't need the caffeine anyhow to perk you up. If you like a hot drink, maybe try some of the herbal teas out there. That's what I love--the hot drink, so I love my morning tea, esp. in the winter months.

Just try experimenting. I know I love raisins and craisins and dates, but I can only eat a few or put a few in my oatmeal (recnetly tried steel grain oats! pretty good!) without it really affecting me. I love my cookies and sweets, but it's a given--I'll feel it within about 15 minutes of eating it. Raw cookie batter really gets me!! RATS!!!!!! :-)